Thanks again to all the Volunteers who helped to make the 50th Annual La Luz Trail Run a big suc-cess. The weather again cooperated and it was a great day to run in the mountains.

A special Thanks to Joyce Fafard for jumping in at the last minute and helping with getting some much needed and appreciated last minute volunteers.

I am looking forward to another great race next year and please put the first Sunday in August of 2016 on your calendar.

If you would like to run the race next year, registra-tion for the Lottery will open on May 1st on Ul-trasignup. See you all next year!! —Rodger Sack

Check out 2015 race results at: www.abqroadrunners.com/results.html

Vol 33, No 5

interview with Road Runner Melani Buchanan Farmer

Kids today don’t always know the healthi-est ways to balance school, friends, family, and life in general. After years working in and out of the classroom, Melani Buchanan Farmer wanted to help kids find a good way to manage daily stress. Now in its third year, her wellness program, Running 505, pairs students in fifth to eighth grade with adult mentors who help them get active and learn insight for facing problems in life.

Melani: The idea for Running Girls 505 stemmed from a few things. I have 18 years

in education and I’m now at the district level. When I was in the classroom I always integrated wellness, such as physical activity, into the lessons.

Melani is pursuing a PhD in Transformative Studies, which has a wide range of inquiry, including studies in leadership. She landed in Youth Wellness., where her disserta-tion is built on the Running 505 pro-gram.

Melani: I realized there was no program in Albuquerque for wellness that encompasses physical, social, emotional, and nutritional needs for adolescents. The closest program is an international organization called Girls on

Continued on page 3

2 ARR NEWS | October 2015

By Gwen Walker

Greetings, Road Runners! After a successful summer of events, I have to admit that I cannot believe my term as President is winding down already. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that I was voted in as President at the Christmas party, 2013. It has been such a pleasure work-ing, running, and socializing with all of you, and as I pass the reins along to another awesome member, I plan to continue helping out with the club as much as I can! I want to give a shout out to a few people who were of utmost importance in making our summer events a success. Eric and Laura Biedermann, who directed and orga-nized the Women's Distance Festival, Meredith Eddy, who did a wonderful job with the Women in Training program, Rodger Sack, who directed and organized the La Luz trail run, and Joyce Fafard, (our Treasurer), who was integral to the success of La Luz. There were also many volunteers who stepped up to help with these activities, and the club is truly grateful for all of the fine folks who help out with these events! Mt. Taylor is coming up this weekend, and the Race Directors, Ken, Kurt, and Marga-ret, have an awesome event planned! The club is also providing volunteers for the Duke City Marathon Bag Drop, Expo, and Pacers. If you would like to volunteer for Duke City, we could still use some help on race day with the bag drop, please let ei-ther myself (president@abqroadrunners.com) or Fred Bonnell (volunteers@abqroadrunners.com) know!

Don't forget, our October monthly meeting is on October 7, 2015. We'll have pizza for members at the meeting, and Derek Surka, club member, will be speaking about a recovery product that is used by many elite athletes. As we enter into the fall season, I hope to see you at some of our fun upcoming events!

Gwen Walker

ARR BOARD PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT

SECRETARY

TREASURER

MEMBERSHIP

RACE DIRECTION

ADVISORY

ADVISORY

CONTACTS

ARR NEWS ARR News is published bimonthly by the Albu-

querque Road Runners. Contributions of articles

and photos are always welcome. Check with

the editor for deadlines.

The Albuquerque Road Runners Club is a non-

profit corporation as an affiliate member of

Road Runners Club of America (RRCA).

Albuquerque Road Runners Club

PO Box 20011

Albuquerque, NM 87154

Visit us at

www.abqroadrunners.com

UPCOMING CLUB RACES

Saturday, September 26, 6:30 am Directors: Ken Gordon, Margaret Gordon, Kurt Coonrod

Benefits Nideiltihi Native Elite Runners

the Run, which charges a fee. I wanted a ‘No Fee for Any Girl’ approach, regardless of the economic status of the girl. I wanted to by-pass that barrier and bring girls together.

She chose a location in the community where it would be easy for girls to run and experience the community on their feet.

Melani: At the time I was working at Wash-ington. I reached out to the principal, who had a background in physical education, and she welcomed the idea with open arms. We started with 10 girls the first semester, re-cruiting through flyers, daily announcements at the school, even asking other schools to post information. For the first year we ended up with about 15 girls because the program runs from September through May and kids can come and go. The goal is to give them sustainable lifelong wellness, so we want to be flexible. For example one girl was doing volleyball in the fall, so she couldn’t start until later.

Flexibility also extends to adult mentors who volunteer with Running 505, called Run-ning Guides. Every Wednesday, the group meets for a lesson and some physical activity.

The challenge with finding and keeping men-tors definitely revolves around time.

