Freedom Run to Occur on October 30

The Goddard Running and Orienteering Club (GROC) has decided to call this year's Fall two mile run, "Freedom Run" in light of the Sept 11 tragic events. Goddard's bi-annual run occurs during the spring and fall seasons and will begin just past the building 3/13 loading dock on the south (Greenbelt Road) side.

This spring's run female top placer was the "traditional" finisher, Julie Thienel (Deutschmann), of Code 572 who completed the run in 12 minutes and 33 seconds. She has been the overall female champion for several years now. Thienel runs the Boston Marathon and ran the Annapolis 10 mile and a half-marathon in Leesburg, VA this summer. She recently ran the Baltimore marathon and placed the11th female. Thienel has a regimen of running at least five to six days a week and even ran with her husband the morning of their wedding.

John Chambers of Code 551 was this spring's male top placers, finishing up at 11 minutes and 18 seconds. Chambers has a regimen of running 5 miles three times a week and keeps a daily affirmation of "the more you run the more fun", in other words staying healthy leads to a longer life.

A participate since the start of the bi-annual Fun Run is Emil Kirwan. Kirwan ran all 52 runs for the last 26 years. He too is an avant runner. In 1975 Kirwan began running a 1,000 miles a year to meet his goal of running the circumference of the Earth and accomplished his goal last year.

Emil's motto "there's no vacation for good health" along with the fact that he is "trying to beat old age" keeps him focused and on track.

All employees are invited to participate or can be support to co-workers who participant. The fall run will begin at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, October 30. To view new running course, go to: http://snowmelt.gsfc.nasa.gov/GROC/newcourse.html