september 2011

FOOTPRINTLake Grapevine Runners & Walkers September - October 2011

www.runnersandwalkers.com

RAW Fashionista Sunday Social

On Sunday, August 14th, the RAW members strutted their best running and walking clothing for a chance to

win one of two $50 gift cards generously donated by Luke’s Locker in Colleyville. While the outfits were vividly colorful, the collection of brightly hued shoes and shoelaces nearly stole the show!

RAW folks voted for their favorite Best Dressed Male and Female choices and elected Tony Flesch and Mindi Rice.

Tony looked outstanding in red with his matching hat, shirt and shoes. Mindi strutted a kaleidoscope of bright colors with hands-down the best shoes that even included her name on the back! We wonder what Mindi and Tony will add to their collections with their gift cards!

An enjoyable time was had by all with breakfast snacks and juice. Check out the LGRAW Facebook page for more pictures of the fun!

(l-r) Laura Swenson, Laura Gruener, Jay Jones & Kat Sparks: “You look mahvelous!”

(l-r) Stacy Marchiori & Laura Gruener pose for the “RAW-parazzi.”

(l-r) Mindi Rice & Tony Flesch the 2011 Fashionista and Fashionisto.

(l-r) Ray Harris & Jack Hase prove that being RAW is never out of style.

(l-r) Belynda Warner, Sheri Rasnake & Tory Warner hold the first meeting of Runners and Walkers and Dancers.

By Laura Swenson

2 FOOTPRINT | September - October 2011

RAW Board and CommitteesPResident | Kathryn Gleghorn [email protected]

ViCe PResident | Tony Flesch [email protected]

seCRetARy | Janet Dixon [email protected]

tReAsuReR | Emily Johnston [email protected]

AsstAnt tReAsuReR | Jeff Garber [email protected]

diReCtoRsDanyah Arafat-Johnson [email protected] Kyle Keifer [email protected] Lawrence [email protected] Morris [email protected] Rivero [email protected] Schlenker [email protected] Swenson [email protected]

FootPRint

editoR-in-ChieF | Kevin Wessels

editoRiAl CooRdinAtoR Elizabeth Lawrence

AssoCiAte editoRs Kathryn Gleghorn Staci Rivero

CReAtiVe diReCtoR | Lorraine Wessels

design & PRoduCtion | Reneé McConnell

Membership data Danyah Arafat-Johnson [email protected]

FootPRint submissions Send articles to: [email protected]

Footnotes to: [email protected]

Fo

ot

no

te

s•

Fo

ot

no

te

s•

Fo

ot

no

te

s•

Fo

ot

no

te

slake grapevine Runners & Walkers ClubP.O. Box 2982Grapevine, TX 76099

Congratulations• To all the RAW members that participated in spring events

locally and around the country. We had many new PR times and distances. Check the Forum for the “Weekly RAW Zone Race Results” further details.

CondolenCes• To Kyle and Priscilla Keifer on the loss of their nephew.

speedy reCovery• To Peggy Rehyer who is recovering from a fall.

thank you• To Ray and Noreen Henry for hosting the annual RAWLuau.• To Jack Hase and the volunteers who made the Medal of

Summer 5K Series a success.• To all our volunteers who put out water and sports drink for

the weekend runs. We appreciate each and every one of you.

lost & Found• Left something at the clubhouse? Check to see if we found it.

All unclaimed items are in the clear tote along the north wall of the clubhouse (just outside the bathroom).

Change oF address• To update your address, please notify Danyah Arafat-Johnson

at [email protected]

Deadline for the next FOOTPRINT is October 1st. Send your articles to: lgrawfootprint @verizon.net. Send your Footnotes to: [email protected]

Follow us on FacebookBecome a FAN of Lgraw Runners & Walkers page to get the latest updates in your News Feed.

Posts will keep you up to date on all RAW events. Join us today.

September - October 2011 | FOOTPRINT 3

Check the RAWforum for information on all club events: www.runnersandwalkers.com

RAW Walk/RunsWalk/Run every Saturday & Sunday 7 a.m. (daylight savings time) 8 a.m. (standard time)

RAW Around Town Social Calendar & Events

Trail RunsWednesday & Friday mornings 6 and 7 a.m. (year round) at the clubhouse

Monday Evenings 6 p.m. at the clubhouse

Track WorkoutsTrackies meet every Tuesday 5 p.m. at Grapevine Middle School

Hill WorkoutsHillbillies meet Thursday nights Thursdays 5:45 p.m. even # Thursdays, at the clubhouse odd # Thursdays meet at Parr Park

Board Meetings2nd Monday of every month, 7 p.m. at the clubhouse, unless otherwise posted or changed. All members are welcome to attend. Sep 12 Oct 10 Nov 14

Check the Forum for potential changes.

Double Trouble 5K & 10KDouble Trouble 5K & 10KSaturday October 22, 2011 8 a.m. at the clubhouse

See ad on page 9 for more information.

Newcomer ProgramNewbies Mentoring Program 1st Sunday of every month • 7 a.m. at the clubhouse


Spooktacular Fun RAW’S SPOOKtacular Trail Run/Walk Sunday, October 30 • 7 a.m. at the clubhouse


SNL DinnersSaturday Night Live Dinners1st Saturday of every month • 5 p.m.

September 3 - Taqueria Burritos Locos (BYOB) 416 W Northwest Hwy, Grapevine

October 1 - Thai Riverside (BYOB) 2100 W. Northwest Highway, Grapevine

November 5 - Cafe Italia (BYOB) 2647 Ira E Woods. Grapevine

check us out at runnersandwalkers.com or like us at lgraw runners and walkers

Fun Run/WalkClub Fun Run/Walk & Bagels Saturday, September 10 • 7 a.m. at the clubhouse

Stick around post-workout for bagels.


“Ask not what your running club can do for you - ask what you can do for your running club.”

Well, maybe that wasn’t exactly the quote attributed to President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address, but those words will definitely serve my purpose. Hopefully they will inspire more RAW members to get involved with RAW and volunteer. RAW members are needed not only for RAW and the running/walking community, but our surrounding communities in the Metroplex, as well.