Melani: People have to find the time and willingness to commit, but I’ve noticed that once they do, they’re hooked. They come in and they want to keep going with the kids. We know people have commitments and things come up. To volunteer we just need mentors to show up regularly so the kids know who they are. The lessons involve a lot of discussion, so we want mentors to be available to help kids with their development on these issues, with different issues they face at school and home.

3 ARR NEWS | October 2015

TRAIL CLEANUP

Adopted Trail Cleanup Scheduled for Saturday, November 21 As most of you know, Albuquerque Road Runners have adopted a one-mile section of hike-bike trail along Unser Boulevard from Western Trails (across from the vehicle entrance to the Petroglyph National Monument Visitors’ Center) to Dellyne. We gather for group cleanup of the trail twice a year.

The next cleanup will start at 8:30 AM on November 21 (Saturday before Thanksgiving). The meeting place is where Atrisco north of Western Trail makes a sharp right turn and

changes name to Legends. More detailed directions and additional attempts to motivate you to participate are on the Road Runners website: click on “Adopted Trail” on the homepage (www.abqroadrunners.com). Or you can call or email cleanup coordinator and Chief Laze-about Dick Harris at 268-5747 or rhar-ris@unm.edu.

No need to sign up – just show up and help out if you can, right at 8:30 or any time before about 10:30 AM. Thanks, all.

Continued on page 4

(continued from page 1)

4 ARR NEWS | October 2015

(continued from page 3)

The second year of the program, Justin Weins, another Road Runner, approached Melani and to lead Running Guys 505, which started with 5 to 7 boys and four male mentors who could partici-pate regularly. These mentors were able to get flex time at their jobs so they could volunteer. In addition, UNM Exercise Science Club has agreed to work with the kids every other week. Last year, they sponsored the Black Light Run and donated proceeds to Running 505.

Students involved with the group want to learn more about being fit. Some have said: “I want to be healthier” ;“I don’t have a group of friends at school—these people in the running group are my friends” ;“The things we talk about make me feel like this is my family”; “I want a challenge.” Melani: One of the biggest misconceptions I faced trying to get adults to bring kids into the program was that the kids weren’t athletes. Other adults would say, ‘They’re not on teams so they won’t be interested.’ But the kids in our program learn that all they have to do is walk out the door and go for a run and it will help them deal better with the stress they face each day. Some of the kids really take off and become avid runners. This year, one girl won her age group at the Buffalo Thunder half marathon.

When we asked the girls what kind of sessions they most wanted, they told us they wanted to learn more about nutrition and they were really interested in learning how to deal with stress: stress at school, with friends, with bullying, with

balancing school, and stress with family.

Because Running 505 has no fees, it is completely communi-ty funded. This year Melani applied for and received nonprofit status.

Melani: We use our funding to reward participants who’ve stayed with the com-mitment: they get new running shoes, shorts, tops, pants, a team shirt and we pay the fees for 2 to 3 races per year, with an agreement from the parents that if they don’t show up for the race, they will pay back the registration fee.

Now that her program is a nonprofit, on the agenda for next year is a gala fundraiser planned for April 1. Running 505 is currently seeking a sponsor for the venue—the plan is to host the gala at the Gertrude Zachary Castle, but the pro-gram needs a sponsor to cover the cost. Money raised from the fundraiser will be invested in gear and races for participants as well in promotions to raise awareness about Running 505. With enough funding, Melani is also considering incentives to reward mentors and to attract speakers.

For the near future, Melani wants to develop a stronger boys’ curriculum, because none exists yet. Melani says that society still focuses on a tra-ditional approach for boys to deal with stress, the idea is still to just “be a man” and suck it up. No program teaches boys how to manage stress by reflecting on issues around them. In the long term, Melani hopes to truly expand the program.

Melani: I would like to expand Running 505 to three sites around the city in upcoming years, using the same vision and the same resources. Ideally, though, I’d like to see program established in every middle school in Albuquerque.

F U L L

MOON

RUN

by Heart & Sole Sports

Sunday, September 27

– Starts at 7:30 pm

Free and open to all;

bring your kids & dogs!

Refreshments & draw-

ings

Arrive early to sign in

and get your name en-

tered into drawings for

cool gear. Next Sunday's Full Moon will be a BLOOD SUPER MOON! What the heck does that mean? Our Moon will be at Perigee (closest to earth and very large) AND will be in total Eclipse which gives it a red (blood) appearance. You don't want to miss out on that.

