July 2012 by Lgraw Post

FOOTPRINT Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers

July - August 2012

www.runnersandwalkers.com

The city of Grapevine designated a Runner Friendly Community

he city of Grapevine was recently designated as a Runner Friendly Community® by the Road Runners Club of America. This is a distinction that RAW and Grapevine residents can be proud of as we already knew that Grapevine is a great place to run and now the RRCA has confirmed what we already knew. Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers president Kathryn Gleghorn worked with Grapevine’s Parks and Recreation Director Doug Evans to ensure that RAW’s application included all the latest information about what the city offers in the way of running paths, trails and city support to make Grapevine a Runner Friendly Community. Several RAW members attended the May City Council to show their support of our application and got to hear from Mayor William D. Tate and other council members what a positive impact RAW has had on the city’s health and fitness throughout the club’s 15 year existence. An optional part of the application was to submit a video highlighting how the community meets some or all of the Runner Friendly Community criteria outlined by the RRCA. Dennis

Dixon spent many hours filming and taking photos to put together our video, “Running all through Grapevine.” We were lucky enough to find a local vocal coach, Stefani Little Lynes to record Dennis’s lyrics to the Marvin Gaye classic, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” If you haven’t had a chance to view the video, you can check out the video on youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=4QJIiOUKe4Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player

RRCA’s Press Release ARLINGTON, Virginia – June 27, 2012 The Road Runners Club of America, the oldest and largest distance running organization in the United States, is pleased to announce the second round of 2012 selections for the Runner Friendly Community designation: Brambleton, VA; Des Moines, IA; Portland, OR; and Grapevine, TX. These communities have shown that they meet the program’s criteria, which includes community infrastructure, community support, and local government support for running. Each community has an infrastructure that can foster physical activity in a safe environment; a proven track record that organizations and businesses work together to promote running as a healthy exercise and sport; and there are positive

relationships between the running community and local government. “A lifelong Portland resident, I have run Portland streets, path, and trails for decades and have completed the Portland Marathon more than 25 times,” said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-OR-3. “My extensive travels to communities throughout the country have convinced me that Portland’s runner-friendliness is far ahead of that in many other communities.” The goals of the Runner Friendly Community program are to shine a national spotlight on communities that standout as runner-friendly and provide incentives and ideas for communities to work towards becoming runner friendly communities. Runner friendly communities can increase the quality of life, improve physical activity for

residents as outlined in the National Physical Activity Plan, and provide for increased economic impact for the community. “Grapevine has over 24 miles of hike and bike trails and many miles of park roads and sidewalks,” said Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate. “We are very proud of the Grapevine Runners & Walkers Club in Grapevine as they promote an active and healthy lifestyle to our residents and also assist with trail maintenance in our city.” While runners do not require a lot of expensive equipment, there are several ways that local communities can invest to ensure that running is safe, affordable, accessible, and enjoyable for anyone that wants to run.

P.O. Box 2982 Grapevine, TX 76099 RAW Board and Committees

PRESIDENT | Kathryn Gleghorn KathrynG@RunnersAndWalkers.com VICE PRESIDENT | Tony Flesch TonyF@RunnersAndWalkers.com SECRETARY | Janet Dixon JanetD@RunnersAndWalkers.com TREASURER | Emily Johnston EmilyJ@RunnersAndWalkers.com ASSTANT TREASURER | Jeff Garber JeffG@RunnersAndWalkers.com DIRECTORS Danyah Arafat-Johnson DanyahA@RunnersAndWalkers.com Kyle Keifer KyleK@RunnersAndWalkers.com Elizabeth Lawrence ElizabethL@RunnersAndWalkers.com Chris Morris ChrisM@RunnersAndWalkers.com Staci Rivero StaciR@RunnersAndWalkers.com Melissa Schlenker MelissaS@RunnersAndWalkers.com Laura Swenson LauraS@RunnersAndWalkers.com

FOOTPRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Kevin Wessels FOOTPRINT COORDINATOR Elizabeth Lawrence ASSOCIATE EDITORS Kathryn Gleghorn Staci Rivero CREATIVE DIRECTOR | Lorraine Wessels DESIGN & PRODUCTION | Reneé McConnell

