A Bit of History ...

 

Joan Unger


 


Did you know that our fIrst NASA Intercenter Postal Run took place on June 9, 1976 ... in 94 degree weather! Goddard's contribution included 11 runners - all male. Of those first 11 runners, 4 ran the fall '87 2-mile - Ken Brown, Charles Campbell, Emil Kirwin and Hal Levy!!!  Now that's dedication for ya! The second NASA fun run was held in October of that same year. Goddard had 11 participants in that race as well, but this time one runner was female. In April '77 a longer race was run in addition to the 2-mile -- a 4-mile.  The 4 mile lasted for three intercenter runs until it was increased to a 10 Kilometer race.

The Goddard Running and Jogging Club has grown into the' Goddard Running and Orienteering Club and participation in the bi-annual races has also grown - from 11 in spring '76 to 280 in fall '87, topping out in spring '87 with 475 participants in the 2 mile race! t And, Goddard runners seem to get faster and faster all the time. The current record for the 2 mile is 9:32 set by Tim Minor in spring '84 (Ned Poffenberger held it before that with a 9:33 in spring '82), and the women's record was set in fall '84 by Nelda Casper with a time of 12: 10. Ned Poffenberger holds the men's 10K record with a time of 31 :07 set in fall '81. The women's 10K record was set by Barbie Beckford in spring '84 with a time of 41:36. At the other end of the spectrum, the slowest times to complete the 2 mile course for males and females are 40:48 set in fall '84 and 41:25 set in fall '81, and those times for the 10K are 86:56 set in fall '87 for men and 94:40 set in fall '83 for women.

Well, that's it for now, but more GROC stats and facts will be coming up in future issues of the newsletter. If you have any questions you'd like answered or any crazy GROC records you're interested in knowing, give me or Gincy a call and I'll let you know what we come up with.

As for the past history of GROC, we have excellent records regarding race results (Thanks Jane!), but the .c1ub history records are a little fuzzy. Any old newsletters, minutes from meetings, team histories, race results or any other club info would be greatly appreciated (Any info would be promptly returned!). Thanks and happy running!

Joan was GROC Historian.

 

                         

                         

 

Historical Note: First NASA Intercenter Postal Competitiion .

Du Val High School track

                               June 1976                     '

 

                                        Goddard participants Time

                                         Mike Rosenweig       11: 13

                                         Emil Kirwan             12:39

                                         Ken Brown 13:35

                                         Frank Cole   14:08

                                         Tony Mascaro          14:34

                                         Clyde Freeman         14:55

                                         Eric Lang     16:31

                                         Edwin Stengard        18:09

                                         Hal Levy     18:20

                                         Charles Campbell     18:38

                                         John McKiernan       19:47

 

Editor's Note: Many thanks to Emil Kirwan for this piece of historical information.