NBMA Newsletter #11 - 2009

The NBMA's Historic Fifth Annual Event at the 2009 Cowtown

The NBMA concluded our Annual Gathering on February 28. There were over 100 participants and supporters present. We've come a long way from our first gathering at the Lewis and Clark Marathon and Half Marathon. Since we've started our Annual Gatherings, every event set a record for the most number of runners the year that we participated. This year, our members came from sixteen States.

We raised about $500 for our scholarship fund from the race entry fees. Also, Cincinnati's Avondale Running Club donated an additional $500 to the fund.

The Gathering set the stage for an unusual meeting of Black distance runners. The six runners below have collectively run over 775 marathons and ultra-marathons.

  From left to right, in the above photo,

• Rudy Smith (LA)- One of the first two Blacks to finish marathons on all seven continents. He was featured in an earlier eNewsletter. He met the other Black seven continents finisher, Tony Reed (far right in the photo) on the Great Wall of China. They were both born on the same day.
• Charlotte Simmons (GA) - Co-Founder of the NBMA and an officer in Atlanta's South Fulton Running Partners.
• Frederick Davis III (OH) - Completed over 150 marathons and 200 ultra-marathons. At 61 years old, he ran 504 miles in a ten-day race.
• Donald Arthur (NY) - Completed more than 30 marathons with a transplanted heart. (See his story below).
• Angela Ivory (TN) - Completed more than 220 marathons and ultra-marathons, She was the first Black woman to complete marathons in all fifty States. She was featured in a previous eNewsletter and in Heart & Soul magazine.
• Tony Reed (TX) - Co-Founder of the NBMA and the other seven continents marathon finisher. Cowtown was his first marathon in 1982 and his 100th marathon at this year's event.

Several of our members placed in the events.

50K Ultra-Marathon

• Nikela Gates (Ft. Worth, TX) - first place female in the weight division.
• Michele Smith-Harden (Norfolk, VA) - second overall female & first place in 45-49 age group. (The day after Cowtown, Michele ran the Miracle Match Marathon in Waco, TX and placed first in her 45-49 age group!!)
• Frederick Davis III (Cleveland, OH) - first place in the male, 60-64 age group.
• Michael Pegues (Dallas, TX) - third place in the male, 45-49 age group.
• Mary Carmen (Austin, TX), Lei Drummer (Jacksonville, FL) and Angela Ivory (Nashville, TN) also completed the ultra.

Marathon Results

• Arvat McClaine (Richmond, VA) - third place in the female in the weight division.
• Elzy Warren (Bedford, OH) - first place, male in the 55-59 age group.

Half Marathon Results

• Elizabeth Brown (Cincinnati, OH) - third place in the female, 60-64 age group.
• Frances Gilbert (Cincinnati, OH) - second place in the female, 70-74 age group.
• Rudy Smith (Gretna, LA) - second place in the male, 65-69 age group.

10K Results

• Joshua Skipper (Ellenwood, GA) - first place in the male, under 10 age group.
• Ellen Ector (Smyrna, GA) - second place in the female, 55-59 age group.
• Marcia Watson (Solon, OH) - third place in the female, 55-59 age group.
• Lameka Weeks (Dallas, TX) - second place in the female weight division.

Thanks to the Avondale Running Club for making a $500 donation to the scholarship.

2009 Pre-Event Annual Gathering

2009 Race Day Gathering