Membership Data Danyah Arafat-Johnson MembershipData@RunnersAndWalkers.com

FOOTPRINT Submissions Send articles to: lgrawfootprint@verizon.net Footnotes to: ElizabethL@RunnersAndWalkers.com

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FOOTN OTES•FOOTN OTES•FOOTN OTES•FOOTN OTES

Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers Club

CONGR ATULATIONS • To all the RAW members who participated in events locally and around the country. We had many new PR (personal record) times and distances. Check the “Weekly RAW Zone Race Reports” for further details. • To Stan and Barbara Ujka on the birth of their son, Jacob. • To the 2012 college graduates: Rachel Byrne (Monica Waite) Natalie Johnson (Stacie Sauber) Duncan Sloan (Leana Sloan) Brandon Aungst (Dave Aungst) Natalie Johnson (Stacie Sauber) • To the 2012 high school graduates: Felice Johnson (Stacie Sauber) Kylee Kitrell (Ken & Kristine Hall) Callum Hall (Ken & Kristine Hall) Morgan Barnhart (Jeff & Lynn Barnhart) Megan Warner (Belynda & Devin Warner) Claire Novak (Dennis & Nancy Novak) Kaili Garcia (Susan Garcia) Abi Hase (Jack and Charlotte Hase) Clayton Dalrymple (Ros and Rich Dalrymple) Cullen Smith (David & Bridget Smith) Zachary Ziobar (Cindy Bird) CONDOLENCES • To Loren, Doug and Mary Keeffe on the loss of Loren's brother. THANK YOU • To all the volunteers who put out water and sports drink for the weekend runs. We appreciate each and every one of you! • To Nick Kannady and Joe Luccioni for organizing the Spring Track Meet. • To Lizzi Fogolini and Alan Walker for introducing RAW to CrossFIt. • To Dennis Dixon for creating the RAW video, "Running All Through Grapevine." 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 MembershipData@RunnersAndWalkers.com FOOTPRINT Deadline Deadline for the next FOOTPRINT is August 1st. Send your articles to: lgrawfootprint @verizon.net. Send your Footnotes to: ElizabethL@RunnersAndWalkers.com

RAW Around Town | Social Calendar & Events Check the RAWforum for information on all club events: www.runnersandwalkers.com

WEEKEND WALK/RUN Saturday & Sunday mornings 7 AM (daylight savings time) 8 AM (standard time)

TRAIL RUNS

PUTTING “W” BACK INTO RAW

Ed Folliard has agreed to be the lead for the RAW walkers. If you have any questions about the “walkers,” email Ed at edf@runnersandwalkers.com. Walking is a great way to get in some miles and a fantastic way to rehab an injury.

YOGA CLASS

Wednesday & Friday mornings 6 and 7 AM (year round) at the clubhouse

TRACK WORKOUTS

Trackies meet every Tuesday at 5 PM at Dawson Middle School in Southlake

HILL WORKOUTS

Hillbillies meet Thursday nights Thursdays 5:45 PM even # Thursdays, at the clubhouse odd # Thursdays meet at Parr Park

BOARD MEETING

We meet on the second Monday of the month at the clubhouse. All members are welcome to attend.

WATER DUTY VOLUNTEER

The sign-up sheet is located on the back door of the clubhouse. Sign up for just one day; it is not required that you sign up for both Saturday and Sunday. You can also work in tandem, one member puts out the water and the other takes care of the pick up.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

Join your RAW friends the first Saturday of the month at 5 PM for a family-friendly dinner. Mellow Mushroom is the destination for July’s Saturday Night Live. Make plans to join your RAW buds on July 7 at 5 PM in Southlake. Mellow Mushroom puts a modern twist on traditional pizzeria fare with a variety of pizzas, hoagies, salads, calzones and appetizers. Mellow Mushroom has an extensive beer menu and a nice covered patio with outdoor seating. The restaurant is family-friendly and is located at 2820 E. Southlake Blvd.

