Running Partners Make Race Fun

Beam Reach residents Mike and Susan Kisker have run a half marathon together every year they’ve been married (the last 12 years).

“We planned our children around the Mini Marathon,” said Susan, an athletic mother of two.

So when the Kiskers heard about the first Geist Half Marathon, they quickly added it to their calendar. Like many others who ran Saturday’s big race, the Geist couple were proud members of the “May Marathon Club,” meaning they participated in two half marathons during the month. (The 500 Festival Mini Marathon took place two weeks before the Geist Half).

The Kiskers always run the Mini Marathon (although Susan adds that she walked the two years her children were born). The Geist Half was her 20th half-marathon.

A neighbor and training partner, Dan Bellovary, also ran the Geist Half with the Kiskers, logging a personal best time of 1 hour, 45 minutes. Dan said he runs in Cambridge “all the time,” so the hilly course was a familiar circuit for him. He loved running right past his neighborhood during this first race around the reservoir.

All three of these seasoned marathoners said they were impressed with the organization of the race and will participate again next year.

“They did a really good job for being the first year,” Mike Kisker said.

Chicago resident John Clements and his son, Tom, agreed. They consider it a father-son bonding experience to run a mini marathon together each year, and this year they chose the Geist Half. John logged his personal best time at 2 hours, 8 minutes. (“He ran much faster!” John says of Tom).

While many runners participated with family members, there were a few who brought along more unusual race-day partners.

DeeAnn Mulvey packed her chihuahua Jaeda in a front carrier as she speed-walked the 5K. Fully dressed for the occasion in a lacy, turquoise outfit, Jaeda seemed to enjoy the change of “pace.”

“She loved it,” Mulvey reported after the race, adding that Jaeda “helped me keep going” after her 14-year-old son, Evan, had left them far behind.

Melissa Pitcher also ended up packing some extra weight for the 5K. After unexpectedly being told she couldn’t use a stroller, Melissa decided to strap her 9-month-old daughter, Maelin, into a front carrier.

“We threw on the pack and said, ‘We’re going anyway,’” Melissa said, adding after the race, “I’m a little more exhausted than I thought I’d be!” A social worker at McCordsville Elementary, Pitcher signed up for the 5K as a way to support the local schools.

Finishing the race feels great — especially when you can share it with someone you love!

Check out more photos of runners with their training partners and race-day support teams!

Opening Ceremony Highlights: The Local Girl with a Big Voice

The inaugural Geist Half Marathon opened with an amazing rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner,” sung by a Noblesville Middle School student who is already well on her way to a big singing career.

At age 14, Brooke Roe has performed the National Anthem over 30 times at various sporting events, including at the start of Pacers, Fever, Indianapolis Indians and Indiana Ice games.

“My dad says I’ve been singing since I was old enough to talk,” said Brooke, who confidently sang out the familiar melody in the chilly morning air.

Next up was Indiana’s First Lady, Cheri Daniels, who officially started the first Geist Half Marathon race with a wave of the green “go” flag. Christie Love, executive director of the Lawrence School Foundation, started the 5K race, with her baby in a stroller nearby.

The Lawrence School Foundation, along with the Hamilton Southeastern Schools Foundation, are the beneficiaries of the race, with proceeds going toward health and fitness initiatives at local schools.

Community Rallies around Olympic Hopeful Samantha Peszek

Summer vacation means loafing around and having fun to most students, but not Samantha Peszek. As the 16-year-old Highland Springs resident wraps up her sophomore year at Cathedral High School, she’ll also be gearing up for two national gymnastic competitions that will determine the U.S. Olympic Team!

For Sam, June brings the Visa Championships in Boston, followed by the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Philadelphia June 19-22. Currently ranked as the No. 3 gymnast in the nation, Geist’s own Sam Peszek has a great shot of making it to Beijing! The final selection camp will be in Houston July 16-20.

The community has rallied around its favorite gymnast and shown support in a variety of ways. Geist Realtor Kim Carpenter — also a mom of a gymnast at DeVeau’s School of Gymnastics — had the idea of creating a huge support banner. atGeist.com Publisher Tom Britt offered to sponsor the banner that is now full of signatures and well-wishes from the DeVeau’s gymnastics community.

When I asked Sam’s mom, Luan, how many signatures were on the banner, she laughed, saying to fit any more, they’d have to flip it over!

“Everyone has been so supportive of Sam and her attempt to make this Olympic team, and we’re so grateful,” Luan said, adding that community members may purchase red-white-and-blue bracelets from DeVeau’s for $5 to help support Olympic athletes and the Peszek family as they save up for a trip to Beijing.

The family also has set up a website for supporters to send encouraging thoughts to Sam at www.goodlucksamantha.com.

“Sam is a really hard worker, real motivated, and she’s doing everything she can right now to achieve her dream,” Luan said.

We are proud to have Samantha Peszek as our Geist neighbor. Good Luck, Sam!

Kids Arrive at Geist Half Marathon

This short clip captures some of the student volunteers and participants as they arrive at the inaugural Geist Half Marathon & 5K. Note the arrival of the Belzer team which ran the Indianapolis Mini Marathon two weeks earlier.