Bischoff, Stephanie

Age on Race Day: 31 (yowza)

8-06 Update: It was with tremendous
regret that Steph needed to drop off the Runners With Sole's running roster because of a nasty ankle injury. She
intends to still make the RTB, but as
a driver for the team. Cool. Very Cool!

In Steph's place will be Tim - a 2X
RTB runner!

Known only as
Hammer
by Bucknell elite runners,
no one at the RTB
will be passing her!
(We're not sure why.)

Effinger, Gove

Age on Race Day: 61

8/06 Update: Due to a torn lateral
meniscus in his right knee, Gove
regrettably needed to drop off the
RWS Relay Team. The 3rd team
member to depart with an injury.
Yikes.

Math professor at Skidmore. Took up running in my late twenties and have never stopped. Have run 20-some marathons (including 8 Bostons), but have not run one since Philadelphia in 2001 due to some persistent injuries, plus lack of time.

Editor's Note: I'm not trusting anyone over 60 - especially if they've run 8 Bostons. Early in the season, it was over heard at Case Center (from a very reliable source) that Gove and Bill initially planned to run the RTB as a 2-person ultra team. They kicked the idea when a RTB official mistakenly leaked to FOX News that bears had overtaken legs 3-28.

Gove:
Truckin' around campus.

Farrar, Megan

Age on Race Day:
27 at start of race & 28 at the finish line
(My Birthday is 9/16)

Grandy, Jim

Age on Race Day: 46

Lets see...Married, 2 kids, work in the newspaper business, tired and sore, relatively new to running, looking forward to challenge of this race - sounds like fun. (That's brief)

Editor's Note: Yes... short on words, but check out that stride in the adjacent pix! He's doin' Boston this year!

Mohawk Hudson
River Marathon: Mile15

Hogan, Natalia

Age on Race Day: 37

The RTB Racing Assoc.
is a little confused by
this pix... is Natalia on
the left, in the middle,
or on the right?

(Cool trophy!)

Janssen, Tim

Age on race day, 27

Editor's Note: This guy comes highly recommended by Steph, who due to
an ankle injury incurred at Karate
(NOT running), has transitioned
from team runner to van driver
for the RTB Race. Yahoo!

Work with Stephanie. She conned me into running for her this year. Me being stupid, agreed to do it. Actually, I've run it the past 2 years as well (leg 5 both years). It's always a lot of fun. I'm hoping that this year will be the year that it doesn't rain. There's something about the rain that just doesn't let the vans dry out completely, and that can make life interesting. Before that, I started running when I was 13, ran competitively from then through my college years at UVM. And now I just run for the sake of running. I'll occasionally throw a race in there just for kicks, but only once or twice a year.

At last year's RTB,
moments after it
finally stopped raining
at Hamptom Beach,
Tim prepares to stow
his oxygen bottles which
he always runs with.

LaBella, Gary

Age on Race Day: 53

Warming up for the
RTB Relay

Age on Race Day: 41

Born and raised in Michigan. Spent my childhood swimming and eating. Unfortunately I ate more than I swam – So, I weighed 247 pounds at age 11. Lost alot of weight just by refusing to eat anything but Coco Puffs.

I love to be active, and besides running I take classes in tae kwon do, pilates and belly dancing. Other interests include geocaching, piano, surfing the net and reading (ok, mostly magazines – Wired, Discover and Runner’s World).

I have 12 years technical writing experience, but I am currently on a very LONG sabbatical, spending most of my time tending to my 4 kids (now ya know why I NEED to run). Intend to return to work later this year (need to regain my sanity).

My favorite color is blue, except on Tuesdays, when it is red.

It's been rumored for years
that this mild mannered
woman has been secretly
playing congo drums
in the D.C. based,
IT Band.
Their latest CD,
Down Hill Black-Toe,
is always played at pre-race
pasta parties at Virginia's
elite pub for runners,
PR's Grill.

Long, Bill

Age on Race Day: 64

Practice psychology with Al and Gary for MANY years. Ran marathons with Tony 25 years ago! Most recently ran Adirondack and Marine Corps [marathons] with Gary and John., Catalina with son-in-law Dave, and Mt. Washington. And at 64, many more aches and pains afterwards. Looking forward to our team run.

Editor's Note: 64 shmitzy-four... this guys got legs! If he gets in front of you it's all over.

