Caitlin Conn - Running with Genetics

Caitlin Conn was raised in Port Royal, Pennsylvania (population 925 in the 2010 census).  Her father was a sports enthusiast and former soccer player and mother was a physical education teacher who had played basketball for nearby Penn State University.  Athletics were prominent in her childhood as she showed Caitlin riding her horsehorses starting at age four and remembers running a half mile on several occasions because her mother said it would improve her basketball skills. She detested running with her mother driving alongside in the family automobile providing frequent updates on Caitlin’s running speed.   She attended a small Christian School and later Selinsgrove Area High School.  She enjoyed track and field day where her best running event was the 400 meter run but her favorite event was the high jump.  Her preparation for the event was the result of home practice using her bed as a landing mat!

Caitlin matriculated at Penn State University majoring in biology where she was required to take two physical education courses.  On a whim Caitlin chose jogging as she figured this would allow her to get in better shape without too much strenuous exercise.  The course was intense involving speed work, hill repeats, long runs around campus and even developing a half marathon training plan.  After completion of the course, Caitlin no longer felt like running “wasn’t her thing”.  She followed up with a few 5K races in her home town and at Penn State.  Her mentor was a late sixty year old named Larry who was faster than Caitlin.  They completed her first half marathon and she learned the importance of proper hydration as Larry passed out at the finish line.  Since then Caitlin and her sister Nicole plan to run together in the 2014 Rock n’ Roll Marathon in Savannah and the 2015 Florida Keys Ragnar relay.

Caitlin at the Ath HalfAfter graduation from Penn State in 2011, Caitlin relocated to Athens, Georgia to enroll in the PhD program in genetics but her horse did not come with her.  She, however, has had considerable experience in analyzing Dawg genetics since her transplant.  She plans on a career in “academics” after acquiring her PhD (in Georgia this means post hold digger!).  In Athens, she missed the competitive environment of horse shows and the yearlong pursuit of show points.  At one of her first 5Ks in Georgia, she noticed a man wearing a Run and See Georgia 1,000 point jacket.  A quick search on the Internet revealed information on the Run and See Georgia series, the Black Bag Race Series and the Clover Glove Race Series.  By the end of 2014 Caitlin had earned a black bag, hat, and several mismatched Clover Gloves.   Her goal this year is to earn an entire outfit with matching gloves.

Caitlin and David EcklesCaitlin enjoys the competitive aspect of series racing-especially when her top rival David Eckles participates.  She acknowledges that the main reason she participates is because of the “incredible running community she’s found”.  Her favorite races are the final three (heat, hills, and humidity) of the Twelve Days of Christmas in July because there is a strong sense of camaraderie among those who put themselves out there for all that series and especially the last three races.  She cannot identify a PR for a 5K as she does not wear a watch and her races have been “on courses of questionable distance “measured by one or more genetically challenged persons.  Her Half Marathon PR is 1:44 from the 2013 Athens Half.         

Caitlin doesn’t worry about race times as she once did.  Experiencing the fellowship of racing has helped her realize that running faster can be fun, yet ”there’s a whole lot more to running than what gets written on the finish card”.

Bob checking out from the back of the pack, look for the profile on Tom Skafidas and the profile on Black Bag’s Eva Allbritton.

Jerry Cunningham - You Don't Have To Shave To Run

Jerry was born in Atlanta and is the youngest of five children (a sister and three brothers).  His parents moved to Marietta when Jerry was in the third grade.  That is where his father managed a greenhouse operation.  The family moved again to Clarksville, Georgia when Jerry was in the fifth grade.  There his father taught Horticulture at North Georgia Technical School, home of the now expired Mountain Laurel 5K.  His mother worked as a nurse at the local hospital.  Jerry graduated from Habersham Central High Jerry with his familySchool in 1976.  So after, he married and had two beautiful daughters, Hannah and Leah.  Hannah has been married for twelve years, lives In Mt. Airy and works in Human Resources for Habersham Metal.   Leah has been married for two years, is employed for a job placement firm in Duluth and resides in Johns Creek.  Jerry remarried eight years ago to Christina and has a twelve year old step son, Noah, from that union.  Jerry has run a few races with Noah and hopes to convince him to do more.  

