In Memoriam
In Memoriam
Karen Scannell Cox
Co-Founder 1979. Passed 2015.
Karen Scannell Cox holds a unique place in collective Impala hearts as a co-founder of the Impala Racing Team in 1979. She and Sue Johnston committed themselves to racing a sub-three-hour marathon, and they both accomplished that goal the next year.
In the years ahead, Karen was named the #1 Masters Female Runner in the World and held six All-American age group records in distances ranging from the 10K to the marathon. This level of dominance was a major accomplishment for a female in her 40s, at a time when women were rarely allowed to train and compete at a high level. Forming an all-women's team required talent, bravery, and vision.
Kay Atkinson
Joined 1980. Passed 1984.
Kay joined our elite team as an already celebrated racer - one of Running Times Magazine's Runners of the Year in the 60-69 age group in 1982. She was a World ranked record holder in the 10K, 15K, 10 Mile and Half Marathon distances. In addition, she ran 8 consecutive Pikes Peak Marathons.
Her love of running was an inspiration to others, and she formed the Peak Busters club for women who had run the Pikes Peak Marathon and wanted to encourage other women to attempt the challenge. In her determination to remain active in spite of the chemo she was receiving, she trained 3 women in her rehab group to run a 10K race before she died. Kay was an early example of the confidence and energy that have always characterized the Impala team and also our goal to give back to the sport that we love.
Krishna Banerjee
Joined 1985. Passed 1992.
This comet blazed across our skies far too quickly. Although those who were on the team in our first decade remember her as a 5k and 10k specialist, we regretfully failed to archive photos and detailed race data on her tenure with the team. What is remembered was her promising future as a racer that got cut short far too soon, and we wanted to honor her name as an Impala alumna.
Pat Falsone
Joined 1988. Passed 1996.
Pat was one of the Impalas’ most exceptional Masters runners. In road races, she consistently performed well and earned first place (division, gender, age group). In addition to being in awe of her talent, teammates related to Pat on a personal level. She amped up the fun at workouts and social events and also had a wide spectrum of interests other than running. She taught Impalas what it meant to be a fully engaged teammate, how to fearlessly compete, and how to lose gracefully in the ultimate race.
Everyone on the team loved Pat, and when she died, teammates installed a bench in Golden Gate Park in her honor with a plaque to commemorate her favorite phrase, “Never let a hill beat you.” Her teammates keep that quote in mind when experiencing mental fatigue in a race, and it gives them the energy to surge forward to the finish line.
Sara Gigliotti DeBord
Joined 2000. Passed 2019.
Sara Gigliotti DeBord joined the Impalas in 2000. She was an active member and racer, competing in short and long USATF Pacific Association races, marathons, and the Dipsea 11 times. Sara served on the Impala Board and received the Stockton (now Founder’s) Cup in 2004. She also had a fondness for the Boston Marathon--especially when it fell on her birthday as it did in 2016. Despite being in the middle of chemotherapy, Sara trained and completed the Boston Marathon on April 18, 2016.
Sara taught the team a lot about life and what one can do with a force of will and determination. The Impalas honor her with the Sara Gigliotti DeBord Memorial Award that is passed down each year for an outstanding performance at the Boston Marathon.
Nancy Thomas
Joined 2008. Passed 2021.
When you toed the line with Nancy Thomas, you knew it was going to be an exciting race. From her compression socks to her fiery red hair, Nancy made running look like an art form as she glided through the air. Famous for her finish, Nancy often lined up to race competitors half her age and outkicked them. She was an inspiration to all runners who knew her, especially the masters runners as she continued to get faster with age.
Nancy joined the Impalas in 2008 and quickly gained momentum finding herself placing first in her age group both locally and nationally. As a USATF Pacific Association competitor, Nancy was a dominant force enabling the Impalas to finish in first place season after season. From 2016 - 2020, Nancy won over twelve gold, silver and bronze medals on the National USATF stage. Currently (2020-2021), Nancy holds the 1st place 50-54 Women’s National title for the USATF Cross Country Championships, and the Pacific Association title too. A lover of animals, Nancy also won the Dog Mile World Championships with a dog named Harper. Her humble, kind nature made it so easy for others to celebrate her accomplishments - the running community is a better place because of Nancy.
If you competed in cross-country with Nancy, you won the tastiest prize: her famous “Nancy bars.” A recipe she kept secret. And, if you asked for a running tip, Nancy’s motto was to “run like a bear is chasing you.” Nancy’s legacy continues to inspire us on the road, the track and the trail and we will all miss her dearly. The next time you run, bring Nancy with you and you can be certain she will help you to find your kick.
Lisa Stringfellow
Joined 1983. Passed 2023.
Lisa was a beautiful, spirited and highly accomplished woman who meant so much to those of us who were on the team during the early years when we were a tiny band of sisters. Her natural leadership abilities got us organized to do weekly training runs with Jeanne Lavin, who was our first Olympic Trials marathon qualifier in 1984. We did 15-18 mile runs after work, meeting at the Ferry Building and running to the ocean and back. She gave us assignments to prepare for a different topic to discuss each week, like book and movie reviews, and sometimes more intimate topics of interest. We also made up promotional phrases and names for Shaklee health and athletic products where Lisa worked.
When we learned of her Alzheimer's diagnosis, and that she was in a nursing home in Portland, we sent her an Impala jacket, along with a letter and photos from her early days on the team. We also had a couple of Facetime calls, and we were able to rekindle memories of her years on the team, telling her about some of her accomplishments and laughing at our escapades. After we hung up, her husband said that she dashed out into the hallway in her jacket and hugged and kissed everybody she saw, proudly telling them, "I used to be a really fast runner on a team!"
She was a passionate runner with several marathons to her credit and countless other 10k and half-marathon events. She also did the Bay to Breakers race lying on a gurney, 8 months pregnant, pushed by several runners dressed as doctors. She was caught on camera and interviewed by a local TV station and was the talk of the town.
Lisa was known for her enduring way of making people feel like their jokes were the funniest and their stories were the most interesting. She was always inclusive, making sure everyone felt seen and acknowledged. She was a woman who embodied everything that we know to be good about our Impala teammates and her legacy will not be forgotten.
Mike Fanelli
Coached 1990-1993 & 1996-1999. Passed 2023.
Mike Fanelli coached the Impalas for eight years, from 1990-1993 and then from 1996-1999. For many of us on the team during that time, those ended up being some of the most formative years of our lives. He had the special gift of coaching that went way beyond running itself and shaped the people we became today. His voice, philosophy and ability to make every single person feel special remained with us long after he stopped coaching us.
As the Impala coach, he always instructed us (all of us, no matter what our age and ability) to "COMPETE" and to "FIND ANOTHER GEAR". No matter where we were on the track his voice never failed to help us do exactly that, and rev up our focus and determination. He also gave us the magic formula for approaching every race, whether it was on the roads or in some other significant time in our lives. His formula was
APPROACH THE FIRST PART WITH YOUR HEAD, THE MIDDLE PART WITH YOUR PERSONALITY AND THE FINAL THIRD WITH YOUR HEART".
Mike touched and influenced many of us deeply, and the lifelong bonds we formed under his leadership continue today. We are grateful to have had him in our lives and now he lives on in all of us who were so lucky to have known and loved him.