Richard Harrison - Self Deported New Yorker

Richard is a transplanted Long Island, New York runner.  Richard considered himself an average runner in high school after becoming a participant of the cross-country team when a friend left the team.  Richard attended State University of New York Maritime College and ran cross country his freshman year.  He prided himself on running six-seven minute miles and being sixty pound lighter than his current weight.  Richard alleges Maritime College was a small school with no established track program.  While the summer tours of duty aboard ship, physical activity was limited to walking the plank.  Richard’s cross country time was also impacted by qualifying for the school drinking team.  However when Richard felt sleepy during late night sessions, he would run to stay awake.  Richard once bet his college roommate that whoever scored the lowest on a math test would result in the loser running five miles.  Richard had to run the five miles on the track but felt that the punishment was not that bad!  Richard graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology & Oceanography and with a Third Mate Merchant Marine’s License.   

Jacque Cousteau and the Weather Service were not hiring when Richard graduated.  After a couple of temporary jobs Richard got a “real job” with a grain export firm in lower Manhattan arranging commodity shipment  abroad.  Richard found time to run at lunch with his favorite routes being over the Brooklyn Bridge and up on the old abandoned West Side Highway near the World Trade Center.   Runner, Bill Rodgers, inspired Richard to participate in his first race, the Cross Island Marathon in 1978.  He admitted not preparing for it and suffering thereafter.  Richard has never competed in another marathon but has run in all the 5Ks, 10Ks, and five milers he could find plus an occasional half marathon.   

Richard married his first wife Anna in 1977 with their daughter Janelle born in 1982.  In 1987, Richard was laid off from his position as grain exports declined.  He disliked northern winters and large cities, and as his to be ex wife had relatives in North Georgia, he self deported in 1987 like many predecessor carpet baggers.  Upon arrival Richard participated in local races and found the Run and See Georgia series.  Richard recalls being told that Will Chamberlain put on races and stated that if “You don’t know who Will is, you soon will!” Richard and Bob Slowpants both lament what a big loss Wills’ passing has been to the running community. 

Twenty five years ago Richard accepted a position as the Environmental Nazi of Barrow County inspecting restaurants, motels, pools, permitting septic tanks, doing rabies control, and “other duties as assigned”.   Richard currently works in the same capacity for the Jackson County Health Department.  Richards’s first marriage disunion followed with a 2000 marriage to Teresa, a floral designer.  Teresa is a walker who endures Richards’ running mania remarking once, that Richard has more clothes than her but they are all running shirts!      

Richard’s daughter and son in law Mark reside in St. Augustine, FL and have produced two grandchildren for Richard.  They live two blocks from the fountain of youth.  Richard advised that when he drinks the water it does not seem to help.  Once he reaches the 65-69 age group, he will realize that those of us in the age bracket are desperate!

 
Unless sick or traveling, Richard can be found at a race on the Black Bag circuit. He has four 1,000 point Run and See Georgia jackets to his credit, and has placed in his age group finals since 2002. Richard qualified for a 2012 Black bag and tech shirt. Unfortunately Richard only qualified for a left Clover Glove in 2012, which has come in handy when checking septic tanks and field lines.  Richard admits to having met a lot of great people running and is proud to be a part of the extended running family.  When not running, Richard enjoys gardening, Yoga, and photography.  His favorite races are the Hartwell Dam 5K, Soque River Ramble 5K, and of course Clay Sims Red Barn Ramble.  His best time is anytime he crosses the finish line.   

 Bob checking out from the back of the pack.  Look for the profile on Mitchell Sinyard and late the profile of Mary Hayes’ better half Larry Hayes.   

Colleen Stephens - Running the Numbers

Colleen is the second from the rightColleen was born in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin in 1952.  Her parents relocated to Hollywood, Florida to escape the Wisconsin Cheese when she was age five.  Colleen graduated from South Broward High School in 1970 and married shortly thereafter. Married life carried her to Anderson, South Carolina until a divorce in necessitating that she move to Atlanta in 1974.  With her daughter, they came to the great state of Georgia to be closer to Colleen’s father, his work and their family.

Colleen’s early work career was in the employ of K-Mart in various stores from Atlanta, GA to Columbus, MS, and eventually at the regional office here in Atlanta.  Colleen left K-Mart for an accounting bookkeeping position with a maintenance company, American Building Maintenance.  Later she joined a Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firm in downtown Atlanta.  Despite the lack of formal training in accounting, Colleen excelled and knew she had found a vocation that she enjoyed.  While working at the CPS firm of Berman Mills and Company, Colleen met the love of her life, husband Chuck Stephens.  She also became determined to attend college and obtain a degree in accounting.

Colleen enrolled and attended Clayton State University until she and Chuck were married in 1984.  They relocated to Franklin, Georgia where Chuck had a family farm.  Colleen found an accounting position in nearby LaGrange, Georgia with another CPA firm.  Colleen's GraduationNot content with farm crops, Colleen and Chuck raised two sons.  Chip was born in 1985 and Clint in 1988.  Colleen transferred to the University of West Georgia in 1993 after placing her educational endeavors on hold when they relocated to Franklin.  Colleen reentered college graduating from West Georgia in 1996 and successfully passed the state CPA exam in 1997.  In the interim, Colleen and Chuck had started their own CPA firm in the metropolis of Franklin.

