60 Minutes of Heaven and Hell: 2011 Titus Van Rijn (TVR) One Hour Distance Classic (Sun Valley Edition)

The numbers were whittled down a bit from last year's record-breaking turnout - as smarter souls found themselves "unexpectedly" tied down with other obligations - but the 2011 running of the Titus Van Rijn (TVR) One Hour Distance Classic - Sun Valley Edition was as grand an affair as always.  Eleven toed the line on what turned out to be a rare beautiful spring day.

The TVR is a festival of running that takes place across the country between May 1 and June 14.  All that's required is a standard length track, stopwatch, and the will to run for 60 minutes while keeping track of your laps.  Results are then sent in to national TVR headquarters, where they're compiled and posted, along with entertaining race reports from sea to shining sea. The official TVR site has more details, great history, and past results (TVR site).

Taking top honors at the Sun Vally running of the TVR was, yet again, Brad Mitchell, covering close to 10 miles (15,875 meters).  Tied for second were Alex Gonzales and Hank Dart, with 13,680 meters (8.5 miles).  Top woman was Julie Cord (12,260 meters; 7.6 miles), with EJ Harpham close on her heels (12,030 meters; 7.5 miles).

AJW and his fish shorts and Liv Jensen, regulars at past runnings, missed the May 19 event, but are likely to schedule a re-run later this month.  Look out for a supplemental report should they open the event up to the press.

Full Sun Valley TVR results from 2011 and 2010.

First minute.  First bend.

Rock n Roll

Brad making it look easy

Still smiling at 30 minutes

Line up on the finishing stretch

Down the back stretch in the 40th minute

In control and happy in the closing minutes

Done

Cool down

Race Results: Nationwide 2010 Titus Van Rijn (TVR) One Hour Run

Nationwide results for the Titus Van Rijn One Hour Distance Classic are in, and the Sun Valley Edition shined. While furthest distance overall, with 15,602 meters, went to 38 year old Washingtonian, Erik Brooks, Sun Valley runners Brad Mitchell (15,500 meters) and Andy Jones-Wilkins (14, 850 meters) took second and third respectively, as well as first and second in the Masters division.  Your truly (Hank Dart, 14,750 meters) came in seventh overall, giving Sun Valley three runners in the top ten.

Women's overall went to 35 year old defending champion Pam Smith of Oregon, with 14,578 meters, furthering the female record she set last year.  Sun Valley's Liv Jensen (12,960 meters) came through fourth woman; Julie Cord (12,429) sixth (second Masters), and EJ Harpham (12030 meters) seventh.

Race directors yet again did a great job organizing the event and compiling results and reports.

What is the TVR One Hour Run?

It's basically a festival of local one-hour running events, now in its 12th year. See the specifics here, but the "rules" are really quite simple. Grab some friends and hit the track sometime in May, record how far you go in 60 minutes, and send the results to the event director.

For more, see the new TVR blog.

Previous TVR posts on Run Junkie.


Overall Top 10

2010 TVR One Hour Run
First	Last	Gender	Age	Meters	Year	Site
Erik	Brooks	M	38	15,602	2010	WA
Brad	Mitchell	M	40	15,500	2010	ID
Andy	Jones-Wilkins	M	42	14,850	2010	ID
Ben	Blessing	M		14,800	2010	ID
Dan	Kuperberg	M	46	14,800	2010	WA
Brad	Smythe	M	31	14,780	2010	NC
Hank	Dart	M	42	14,750	2010	ID
James	Umbanhowar	M	37	14,720	2010	NC
Pam	Smith	F	35	14,578	2010	OR
Stephanie	Snyder	F	40	14,415	2010	OR

2010 Titus Van Rijn (TVR) One Hour Distance Classic - Sun Valley Edition

The turnout alone was spectacular, add in sunshine, temps in the 60s, and relatively calm conditions, and it set up to be a great day on the Wood River High School track for the 2010 running of the Titus Van Rijn One Hour Distance Classic - Sun Valley Edition.  Nineteen stalwart runners toed the line in the 60 minute timed test, nearly doubling the combined number for the previous three years.