Jerry joined the Navy after school but this did not float his boat, so he left the maritime service when his tour of duty was up.  Jerry’s civilian career has consisted of fourteen years in the retail hardware business in Clarksville followed by twenty-two years with electric provider Habersham EMC.  Jerry’s trademark red beard sprouted after his military service and gives him the appearance of a true North Georgia mountain man.

The weekend warrior and adventurer in Jerry emerged as he joined the Georgia Army National Guard while in the hardware business.  He endured basic training and the annual training tours at Fort Stewart, Georgia.  During his twenty-eight year military career, he was able to travel with his unit to California, Iowa, and Germany.  Jerry was activated to assist flood victims in Albany, Georgia, earth quake victims in Ecuador and hurricane victims of Katrina.  Jerry spent a year on active duty with the Department of Homeland Security in Maryland.  His final activation, at the rank of Sergeant First Class, was to assist with providing security for the G-8 Summit held at Sea Island, Georgia.  Those in attendance were, President George Bush, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Jerry’s first series race was on his twenty-fifth birthday at the Big Red Apple 5K in nearby Cornelia, Georgia.  His incentive, he was tired of “hot dog” soldiers beating him on the Physical Fitness test administered semi-annually in the National Guard.  Jerry has competed in twenty-five 4^th of July Peachtree Road Races, avoiding a consecutive streak by missing one while activated in Maryland.  His favorite races are the Soque River Ramble 6K in Batesville, Georgia and the Autumn Breeze 5K at Tallulah Falls, Georgia.  Jerry finished third in the formidable age 55-59 age group in 2013 both in the Run and See Georgia Grand Prix and the Black Bag race Series behind Roger Keel and Bo Ryles.  His wife offered to buy him a jacket as opposed to Jerry having to run in all the races but that “would not have been as much fun and he wouldn’t have earned it”.  Jerry has met “some really nice people and developed lasting friendships” with fellow series runners.  His inspirations are Bo Ryles, Darrell Worley, Jim Latimer, Wilson Page, Randy Ballew, Roger Keel, and the late Ron Landon. He said, “I think a lot of these men because they remind me of the Energizer Bunny, they just keep going and going” and Jerry wants to keep going.  

Bob, checking out from the back of the pack.  Watch for profiles on UGA’s Caitlin Conn and on happy tooth dentist Tom Skafidas. 

Melinda Black - Educated To Run

Melinda was born and raised in Toccoa, GA.  She graduated from Stephens County High School.  Melinda excelled playing the clarinet in the high school band and for three years was selected for the All State Band as well as attending the Governor’s Honor’s program.  She was selected as the student conductor for the marching band her senior year.  Melinda subsequently attended and graduated from the University of Georgia (UGA).  She earned a position in the Redcoat Band but became unable to participate because she had to work on weekends while at UGA.   Melinda majored in education and is currently an Early Intervention Program Teacher at Hazel Grove Elementary in Mt. Airy, GA.  

Melinda began running at age six.  Every day she would do her best to run away from school.  The custodian of the elementary school she attended, Mr. Sullens, was assigned the job of catching her.  He had long legs and could run fast for his age group.  One day she made it out the door, through the parking lot, and to the highway before Mr. Sullens caught her about fifty yards down the road. 

Melinda’s parents divorced when she was five years old.  Her father didn’t want to raise her and her mother could not do so.  She ended up being uniquely qualified for her vocation by being raised by grandparents as well as aunts and uncles.  Melinda has always felt that she had a hole in her heart because she didn’t have the love of her parents.  Sometimes she just runs through the pain because she wishes she had parents who loved her.  As the years go by the hole in her heart has grown smaller as it is being filled with the love of others in her life.

