Welcome to the Chicago Athlete Express.
Great Information. Quick Read.

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SCOOP
Vertel's is officially history as of June 30. . . BUT stay tuned to find out about the future of the store which includes a new owner and name change. We'll bring you the information as we get more details.

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ALL-AMERICAN FUN
Check out our photo gallery from this past Sunday's race:
www.chicagoaa.com/features/ allamerican04photos.html

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CORRECTION
Last week we had an item in our eNewsletter about the Park Forest Scenic 10 Track Meets. The phone number on our searchable online calendar was incorrect, the correct phone number for this event is 708-748-2005. **********************************************************

LONG RUN
As you read this, Team Illinois, composed of Chicagoans Nancy and Joel Burrows and David Kuhnau, is in the midst of the Atacama Crossing--a six-stage, self-supported,150-mile footrace across the Atacama Desert in Chile. Per our last update from Dave via email on July 6, Team Illinois was still going strong after the 18-mile third stage, and Nancy had finished as the first woman in the 29-mile second stage. Assuming all things go according to plan, the trio will wrap up the fifth stage today, a 50-mile jaunt across the salt flats, and cross the finish line in San Pedro de Atacama after an "short" 10-mile final leg on Saturday. For more race coverage and information, check out:
www.racingtheplanet.com/atacamacrossing/live Nancy Burrows was our July/August Clif Bar Athlete of the Month. You can read more here:
www.chicagoaa.com/ features/AthletesMonthJulyAug04.html

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CHRIS VOGEL'S 2004 TOUR DE FRANCE DIARY
Okay, we know the tour has already started, but it continues through July 25. Local cyclist Chris Vogel is fulfilling a lifelong dream and just left for France to work with the Marty Jemison Cycling Tour and he'll be sending Chicago Athlete regular updates and behind-the-scene details. We'll be updating this page regularly:
www.chicagoaa.com/features/vogeltourdefranceJuly04list.html

MORE TOUR
In last week's eNewsletter we included some fun places to view the Tour. Here's another---in the bar at Brasserie Jo, 59 W. Hubbard St. each night at 6 p.m. If you mention Kozy's Cyclery you get a complimentary appetizer and they also have a contest where you can guess the next day's stage winner and be eligible for several prizes that range from a dinner for two at Brasserie Jo to a Trek Bike provided by Goose Island Brewing Co. to a two-night stay at the Paris Resort in Las Vegas.

AND ONE MORE TOUR ITEM
Did anyone catch Sunday's Tour coverage in the afternoon? We spotted Chicagoan Julie DeWerd, who races on the 2CC cycling team sporting a Pony Shop cap, being interviewed by OLN's Kirsten Gum. DeWerd is already back home and says the experience 200 meters from the finish in Charleroi was incredible. "I had a great time and it's hard to hold onto your spot, you have to be determined not to let anyone push you out of the way" she said.

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TRIATHLON SCOOP
Many of you have followed Hartford, WI, native Heather Gollnick's career. She was involved in a horrible bike crash a few weeks before Ironman Cour d'Alene but decided to compete. Overall winners this year were Australia's Chris Legh, 8:42:56 and New Zealand's Lynley Allison in 9:31:56. Heather finished second to Allison in 9:41:48.

Below is a race account from Heather.

"Race day came with the normal race day concerns and jitters, and the hope that I could get some food down in the morning. I made my way to the swim start not really knowing what to expect on the first leg of the race. After all, I had been in a lake to swim just once since the accident. The Pro men and women start ahead in the swim and I usually get beat up a little trying to stay with the pack. It was funny (at first) - I was thinking how great it was that I wasn't getting clobbered in the swim, then I realized it was because I was alone and in back (not funny.) My swim turned out to be average, a few minutes slower than last year. I entered the first transition in eighth place.

I was happy to be out on the bike, I love the course and was counting on making up some time on those in front of me. It always takes a bit for me to get warmed up but once I did, I settled into a groove and had what I felt was a decent bike split. I would have liked to close the gap between Lynley and myself but it wasn't to be - she was having a phenomenal bike ride. I headed into transition in second place behind Lynley and was planning for a quick run.

The day was heating up and I knew right away that I didn't quite have that normal spring in my step but regardless I was going to give it my best effort. Frequent stops due to stomach problems made it difficult to close the gap between myself and Lynley as she was having a career day. By the second loop I just wasn't feeling right and in all honesty wanted it to end. The last 13 miles were a mental struggle but there was no way I was going to stop - it's just not in my nature. I finished the day one minute faster than last year. I would like to congratulate Lynley on a fantastic day. I remember that 1st Ironman win and what a feeling it is!

