This season Team Challenge is headed back to California for the Wine Country half marathon
in beautiful Napa Valley. On July 18th, we will be walking or running from Napa to Sonoma.
Meet our team!
Anne Munkwitz (walk coach) runs 20-30 miles per week and has run a marathon and
numerous “k” distances (5k, 10k, 15k, etc). She is a self-proclaimed twitter geek so she will
be tweeting her way through the Napa to Sonoma half marathon!
Tim Cigelske (run coach) has trained people to do marathons and triathlons. He recently
became a father to their first baby, Clara!
Becky Burris (manager) participated in the San Antonio season of Team Challenge in
November 2008. She is very happy to be able to continue helping the CCFA and help others
get the same feeling of overwhelming accomplishment that she had as a participant.
John Seamonson was motivated to do Team Challenge by his wife Melissa
who participated last year and she ran with him again this year. He has Crohn’s disease and
was inspired by the sea of orange at the event. In high school, he ran track, but had to stop his
senior year due to the disease. John was a VIP fundraiser this year. Congratulations on all of
your hard work!
Amy Kant found out about Team Challenge through Coach Anne. She joined because of the
desire to prove to herself that she could do it, and she wants to help find a cure for a disease
plaguing her family. And she did it!
Rochelle Van Hart joined Team Challenge because she’s trained for races before, but never as
part of a team. When she found out that Team Challenge was for a great cause, she couldn't
resist. Coming from a science research background, she truly believes that what we're doing is
making a difference for those suffering with Crohn's and colitis. It's such a privilege to be
involved.
Marge Goetsch was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in March of 2008. Marge would like
to lose some weight, do her first half marathon, and get the use of the great support system of
Team Challenge.
Sam Sosey has Crohn’s, and her sister and mother ran in Napa last year in honor of her. So, she
decided to give it a go herself! Sam graduated from Miami of Ohio in May 2010. This year, she
and her sister both ran, and Sam beat her big sister!
Kevin Barnes is an active member of the CCFA Wisconsin Chapter and long time Crohn’s
patient. He has completed Team Challenge Events in San Antonio, Napa, and Las Vegas!
Jenny Singer is running in honor of her sister Sarah. She participated in last year’s Napa to
Sonoma event. Jenny is an avid Brewer’s fan and an employee at the CCFA-Wisconsin Chapter.
Karen Hacker has run the Napa to Sonoma wine country half marathon twice
before. She was a mentor this year and helped her team successfully complete this program!
Jenna Kashou was diagnosed with Crohn’s at age 16 and is running to prove she can fight
back against her illness. Last year she completed the Las Vegas 2009 half marathon with Team
Challenge. Jenna is a freelance writer in her spare time.
Andrew Stoll is being tested to see if he does have Crohn’s disease, and his brother had Crohn’s
as well, but sadly passed in 2007. Andrew went to school for classical trumpet performance.
Andrew completed this race as the fastest Team Challenge-Wisconsin finisher to date, with a time
of 1:32:45!
Song Xiong just found out that a good friend’s sister has been suffering from Crohn’s for over 10
years. She is going to school for Dietetics and thought this would be a good challenge for a cause
that has relations to the clinical portion of dietetics.
Patty Sankey has uc and is running in honor of her friend Jean who has Crohn’s. Patty had a
“midlife revitalization” a few years ago and started doing triathlons, 5k races, and duathlons.
Patty is excited about having trained with a team for her first half marathon.
Nancy and Greg Toler are participating in honor of their 12 year old son, Kyle,
who suffers from Crohn’s Disease. They are hoping to raise money to find a cure
for this horrible disease that has been a nightmare for their family and many other
families.
Howie Goldklang and Carly Flynn co-own a salon in Shorewood called The
Establishment. They joined Team Challenge to help with their fitness goals and
to support a great cause. Howie ran to the finish line, crossed it, then ran back to
finish again with Carly who walked it. What a team!
Julie Evans was diagnosed in 2003 when she was a freshman in high school. She has since
switched to only organic food and has become much healthier and active, so running a half
marathon seemed like a challenge that would fit in nicely! Julie will be the Las Vegas Team
Challenge Local Honored hero.
Karen Kiefer will be walking in Napa for her mother and her granddaughter, both of whom
suffer from some form of IBD. They have both been inspirational to her, and now she wants to
do something inspiring in honor of them.
Kerry Tingley is participating in Team Challenge to do something just for her, not for her
kids, work, spouse, or church. Before this, she has done a few 5k races, and her longest
distance was 6 miles. Kerry finished with a great time and had her husband cheering at the
finish line!
Shawna Joachim and Tina Brown are walking the half marathon together in honor
of Joel, Shawna’s brother and Tina’s son. They both saw what Crohn’s disease can
do to someone when Joel was diagnosed and they want to do something to find a
cure!
Mary Brown did a triathlon, practices yoga, and rides horses. She will be running for her son,
Duncan, and her mother, Kay, who have Crohn’s disease. Mary found some great new friends
and running buddies with Team Challenge and they got to cross the finish line together. She
was also VIP fundraiser, raising over $8,000 this season.
Jenny Zvolensky has not walked more than 3 miles but wanted to get in shape, do something
for a cause she feels strongly about, and to meet new friends with Team Challenge. She was
an important part of this team and ran most of the 13.1 miles!
Fred Eckman has done 5k’s before, but never a half marathon. He was drawn to Team
Challenge by Becky’s fancy display at the JCC and thought it was a great idea! Fred finished #6
in his age group in the race. Great job Fred!
Jane and Mary-Pat Klee joined Team Challenge to meet people, help people, get
motivated to exercise (“remove some fat cells lurking below the skin”), and go on
vacation!! Both served in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC’s) when they entered the
Army.
Jeff Behlendorf used to run 5 miles a day in college and wants to get his speed back. He has
never run a half marathon but is looking forward to running the Napa to Sonoma Half
marathon.
Dave Allerheiligen joined Team Challenge because he has recently lost a lot of weight and
wants to try something he’s never done before. Dave was at every practice and worked really
hard, and it showed when he crossed that finish line!
Sarah Schwoerer didn’t know she knew anyone with Crohn’s until she joined Team
Challenge, but since found that her friend Lee has it. Sarah ran her first half marathon on May
1st, and had a personal record (PR) with her second in Napa!
Abby Christofferson used to horseback ride competitively until 2001, and now is active
with yoga and pilates. She will be participating in honor of her boyfriend’s brother. Abby
had a great time during the race and made her boyfriend proud!
Jim Anani has completed many half marathons, including Kona last year with Team Challenge. He
is super speedy with a half marathon time of 1:30! He kept the team happy with his festive attitude
and cocktails by the pool.
Katy Burnett will be participating in honor of her sister Heather. Her longest distance
before Team Challenge was 8 miles! She ran the entire 13.1 miles which is something
she never imagined she could do.
Tammy Ginster ran her first marathon last October and decided that her next big run would
be for a cause. Napa was a perfect location! Tammy never thought she would be able to do
the fundraising but was very successful!