Nittany Valley Running Club

Draft Challenge Relay (DCR) Description

DCR Schedule

DCR Results

DCR Bios

DCR 50-50 Pool For CVIM

The Draft Challenge Relay (the DCR for short) started in 2006 as the brainchild of John Sheakoski. Many of the Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK race regulars had run the race for several years, often on the same sized team, with many of the same people. John thought of the DCR as a way of mixing things up, getting new people involved, and having an interesting "competition within a competition".

John, as the "Commissioner", set up the rules for the first DCR. The first DCR was such a success that the rules have changed only slightly since. The objective is to have a draft from among those who want to participate such that the teams end up roughly equal in overal ability.

In the first year, 2006, 24 runners were divided into 6 4-person teams. It was a tough challenge that years, since each runner had to run 3 Legs of the mOUnTaiNBACK. But the success caught on. In 2007, 7 6-person teams participated. In 2008, it was 9 5-person teams. The 2009 team size is 7.

Read John's description for this year's DCR. If you're interested, drop John an email at fantfb2003@yahoo.com.

2009 mOUnTaiNBACK Draft Challenge Relay Description

Objective: Create multiple n-person teams of equal running ability.  These teams will compete against each other within the rules of the Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK Relay Race

Entry Into The DCR: Eligibility into the DCR is that you can run (not walk) the necessary number of legs based on the team size to, typically 2 or 3 legs each, but could be 1. (This year's team size is7, so all runners will run either 1 or 2 Legs).  PACE IS NOT AN ISSUE.  In the past, the range of abilities has been great, but since the talent is spread among teams, the race is competitive AND FUN.  DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED. Equally matched drafted teams will keep us aligned during the race for plenty of head to head racing as well as lots of trash talking.

Entries are first-come, first-served.  The list needs to be a multiple of the team size so that everyone gets drafted.  If the list does not have enough runners to complete another team, then the last runners to sign up will not participate in the draft unless we either scrounge up the additional runners needed, or some runners drop out for some reason.

To enter, send an email to John Sheakoski ( jrs136@psu.edu or fantfb2003@yahoo.com ) indicating that you are interested in joining.  You can also post your interest to the NVRC Yahoo discussion group.  Please include your name, email address, and whether you are interested in running 1, 2, or 3 legs in the race or if you would run any number of legs.  You cannot choose which legs you run, that will be determined once your team is drafted.

As we get closer to the draft, all runners will be asked to complete a running bio.  The captains will need to have an idea of your running ability for the draft.  The bios will be distributed to everyone in the DCR before the draft.   Submission of your bio is your commitment to enter the draft.

DCR captains will be chosen and ranked by vote.  When the entrant list is complete, I will poll selected runners who are familiar with all the runners on the list. This input will determine the captains and the draft order.

The Draft: Once the list of entrants is final, an NFL style draft is performed where the captains (fastest runners) will pick runners for their team.  Each captain is attempting to put together the fastest team they can. The draft will continue until all runners from the list are chosen.  Since this is a draft, you will not know who is on your team until draft day and you cannot expect your year-long running buddy to be on your team.  This is a good opportunity to meet new runners.

The draft is a lot of fun and is typically held at Champs on a Thursday evening about 1 month before registrations are due.   Everyone is invited to attend…DCR entrants, friends, and family.  It is common for us to eat and drink (beer) during the draft process.  YES, there will be someone picked LAST, but everyone gets drafted.  No one is left stranded.  Do not be intimidated! The last-round runners contribute to their team’s success as much as the any other round, perhaps even more.

2009 Schedule (dates in red are tentative)

June 2, 2009 Sign up starts for the DCR.  This is not a firm commitment, but determines the level of interest that will shape the team sizes for the year.  This is first come first served.

July 9, 2009 Team size is announced.This year it's 7 person teams.

July 23, 2009 Deadline Extended to August 3! Running biographies are due.  Submission of the biography is the final commitment to join the DCR.

August 6, 2009 DCR Team Captains are chosen. This year there are 3 2 female captains, the most ever. Here they are in order of speed (fastest first):

Dave Moore, Dave Rasmussen Elijah Shekinah, Andy Cunningham, Beth Herndon, Katie Davis Tim Aydin, Alan Effrig, Matt Petrarca, Martha Nelson

Note: Dave Rasmussen and Katie Davis had to pull out of the race and were replaced, respectively, by Elijah Shekinah and Tim Aydin.

