Sep 8, 2022 | Uncategorized
All Without Limits Youth athletes racing the Wilmington Beach blast should arrive between 4 and 4:30pm at Olson Park.
Closer to 4pm is the best time to arrive. Come find the Without Limits Tent and we will have your bib number and pins. Please give yourself extra time to arrive at the park.
Without Limits middle School kids and St. Mark Middle School kids wear your Without Limits team shirts. I was told today that we may be getting St. Mark singlets for the St. Mark School kids by tomorrow. I am not 100% sure yet, but if we do we will have them at the race. If you did not get a shirt, I will have them at the race.
All of our kids are invited to race elementary through middle school, however I would advise the sprint team not to race a 3K cross country event. It is a long way for kids 8-9 or under to run. If your child has been consistently coming to the distance practices or you know they can run two miles, then we will have a bib for them. If you are unsure, email Coach Tom at tom@iamwithoutlimits.com
WHAT TO EAT ON RACE DAY
– Oatmeal for breakfast
– A lunch that has a lot of carbs and not a lot of ruffage in the stomach (aka not a burrito)
– Drink lots of fluids with electrolytes throughout the day
– Have a snack after school such as a bagel with honey, a banana, or salty crackers of some kind.
– Continue to sip on fluids.
OFFICIAL MEET WEBSITE: https://www.its-go-time.com/wilmington-beach-blast-nighttime-xc/
Thanks and see you at Olson Park (or next week Tuesday for practice)
Thank You!
Mar 30, 2022 | Uncategorized
On April 18, 2022, 27-year-old Kevin Clark will toe the line at the 126th Boston Marathon. It will be his second time running the Boston Marathon and his 11th marathon.
Kevin Clark before Without Limits Charleston practice.
At any given Without Limits running practice, Kevin is among the first to finish a workout, often averaging under a 6-minute per mile pace. He’s known to be one of fastest on the team, but even more than that, he’s often the most encouraging.
“The moment I get to practice, it’s the best part of my day,” Kevin said.
While these accomplishments and his spirit are uplifting to his teammates, they bring tears to his mom’s eyes. She thinks back to his childhood when she was uncertain about what his future would hold.
“At three years old, he just all of a sudden stopped walking,” said Kevin’s mom Melissa. “His doctor told me he probably just wanted to stop. I pushed to get him an x-ray and we discovered he broke his leg.”
His high tolerance for pain was one thing that made Melissa realize something wasn’t right.
“He didn’t cry,” Melissa said. “He didn’t like to sleep. He didn’t react to things (like sounds) like babies typically do. Doctors told me he was deaf. Another doctor told me he was epileptic.”
Melissa didn’t accept these diagnoses. She worked with her father, Kevin’s grandfather, and countless other specialists to try to figure out the true reason Kevin didn’t behave like a typical baby.
Finally, a doctor at Children’s Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta diagnosed Kevin as autistic.
When she first received the diagnosis, Melissa and her family were unsure about how this would impact Kevin’s future. Within a few years, Kevin was introduced to running and his entire world changed.
Kevin stands with Mom and Grandpa on Grandpa’s 80th birthday at Galveston Half Marathon.
“It was in my DNA before I knew it was there,” Kevin said.
Kevin started running track and cross country in middle school and immediately exceled. But, even with his success, there were people who tried to keep him from running.
“Teachers said he needed to stop because he wouldn’t stop on his own,” Melissa said. “With autism comes sensory integration issues. Kevin’s threshold for pain is different than a lot of people.”
But, even then, Melissa knew Kevin was born to run.
“He was MVP in high school and went to [the state meet] all four years,” Melissa said.
Kevin went on to run in college at North Greenville University. When there was turnover in the coaching staff, his roommate introduced him to structured training. This advanced his success even more. Now, in his adult years, running brings him a sense of accomplishment.
“I can’t sing. I can’t dance. Running has always been a passion of mine. It’s the only thing I can do really well,” Kevin said.
While joking about why he runs, he explains that running has helped him get through hardships as he’s struggled to find his career path, jumping from job to job. It’s helped him form friendships when he’s felt alone.
Kevin Clark wins Victory Junction Half Marathon in 2012.
“Kevin is not an outgoing personality. He didn’t excel with his grades,” said Melissa. “He wasn’t the most popular. When he would run races, I would encourage him to congratulate the winner. It got him to feel more comfortable… then he started winning. It’s taught him sportsmanship”
In 2019, Kevin joined Without Limits Charleston because he wanted to qualify for the Boston Marathon. He said he had been searching for more specific and challenging coaching and saw others’ success through Without Limits.