Sunstone Yoga® Southlake 60-minute Fire class Saturday, July 28, 2:00 PM. Class limited to first 25 RSVPs. Contact Kathryng@runnersandwalkers.com for more information.

RAW CLUBHOUSE LIBRARY

Did you know RAW has a library? Marathon Woman (Kathrine Switzer), Sub 4:00 (Alan Webb),The Quest for the Fastest Mile, My Life on the Run (Bart Yasso), I Run Therefore Im Nuts (Schwarz), This Voice in My Heart (Gilbert Tuhaboyne) are just a few of titles available in the RAW library. Simply borrow the book and return it when finished (sign out notebook is on the book shelf). Happy reading!

MARATHON KIDS PROGRAM

Don’t forget to keep your kids running this summer and be sure to log their miles so they can earn their sharp looking Marathon Kids tshirt!

XV VK SUMMER RACE SERIES

Saturday, August 18 No Frills, No Bibs, No Shirts, but everyone gets a medal and this is a chip-timed race. Come see how your summer training is going. This race is free to members and non-members pay just $5. The race starts at 7 AM in front of the clubhouse.

August: Farina's Winery & Cafe September: Uncle Julio's October: Asian Top Check the RAW forum or LGRAW Facebook page for details.

check us out at

runnersandwalkers.com or like us at

lgraw runners and walkers

July - August 2012 |

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President’s Message A perspective to the members from RAW President Kathryn Gleghorn “Yeah, I drank the Kool-Aid® and I liked it.” – Ryan Gosling as Stephen in the political thriller, Ides of March.

I’m certain I’ve never been offered a sip of Kool-Aid while I’ve been at RAW, but whatever beverage RAW is serving, people seem to like it. As RAW celebrates our 15th anniversary, we are getting closer to having 400 household memberships and we are nearing the 700 mark for “likes” on our Facebook page. Those are some impressive numbers for our little club, don’t you think? So what exactly is it that RAW is putting in our “Kool-Aid”? The other day I was running with a club member who joined RAW in January of this year. She was talking about how she feels part of the running community now that she’s joined the club and likes always having someone to run with when she comes out for the weekend run. I would have to agree that being able to come out to the club and having someone to run with is definitely worth the price of membership. A few weeks ago when Dennis Dixon and I were filming the Saturday morning run for a video, one of the club members commented that “the great thing about RAW is that everyone knows your name.” For those of us who remember the 80s sitcom, Cheers, being able to have your own running club where you can go every week and people are happy to see you and share your passion for the sport, that does tend to make one feel a bit like Norm. And then there’s the video. In case you haven’t had a chance to see Dennis’ finished video, you can view it on our YouTube page or by typing, “running all through Grapevine.” This video was made as part of a Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) application to have Grapevine named a Runner Friendly Community® by the RRCA. We already know Grapevine is a runner friendly community,

Be a Star…

don’t we? We’ve already had the Grapevine City Council and the Grapevine Parks & Recreation Board officially declare this – we even have the proclamation to prove it! This video showcases some great things about running in Grapevine. I’ve also had a few conversations recently with club members about the number of socials RAW has had in 2012. Yes, we know, we’re a running club. But we are running club that likes to have fun. Having fun means different things to different people. Some club members just want to come out to the clubhouse and run. Some people come out because of the water and Gatorade®. Some members joined the club, although they run on their own, because they wanted the RAW member perks (discount for our races and area running stores). Others joined RAW because they want to use the clubhouse for their weekday runs. And I’m certain some people are members because they like the variety of social activities RAW has going on. RAW can’t be everything to everyone, but we can work to be lots of things to lots of different people. After all, we all know that Kool-Aid and Gatorade come in a variety of flavors. So whatever your reason was for joining RAW, I hope that you are happy with your membership. Many of us have drank the Kool-Aid, liked it and so we keep coming back every weekend. If you drank the Kool-Aid and have an idea how we can improve, please send me an email. I’ll be around for another year because, “yeah, I drank the KoolAid and I liked it.”

Kathryn

Be a Water Duty Volunteer

Interested in running trails?

The sign-up sheet is located on the back door of the clubhouse.

Join us for a trail run on Wednesday and Friday mornings. The trail runs start from the clubhouse.

