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Western Carolinian Volume 63 (64) Number 14

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  • inian features November 18,1998 Western Graduate Sarah Lowel Breaks Ultra Marathon Record in the Coldfoot Classic Photo by T.K. Roberts Ultra Marathon Runner Sarah Lowel will return to Alaska in February for the Ididasport by Terry K. Roberts Editor I wonder what you Catamounts were doing this past Halloween? Maybe you gathered with friends and did a little trick- or-treating. Or let's see, you went to the WCU football game, no? Studied? I know, I know, I know, you just laid around the apartment all day wishing you had enough energy to walk over to the post office to check and see if mom had sent the allowance and decided instead to wait until the weather was perfect. Okay, one more shot, let me see, you ran 100 miles. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! That's right, while most of us were hanging out, wanting for some adventure, Western graduate and Ultra Marathon runner Sarah Lowel was breaking records in the great white north. She is the only woman to finish the Coldfoot Classic 100-mile run, finishing second overall out 10 participants, with a time of 19 hours, 22 minutes, and 35 seconds. The 36 year old physical education teacher from Franklin, North Carolina, surpassed her previous best by more than two hours. It is the fourth best time for women in North America. Exclaims Lowel, "it's the kind of run where a lot of it had to come from inside me, but it was a tremendous feeling running as fast as I did." Adding, "it's a real mental race because there are not crowds of people cheering, no elaborate aid sta- 163 Broadway * Downtown Asheville Exit 5A Off 240 East * Beside Forever Tattoo (Hscoeat robucce Predinrts * Fiae Cigar* kisiuiiniii Lingerie & \m«.liif. ii^Z OOTs ' IVftffvsoiii.il Both JewHrj I(mtsi« * Ififi'i ti.ilimi.ii gi!t» Blow-1 p Shet'jj * Leal lire * l.attet l$i'n>:l.ii>r VtiatV Sek'i'thMi «•" T-Shirts & < Uillsifij: Hoars Mon-Sat 10 am-8pm * 828-254-2800 10% Discount with Student ID Expressions* Expressions * Expressions V Expressions* Expressions Asheville Boom Wilmington Winston-Salem Salisbury tions, you just have a crew in a van that comes by ever so often, giving you what you need and then its gone because there are other runners to take care of." This year's crew included Sarah's sister along with WCU Art professor Cathryn Griffin. Lowel's effort in this year's event was phenomenal. Except for one stop to change her frozen shoes and socks, Lowel never let up finishing in record time, beating the men's course record by one hour. The Cold Foot Ultra Marathon, a Halloween tradition, is one of the harshest remote runs in the world. Over the past few years the race has taken place on the Dalton Highway. Running parallel with the Alaskan pipeline, this remote, rugged gavel thoroughfare stretches from Fairbanks, running north through the Brooks Range and the Gates of the Arctic National Preserve, then connecting with the Artie Ocean on the northern coast of Alaska on the Beaufort Sea, at the town of Prudhoe Bay. The road is mostly utilized by supply trucks which give life support to the oil fields. The starting line for this year's marathon was struck at mile post 275,100 miles north of Coldfoot, Alaska—a former mining town, and now a stopover for truckers. The event gets under way at 6:30 a.m. Starting temperatures have moderated in each event to as low as 19 degrees below zero-Fahrenheit in 1997. "The weather was perfect on their standards", notes Lowel, "8 degrees below, dry cold, and a little bit of wind." After the gun sounds, the runners head due south. The grueling event requires the runners to sometimes maneuver over ice, as well as cut through the Atigan Pass- at 5,000 feet, it is the highest derivable roadbed in Alaska. Race director Dan Bull, from Anchorage, chose Sarah Lowel to run in the Coldfoot because she had finished four 100-mile races, including a six hour cold- weather track run in Cincinnati where the objective was to run as many miles as possible in sub-zero conditions. She ran 40 miles at 5 below zero. When asked what has she gained from the Coldfoot experience, Lowel states "I've seen the most beautiful country in the world. The peace, beauty and remoteness make for an almost magical experience. There is nothing that compares to it: Northern Alaska in the fall. No power or telephone lines, there's nothing but nature." Sarah Lowel will return to Alaska in February of 1999 to participate in the Iditasport. A 100 mile race where each participant pulls a sled along the historic Iditarod trail, carrying with them, among other requirements, a 20-below-rated sleeping bag, stove and a one-day minimum supply of food and water. Karate Club Competes in First Event by Mark Harris Karate Club The Western Carolina Karate Club attended a tournament last weekend in Lenoir. Club members placed in many events including three first-place, three second-place, and four third-place wins. This was the first event that the club has competed in since its formation in the fall of this year. "We have a young team here," said Sensei Duncan, team instructor. "Most of the members of the karate club have no previous training, and had never seen a karate tournament before. Students with previous experience carried the majority of the events, while newcomers had an opportunity to experience the event." Students of the Western Carolina Karate Club study a style of karate called Goju-Ryu, an Okinawan style that first came to America in the mid-1960s. It is a classical style that places heavy emphasis on kata (forms) and practical self-defense. The Western Carolina Karate Club is affiliated with the World Sansei Goju-Ryu Karate Organization, headquartered at Miami's Florida International University. The club is open to all students, faculty, and staff of Western Carolina University. Meetings are held Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. in Reid Gym in the mat area. Starting spring term, karate will be offered as a PE elective. Classes will be held on Wednesday and Friday mornings from 10:00 to 10:50. Student response to the club and karate class has been overwhelmingly positive. "I would like to thank everyone who has expressed in interest," said Duncan. Duncan added, "The help I have received sense the beginning of this term has allowed the club to grow to the point that we can consider activities such as tournaments. I would particularly like to thank Dr. Claxton, and his assistant Janice Harris for their help in getting Goju-Ryu started at Western." Movies and television have created a distorted image of the Martial Arts. Many people believe that you have to be physically superior in order to be good at karate. This is simply not the case. Everyone can benefit from a study of the Martial Arts regardless of abilities or disabilities. Hopefully, a person can go their entire lives without ever experiencing a violent confrontation, but good health, good balance, and self-confidence are tools that can improve everyday life. We hope to see you on the blue mats.
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