THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 17, 1995 TAG: 9503160183
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER BEACON SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
TONY SPLENDORE might just be a time management genius.
The Larkspur Middle School physical education teacher has found a way to turn his distance running training into class work for some of his students.
And he has also turned the relationship into a little motivation.
The 25-year-old native of New York has been preparing himself for Saturday's running of the Shamrock Marathon.
``I'm doing the running and training, they're recording and evaluating what's taking place,'' Splendore said. ``I'm trying to teach them that they can do anything when they have a plan, a schedule and a goal.''
Splendore's eighth-grade students get handout sheets to copy down his weekly log of distance, times and total miles. From there, they evaluate the week's training and whether or not their teacher is meeting his goals.
They write weekly essays and will write a concluding essay on how his training related to his results in the 26.2-mile run.
``And if they come and cheer me on, there's extra credit in it,'' Splendore laughed.
His training, however, is no laughing matter.
The former high school football player and wrestler has been running about 40 miles a week - sometimes upward of 15 a day - to prepare himself for his third Shamrock.
Lately, his workouts have switched to low mileage, high intensity training to help meet this year's goal.
``My goal the first year was just to finish,'' he said. ``I finished in 4:05 that year. The second year I wanted to finish and still feel good and I finished in 3:52.
``This year, I'm shooting for 3:30. Yes, finishing is a victory in itself, but I want to do more this year.''
After his college football eligibility at SUNY Brockport was over, Splendore needed something to do to keep in shape.
``I started doing triathlons,'' he said. ``I've done three here and I guess about six or seven total.''
But the Shamrock is the only marathon he's competed in and his students have been a big help.
``They are making me run the marathon,'' said Splendore, who coaches wrestling at Larkspur and football at Plaza. ``If I tell them I'm going to do this and I get them involved, I have to do it.''
Splendore wants some day to expand on his efforts to involve his students and some have even approached him about actually doing some of the road work with him.
``I want to build on it each year and even challenge some of the other teachers to get involved.''
And aside from the motivation, the kids have come up with a few ideas their teacher ran past.
``They can sometimes pick up on things that I didn't see,'' he said. ``Yes, they've been a help and it's been fun.''
Come Saturday morning, the fun will be put aside and the task of running a grueling marathon will take its place.
``I think I'm ready. I mean, I hope so,'' he said. ``I try to do a lot of things to stay active and set an example for the kids. I'm trying to lead them by example; let them know that there are a lot of things out there to do. You just have to do them.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MORT FRYMAN
``I'm doing the running and training, they're recording and
evaluating what's taking place,'' Tony Splendore says of his PE
students. `I'm trying to teach them that they can do anything when
they have a plan, a schedule and a goal.''
by CNB