It is not required that you sign up for both Saturday and Sunday. You can also work in tandem, where one member puts out the water and the other takes care of the pick up.

Wednesday & Friday

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7 AM

RAW Shooting Stars Laura Nelson By Kelly “K2” Richards

aura Nelson is a familiar face at the racing scene and on the podium in DFW. She often runs races weekly. These days her race distance of choice is the 5K, although she does run longer distances too. In the past she often ran and raced much farther. Laura has won races countless times (estimated wins are in the hundreds!). Her bigger wins include the JFK 50 Mile in 1991, 1992, 2000, 2001 and the Umstead 100 Mile Endurance Run in 2003. She also won the Atlantic City Marathon three times in a row from 1993 to 1995. Regardless of the distance, Laura’s finishing place has often been at the front, the very front.

Laura’s PRs One-mile – 5:15 5K – 17:29 10K – 35:25 15K – 54:51 Half marathon – 1:20:49 Marathon – 2:51:05 50K – 3:59 (road) 50-Mile – 6:59 (trail) 100K – 8:38 (road) 100-Mile – 18:30 (trail)

Tell us what it is like to be the outright winner in a race, not just the first female, but the first runner overall. Does the crowd react differently when the first finisher is a woman? About 10 or 15 years ago, I won a smaller marathon outright in Washington State called the Christmas Marathon and they were pretty excited for me. Now, it happens so often for other female runners that it is not unusual anymore. You’ve run around 1,000 races ranging in distances of one-mile to 24-hours. Does any particular race stand out in your memory? Why? My first JFK 50 Miler because I never lost all the weight after having my daughter and it was my first ultra. I felt lucky to finish

without permanent damage. That race is the running accomplishment I’m most proud of. It was my first distance over a half marathon and I was delighted to finish. I can see why the JFK 50, your first 50-mile race, would stand out in in your mind since following the race you said you thought you were going to die. Feeling the way you did, how did you end up being such an accomplished ultra-distance racer? I guess I don’t always know when to quit. Also, I enjoy challenging myself with different goals. You have represented the USA Ultrarunning team four times, twice in the 100K [2003 Taiwan and 2004 Holland] and twice in the 24-hour [2006 Taiwan and 2007 Canada]. Tell us what those experiences were like. It was a great experience and inspiring being around such great endurance athletes. Also, it was a real adventure traveling and running in different parts of the world. Where and when did you run your 24-hr PR (personal record) of 124.3 miles? San Diego, California, in 2005. Your 50K and 50-mile PRs are within 60 seconds of major time barriers. Did you realize how close you were while racing? How did you maintain the focus required to come in under the wire, so to speak? In the JFK 50 Miler, I just had that sevenhour barrier in my mind and I picked up the pace when I had to. At the end I had to sprint to reach my goal. The 50K was two weeks after a 100K in 2002, so I thought a sub-four-hour 50K was the fastest I had a chance of running. I guess I ran on instincts and somehow, it worked for me back then. But, my instincts didn’t work for the marathon. I ran marathon after marathon trying to break 2:50 and kept coming up a one to five minutes short each time for years. That must have been a mental barrier that I couldn’t break. You’re a very accomplished masters runner and are still finishing many races as the first female overall. How have you maintained such incredible speed all these years? Speed work, cross-training and trying to

keep my weight down. Also, my easy runs are really slow which helps me to recover better for racing and hard training. These days, do you prefer the 5K to the long distance events because they’re easier to train for and recover from? Yes, but sometimes I like doing the 10Ks, 15Ks and half marathons for something different. I will be attempting my longest race in two years. I am running a 25K in Ft. Worth this summer called El Scorcho, which starts at midnight. I will see if I can still race longer. What do you consider your biggest running challenge so far? Fighting age and weight. I have a lot of miles on the legs and if I get over a certain weight, I would probably injure myself. You’re always in training, you race hard and frequently, yet you still take the time to participate in some of the more casual Fun Runs such as the Red Dress Run and you’ve been known to “kill it” in the Beer Mile. It is important for me to keep running fun and at the same time to try to stay healthy and to challenge myself to reach goals.

