The Engineers Week Race started the local E-Week celebration on Saturday, February 21. We heartily thank the UAH Engineering Student Council (ESL) for taking the lead in reactivating the run which had died several years ago. The Section made a substantial grant to the ESL to purchase the T-Shirts (see the T-shirt design) and Medals (see the medal).

Saturday was a great day for the event. The picture below shows most of the local IEEE community that participated. Courtney Mount is missing from the picture. She was probably showing off her engagement ring. Congratulations Courtney!!!

First Row: Miles Grigorian (future member). Second Row: Eric Grigorian (50th Anniversary / E-Week Chair) and Sonya Hutchinson (Section Chair). Third Row: Keith Jadus (Sec. Vice Chair), Jim Anderson (Past Sec. Chair), Willie Fitzpatrick (Sec. Secretary), and Ande Boyer (UAH Student Branch).

Here is the starting line up. Those of you, who have met Sonya, know her as a mild mannered member of the NASA team. But, when you get her in the great outdoors, you soon find out that there is a tiger in that sweat suit. (As a matter of fact, I think that it was the tiger trying to escape from her sweat suit that kept her "running".)

The next picture shows our Exalted Section Chair crossing the finish line.

AND THE WINNERS ARE!

First Row: Courtney Mount, Sonya Hutchinson, Kristin Davis, Fred Tajalle, Miles Grigorian, Mike Youngblood and Daughter (she really did not run).
Second Row: Mike Green, Norm Schmoelker, Debbi Higginbothan, Willie Fitzpatrick, Bristol Hartlage, and Dr. Gerald Karr.
Third Row: Adam Thomas, Donie Youngblood, Jim Anderson, and Keith Jadus. Noal Redmond had already left.

The winners' categories are listed below:

Overall Male - Mike Greene

Overall Female - Debbi Higginbothan

M, 19 & under: Miles Grigorian

M, 20-29: 1-Michael Youngblood, 2-Fred Tajalle, 3-Adam Thomas

M, 30-39: Keith Jadus

M, 40-49: 1-Norm Schmoelker, 2-Noal Redmond, 3-Donie Youngblood

M, 50+: 1-Gerald Karr, 2-Willie Fitzpatrick, 3-Jim Anderson

F, 20-29: 1-Bristol Hartlege, 2-Courtney Mount, 3-Kristin Davis

F, 30-39: Sonya Hutchinson

When I told my family that I had won third place in the Engineers Week Run they were all quite surprised as I have never "run" before. One of my grandsons said; "Gramps, how did you do that?" Looking very serious, as I always do, I told him that it was a combination of training, nutrition and planning. Training - I got up a couple of times during the night before the race. That limbered up my muscles for the morning. Nutrition - I had a bowl of granola, raisins and milk for breakfast. Followed by some pickled fish, marinated mushrooms, and a slice of angel food cake. Planning - It helps to be in a race where there are only two other people in your age category.

When the kids asked what my next race was going to be, I told them that I thought that it was time to retire from running while I was still at my peak performance.

Jim Anderson

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