Melinda has been married to husband Mark for the best twenty-eight years of her life.  Mark is supportive of Melinda as her running coach and drives her to races.  When she is at the two mile point in a 5K, she knows she is headed back to Mark and that he is always waiting for her at the finish line.  They have two sons, Kelsey and Hayden.  Kelsey is twenty-five years old, a Georgia Tech graduate like his father, and a civil engineer.  His wife Emilee is a school teacher like Melinda.  Hayden is age twenty-two and will be attending Pharmacy School at UGA this fall.  As they say in Georgia the parents and children are a “house divided” with the inhabitants having both Tech and UGA pedigrees.

Melinda’s post elementary school running began in 1990 when she participated in a few 5K races.  Her best 5K time was 19:29 in the 1997 Lake Hartwell Dam race.  She stopped running for years due to health reasons, but continued to walk, jog, and hike regularly.  Two years ago the running lure bit again and has endured to this date.  Melinda discovered series running and the point system in February 2013.  She placed second in the Black Bag race series with 497 point.   Her 2014 goal was to achieve a finish time in under twenty-four minutes in a 5K race.  She achieved the goal on May 2nd with a 23:53 time at the Night of Neon 5K in Commerce.  Her favorite race is the D-Day Currahee 10K as one can tell by the lead photo of Melinda at the turn around atop Currahee Mountain.  The site is three miles from where she grew up.  It is also near the same road where she started her running career at age six!  Melinda especially enjoys trail runs and running in the woods.  Melinda humbly states that she has met “some very kind and amazing people” on the series circuits and is “looking forward to getting to know them even better”.

Bob, checking out from the back of the pack.  Look for the profile on mountain man Clarkesville’s Jerry Cunningham and on Athens’ Caitlin Cohn. 

Randy Ballew - High Mileage but Doesn't Need an Overall

Randy Ballew was born and raised in Athens and never found his way out of Clarke County except to hike and race.  He graduated from Athens High where he was on the cross country and track teams.  Randy and his brother trained by running the five mile distance between school and their home.  After graduation, the gears in Randy begin to turn as he found employment at local business Tiger Auto Parts where he remained for ten years.

Randy Dirt BikingRandy’s spare time begin to be filled with racing his Yamaha dirt bike.  His fondness for the sport led to an opportunity to join Cycle World in Athens where he worked for three years.  His ardor for the sport declined as the spills increased and Randy found the ground harder when hit as he matured.  Ten years later his mechanical aptitude was rewarded with the opportunity to join Heyward Allen Nissan/Toyota, one of the oldest and leading new car dealership in the Athens area.  Randy remained as an automotive technician at the dealership for eighteen years.  He was lured away by Phil Hughes Honda in Athens where he has worked for the past twelve years.  These stints total thirty years in the automotive service market in Athens and he is still counting as Randy is still employed full time including working every other Saturday.  Randy services Hondas from 1975 to the latest models.  His skill is evident in that he can service the older models whereas the newer technicians are limited in experience to computer analysis of new vehicles. 

Randy, Sherri, Kelsie and KaylaRandy’s long marriage to Sherri has produced a running family with two daughters.  Kayla, age twenty two, is an IT student at Athens Tech and twelve year old middle school student Kelsie.  All four can be found running in the same race every other weekend when Randy is free to run.  All four are highly ranked in Black Bag Race Series and Run & See Georgia standings.  Randy lived near the late Will Chamberlin and often wondered where Will was every weekend.  He found out when Kayla discovered Classic Race Services.  The family had been hiking on weekends until they got lost one time near Toccoa Falls.  Randy began to race as it was difficult to get lost even if you are close to being the leader.  His first competitive race was the 2012 Winder Summer’s End 5K.  Since then he has run with the family in multiple races every other weekend.