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Picture This RAW Luau

(l-r) Papa Joe & Mama Evelyn Luccioni with Mark O.

Is that Denny Maietta?

(L-R) Ray and Susan Harris with new member, Lauren.

Kat Sparks is crowned RAWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hula Hoop Champ 2012.

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(l-r) Lauren Wallach, Tony Flesch and Christine Bassano.

Manny Koosha

Courtney Noell shows off her technique in the limbo.

Giving Back to the Sport Spareribs LaMothe This edition of Giving Back to the Sport recognizes Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers’ unofficial running ambassador, Spareribs LaMothe. If you spend any time at the clubhouse, it doesn’t take long to get to know Ribs. He’s very easy to spot because his running attire is always perfectly matched, right down to his socks and shoes. A long-time runner, Ribs has served as a mentor to countless new runners. He can always be counted on for advice and encouragement. He is well-known for his wit and wisdom as evidenced by his “Ask Spareribs” column in previous issues of the FOOTPRINT. If you are a newer member of RAW, you must go back and read these!

Since retiring his FOOTPRINT column, he has gone on to share his writing with a bigger audience. He now writes a biweekly blog for The Dallas Morning News, complete with pictures and recognition of local races and runners. His blog provides a great service for the DFW running community. If you are lucky enough to meet Ribs at a local race, you might just find yourself mentioned in his blog. Thank you, Spareribs, for giving back to the sport and sharing your talent, humor and running knowledge! Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday at www.runningblog.dallasnews.com

Send your GBTTS nomination to ElizabethL@RunnersAndWalkers.com

RRCA Runnings Road Runners Club of America

SAVE THE DATE: SEPTEMBER 21, 2012 By Kelly “K2” Richards, RRCA Director-At-Large

On September 21, 2012, the Road Runners Club of America will promote the 7th Annual RUN@ WORK Day nationwide. Company-based wellness programs, human resources departments, running clubs, running events, running shoe stores, and individuals nationwide are encouraged to plan fun runs and walks around the country with their employers. The goal of RUN@WORK Day, presented by the RRCA, is to encourage adults to get 30 minutes of exercise each day, in accordance with the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, either before work, during lunch, or immediately following work. RUN@WORK Day also encourages companies to help employees schedule time for physical activity. Incorporating exercise into one’s daily routine can markedly improve one’s overall physical health. If you’re reading this, chances are you run or walk regularly and are already fit, but what about your co-workers, your boss or your assistant, if you’re lucky enough to have one? This is an opportunity to introduce others to the sport and lifestyle you live and love. The RRCA has all the tools available, for free, that you need to plan and promote a RUN@WORK Day event. A RUN@WORK Day Planning Kit can be found at: http://www.rrca.org/programs/run-at-work-day/planning-kit/ A fact sheet is available at http://www.rrca.org/downloads/about/2012_Run_at_Work_Fact_Sheet.pdf. To obtain a free copy of a general promotional poster contact Kelly at Atlarge@rrca.org.

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Celebrating Fiesta with a Fun Run and Salsa By Melissa Schlenker and Kathryn Gleghorn

f you are not familiar with this unique San Antonio celebration, please allow us to explain. Fiesta® San Antonio started in 1891 as a one-parade event known as the Battle of Flowers Parade. It began as a way to honor the memory of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto heroes. That commemoration still takes place, but over the past century and more, Fiesta has grown into a huge citywide celebration of San Antonio’s rich and diverse cultures. This two-week spring party known in San Antonio as Fiesta is so popular, we decided to bring Fiesta to RAW. The April morning started out with a Fiesta Fun Run and before the morning was over we finished off with a salsa contest, cascarone smashing, lots of good Mexican food and the RAW kids each took their turn at busting open the piñata….and there might have been maragaritas and lots of ice cold Mexican beer too! What’s a Fiesta without Salsa? A salsa contest that is…..RAW cooks brought out their best salsa recipes to be judged in different categories. Salsa judges Kathryn Gleghorn, Nick Kannady and Rick Schlenker declared these recipes the winners!

The crowd cheers and waits with excitement for the candy-filled piñata to break open.