Over the next two years I hope to share with you my thoughts about what an awesome club RAW is. In addition, I’ll share my ideas on how we can continue to support our members as we continue on our fitness journey and how we can be a positive influence in the community.

Congratulations to the recently-elected RAW Board members. These individuals have already accepted the challenge to step up and help guide RAW over the next year or two. They join a RAW board that is finishing out the final year of their two-year term. These members are the “core group” who are volunteering their time and making a commitment to RAW to help lead the club, but they cannot do this job alone, nor should that be the expectation. This is where the general membership comes into play.

Over the next couple of months, the various directors on the board will be seeking volunteers to help them carry out their specific responsibilities. If you have wanted to get more involved with your club and volunteer, but don’t have the time to commit to serving a two-year board term, here are some opportunities.

The Social Director (Laura Swenson) and our Fun Run Director (Melissa Schlenker) are planning an active calendar of events and can always use extra hands with set-up, shopping, clean up, etc.

Our FOOTPRINT Coordinator (Elizabeth Lawrence) will be your contact person for any “Footnotes” items or “Giving Back to the Sport” write-ups. Perhaps you are a dedicated “Weekend Warrior” and would like to help our PR/Communications Director (Chris Morris) with covering our weekend announcements.

RAW’s RRCA liaison (Staci Rivero) is our go-to person for RRCA communications. She will submit our club nominations for the annual RRCA awards at the end of year, so if you would like to be involved in this process or nominate a fellow club member, please contact her.

If you notice anything amiss at the clubhouse, our Clubhouse Maintenance Director (Kyle Keifer) can get things set right. If you are handy with tools, plumbing or electrical-type stuff, maybe we could run things by you if something comes up.

The Membership Director (Danyah Arafat-Johnson) keeps tabs on the membership enrollment, so help her out with keeping your membership current by paying your dues in a timely manner. Danyah is also the Double Trouble Race Director and will need plenty of volunteers for a successful event.

Rounding out the board is Vice-President (Tony Flesch), Treasurer (Emily Johnston), Assistant Treasurer (Jeff Garber) and Secretary (Janet Dixon). If you are interested in volunteering, Tony or I will be happy to discuss several on-going volunteer opportunities with you, including Water Duty, City of Grapevine Parks & Trails Clean Up, First Sunday Newbies Mentors,

RAW Race Day Volunteers and the White Rock Marathon Aid Station.

All the people mentioned in this message are on the RAW Board with the goal of serving the membership and guiding the club during their tenure on the board. If you have any comments or concerns, I encourage you to contact me or any of the board members. We are here to listen to you. This doesn’t mean we, as a board, will always carry out the ideas of individual members, but we can include the membership’s thoughts in our decision-making discussions.

Please consider attending an upcoming Monthly Board Meeting. We meet on the second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. The regular meeting location is the clubhouse, but due to Texas weather extremes, that can change. We use a monthly e-communication, Facebook (our page is lgraw runners & walkers) and the RAWForum on our website, www.runnersandwalkers.com, to keep in touch with the members.

See you on the trails and roads.

President’s MessageA perspective to the members from RAW President Kathryn Gleghorn

Kathryn

(l-r) RAW Board Members: Tony Flesch, Danyah Arafat-Johnson, Staci Rivero, Janet Dixon, Kyle Keifer, Kathryn Gleghorn, Laura Swenson, Chris Morris, Emily Johnston

and Melissa Schlenker. Not shown: Jeff Garber and Elizabeth Lawrence.


Start spreading the news. RAW is making plans to add a half marathon distance to

the Bold in the Cold races currently scheduled for January 7, 2012. This should be a great addition for a couple of reasons. First, it will be a great way for the club to kick-off a year-long celebration of our 15th birthday in 2012. Second, the half marathon has seen phenomenal growth and participation nationwide. The DFW Metroplex has nearly 20 half marathons, and that doesn’t even include the races close to half marathon in the 20K and 25K distances.

The half marathon distance is an increasingly popular choice for runners. Often simply referred to as “the half,” many half marathons have become destination events and are combined with a vacation or weekend getaway. The half marathon is not just the little brother of the marathon any longer. Many half marathons are stand-alone and not connected to a full marathon at all. OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in

Indianapolis is a prime example and is the largest half marathon in the U.S. with more than 30,000 participants. When an event features both a marathon and a half marathon, such as White Rock, the half typically has twice as many runners as the marathon.

According to Running USA’s annual half marathon report, if marathon mania exists, then, the half marathon has reached hyper-mania. Since 2003, the half marathon has been the fastest growing road race distance in the United States. Last year, there were a record 24 half marathons in the country with 10,000 or more finishers. By comparison, just ten years ago in 2001, there were only two. According to the report, the popularity of the half marathon has been fueled mainly by charity and non-charity training programs, destination-type events/series, runners moving up or down from the marathon and women’s participation. In 2010, women led the surge in participation in the half marathon with an astounding 59% of participants. Since

1995, the number of female finishers in the half-marathon has increased six-fold.

Running USA surveyed more than 11,000 “core runners” nationwide and found that 73% of them were interested in entering a half marathon in 2010 and they ranked the half marathon as their favorite race distance by a long shot (35% vs. 19% for the 5K). In addition, those runners who participated in the half marathon in the last two years ran approximately four days per week and trained over 27 miles per week. They also purchased approximately three pairs of running shoes each year.

Which states saw the most half marathoners cross the finish line last year? California reported approximately 225,000 half marathon finishers for 2010 representing 16% of the half marathon finishers nationwide, followed by Texas and Florida with 7% each.

In a Flash!Half Marathon Mania!

By Tony “Flash” Flesch

Tony is a RRCA Road Runners Club of America Certified Running Coach, and writes a running column for www.CoppellToday.com, and running blog for the Dallas Morning News http://runningblog.dallasnews.com/

“Best Foot Forward”Kathryn Gleghorn

“Tried and True Volunteer”Gary Howsam

“Sidekick Award”Evelyn Luccioni

“Person who did Water Duty the Most” Gary Howsam

Annual RAW Award Winners

Congratulations!