Fortunately there were so many spectators and fans out on the course. Many remembered me from last year and were cheering my name. In those low spots they were a great source of encouragement, along with all the other Ironman athletes that were cheering during the run. Thank you to all of you for giving me the encouragement I needed and congratulations to all Ironman finishers."

We congratulate Heather on her finish - she's a class act! For complete race coverage, check out:
www.insidetri.com/race/iro/articles/2288.0.html

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HALF MARATHON TRAINING PROGRAMS
Chicago Half Marathon is pleased to announce the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training Program (TNT) as the official charity this year. Four training locations will be offered this summer. Locations include Chicago, North Suburbs, South Suburbs and Western suburbs. For more information, call 800- 466-0334 or visit www.teamintraining.org/il

And CARA Has One, Too
Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA) will offer a specially designed Chicago Half Marathon training program that with a kick off at a clinic on Wed, July 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Bigler Auditorium at Children's Memorial Hospital at 707 W. Fullerton Ave. Training runs will be held every Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. (meeting in Lincoln Park) from July 17 through September 11. *********************************************************

JUNIOR ACHIEVER
Chicago Athlete congratulates and wishes Alexandria Anderson, from Morgan Park High School the best of luck! She qualified for the U.S. Junior World Team and will run the 4x400m relay team at the World Junior Track & Field Championships in Grosseto, Italy. For more information about this, check out:
www.atf-athlete.com/ news/teamusaworldjrchamps04.html

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GAY GAMES GET GOING!
Online registration for Gay Games VII, scheduled for July 15-22, 2006 is open. Individuals interested in participating in any of the 30 sports plus band and choral events can now register online at:
www.GayGamesChicago.org **********************************************************

LASALLE BANK CHICAGO MARATHON REMINDERS
Don't say we didn't remind you! The race is expected to fill sooner than last year! Here's the scoop:
www.chicagoaa.com/news/chicagomarathon04registrationJuly04.html

Also, if you know anyone doing the marathon OR if you're doing it and want to send a little "hint" to your loved ones.. Here's how you can send a message of Good Luck that won't wilt like flowers or be forgotten.
www.fleetfeetchicago.com *********************************************************

THIS COMING WEEKEND!
There's a ton of events but one highlight includes the The Lifeway Bastille Day 5K Run, Walk & Block Party, this Friday, July 9. The 5K Run and walk starts at 6:30 p.m. at Jackson & Aberdeen and runs through the streets of Chicago's West Loop. Don't miss the Block Party afterwards featuring great live music from the Afrodisiacs! For more information on this and other events check out:
www.chicagoaa.com/calendar/smu.html

COMING UP IN A FEW WEEKS . . .
Chicago Area Project is the proud sponsor of the 8th Annual CAP Games, a track and field event that attracts more than 1,000 youth, ages 7 - 18, from more than 20 organizations throughout the Chicago Metropolitan area. The 2004 CAP Olympic-Style Games will be held at on Saturday, July 31, 2004 at Hanson Park Stadium, 5501 W. Fullerton in Chicago, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. For information, contact Leslie Welch at 312-663-3574, ext. 242

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IT'S COACH DEHAVEN NOW
U.S. marathoner Rod DeHaven will return to South Dakota State University in Brookings, but this time as a coach. The university announced that DeHaven had accepted the position of coordinator and head coach of cross country and track and-field for men and women. DeHaven, 37, was one of the most versatile U.S. distance runners throughout his career: 3:40.15, 13:40.41, 28:06.25, and 2:11:40. He was the lone U.S. male marathoner in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, after winning the hot and humid Olympic Trials in Pittsburgh. For more information, check out:
www.sdstate.edu/Athletics/VarsitySports/MensCrossCountry

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RACE CANCELLATION
We just found out that the Skokie Spirit, originally scheduled for October 31 has been cancelled.

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TRIVIA QUESTION
The 2004 Lake Zurich Triathlon is a USAT sanctioned event this year. The race is part of what series? And true or false, it is a point-to-point swim? Answer these two questions correctly by 5 p.m. on Friday (July 9th) and your name will be entered to win a complimentary entry into this August 8th event. Email your answers to editorial@chicagoaa.com

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Wishing you the best in your training and racing!