Big Gorilla Salsa Traditional Salsa Winner, Ray Henry 15-20 Orange Habanero peppers

1 Handful of minced fresh Cilantro

5-10 Jalapeño peppers

3 Cans of Tomato sauce

3 Pablano peppers

Couple of shakes of salt (Optional)

2 Heaping Tbsp of mince garlic

Mince up all the peppers in a food processor. If mincing by hand, USE Gloves!!! Enjoy!!! I usually make a large batch to last me a week but you can 1/2 or 1/3 as you need and tweak the heat by reducing the Habaneros as desired.

Pineapple Salsa Non-traditional Salsa Winner, Michelle Liles 1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple (I used a whole one)

Dash ground red pepper, cayenne or chipotle

2 Tbsp finely chopped purple onion (2/3 of a small one)

(ground red-2 dashes)

2 Tbsp finely chopped green onion (1 bunch) 1 Tbsp finely chopped red bell pepper, optional (omitted) 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro (1 bunch) 1 Tbsp honey (large squeeze, probably 2 Tbsp) (l-r) Salsa Judges, Nick Kannady, Kathryn Gleghorn and Rick Schlenker.

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2 tsp finely minced jalapeno pepper, optional (omitted) Juice of 1 fresh lime, about 1 ½ to 2 Tbsp ¼ tsp black pepper (probably used ½ tsp) Plus add 1 mango finely chopped and squeezed

Combine all ingredients; cover and refrigerate for an hour or more to blend the flavors. Serve with grilled or broiled fish, chicken or pork. Makes about 1 1/3 cups.

Chipotle Salsa Runner-Up, Debbie Carpenter This is the exact recipe (and the new name) of the side dish I prepared for a closely contested loss to Ray Henry. Congratulations, Ray, though I still don’t know what was wrong with the RAW taste buds! 3-4 dozen tomatoes (I prefer Campari sweet ones, though any vine ripened tomatoes will do) CHEAT NOTE – you can use about 8 fresh tomatoes and 4 cans drained Hunt's ® Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes

RAW Navy Are you interested in kayaking this summer? The RAW Navy kicked off its 7th summer season of Monday morning kayaking on Monday May 21st and paddles through August 20th. Regular boat launch points are the Dove Loop ramp located just north for the LGRAW clubhouse and Sand Bass Point ramp. First session starts at 6 AM and returns at 7 AM. Second session begins at 7 AM and returns at 8 AM. If you need loan of a kayak, a few boats, complete with paddles and life vests, are available first come-first serve. Email Admiral "Dog Dude" Steve Rush at steven.k.rush@gmail.com or contact Captain Debbie Carpenter at two_lyns@msn.com for more information.

2-3 fresh jalapenos 1 fresh chile pepper (pasilla or poblano works best, unless you have access to the world famous Hatch chiles from New Mexico) 1 fresh white onion 1 ½ bunches fresh garlic (separate and peel the skin from the cloves) 1 bunch fresh cilantro (pull the leaves from the stems) 1 tbsp Ancho chile powder (please tell me you have this in your pantry) 1/2 tbsp cumin 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp fresh lime juice

First, roast the first 5 ingredients – toaster oven, grill, cast iron skillet over open flame – doesn’t matter how you do it, just charbroil it all. The tomatoes get cut in half before roasting, the onion in about quarters, and the rest is whole. Just the peppers get peeled after they are roasted. The garlic cloves get peeled before you roast them. The tomatoes you will eat the skin. If you are not a fire roasting type of person, I recommend doing this step at my house on my grill with a cold beverage in hand. Trust me. Once everything is ready, blend everything except about 2/3 of the tomatoes, purée it. Then add in the cans of drained tomatoes or the rest of the fresh chopped tomatoes.

XV VK Summer Race Series Saturday, August 18

No Frills, No Bibs, No Shirts, but everyone gets a medal and this is a chip-timed race. Come see how your summer training is going. This race is free to members and non-members pay just $5. The race starts at 7 AM in front of the clubhouse.