Road Runners Club of America

By Kelly “K2” Richards, RRCA Director-At-Large

The grassroots of the Road Runners Club of America run deep in the heart of the Texas running community. The RRCA, founded in 1958, is a national association of running clubs, running events, and runners dedicated to promoting running as a competitive sport and as healthy exercise.

Texas has strong ties to the national organization. Dallas Running Club, Fort Worth Runners Club, Plano Pacers, North Texas Trail Runners and Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers are just a handful of the 60 RRCA clubs in Texas. Event members include popular local races such as Heels and Hills Half Marathon and Dallas White Rock Marathon. Upcoming 2011 RRCA Championship races being held in Texas include the Fort Worth Runners Club Labor Day 15K, RAW’s own Double Trouble 10K and the Houston Half Marathon.

Texas is home to two of five communities, Dallas and Wichita Falls, selected in the inaugural RRCA Runner Friendly Community® designation. Texas runners are regularly utilized and recognized at the national level for their talent and commitment to the running community. RAW’s David Ball has created multiple logos for RRCA programs. North Texas State Representative Libby Jones is an RRCA national award winner. RAW has had a national award winner the past three years and has won a total of six national awards in the past decade.

Texas clubs and event members have a rich history of supporting RRCA programs such as the annual National Convention Silent Auction and Kids Run the Nation®. RAW has donated generously to the Kids Run the Nation® fund. One hundred percent of the money raised is restricted to the grant fund and no portion of contributions is used for administrative expenses.

Participating in events presented by RRCA clubs is one of the best ways to support our sport globally while running locally. Road Runners Club of America – We Run the Nation – by individuals like you running Texas.

RRCA Runnings

RAW’s Annual PicnicAwards, Elections, Food, Fireworks and Fun on the 4th of July!

(l-r) Leana Sloan and Michelle Liles.

(l-r) Mark Miller and Brad Liles. Angela Eusery

Kat Sparks

(l-r) Brooks and Clay with their dad, Heath Johnson.

Manny Koosha

The annual July 4th picnic is a very special day for RAW members. Not only is it a patriotic holiday, it’s also a day spent with family and friends enjoying plenty of food and fireworks! All together it makes a day of fun enjoyed by all!


This past June marked my 10-year anniversary of training and racing. Ten

years ago I was 21 years old, bartending, a full-time student, and already sick of the college bad habits-lifestyle. I ran two to three miles a few times a week throughout college, but that spring, I ran for 60 minutes without stopping. It was one of the proudest moments of my life. I didn’t know anyone who ran and I couldn’t believe I had just run for a whole hour. I thought if I can run for an hour, I can run for two hours and three hours and four hours! For me that first hour was the hardest one, so in June of 2001, I signed up for my first race, the Dallas White Rock Marathon, and started training.

10. Enjoying every step of my first marathon. I had friends and family scattered all along the White Rock course. It was a perfect weather day and I felt amazing. Not concerned with time, I hugged my family when I saw them and soaked in the experience. I finished in 4:34.

9. running and my family. I ran three races getting ready for White Rock. My dad came to my first one, a 10K, and ran it with me. He biked alongside me during my first and only 20-miler of that training. He ran Miles 20 to 23 with me during the marathon and my parents have rarely missed a marathon or triathlon since then.

8. lake tahoe Marathon in october 2002. This was my first real running “low.” I was so tired and cramped-up and had to walk some at the end. I crossed the finish line and immediately burst into crying, shaking tears. They only

lasted 30 seconds and then I was fine. It was my first experience with “It’s over. I can stop.”

7. spending the next seven years on and off with triathlons, taking big breaks after a race and getting out of shape and going through the pain of having to get back into shape. Three years ago I promised myself I would never get that out of shape again.

6. rockledge rumble 15k in November 2007 was my first trail race. I was new to the area and didn’t know many people. I forgot socks and rushed home to get them. I had been sick all week and was only moderately better. I got caught in a fast group on the single-track trail and bonked by the 4.5-mile turnaround. I was hooked!

5. Chattanooga Mountains stage race. June 2011 and three days of running trails in the Smoky Mountains on a new mountain each day? With my RAW friends? Enough said. This was a great trip because of the people I was with.

4. discovering my passion is running in the mountains on a trail. TransRockies RUN3 Stage Race and Jemez Mountain 50K are my two most treasured races. I ran them both with Beth Hyland and pushed my body to new limits in each of them. I envision the next ten years will be an adventure of finding new trails and exploring new distances.

3. trying to get fast. After running the same comfortable pace from 2001 to 2009, I made the mistake of joining

RAW and getting sucked into wanting to get faster. I was so happy being slow! Just kidding. It’s been an incredible journey and I’ve already far surpassed any running times I ever imagined. I’m not intimidated by distance, but I am very scared of speed. It’s been the best thing for me to face that fear and learn from each quality workout and race.

2. sharing all my good and bad training and racing with my husband evan. Here are a few examples. The good: Evan was at marathon number one, White Rock, in 2001. I’ll never forget how much I looked forward to Mile 18 so I could see him. The bad: he was at Mile 16 of my DNF (did not finish) in Houston in 2011. He let me be sad while saying all the right things so I wouldn’t get discouraged about my favorite pastime.

1. lake grapevine runners and Walkers changed my life. Be careful newbies.

Ten Years – Ten MemoriesBy Michelle “Drum” Blackard

Michelle Blackard finishing her first marathon at White Rock in 2001.

NEWCOMERS M e n t o r i n g P R o g R A m

First Sunday of the month 7 a.m. at the clubhouse

Newcomers are always welcome to join RAW every Saturday and Sunday for our weekend walks/runs. To encourage newcomers to join us, RAW will have club members available on the first Sunday of the month to mentor them. We will do our best to match people up with someone who can show them the course, water stops, introduce them around and answer questions they might have.

Welcome a Newbie & Become a Mentor

First Sunday of the month • 7 a.m. at clubhouse

For more information, contact Kathryn at [email protected].