Randy Running HardRandy advised that he “runs as hard as he can” every race because he can participate only every other weekend.  He is a remarkable 22:19 5K finisher in the competitive men’s age 60-64 group.  He only runs 5K races; with his best time being 21:40.  Randy ran the Hot Chocolate 5K in Atlanta in January finishing 198^th out of 11,624 participants. His favorite Black Bag Race Series races are the Watkinsville Scarecrow 5K and the Madison Christmas Rush 5K.  Recently slowed by an elbow infection and later an infected dog bite (the bite was not from anyone else on the course), he is returning to form.  Randy can often be found waiting in front of the finish chute to greet Sherri and his daughters as they finish. 

 Bob checking out from the back of the pack. Look for the profile on Melinda Black and on Clarkesville bearded wonder Jerry Cunningham.

Barbara Nasworthy - Pride of Pine Mountain

Barbara landed in Pine Mountain, GA, having spent the first eleven years of her life in Des Moines, Iowa, then sixteen years in Springfield, Illinois and twenty-three years in Scottsdale, Arizona.  She is an avid horse person who loves to be outdoors horseback riding, hiking, biking, swimming, and all things active.

Arizona provided the most memorable times of her life.  Barbara graduated Summa Cum Laude from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Human Resource Management.  Graduate experience in the insurance industry contributed to Barbara assisting with a startup company, Excess and Surplus Lines a subsidiary of a larger insurer (like Lloyds’ of London), in Scottsdale.  The firm grew from two employees to over one thousand and earning one billion dollars in annual premium income.  Barbara served as Vice President of Human Resources for the new firm.  Like the Apache Indian Chief, Cochise surrendered in Arizona as Barbara did to Jim, a LaGrange, Georgia native.  Jim was affiliated with Milliken & Company and considered Arizona a whistle stop which would eventually lead him back to a corporate role with the firm in Georgia.  Their union produced two sons that joined Barbara’s daughter from a previous marriage.

Jim eventually started his own commercial floor covering firm and after fourteen years at the Scottsdale insurance company, Barbara joined him as office manager to take advantage of a slower pace of life which gave her more time to enjoy her children.  This lifestyle allowed the opportunity to take the children hiking, including two treks down and up the Grand Canyon, and to enjoy snow skiing at their cabin in the White Mountains of Arizona.

In 2000 while visiting Georgia, they found a gorgeous home and property in Pine Mountain.  After relocating, her sons matriculated at Harris County High and then the University of Georgia (Jim’s Alma Mater).  Jay, age 28, has a master’s degree and is working in Atlanta for a startup tech firm.  Jeff, age 27, is a third-year Mercer medical student.  Barbara’s daughter and grandson continue to reside in Arizona.  Barbara and Jim have an array of animals on their forty-five acre farm in Pine Mountain.  Since relocating to Pine Mountain, Barbara has worked for AFLAC in Columbus, Colonial Bank in Montgomery, Alabama and presently Synovus Financial in Columbus as Compensation Manager and as a Consultant.

Lacing up her running shoes later in life, Barbara’s first race was the 2009 Warm Springs Candle Light Tour 5K where she hoped to just finish but was surprised to be first in her age group.  In her next race at Callaway Garden, she once again was first in her age group.  She then discovered that fellow runners were not only running back-to-back races, but accumulating points in the Run and See Georgia series, Black Bag series, and Clover Glove series.  As Barbara describes it, “It gets in your blood and the runners are all so nice and supportive.”

Barbara has worked up to the half-marathon distance and participated in three in January 2014.  Returning to work at Synovus and responsibilities on the farm limited Barbara to a goal of 1,000 jacket points in 2013. Although not getting any faster (PR: 5K-27:06 and 10K-56:50), she hopes to continue running for many years to come to the anguish of those in her age group where she finished fifth in the Run and See Georgia and fourth in her age group for the Black Bag race series.

Bob checking out from the back of the pack. Watch for the profile on Watkinsville area youthful runner Randy Ballew and later on Melinda Black.