Colleen, in 2002, found herself gaining weight and wanted lose the extra pounds before she became taller lying down than she was standing up.  She began walking and eventually running.  She lost forty pounds in the first three months of running and exercising.  Her first race was a 5K on April 27, 2002 in Morrow, Georgia.  She placed dead last but finished and found the satisfaction of being out there.  Shortly thereafter she discovered the “madness” of running for points and found that we did not have a CPA runner, so she began to calculate, crunch and decipher the numbers, also known as “chasing the points”.  She finished fifth in her age group that year and finished sixth in the new 2012 Black Bag Race Series point standings and ran 102.7 Black Bag Miles in the competitive women age group of 55-59.  Colleen has run the Peachtree Road Race for the past ten years and intends to do so as long as she is physically able to do so, then she will transfer to the wheelchair division!

Chip leaving for AfghanistanAfter years of “nagging” (Bob cannot image a woman that nags!), Colleen has convinced other members of the family to run with her.  She is frequently joined by daughter Christine Carroll, who is a teacher at Roopville Elementary. Her grandson Luke Carroll is a sophomore at Heard County High and runs cross country and is on the basketball team. Participation includes granddaughter Lanie Carroll, a third grader at Roopville, son Clint, a LaGrange police officer, and daughter in law Amanda, a teacher also at Roopville. Son Chip is in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Afghanistan but no doubt ran there. He came home from Afghanistan at the end of September and is now stationed at Ft. Stewart in Hinesville.  When his enlistment is finished, he plans on returning to teaching at the middle school level.  Her daughter in law Marti also runs with her but she has been sidelined due to a back injury she received on a waterslide over the summer.

Not only does her family enjoy running but her dogs do too!  BeauBeau is a big dog that protects her on her runs.  You may catch her pushing a jogging stroller but be careful if you look in to get some baby loving.  Inside are her two little canines, Scappy and Boo Boo.  Boo BooThey may be too little to run far but they enjoy the run in style.

Colleen is struggling with plantar fasciitis and temporarily sidelined in the Black Bag Race Series injured reserve.  She is expected to rejoin the weekend “madness” at New Years at Noon.   Her injury regret this year is not earning her second 2012 Clover Glove.  Nevertheless, with one hand gloved, Colleen has a goal to run a race in every state and has done so in five states to date.  A secondary goal is to run a race in every county in Georgia.         

ScrappyBob checking out from the back of the pack.  Look for more profiles in 2013 from Randall Martin and the winner of the Augusta feather weight division Myra Nance.

Jim Latimer - Old Faithful

Jim was born in Gainesville, GA in 1941 and matriculated in Gainesville from elementary through high school.  Jim’s parents divorced when he was fourteen years of age and his sibling brother was eleven. Jim voluntarily worked after school at a local grocery store to aid with his mother’s finances, thus depriving himself of sports activities. However, Jim was able to go to “all the good parties after work”.  After high school Jim worked to save for college but was never able to attend. Jim in High School

In 1961, Jim met his future bride Diana while working at Warren-Featherstone Company.  They married in 1962. November will mark the fiftieth anniversary of Jim and wife Diana’s marriage.  Few of us can boast of such consistency.  In 1963 Jim went to work for General Motors in Doraville on the assembly line until 1966. Jim moved from GM to United Parcel Service where he dressed in brown from 1966 to 1969.  Jim left UPS to work for North Georgia Supply Co where he toiled for seven years learning the commercial pipe and valve business from the inside sales counter, as an outside salesperson and a store manager until 1976.  Jim, tired of laying pipe for someone else, transitioned, with his wife, into their own pipe dream business for themselves starting Industrial Pipe and Supply Co, Inc. where they sold pipe and valves.   Jim’s standing in the community and business acumen was recognized with his appointment to Community Board of Directors of United Community Bank, Inc. Jim and Diana

 In 1964 Jim and Lisa hatched a daughter Lisa and 1965 a son Chris. During his children’s high school years, Jim was involved with the Gainesville High School Booster and Band clubs.  Jim is still involved with the same organizations as he has three grandson’s from daughter Lisa and three granddaughters from son Chris.  Jim’s business is truly a family enterprise as wife Diana, son Chris, daughter Lisa works at the firm along with two grandsons and one granddaughter. Industrial Pipe and Supply will remain a family business.   Jim, after thirty-six years in business, is in the process of transferring the ownership to his son and daughter. Jim after a fall at the Blake Gammill 5K

Jim discovered running for points when he was sixty and has been a consistent participant in races north and east of Atlanta.  All of the age 65-69 runners, including Bob Slowpants, were excited when Jim turned seventy and entered a different age group this year.  Jim must be excited too as he is “going all out” to win his age group in the Black Bag Race Series, Clover Glove Series and the Run and See Georiga Grand Prix series (the old fart triple crown).  Jim and Tim Bagley from Classic Race ServicesCurrently Jim is in a heads up battle with Bo Ryles for the Overall Championship in the Black Bag Race Series and the Clover Glove Series.  Jim remarked that he likes “to get out there and run even though I am not that fast. I like to see everybody and get to talk to them and see what is going on. We have a lot of people running who really like each other”.  Jim’s best 5K time was 27:10 in the Faith Run in Watkinsville and his best 10K time is 1:03 in the Marigold 10K in Winterville. His favorite run is the Autumn Breeze 5K course at Tallulah Gorge for the scenic course.   Jim finishing the Summers End races

Bob checking out from the back of the pack.  Look for the October profile on prolific runner Tina Hunt and November on Bo Ryles mentor UGA’s Mel Garber.