During the Bernheim Trail Marathon in Louisville, Kentucky, it came to me that runners, especially marathon runners, are

absolutely nuts. I used to think those that who sat on their butts, eating fried chicken and ice cream, adding an inch a week to their waistlines, were deficient. Now, I’m not so sure they corner the market on being wacko.

About 0.15% (0.0015) of the U.S. population has finished a marathon. I imagine 100% of the population has chowed-down on a piece of KFC® and more importantly, experienced brain freeze from eating ice cream too fast. Clearly, running a marathon is a violation of societal norms. Who are the crazies now?

I’m still looking for the stats, but I’m wondering how many folks regained their sanity and never ran another marathon. I’m guessing about 99.99% of those that finished one marathon never considered a second marathon. Shouldn’t you be embarrassed to admit double-digit marathons? No wonder so many “non-runners” start looking for exit signs when anyone mentions they have run several marathons – they’re in the company of a psychopath and are afraid for their lives!

Good news is that you can find a list of the worst insane-o-macs for free. Just check out the 50 States Marathon Club or Marathon Maniacs™ websites. Full of nut jobs too far gone to realize they have a problem. Imagine how the normal people feel to find out a running club exists in their community. Someone needs to think of the children.

Not so fast you say? Unfair treatment? Where is my sense of acceptance in the diversity of others? Well, all I ask is that you ponder your reality:

1. Who in their right mind decides to run a marathon in 100-degree weather? Ever wonder why you fade during a hot run? It’s you being a danger to yourself.

2. Who gets back from a run and says it sure is hot, or cold, or windy out there today? Did you have to run to figure this out? Turn on The Weather Channel® for Pete’s sake!

3. The first time you complete a marathon, it hurts for days. Can’t walk and can’t go down stairs. What do you do – another marathon because you think it must get better. News alert: It doesn’t!

4. It’s only street runners who are insane. Trail running is so much better. Really? Trip, fall, and break a leg. Better? Trip, fall, scrape both knees and suffer through clothes sticking on scabs. Better? Tick bite leads to spotted fever. Better? Then there is the whole arachnid issue – yikes!

5. Trail running is better because some events are at night. Trail running at night leads to face-planting with trees, free falling off the ridge, swimming in the river, and lots of “walking” at night.

6. What’s better than an insane runner? A crazy alcohol-imbibing runner. You know who you are. “Drinking club

with a running problem”? Baloney! Run to the point of severe dehydration and chug three beers. That’s an acceptable societal norm?

7. Any idea how many beers you can buy for the price of a pair of shoes? What normal person spends $500 on running shoes each year? Why that’s almost 370 bottles of beer – one for each day.

8. Don’t drink beer? Throw in all the crazy entry fees, electrolytes, GUs, massages, running clothes, transportation, reading material, and pain killers and that makes for about 370 bottles of wine (also one for each day). Quit running and drink more – the world would be a happier place.

9. Only a numbskull gets up before 5 a.m. to run. Running in the middle of the night screws up the body’s natural biorhythm. A word of advice: SLEEP, it’s what a person is meant to do.

10. The only thing that violates societal norms more than running a marathon is the triathlete (a.k.a., sadist). The only gratification they can achieve is through their perversion of self-inflicted physical and mental pain. There should be a special island for these beyond-treatment nut jobs.

11. The true measure of how crazy you are is the ability to convince others to do equally stupid stuff. Michelle “Drum” Blackard must be at the extreme edge. After all, she managed to get way too many idiots to run three mountains in three days and run a perfectly good trail – wait for it – in the dark.

12. How about the Trackies? A whole crew of insane people. This one is really too easy. Only lunatics wait until it’s 100° (120° at track level) to run as many laps as they can as fast as they can.

13. What about the Wussie Judge (WJ)? A mastermind? This running lunatic managed to get dozens of mentally challenged people to walk away from the true path and into schizophrenia. 10K-ers and joggers are so easy to manipulate.

14. Ultrarunner equals ULTRASTUPID.

15. Run more miles in a day than your commute to work? This is a crazy person warning sign.

16. There are several obsessive compulsive crazies. They have elaborate spreadsheets to track the exact number of miles run in their last 100 pairs of running shoes.

17. Ever spend hours listening to a self-defeating runner describe every injury he or she has, like tendonitis, fasciitis, broken bone, sprains, torn muscles, etc.? What did you see them doing ten minutes later? Running.

All normalcies aside, I love running. Running fills my inner strength. Running puts my soul at peace. Running makes me one with my surroundings. And yes, running makes me crazy!

Runners R Nuts!By Troy “Wussie Judge” Pruett


For more information go to www.runnersandwalkers.com

Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers presents the RRCA 10K Texas State Championship

Run/Walk One or Both Races

Saturday, October 22, 2011

DOuBLE

THE FuN!

5K • 8:00 a.m. 10K • 8:45 a.m.

Oak Grove Park • Grapevine, Texas

Double trouble 5K/10K entry Form • saturday, october 22, 2011

Name _______________________________________________________ Age _______ M F Email _______________________________

Address ____________________________________________________ City__________________ Zip_____________ Phone_____________________

Race Entry: Double Trouble 5K Double Trouble 10K Both 5K & 10K T-Shirt Size: S M L XL XXL (add$1)

Race Entry Fees: (see fee schedule) $__________________ , LGRAW New Member Fee: $__________________ , TOTAL $__________________

I will pick my packet up at Luke’s Locker-Colleyville Race Day Morning at Race Site

Make check payable and mail to: “LGRAW” (Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers Club), P.O. Box 2982, Grapevine, Texas 76099WAVIER STATEMENT: Entry invalid if not signed. I know that participating in events can be potentially hazardous. By my signature I assume full and complete responsibility for any injury or accident which may occur to me during the event or while I am on the premises of the event, and I hereby release and hold harmless Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers, Inc., the RRCA, and all sponsors from all claims of liabilities of any kind arising out of my participation in this event.

Signature _____________________________________________________ Date _____________________ (signature of participant or parent if participant is under 18)

(tech shirts for first 300 entrants)

Paid by: check cash Race Number______________

Add $5.00 to run BOTH the 5K AND 10K Races.NOTE: Entry fees for one or both races qualifies

for only one shirt.