The early running played out pretty much as it does every year.  Jokes on the line and around the first corner. A little talking over the first mile or so, then just a silent dance with one's aerobic threshold for the remaining fifty minutes.

Brad Mitchell (La Sportiva) took top distance honors making it 15,500 meters (9.63 miles).  Andy Jones-Wilkins took runner up (14,850 meters; 9.23 miles) in his now-storied fish shorts, the wearing of which caused Patagonia and La Sportiva to disavow any sponsorship ties (photos below).

On the women's side, Liv Jensen took top distance with 12,960 meters (8.05 miles), which currently places her third on the all-time TVR list.  Julie Cord took second spot on the day, with a solid 12,429 (7.72). Full results below.

In the end, no dreams were shattered, some PRs were set, and there was much rejoicing with Black Cherry Soda and lite beer.  A great time all around.

(click to enlarge photos) (more photos here)

The Agony and the Ecstasy: 2009 Titus Van Rijn Invitational One-Hour Distance Classic -- Sun Valley Edition

As she is wont to do this time of year, Mother Nature showed some tough love at the 2009 Sun Valley edition of the 11th Annual Titus Van Rijn Invitational One-Hour Distance Classic. An evening of abundant sunshine and temperatures in the 50's was a welcome break from the preceding fortnight marked by deluge after deluge and temperatures in the 40's. Still, she seemed to revel in the near gale-force south by southeast wind that tested the determination of each runner on each lap but also rewarded him and her on the other side of 60 minutes with a victory both physical and mental. It was a great time.

Four stalwart runners toed the line around 5:45pm on Thursday, May 7: Jeff Ealey, Liv Jensen, Hank Dart, and Andy Jones-Wilkins. After a little trash talking on the line and around the first turn, things turned pretty quiet and pretty serious as everyone tried to find the groove that'd work for the full 60 minute test. Things broke pretty cleanly into two groups, with Jeff and Liv as well as Hank and Andy staying within a lap of each other throughout, which provided some nice motivation within the stark landscape of a one hour time trial.

When time elapsed, everyone enjoyed black cherry soda and beer and spun epic tales of the previous 60 minutes.

Posted Distances (60 minutes):

• Liv Jensen 12,770 meters (7.93 miles)
• Jeff Ealey 13,150 meters (8.17 miles)
• Hank Dart 15,000 meters (9.32 miles)
• Andy Jones-Wilkins 15,100 meters (9.38 miles)

So what is the TVR? It's basically an international festival of local one-hour running events, now in its 11th year. See the specifics at the bottom of the post, but the "rules" are really quite simple. Grab some friends and hit the track sometime in May, record how many laps you completed in 60 minutes, and send the results to the event director. You've always wondered how far you can go. Now you'll know.

Smiles on the line (photo: Cash Dart)

800 meters in. Hank (right), AJW, and Jeff (photo: Cash Dart)

800 meters in. Liv (photo: Cash Dart)


Wild man, wild shorts, wild black cherry soda


Ditto

Post-TVR party. Down coats optional


11th ANNUAL TITUS VAN RIJN INVITATIONAL ONE-HOUR DISTANCE CLASSIC

WHAT: A one-hour footrace
WHERE: Your local track
WHEN: Anytime between May 1st-June 1 st, 2009

GUIDELINES
* Your performance must take place on a standard 400 meter/440 yard
track. Include partial laps in your final total; estimate distances
as accurately as possible within reason.

* Send results to by midnight, 1 June 2009.
In your results, please note name, total distance completed (in meters
or yards), age, date, and location. We encourage you to include a
brief report of your experience for the official race report.

* You may run the event more than once if desired, but only submit
your best mark.

* You are encouraged to invite others to participate in the event. In
many cases, our address list of past participants is incomplete, so we
especially appreciate your forwarding this invitation to past runners
not included in the original mailing.

* Complete results and race report will be sent to all participants.