August 20, 2009 DCR Draft. The Draft was a big success. Big crowd at Champs. The "theme" for team names this year is songs or song lyrics. Here are the teams and the Leg rotations:

Team 1 (Climbing The Walls)
Dave Moore (4,11), Nick Downs (3,10), Jim Moore (1,8), Julie Grubb (5,12), Dana Todd(6), Christine Rodgers (7), Michelle Hutnik (2,9)
Team 2 (For Those About To Rothrock, We Salute You)
Elijah Shekinah (4,11), Lance Bland (3,10), Jamie Volkert (5,12), Kathy Koetje-Simin (1,8), Bob Cornwall (2,9), Deb Simoncek (6), Paula Jech (7)
Team 3 (Run To The Hills)
Andy Cunningham (4,11), Judd Michael (3,10), Scott Roycroft (5,12), Tara Murray (1,8), Joe Bollinger (6), Marv Hall (2,9), Sandy Gabel (7)
Team 4 (The Tussey sEXyBaCKS)
Beth Herndon (4,11), John Domico (3,10), Jeremy Zerbe (5,12), Jim Myers (2,9), Sherry Tirko (1,8), Tom Karnezos (6), Mike Martin (7)
Team 5 (Everybody Hurts)
Tim Aydin (4,11), John Sheakoski (3,10), Ann Skulas-Ray (5,12), Anna Shamey (2,9), John Wilcock (1,8), Janet Jonson (6), Amy Blake (7)
Team 6 (The Fools On The Hills)
Alan Effrig (4,11), Costas Maranas (3,10), Jeff Smucker (5,12), Mark Lee (6), Rob Shaver (1,8), Marty Mazur (2,9), Jessica Wekke (7)
Team 7 (OK, Go!)
Matt Petrarca (4,11), Shawn Kelly (3,10), Meira Minard (5,12), Jim Kisenwether (1,8), Mike Weyandt (6), Jonathon Thurley (2,9), Sara Noss (7)
Team 8 (Holy Canoli)
Martha Nelson (4,11), Tom Cali (3,10), Selena Smart (1,8), Beth Kempton (2,9), Michael Goldfine (5,12), Kate Ryan (6), Tracy Williams (7)

September 19, 2009 mOUnTaiNBACKTeam Registration Due

October 3, 2009 Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK

DCR Results

2009 Results

[A link to all 4 past DCR results is coming soon!]

DCR Bio Instructions

by John Sheakoski

Year after year I request some sort of running bio from all the DCR entrants so the captains can make an educated guess when picking teams, and year after year the bios contain all sort of information from a race time in the steeplechase to the type of beer you prefer.  YES, all of these items are very important to know, but to help out a little, I have come up with a running bio template.
Do your best to fill in the bio form and add any additional information you want.  Do not be afraid to make them interesting.  Send the the bio to me (fantfb2003@yahoo.com or jrs136@psu.edu), or post it to the Yahoo group in an attached document.  Please keep the bio to 1 page.  DO not just send text in an email.
When the field of DCR runners is complete, EVERYONE in the DCR will receive the complete package running bios. 
YOUR SUBMISSION OF A RUNNING BIO IS YOUR OFFICIAL ENTRY INTO THE DCR.

Bio Form.

Example: John Sheakoski's DCR Bio

DCR 50-50 Pool For Centre Volunteers in Medicine

There's usually some lively trash talk concerning the Draft Challenge Relay, but until race day it's all just talk. If you've been talking up your team (and talking down the others) here's your chance to put your money where your mouth is, and give a little more to this year's Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK charity, the Centre Volunteers in Medicine. You can also participate if you're a DCR bystander.

All you need to do is pick the top 5 DCR finishing teams in order and get your choices on the pool form along with $5 (cash only) to Marty Mazur by the start of Wave 1 on race morning. The pool form, with instructions and an explanation of the scoring, is here. The winner splits the pot with CVIM. In case of a tie, the winners split 50% evenly. If no submission scores any points, all proceeds go to CVIM.