The first 300 entrants receive a Double Trouble Tech shirt. Register today!

Register On-linewww.active.com

Register In PersonWednesday & Thursday, October 19 & 20, 201111:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. & 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.Luke’s Locker – Colleyville5505 Colleyville Blvd., Ste. 120Colleyville, Texas 76034(817) 849-1952

5K or 10K Registration Fees

LGRAW member or student

$15.00

$20.00

non-member

$20.00

$25.00

Deadlines

Before Oct. 1st

Oct. 2-Oct. 22

Run/Walk One or Both RacesSaturday October 22, 2011

Oak Grove Park • Grapevine, Texas


Are you a native Texan?No. I am from El Dorado Hills, California. My husband’s career brought us to the “Big D” and we were also ready to depart from a state that had become way too liberal.

How long have you been running? 14 years.

How long have you been a RAW member? Four months.

Who was the first person you met at RAW, or at first showed you the route or really “took you in”?Staci Rivero. She is a doll!

Are you a “Trackie” or “Hillbilly”? Neither.

Why running? It clears the head and alleviates the stress. I also enjoy the ability to run no matter where you are in the world. All you need to pack in your suitcase is a pair of running shoes. I never leave home without them!

Do you have any pre/post-race ritual or anything special you do before or after a run? No. It is either a race day or it isn’t. Doesn’t matter what I do one way or the other.

Do you have a favorite place to run? The California coast.

Do you prefer roads or trails?Definitely roads.

What has been your fondest running memory? Signing up to run a half marathon that was six hours from where I lived and, while on the way to the destination, deciding to run the full marathon the next day instead of the half marathon. I actually ended up doing very well for not training for a full marathon. Goes to show, you don’t need to run excessive miles in your training runs.

Where is the most unique or unusual place you have ever run? Through the streets of Florence, Italy. I got so lost and did not speak a lick of Italian. It was by the grace of God I found my way back to our hotel.

What do you consider your biggest running achievement? Qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

What running gear would you never travel without? Running shoes.

Do you Gu, gel, Gatorade®, or other?No. All of that stuff upsets my stomach. I stick to good old H2O.

What has running taught you about yourself or what have you learned about life through running? That you CAN do anything you put your mind to. I never ran a day in my life until I was 40. When I had the desire to run the marathon at that point, my ex-husband told me that I could never run a marathon. That is all he needed to say… the rest of history. I now have an addiction…..running.

Do you have a spouse, significant other or any children? I have a wonderful husband who is always at the finish line of any race I have run. I have a daughter and a 4-year old granddaughter.

Are you a professional runner or do you have a real job? What? If I was a professional runner, I would probably be broke. I am a paralegal with a law firm in downtown Dallas.

Besides running, what other fitness activities do you enjoy or do as cross-training? I enjoy swimming, biking, yoga and lifting weights.

What would the members be surprised to learn about you? I have 120 pairs of shoes. I know that for a fact because I just moved and I actually counted the pairs. Perhaps that is my other addiction.

Anything else you would like to add? I have enjoyed meeting the few people I have met through RAW. Looking for a running club was one of the FIRST things I did when I moved to Texas. We moved here not knowing anyone, so I thought joining a group like this would be a great way to meet people. It is hard to meet new people at this stage in life because it seems everyone has their “cliques” and acceptance of a newcomer is not always welcomed. This has been my biggest challenge since moving here.

Diane Ferguson

In Step With Diane Ferguson


on Your mark!Now and Later By Mark Miller, 2010 RRCA Club Writer of the Year

Did you ever try the candy called “Now and Later®”? Their tagline

was “Eat some now. Save some for later.” I hated that slogan and never obeyed it – I finished the package upon opening, never saving any for later. Little has changed as I still fight the temptation to indulge now and ask questions later. Yet the ability to master the tradeoff between now and later determines much of our success in running and beyond.

In his book, Train Hard, Win Easy: The Kenyan Way, author Toby Tanser outlines the arduous training methods so many great Kenyan runners have followed to international racing success. The 100-plus-mile weeks, the two and three workouts a day, and the monastic lifestyle (not to mention preciously rare genetic gifts) transformed the Kenyans into a distance running dynasty. Lance Armstrong described a similarly focused approach to training for the Tour de France in his book It’s Not About the Bike.

Few of us at RAW have the physical capacity – or the time! – to duplicate that level of training or racing success. We are, for the most part, recreational athletes with full lives outside of the sport. So what can every day amateurs learn from these elites to reach our own athletic and personal goals?

Woven into the themes of both books is the notion of doing difficult things now in order to enjoy the rewards later. It’s putting in long runs and speed work now to achieve a personal record later. Or starting a diet and exercise plan today to improve health and lower the risk of disease later. It means saving money and avoiding debt now to achieve financial stability and a secure retirement in the future.

Such a disciplined approach is difficult in the beginning, but makes life easier later on. The harder you train, the easier it will be to reach your racing goal. The more you save now, the easier your financial future will be. By doing the hard work up front, life is smoother later on.

Below are three steps to a disciplined lifestyle that reap rewards over time.

1. Get started. The hardest part of any run is getting out the door. The most difficult stage in writing is sitting down with a blank piece of paper. Once the decision has been made to start moving, the battle is half won. Dawson Trotman said, “The greatest amount of time wasted is the time not getting started.” The finish line awaits, so get started.

2. Small steps make a big difference. The thought of finishing a marathon is daunting to a new runner. Reaching your goal weight appears impossible on the first day of a diet. Retirement seems too far away to think about when starting to save. How do you get there from here? Run just one block until it becomes two, and then one mile, and eventually five or ten miles. Reduce intake by just 100 calories per day. Start by saving just 1% of your salary, then 2%, then 5%. Small steps, faithfully repeated, reap substantial dividends.

3. Embrace the unglamorous grind. Let’s face it; the majority of running is unexciting and unmemorable. It is one more day in a long string of days that look and feel eerily similar. Yet the ability to string together a long series of common tasks results in uncommon achievements. A personal record is not really set on race day; it is attained on the long series of monotonous training days that precede it. Author Peter De Vries captured this idea when he said, “I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at nine o’clock every morning.” Much of life comes down to a daily choice to master the routine.