TRADITION
World champions in football and baseball celebrate with champagne; the
victor at the Indy 500 gets a bottle of milk. At Titus Van Rijn, the
celebratory beverage of choice for all participants is black cherry
soda. We encourage you to maintain the tradition.

ONE-HOUR TRACK RECORDS
World, women: 18,517 meters (~11.5 miles)
Dire Tune (Eth), Ostrava, Czech Republic 6/12/08
http://youtube.com/watch?v=W6OZPV98Hxo
World, men: 21,285m (~13.2 miles)
Haile Gebrselassie (Eth), Ostrava, Czech Republic 6/27/07
http://youtube.com/watch?v=e5fgejdS4gQ

U.S., women: 17,273m (~10.7 miles)
Nancy Conz, Amherst, MA 6/25/81
U.S., men: 20,547m (~12.8 miles)
Bill Rodgers (GBTC), Boston, MA 8/9/77

TVR, women: 12,800m (~7.96 miles)
Kate Jennings (WA), Winthrop, WA 6/2/2007

TVR, men: 18,115 (~11.25 miles)
Greg Crowther (WA), Seattle, WA 5/27/2006

Please see the attached Excel spreadsheet for the All Time TVR
Performance List. Since 1999, TVR competitors have amassed more than
2.3 million meters of distance and countless gallons of black cherry
soda. Join the fun!

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
Please contact Andy Roth (andyleeroth@gmail.com) or Mike Persick
(mpersick@comcast.net), TVR Race Directors.

How Far Can You Go? 10th Annual Titus Van Rijn Invitational One-Hour Distance Classic

Get ready to lace-up and hit the local track to see how far you can run in 60 minutes. If it's June, it's time for the Titus Van Rijn Invitational One-Hour Distance Classic, an international festival of local one-hour running events, now in its 10th year. See the specifics below, but the "rules" are really quite simply. Grab some friends and hit the track sometime in June, record how many laps you completed in 60 minutes, and send the results to the event director. You know you've always wondered just how far you could make it; now's the time to find out.

# # # #

10th Annual Titus Van Rijn Invitational One-Hour Distance Classic

What: A one-hour footrace
Where: Your local track
When: Anytime between June 1st-30th, 2008

Rules
* Your performance must take place on a standard 400 meter/440 yard track. Include partial laps in your final total; estimate distances as accurately as possible within reason.

* Send results to by midnight, 30 June 2008. In your results, please note name, total distance completed (in meters or yards), age, date, and location. We encourage you to include a brief report of your experience for the official race report.

* You may run the event more than once if desired, but only submit your best mark.

* You are encouraged to invite others to participate in the event. In many cases, our address list of past participants is incomplete, so we especially appreciate your forwarding this invitation to past runners not included in the original mailing.

* Complete results and race report will be sent to all participants.

* 'And you can dance…for inspiration' -- http://youtube.com/watch?v=e5fgejdS4gQ

Tradition
World champions in football and baseball celebrate with champagne; the victor at the Indy 500 gets a bottle of milk. At Titus Van Rijn, the celebratory beverage of choice for all participants is black cherry soda. We encourage you to maintain the tradition.

One-Hour Track Records
World, women: 18,340 meters (~11.4 miles)
Tegla Loroupe (Ken), Borgholshausen, Ger 8/7/98
World, men: 21,285m (~13.2 miles)
Haile Gebrselassie (Eth), Ostrava, Czech Republic 6/27/07

U.S., women: 17,273m (~10.7 miles)
Nancy Conz, Amherst, MA 6/25/81
U.S., men: 20,547m (~12.8 miles)
Bill Rodgers (GBTC), Boston, MA 8/9/77

TVR, women: 12,800m (~7.96 miles)
Kate Jennings (WA), Winthrop, WA 6/2/2007

TVR, men: 18,115 (~11.25 miles)
Greg Crowther (WA), Seattle, WA 5/27/2006

Join the fun!

Additional Questions?
Please contact Andy Roth (andyleeroth@gmail.com) or Mike Persick (mpersick@comcast.net), TVR Race Directors.