President’s Message – October 1992
Lake Winnipesaukee Relay

Congratulations to all club members who ran in the LakeWinnipesaukee Relay Race this year. John Shane’s article has a complete listing of their names and the team times. All together we entered six teams of eight runners, and not one handoff was missed. That is an extraordinary accomplishment! 

As Tony Lee, captain of the senior’s team, observed: “It’s remarkable to have eight fifty year old guys, all free of injury on the same day.” Tony’s nursing home refugees were the first club team to finish, just minutes ahead of the mixed masters. They took fifth place in the senior’s category. It was touching to see their tears of joy, as they stood erect, a firm grip on their walkers, slobbering over their pitiful medals. In an act of magnanimity unprecedented in club history, Jack O’Rourke permitted two longtime stalwarts of his mixed masters team, Bob Smith and Bob Tomassisni, to run for the seniors this year. Later, mortified by the stupidity of this act, he could not bring himself to show his face at the race. (Actually, he was hosting his traditional fall XC meet. He need not have worried. The new, improved mixed masters ran the fastest time ever, taking second in their division. They won large, gaudy medals, which many had the tastelessness to wear to dinner that night. While most of us are content with tacky, these restless spirits have moved on to gauche. (Memo to Ted Tyler re new promotional slogan: “Tired of dining alone? Join the GFTC, we accept anyone.”) 

If you have never participated in team racing, I urge you to get involved in this race next year. A large contingent of club members ran the Lake Relay for their first time this year: Paula Giles, Janice Gorman, Yolande Frederick, Bill Carroll, Jim Brady, Joe McCarthy, Toby Hubbard, Sal Citarella, Rick Brodmerkle, Tom Carney and Lev Volfson. Everyone who participated had a wonderful time during the race and at the dinner afterwards. 

Thanks to all our team captains for their work in recruiting and coordinating the various teams. In addition to Tony and Jack they were Geoff Matter (open), Tom Abbott (masters). Fran Marchankevicz (women’s) and John Shane (seniors). Special thanks to John, who also served as Relay Coordinator for the club, and did his usual outstanding job of taking care of every single detail. 

Art