“Really, I’d say it’s opened up what a team should be. It’s a group of people that come together. No matter what performance level they’re at, we’re all working together,” Kevin said.
Kevin is coached by Chris Bailey, who has helped him reach personal records (PRs) in several distances, and helped him achieve his lifelong dream of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. He ran Boston in 2021 and looks forward to going back to Beantown this year.
Kevin will also run the Berlin Marathon this year which will help him complete five of the six World Majors Marathons (WMM).
As Kevin continues to train for the Boston Marathon and other key races, he reflects on what Without Limits means to him.
“I’m grateful beyond measure for the coaching and the support of the team,” Kevin said.
For Melissa, who is also on the Without Limits Charleston team, seeing Kevin as part of the team helps her see how her son’s life has panned out better than she ever imagined.
From a 3-year-old who suddenly stopped walking to a 27-year-old who often comes in first at races, Kevin continues to impress his teammates and family.
“He has a circle around him that supports him in more than just running… and, he is complimentary and encouraging to everyone on the team,” Melissa said.
Nov 12, 2021 | Community, Newsletter, Testimonial
If you’ve ever run the streets of Charleston or participated in a local race, there’s a good chance you were passed with a greeting from a speedy blonde-haired woman saying, “Granny, coming through!” For some, it’s incentive to speed up to not let “Granny” beat them. Others might walk away feeling defeated, having been smoked by “Granny.” Still, it’s likely it put a smile on the faces of anyone who saw or heard Cherry Kent (or “Granny”) come by at her usual 8 minute/mile pace.
And, that’s exactly why Cherry Kent runs.
“I just really do love it,” said Kent. “It’s a great sport. Racing is what got me hooked, but once I started racing, it motivated me… Health was a side benefit. I just really liked the competition.”
This year, Cherry Kent turned 65 years old. On November 7, 2021 she ran the New York City Marathon, her 49th marathon and ninth NYC Marathon. She’s run the Boston Marathon 15 times and tells her tales of marathoning with vivid memories of both pain and love.
In fact, in 2019, she ran the Boston Marathon and could barely walk for days after, due to a lower back injury. She was not proud of her time that year and even considered giving up marathons completely.
Now, at 65 years old, that’s all changed. She ran her third fastest NYC Marathon this year with a finish time of 4:09:18 (~9:30 minute/mile pace).
“The coaching from Without Limits and strength training has improved my running experience,” said Kent. “As you get older, you need to incorporate more strength training and having a plan, with pickups, for the long runs helped a lot.”
Cherry joined Without Limits in 2019, around the same she was considering retiring from her marathon career.
Now, she has a new goal.
“I’ve qualified for the Boston Marathon in 2022. That will get me to 50 marathons. I’ll try to keep an open mind about it after that,” said Kent.
Having run 49 marathons to date, she understands the work that goes into having a successful race and the often-painful recovery after a marathon.
She stays with her friend Chancy every year when she runs the NYC Marathon. And, through the years, their experience surrounding the race has changed.
“We call it the ‘geriatric adventure’ now,” Kent said laughing. “If I do NYC again, I will have to make more accommodations for after the race for our ‘geriatric adventure.’”
Cherry Kent is a competitor amongst people of all ages. She started running 37 years ago. Some years, she completed four marathons in a year. She’s run hundreds of 5ks, 10ks, half-marathons and completed dozens of triathlons.
The thing she loves most about running is the connections she’s made.
“I’ve met so many friends. I know so many people through it.”
She met her husband Matthew Kent through running years ago.
“We would not be together if not for running,” said Kent. “It’s great that we support each other. We also get mad at each other, too. If we offer too much advice, we will yell at each other… And, if I get too old to race, I’ll still be supporting him at races.”
Cherry Kent is an inspiration to her Without Limits teammates and coaches, and frankly, anyone who crosses her path. But, even with her speedy 24-minute 5ks and blazing fast marathons, she finds a way to be the least intimidating person at races. If her speed doesn’t catch your attention, her humor and ability to laugh at herself is sure to draw you in.
“After one race, when they were calling out awards, they pronounced my name as ‘Shimmy Cracker’,” said Cherry Kent. “I don’t know how they got that, but after that, several people called me Shimmy Cracker.”
So, whether you refer to her as Granny, Shimmy Cracker, or any other affectionate name, Cherry Kent will put a smile on your face…even when she’s leaving you in the dust.
20K open (2:00 deduction per beer)
Machetes for Awards
Sprint Triathlon