FUTURE

FULL MOON RUNS:

Tuesday, October 27 — 7:15

November — TBA

Adapted from Competitor.com, Greg McMillan offers factors that con-tribute to marathon day success: 1. Stable Mileage In your last 10-12 weeks of training weekly mileage should be con-sistent and stable. If you averaged 45 miles per week but had several weeks at 20 miles and a few at 55, you had wide swings; if you averaged 45 miles with a few “down” weeks at 35 and a few high weeks at 55, then mileage was more stable. When you are consistent in mileage across the weeks before the marathon, you can pull from this strength in later miles of the race. 2. Long Runs Successful marathoners usually get in the long, steady runs and recover well in the few days that follow. If you built up to a 20-mile long run but were fatigued and sore for 2-3 days afterward, that may be a warning. When you include 2-3 fast finish long runs in training—where you really push it over the last few miles—you have a leg up on race day. 3. Grooving Goal Pace Hitting your goal race pace during training is one thing—running goal pace while relaxed mentally and physically is another. Marathoners who feel comfortable and smooth while running goal pace workouts are race-ready. After all, running your goal pace continuously for hours—not minutes—ensures you’re fresher later when fatigue sets in. 4. Leg Durability Early in training, it’s common for your legs to be sore after long runs. Later, however, you should notice legs feel stronger and don’t get sore anymore, even though runs are longer and mileage is high. This is a good sign for marathon day. Strong, fatigue-resistant legs won’t let you down on race day. 5. Fueling Marathoners with their nutrition dialed in have a great chance at suc-cess on race day. You need a robust fueling plan where you get enough fuel to carry you through the entire race. Many marathoners fuel too little and try to make it up as “the wall” nears—only to find they can’t. Practice fueling strategies beforehand in race conditions so you know how much to take and how your gut will react. Nutrition plays a critical role in success on marathon day. 6. Mental Toughness Remember how you dealt with challenging runs over the course of your training cycle. Did you have a firm resolve? Successful marathoners know how to deal with big mental challenges. 7. Prediction Time On race day, don’t go out faster than goal race pace and observe how you feel. If you coast through 15-16 miles and feel good, stick to your plan; if the first 10-13 miles feel harder than expected and you need to run 5-10 seconds slower per mile, slow down. This is how to get to the finish line without totally falling apart. There is nothing wrong with slowing down to ensure a positive marathon experience. You may not hit your goal time, but it’s a lot better than bonking and doing the dreaded survival walk/jog over the last few miles.

Read the original article at running.competitor.com/2015/09/training/6-key-

factors-to-achieving-your-marathon-goal_135347#dszMMxs5rAcUAFvg.99

5 ARR NEWS | October 2015

R A C E C A L E N D A R

Wednesday, October 7, 2015, 7:00 pm

North Domingo Baca Center/Classroom 4 (at Carmel and Wyoming Blvd, west at the first stoplight north of Paseo del Norte)

OCTOBER 3 Big Tesuque Trail Run | Santa Fe, NM | 12M High Altitude Trail Run | nmsportsonline active.com entry form 4 Sandia Mountain Shadows Trail Run | ABQ, NM | 10K, 5K 10-11 Durango Double Half Marathons | Durango, CO | 13.1 Mile Road, 13.1 Mile Trail, 1 Mile Kids | runsignup 17 Deadman Peaks Trail Run | Cuba, NM | 53M, Marathon, 30K | ultrasignup facebook 18 Duke City Marathon | ABQ, NM | Marathon, Marathon Relay, Half , 10K Run & Walk, 5K Run & Walk | register online entry form 24 Monster Run | Las Cruces, NM | Half Marathon Indiv/Team, 5K Indiv/Team, 1M Fun Run | register online 25 First Responders 5K | ABQ, NM - Hartnett Park | 5K Run/Walk, Kids K | active.com 31 Great Pumpkin Chase | ABQ, NM | 10K, 5K, Kids K 31-Nov 6 Day of the Dead Marathon Series | Las Cruces, NM | Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K race EACH DAY | register download entry form

NOVEMBER 1 Doggie Dash and Dawdle | ABQ, NM | register online | benefits Animal Humane NM

1 El Maratón del Rio Grande (Day of the Dead Marathon Series) | Las Cruces, NM | active.com download entry form 8 Rebel Run | ABQ, NM - Balloon Fiesta Park | 10K Run, 5K Run | register | benefits UNM Children’s Hospital’s Cancer Unit and Rio Grande Rebels 4-H club 14 Lung Force Walk | ABQ, NM - Hoffmantown | Fund-Raising Walk (Indiv/Team) | registration info | benefits American Lung Association 14 Desert Dash Trail Race | Las Cruces, NM - Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park | Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Kids 1M Trail Race | register online entry form 26 Hobbler Gobbler Thanksgiving Day Run | ABQ, NM | 10K, 5K, Kids K

DECEMBER

5 Kringle Jingle | ABQ, NM | 10K, 5K, Kids K 5 Reindeer Run | Roswell, NM | 10K Run/Walk, 2M Run/Walk | active.com | benefits local food pantries 19 NM Farolito Trail of Lights 5K | ABQ, NM | 5K, Kids K