Brutus Hamilton, the former track coach at the University of California at Berkeley, once observed, “It is one of the strange ironies of this strange life that those who work the hardest, who subject themselves to the strictest discipline, who give up certain pleasurable things in order to achieve a goal, are the happiest men. When you see 20 or 30 men line up for a distance race in some meet, don’t pity them, don’t feel sorry for them. Better envy them instead.” That’s the spirit. The rewards of a disciplined life are worth the costs, even if it means passing on the Now and Laters.

Picture This Grandma’s Marathon

Even rain and 47 degree weather did not stop more than 15,000

runners from participating in the legendary Duluth, Minnesota’s

35th anniversary marathon.

(l-r) Kathy Calkins, Tammy Shadden and Julie Lecocq enjoying the weather?

Staying warm and dry while waiting for the shuttle.


The Kärnten Ironman in Klagenfurt, Austria, was a lifetime experience

that I would repeat with no doubt. Special thanks go to my coach and RAW member, Jim Lukanich, who once again trained me. This time it was for a more challenging race. He got me to the start in good shape and I stayed strong and injury-free. I finally learned from him the importance of proper nutrition and the role it played in racing. It took me a while before I started to take this seriously and to understand that the lack of good nutrition is a recipe for failure, regardless how much or hard you train.

I picked up my training right after recovering from a major bike crash in mid-January. I was a little nervous, but I knew I had to get over it right away. In the 22 weeks leading up to the race, I put in nearly 73 miles of swimming, 2,380 miles of biking and 525 miles of running.

The race journey actually began with the packing. We’re talking about a woman packing for an Ironman race overseas and a two-week tour. The big question was how I was going to handle a 45-pound bike case, a 55-pound suitcase, and a 20-pound backpack through three international connections. After that, I had to take a trip by train from Vienna to Klagenfurt.

On race day, I ended up with only two hours of sleep when I got up at 4:15 am. When we arrived at the transition, it was already crowded and I was very

tense. When the starting gun went off, the madness began. For the first time in a race, I felt panic in the water. I just couldn’t get started. Swimmers were kicking and punching me everywhere and I didn’t have any room to stroke. I sank at every try. I had read that this was the point where most athletes quit, so I had to make a huge mental effort to relax. After 1,500 meters, I picked up the pace and started to pass swimmers and I made it out of the water in 1:51:32, a PR (personal record) of 15 minutes.

I started my nutrition and hydration early on the bike. The first 35 kilometers included nice rolling hills. My nutrition and hydration were under control. I kept a conservative speed to save my legs for the worst that was still to come. The climbing began, gradually but increasing with intensity. The mountains and valleys were majestic! As I kept climbing, all I could see ahead were endless and steeper hills. We had to ride this course for two loops and I finished the bike segment in 6:47:42 with another PR, this time by 41 minutes.

Now it was time to show the Europeans some good running, baby. This is what I know how to do best. For the first mile, I loosened up the legs and adjusted my body. By the second mile, I settled into the pace that I wanted to maintain for the entire marathon. It was a little warm, about 80 degrees, but nothing I couldn’t handle. I passed by my company’s aid station and my co-workers were there

waiting for me and cheered me on. They made a beautiful sign with the American flag and my name on it.

I kept the nutrition as simple as I could and I was able to sustain even splits. By the halfway point of the marathon, I knew I was going to beat my own record of 14:49 hours if I could keep running even splits. I kept on passing more runners. The course, with the exception of two passes, was totally flat and well supported. Four loops by the lake, through Klagenfurt, and around a beautiful cornfield reminded me of my hometown in Colombia.

When I had about 10K left, everything started to ache. The soreness was taking over all my muscles. Each stride hurt, so I thought I had better hurry up and finish the race before it finished me. I picked up the pace almost in tears. The crowd was extremely supportive and didn’t let me give up. They kept yelling out my name and waving the American flag. There were kids all over the place handing out wet sponges and giving runners high-fives.

Quickly, I realized I only had two miles to go. I felt great, picked up the pace and made a straight shot to the finish line! My marathon time was 3:56, which was another PR by 17 minutes. What a great feeling when I saw and crossed the finish line at: 12:54:48. I PR’d by 54 minutes. Praise God! Besten Dank, Austria for the most amazing race I’ve ever done.

My Second Ironman® – The Kärnten Ironman (Austria)By Sonia Soprenuk

Sonia looking strong after the swim. Sonia showing perfect riding form. Even with a marathon left to go, Sonia looks great.


El Scorcho es una fiesta de locos, pero los corredores no pudieron terminar sin los voluntarios de RAW. Translation: El Scorcho is a party of crazies, but the runners couldn’t finish without the RAW volunteers.

It takes a special group of people to give up a night’s sleep so they can go hang out in Fort Worth’s Trinity Park on a hot and humid night in July. They volunteered their time to support RAW friends who were running the annual summer midnight run known as El Scorcho. Under normal conditions, one would think volunteering for a race is easier than competing in the event, but El Scorcho puts a twist on that theory.

Here’s what a RAW volunteer goes through during their volunteer stint at El Scorcho:

• Drive down to Fort Worth and arrive by 11:45 PM.

• Tote a chair, cooler and other supplies from the parking lot to the race site.

• Hang out while your friends run the 25K loops or the 50K loops.

• Be ready to support the various runners as they make their loops through the park. This involves getting them

whatever they need and can include assisting them with their hydration and electrolyte needs, changing shoes, cooling them off with iced towels, etc.

• Be the runners’ cheerleader when the loops get tougher and longer.

• Try to stay awake while you wait for the runners to finish.

• Pack up your supplies, clean up the RAW area and then schlep back to your car and head out for breakfast and then, eventually, home.

When all is said and done, your body wants to go to sleep. The volunteers may not have run El Scorcho, but they were with the runners every step of the way.

Bridget Smith echoed the sentiments of many RAW El Scorcho runners when she posted on the RAWForum, “Thank you to everyone who came out to support the crazy runners at El Scorcho! We could not have completed this race without you!”

