Willow Glen Resident

Sports

Different reasons for making Rock 'N' Roll run

By Dick Sparrer

It's a little bit cross country, it's a little bit rock 'n' roll. And it's coming to San Jose on Oct. 8.

The Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon will wind its way through the streets of downtown San Jose on Sunday and will combine the challenges of cross country running with the sounds of music. It will also offer present different goals at different levels for the many runners in the field.

Kris Kelly of Willow Glen doesn't figure on winning the rugged road race. Neither do Marianne Lucchesi Hamilton of Los Gatos, Kelley Foot of Almaden or Dr. Rol Chapman of Saratoga.

But they'll be in the field on Sunday with thousands of other Bay Area runners when the 8 a.m. starting gun sends them off and running on the 13.1-mile course that passes by 14 different stages featuring 20 live bands.

All of them have their own personal stories.

Kelly will run with other members of her Willow Glen running club.

"Running has been our exercise program, social gathering, creative outlet, gripe session and the start or continuation of lifelong friendships," she said when asked to tell her personal running story to race organizers. "None of us will be vying for the top finisher's spot, but we'll push each other on to our best performance and we'll be cheering at the finish line."

Lucchesi Hamilton runs for her health, but also to "help other people my age understand that there can be life after running." After having a disk removed from her neck, Lucchesi Hamilton had to give up running but turned instead to racewalking. She'll be "wiggle walking" the course this weekend.

Foot started running when her 11-year-old daughter joined the cross country team at her school. "I found out that I could run 2 miles," she said. "I decided to start running so that I could get more exercise in less time."

Dr. Chapman was "stricken with lymphoma and a Hib Influenza bacteria, a life-threatening condition requiring four brain surgeries," he said. "I was not able to walk or talk for a period of time." But later he joined his daughter, son and daughter-in-law in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team-in-Training program and runs each week. "I am not fast, but celebrate life with each run."

Those are just a few of the thousands of personal stories of the participants in Sunday's half marathon. All of the entrants have them but will quietly carry them along as they run--and walk--the 13.1-mile course through San Jose.

Garland Lee of Sunnyvale, William Wheelehan of Los Gatos, Lauree Walker of Willow Glen ... and Linda Putnam of San Jose will celebrate her 50th birthday running the course through the city where she was born and raised.