Local Athletes in the News

By Barbara Day

THANK GOD OUR FELLOW CYCLISTS ARE OK

After the book-throwing incident on June 2 by a local teen-ager that injured Olympic hopeful, Curtis Tolson, and Papa John's chairman and CEO, John Schnatter, we are all thankful that they are on the mend and their injuries were not more serious than they could have been. It is sad that this injury has sidelined Tolson at a time when he was at the top of his game and ready to fulfill the dream of a lifetime to participate in the Olympics

MAKING SENECA PARK A SAFER PLACE FOR CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS

On Tuesday, June 8, representatives from Metro Parks and Metro Government met with the Louisville Bicycle Club (LBC) to unveil plans to make Seneca Park a safer place for cyclists. The new bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, engineer Mohammed Nouri, who is also the assistant director of Louisville Metro Planning and Design Services, was introduced to the cycling community.

More than 200 cyclists attended the meeting at the Seneca Park Golf Clubhouse. Curtis Tolson, John Schnatter and Brad Swope (who had been hit by a car and was seriously injured at the intersection that was being discussed) attended to show their support and make some recommendations. A lot of good ideas were presented, and the cycling community hopes this is the beginning of an open dialog to help make our metro area safer for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers.

The new plans were unveiled for the intersection where numerous cyclists have been hit by cars. According to Nouri, they will offer a "simple solution but we hope it has a big result." The plans call for a stop sign rather than a yield sign for drivers going right from Pee Wee Reese onto Seneca Park Road . As a result of this stop sign, drivers will be forced to slow down and stop to make the left turn from Seneca Park Road onto Pee Wee Reese. In addition, plans call for the first turn lane to be closed to vehicles where Seneca Park Road runs toward Old Cannons Lane. By closing that lane to cars, it will open a dedicated lane to cyclists and pedestrians. Nouri said that this action would allow drivers in the cars to see oncoming traffic more easily.

In addition, a crosswalk will be marked where Pee Wee Reese meets Cherokee Gardens Road . Excess pavement will also be eliminated at this location. These strategies will help make this intersection safer, according to Nouri.

Work is expected to begin in August with completion of the $40,000 - $50,000 project a month or so later. The improvements will be paid for by money from the new federal program, the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, which helps to promote alternative transportation.

To keep up with what's happening locally, receive current cycling safety information and become more involved, contact Dave Stewart with the Louisville Bicycle Club at OneRoad@insightbb.com. Dave has organized an advocacy group through LBC called One Road to help keep our roads safe. If you have questions or concerns that need to be address by Metro Parks or Metro government, contact Nouri at Mohammad.Nouri@loukymetro.org.

CONGRATULATIONS TO LOCAL ELITE ATHLETES

Seventy-year old Bernice Martin brought home a gold medal for Team USA after competing recently at the Duathlon World Championships held in Geel , Belgium where she participated in a 10K run, 40K bike, followed by a 5K run in 3:07:41. She competed in the 70-74 age group. Martin was the oldest athlete at the championship and received a standing ovation when she her medal was presented.

Bernice's daughter and Runner's Path columnist for KHF, Cheryl McGinnis, brought home a silver medal for a second-place finish in the women's 50-54 age group with a time of 2:15:27. Several weeks earlier, McGinnis had also won a silver medal in the Triathlon World Championship in Portugal . There, she swam a mile, biked a 40K and then ran another 10K. Her time was 2:36:19. Cheryl missed the gold medal in that event by 1/10 of a second.

In addition, two other local athletes, Brenna Tomlinson and Dean Brooks represented Team USA at the Duathlon World Championship competition. Forty-year-old Tomlinson finished 22 nd in the women's 40-44 age group with a time of 2:34:47. Brooks, 47, finished 51 st in the men's 45-49 age group, with a time of 2:36:31.

Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N., is the publisher and nutrition editor of KHF and a runner, cyclist and hiker.