Thank you RAW volunteers: Chris Barnwell, Tony Dominiec, Jeff Lawrence, Joe Luccioni, Marty Metzger, Kelly Richards, Sharon Rush, David Smith and Anne Woods.

Giving Back to the Sport

Send your nominations for “Giving Back to the Sport” to [email protected]

sunday, october 30 • 7 a.m. at the clubhouse

4-mile trail fun run/walk

Bring a dish to share • Contest for the scariest, the funniest and the most original costume • Costumes are optional

RAW’S SPOOKtacular Trail Run/Walk Potluck

RAW Luau

JOin uS fOR A mORning Of TRicKS And TReATS!

RAW-style Hawaiian pizza...Delicious!

Who can create the bigger cannonball s plash, Kelly Richards or Dennis Maietta?


PART ONE: THE FINAL COLuMN

Dear Spareribs:I’m fairly new to the Club and not very fast. I run mostly on weekends for 8 miles. I notice that as I have met more people, they always slap hands with me when they are on their way back in and I am heading out. Is this some sort of RAW tradition? -Chris M. in Grapevine

Dear Chris:Yes it is, and I’m sorry to say it’s not good news. You see, most RAW members sweat a lot, and it was an awfully hot summer. The unspoken agreement in the Club is that when you are dripping with sweat and coming up on a newbie going the other way, always slap hands to dry yourself off. And of course you always want to do this with people you don’t like very much. Just about everyone in the Club tries to slap my hand, as they all hate me. My advice is to move to the far side of the road as runners come toward you, until you make more friends. -Spareribs

Dear Spareribs:It won’t be long before the Club starts talking about the anti-Turkey Trot and using all that “not” language, as in “the ATT will NOT be held on…and we will NOT have fun,” and so on. I thought this was kind of funny the first year, but now it has gotten confusing as to what the plan is, and the humor part of it is kind of tired after 12 years. Why do they keep doing this? -Ken M. in Flower Mound

Dear Ken:They do it because they think it’s uproariously funny and they don’t know any different. You see, when people are born, they are endowed with various gene sets that enable certain traits, skills and attitudes, such as the humor gene. Some people are born with it and humor comes easily to them. Sad to say, others are not so blessed and they punish the rest of us with their affliction. My research indicates that humorless people fall into two categories:

1) People who work in Information Technology

2) Canadians

Unfortunately, the Club has too many of both, so it’s better to just go along and smile. Hope that helps.

PART TWO: THE BACK STORy

Let’s go behind the scenes into the depraved mind of the writer and see what drives the bizarre column “Ask Spareribs” that I’ve had the pleasure of writing for the last six years.

In the first question above, I wondered one day why it is that all my so-called “friends” kept slapping my &%$#@ hand every time they passed me. “If you are my friend,” I thought, “you would leave me alone to run in peace. My own sweat is bad enough, without adding yours to it. Get away!” But odd as it seems, the more people I friend at the Club, the more they want to rub sweat on me. One day when I was running it occurred to me it would be a fun “Ask Spareribs” question, twisting the premise to make them enemies instead of supportive buddies. That’s sort of how these ideas come up.

In the second question, I have long been driven nuts by the “not” language of the ATT, which as you all know is Ken MacInnes’ fault. Last year I couldn’t figure out if we were meeting at some parking lot, or not, and I got the idea to poke fun at this old but fun language custom.

Notice that the question itself is posed by “Ken M in Flower Mound,” so that doubtful readers would know I was skewering Ken himself. I’ve had fun using different names, once posting a letter by “Meyer Lemon.”

In instances where I worried I would hurt people’s feelings, I have shown them the copy, or told them what the column was about. In the Canadian question above, when I told Ken he laughed out loud. No one has ever said “Don’t post that!”

But I do have some regrets. One column poked fun at bad chiropractors, which led to a complaint on the RAW forum from a very skilled and professional chiropractor, highly respected by all. That bothered me more than it did him I bet.

I also wrote the infamous “Somebodies—Nobodies” column, which made some people on the Board question its fairness. There may have been some Canadians on the board that year, but the column was a huge hit and countless people asked me if I was really going to print who the somebodies and nobodies were.

I was often surprised that people didn’t know that I write the questions, and people often told me they were going to send me a question, or they suggested humorous themes for the column. (These people were born just north of the U.S. border, if you get my drift.)

Part Three: Time to go

So I have had fun in general, but now it’s time to say good-bye to “Ask Spareribs”. Richard Ferguson, the talented writer on age group racing in Texas Runner & Triathlete once told me he liked my column because he knew how hard it was to write comedy. He’s right about that. It is hard, and there comes a point where one just runs out of ideas, especially when the format is so narrowly defined as “Ask Spareribs.”

I’m going to continue writing for the FOOTPRINT of course, but I’d like to move to other areas, focusing on topics that might be helpful or interesting to others, while keeping them lighthearted and I hope fun.

May I close here by thanking Lorraine and Kevin Wessels, who have been so helpful and supportive of me and the column. Their skill, kindness and hard work often go unnoticed. And I would also like to thank so many of you who have said a kind word to me about the column. You made it all worthwhile. Thank you. Spareribs

Ask Spareribs Says Farewell

The opinions and recommendations expressed by Spareribs in the “Ask Spareribs” column are solely his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LGRAW members. Give credence to his ideas at your own risk.


RAW offers online renewals (and new memberships) through Active.com at http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1310038

You can still renew at the clubhouse or through the mail. Simply fill out the membership application and drop it off or send it in.

Keep your membership

current

LAKE GRAPEvinE RunnERS & WALKERS CLuB

MeMBeRshiP APPliCAtion new Membership Renewal

name ________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________

City _________________________________________________

State ____________ Zip Code ____________________________

Home Phone ( ) __________________________________

E-Mail Address ________________________________________

i know that participating and volunteering to work in club events can be potentially hazardous. i assume all risks associated with running, walking and volunteering to work in club events. Having read this waiver and knowing these facts and in consideration of your acceptance of my application for membership, i, for myself and anyone entitled to act on my behalf, waive and release the Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers, inc., Road Runners Club of America and all sponsors, their representatives and successors from all claims of liabilities of any kind arising out of my participation in club activities. i grant permission to all of the foregoing to use any photographs, motion pictures, recordings or any other records for any legitimate purpose.

