Clem's biography

OK guys, here is the first biography. It may be a bit intimidating but I think it should inspire everybody to write a couple of lines about him/herself so that we can all get to know each other a little bit. It doesn't need to be as extensive as Clem's. He is the super coach after all. But one could use a similar format.

On another, very important note, Mike the flyer just alerted me to the fact that the homepage of the NYRRC is now advertising that "applications for the first ever New York City Half Marathon through the streets of Manhattan will be accepted as of noon on June 21st. It is organized by the NYRRC in conjuction with NIKE and if you remember from the last couple of years what a madhouse those Nike races are, be forwarned and send your "application" in early. (Whatever that means, your application)
Since it is Gil's birthday that day, I think they should let him in as the first runner for that race. So, if you live in New York or someplace else, and you are interested in running this race, don't tell you I did not warn you and get your application in ASAP!





BIOGRAPHY SLG Belgium


Name : Clem J. Mertens
Adress : Ongelberg, 170
B2490 BALEN
Belgium
Mail : clem.mertens@skynet.be
Born : 02 july 1950
Family : married since 1974 with Zjan Weckx - father of two adult sons who left home to go and multiply


Profession : architect with a small office at home and teaching architecture in an art school in Antwerp

Running :
I began running in 1986 as one of things to get a healthier life. No more smoking and vegetarian food were the other things. After two years I felt ready to run the marathon. I did so in 1988 in Brussels and I finished in 3:32:57. One year later, also in Brussels, I finished in 3:04:30 and 4 weeks later I ran the one and only race from Marathon tot Athens in 3:05:22. Because I found that, once ready to run, it is so stupid to lose that shape, so I decided to run more than two marathons in one year. I tried three, four, five and even a few times six races in one year. The fastest race I ran was in 1992 when I finished in Kortrijk-Brugge in 2:56:25. It took me 5 years to run another sub 3 hours. Between july 1998 and july 2000, when I bedame 50 years old, I ran 10 races and 5 of them were sub 3 hours races. After that milestone, I became slower each year. My goal is to run my centenial marathon in july 2010 in the weekend of my 60th birthday.


SLG-connection :
Jan Moors en Constantia Joris had 12 children (two died young). The 10 children got 36 grandchildren. I'am one of them, Lief also. My mother is her godmother. We always kept in contact, sometimes from far, sometimes closer. I think that running and the internet made contacts closer and more frequent.