2005 Race the Train:
Barely breaking a sweat,
Long Shots
at the Finish Line,
"Where's the train?"

Age on Race Day: 59

7/06 Update: During a morning run with Tony, we spoke about his chronic knee problem, and how he had been on borrowed (running) time the last 4 years. He struggled to finish our 5 mile loop. He planned to, and he did complete, the Utica Boilermaker the following weekend. Unfortunately, the Boilermaker would be Tony's last (running) race. He regrettably decided to step off the Runners with Sole roster. As awful as this was for me to hear (Tony's such a great guy and I was sooo looking forward to paling around with him on this adventure), he did confess to having just purchased a $5000 Serrata bike frame. (No kidding I thought). This guy will never stand still! After logging 40,000 miles of trail, road and marathon races, he'll be biking at speeds that will make us runners feel like we're standing still. Good grief. I love this guy!

Retired, Old as dirt. Been running for over 33 years. Racing for over 25 years from one mile to the marathon distance. Pr's are history (the future a mystery) and not relevant to today. Enjoy a variety of outdoor activities biking, hiking,skiing, snowshoeing, candlelight dinners, moonlight walks, cuddling (oops sorry I digress). Looking forward to a never tried before running event. (P.S. I don't have a digital pix to send in. Good luck finding one!)

Editor's Note: These retired guys make me crazy. All they do is run, play and vacation. Be aware... this guy ain't over the hill! He's a fierce competitor with a deceiving, smiley face. Good things he's runnin' with us!

These very private
moments of Tony were
captured at Saratoga Park
while relaxing after a run.

Roberts, Maureen

Age on Race Day: 48

"Let's see... after I run
the first 10 legs of the RTB
Relay, I've got a 100 mile
bike ride, a tennis match...
oh...
and then..."

Morris, Elaine

Age on Race Day: 53

I'm an editor for the education department. I've been running for about 28 years, varying distances, run 6 marathons (still want to do Boston, the desire to run marathons again has resurfaced), but haven't done one in years, injuries (non-running) and lack of time. Starting to train to do triathlons. Given the option, I prefer to run trails, but I run roads out of necessity. I also enjoy cross country skiing and other outdoor activities.

Editor's Note: With the need for a 12th runner, and the RTB less then 3 weeks away... the RWS were finally able to sleep again. Elaine has both the running background and (from what we keep hearing) an average pace that will make the Hat seem like he's standing still, screaming for oxygen at a water station... thank goodness for Elaine!

Elaine and her running coach discuss RTB strategy.

Wheeler Kristine

Age on Race Day: 28

Fitness runner with goals to run a marathon before I'm 30 or have kids - whichever comes first.

Photo: My best sprint training occurs when someone takes a camera out. There's probably one lurking somewhere.

After months trying to track down a photo of Kris, our tenacious G-WeB photography team finally caught a glimpse of her. Somewhere in the southern hemisphere she was seen for only a moment as she sprinted over this summit and disappeared into the jungle below. Good grief.

Wolfer, Al

Age on Race Day: 49

Editor's Note: Never having run in his life, Iron Al signed on to the RTB with a severe case of gotta-do. This guys got strength and determination whether on the baseball field, basketball court, in a canoe, on crampons or skis! Unfortunately, Iron Al is in a full body cast due to a minor mishap ice climbing in the Adirondacks, and was unable to physically submit this bio. However, he's assured me, "Hey! I get this cast off in September and I'll be ready to rock on the 15th!" (Oh, geez.)

Iron Al (l.) formed 50%
of Team Turbo Paddle
in the7th Annual Canoe Invitational (2001).

Wallis, Warren

Age on Race Day: 47

Hi, fellow runners. I became a runner a few years ago after discovering I had a bicuspid aortic valve and decided that developing a healthier lifestyle made sense. For several years I had come to the conclusion that I could not run any further then a 5K. Every time I would run, I would go as hard as I could so by the time I got to the end of 3.12 miles I felt like I was going to die. Finally, this spring, I learned if I slowed down I could run farther and enjoy it more. Caught in the vortex behind G., I have found myself pulled along into the RTB zone.

Editor's Note: With Tony stepping off the RWS roster, The Hat (nicknamed so by a small elite hiking group in the Adirondacks because of his rather sketchy looking Elmer Fudd hat) stepped in. He's a good guy with plenty of heart who is always up for pushing his limits! Warren... welcome aboard. (HaHaHa! You fell for the oldest trick in the book!)

The Hat (l.)...
looking rather tall...
and "g" atop
Cloudrest at Yosemite:
Livin' the dream!