Male Female DOB___/___/___

Can we publish this information in the club directory? Yes no

Participating Family Members

name ___________________ M F DOB___/___/___

name ___________________ M F DOB___/___/___

name ___________________ M F DOB___/___/___

name ___________________ M F DOB___/___/___

Membership dues $20 Single $30 Family

Signature __________________________________________ Date______/______/______

Mail completed application and payment to lgRAW (lake grapevine Runners & Walkers), P.o. Box 2982, grapevine, tX 76099 or drop in the membership box at the LGRAW Clubhouse.

New Members

Membership Renewals

Welcome to all of our New Members

Frankie AgiusRoberto AramilCrisann BeckerDavid ChasePeggy and Tom ChesnuttJason CouchDebi CoxMarybeth CraneJoseph and Julia CzyzRoss Darrow

Scott Decker and Pauline HetheringtonDeborah EvansSusan GarciaKathryn and Bruce GleghornJessica and Rick HansonKristine HinojosLoren KeeffeAnna Love

Shannon Martin and Claude TesterElizabeth MendiolaMarty and Tia Metzgerveda MinerKelly newellEdward nonnemacherDennis novakThomas Y. OkazakiRichard Rummell

Rick SanfordStacie SauberSherie SkillernTravis SmithJohn StudebakerMark StuderLiz TinchMonica WaiteDottie Whitson

MEMBERSHIP uPDATELake Grapevine Runners & Walkers

Cyndi AmadorSteve BarrettSherry BowersJackie Brainerd FineSean ChambersRon EllisPam EverittLizzi Fogolini

Michael GaffneyLisa GinnCarolyn HayesJohn HayesPamela and Bob JacksonDarren JohnsonRoger KenyonMary Lyke

Brian MorganAvis neeperDebbie OdomAJ O’nealShanen PankrezTanya PoeSheri RasnakeSandy Rivera

Julie and John SchurmanSusan SeddonWendy SpenceChristopher StaffordSonya Thompson

Lake Grapevine Runners & WalkersP.O. Box 2982Grapevine, TX 76099

Non-Profitu.S. Postage

PAidGrapevine, TXPermit no. 243

shARe With A VisitoR oR neW MeMBeR

After reading this issue, drop it off at the clubhouse for visitors to get to know us.

check us out at runnersandwalkers.com or like us at lgraw runners and walkers

Author’s note: Here’s another snippet from the early days of RAW. Or as I refer to them, “Baby Steps.”

RAW got its start around the time that Al Gore invented the internet. It’s funny when you look back and remember how in 1997 most people didn’t have an internet connection, let alone a computer, unless it was at work or you had AOL. If you were fortunate enough, you were treated to those lilting sounds of the 1200-baud modem: “bleep-bleep-blee-bleep-bleep-DONG-Squuuueeeeeel-Screeeetch-ding-ding-sssssshhhhhhhh-Clunk-Boooyng!” That’s as good as I can do to create in writing what many of us still probably have embedded in our sonic memories of the past. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, good for you. You didn’t miss nuthin’.

Anyway, RAW was founded by the collective brain trust of an eclectic bunch of extroverts. Building a running club from scratch meant social networking. In those days, that meant having a beer at Willhoites, or a party at Mary Simon’s house or margaritas on my deck (or a couple other functions that we’ll not elaborate on here – hint: the moonlight mile club).

Nonetheless, we still had to resort to this new-fangled internet thingy to get the word out and keep the ball rolling. Slowly our email lists started to grow and grow and RAW moved from Willhoites to the Web (Well, not entirely). Jack Hase even figured out to rig up one of those “www” website thingamabobs.

But as we all know, technology has its dark side. We were working with the City of Grapevine to see what kind of help we could get

with locations, trails, facilities, water – stuff like that – and a couple of interested City Council members and government officials put their names on our email lists to either keep in the loop or spy on us…or both.

One day, I was in City Hall, begging for some kind of facility to keep our stuff (remember,

these were the pre-clubhouse days), and an unnamed city official cornered me and said something like, “Y’all ain’t never gonna start no running club cuz all y’all do is play around with computers.”

I insisted to him that we were intent on making this a real part of the city’s recreational environment and needed their support. He took me back to his office and showed me his computer. His inbox was full of RAW emails! I mean “full.” Apparently our members weren’t very aware of the difference between “Reply” and “Reply to All.” We had buried the poor guy with the dreaded “Reply to All” over some silly thing like what color t-shirts we were gonna buy. YIKES!

Then came the coup de grace. One of our most beloved, enthusiastic and definitely extroverted founders, Jeff Brown, is a geologist who traveled the world and probably has more pictures of himself in a RAW t-shirt in some of the weirdest places than anyone. Well, Jeff took a picture of himself from somewhere like the Great Wall of China or Antarctica or somewhere like that and sent it to the RAW email distribution list. Oops!

Remember those 1200-baud modems I wrote about? Well, apparently, Jeff’s picture was a little bigger than the average modem could digest in a day. As it turned out, one of the City Council members who was on our distribution list, owned a CPA firm. Jeff’s picture was taking so long to come through his modem that it essentially took his entire firm offline for more than a day and managed to push several city officials’ inboxes to say “exceeded limit.”

Needless to say, my phone “blowed up” from the folks downtown. I don’t remember how or what we did, but somehow we got through all that, but there were never any more discussions about getting any kind of facilities from the city. So now you know why RAW has its very own clubhouse.

And despite the assertions that we would never start a running club, well, how’d that work out? 1200-baud modems and all.

How the Internet Begat the RAW ClubhouseBy Richard “Crafty” Craft, RAW’s Founding President

september 2011

Documents

raw members

raw board

raw folks

r mindi rice tony flesch

r laura swenson

elected tony flesch

best shoes

r belynda warner