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On Your Mark! By Mark Miller

I almost came to a stop. I had little choice. Just over five miles into the Mayfest 10K and working to close the gap on the runner ahead of me, the course crossed a bridge. An obstructed bridge. Obstructed by walkers. Shoulder-to-shoulder and many rows deep, they formed a no-passing zone. You see, the event’s 5K and 10K races started and finished together, with the 10K course taking a detour before rejoining the 5K route for the final two miles. The result was that the lead 10K runners had to work, weave and squeeze through a dense pack of 5K walkers on the much-too-tight Trinity Trail. For much of the time, the 10Kers could slide over into the grass beside the trail and get by. That is, until we came to the bridge. At the bridge, there was no option to step off on the side, since was a steep drop off into the murky waters of the Trinity River. (It was a hot day, but not hot enough to make that sound like a good idea.) Thus, my progress was halted. I began gasping, “Excuse me.” – I resisted the desire to say something slightly more pointed – while elbowing my way through the crowd. Sure enough, I passed the bridge quickly and was able to continue my unsuccessful pursuit of the next runner. Upon finishing, I wasn’t upset. My time was lousy anyway and a few seconds lost at the bridge made no difference. Scenes like this have become common as increasing numbers of events have 10Ks and 5Ks, as well as marathons and half marathons, finish together, merging the front of one pack with the back of another. The result is often frustration from the latter group and annoyance from the former. The problem is largely an outgrowth of the popularity of road racing. Each year, races continue to grow. Eventually, race courses that were once perfectly adequate became crowded beyond their breaking points. There are a few issues at play. Course design is one. Having two race distances finish together is a matter of convenience for race organizers (fewer street closures, less police presence required), but an obstacle to racers (35-minute 10Kers and 35-minute 5Kers competing for limited space). More importantly, and much more personally, are the issues of selfishness and entitlement. I have witnessed members of both groups – the back of the packers being passed and the front of the packers trying to pass – express frustration at each other. (I’ve only witnessed this, you understand.) Both parties feel that they’ve paid their entry fees and have the right to be there, regardless of how it impacts anyone else. Been there – guilty.

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The presumption that others should clear the way is ubiquitous and not limited to crowded race courses. Have I not had similar feelings at work…in rush hour traffic…in line at the grocery store? Surely my time and my agenda are just a shade more important than anyone else’s, right? I am, at times, a modern descendent of Narcissus, the figure from Greek mythology. The poet Ovid wrote the story of Narcissus, who gazed into a reflecting pool and fell in love with his own image. A funny thing happened, though, as he looked ever more intently into his reflection. As he drew nearer, his reflection would evade him. The more he longed for himself, the more he lost himself, and eventually, unable to leave the presence of his own likeness, he died. That’s the way pride works. That’s the way my pride works. And does it ever work. My pride just kills me. It seems strange to cast pride in such a negative light, largely because the word has lost its impact in modern English. We tell someone, “I’m proud of you,” when we really mean, “I’m happy for you.” We say, “Take pride in your work,” when we actually mean, “Show integrity in your work.” In its original context, pride is more closely akin to arrogance, vanity, or conceit. In this sense, pride is always unseemly, always distasteful, and ultimately, destructive. And it’s all over me. I am a fan of the popular “I Am Second” movement that encourages people to put God and others ahead of themselves. The message populates books and billboards. I even have the little plastic bracelet. Liking the idea and living the ideal are two very different things. Merely liking an idea is cheap and easy, akin to “liking” a Facebook page. Practicing the ideal is immensely harder and can be terribly painful. Much as we discover during a challenging workout, it hurts to change. As we find after the workout, we’re better because we hurt; improved because we were changed. We all desire clear race courses to pursue our goals, unobstructed by crowds. Hopefully, race organizers and racers can work together to find solutions while remaining respectful and courteous of all participants, fast and slow. Moreover, I hope that even as I aim for first place in foot races and other pursuits, that I am able to step away from the bridge of Narcissus long enough to remember than I am at my best when I am second. Author’s note: Inspired by the results of that 10K, I am considering starting my own movement called “I am Sixth.”

Intro to CrossFit By Alan Walker

any good ideas start on a run, or over a beer, and in this case it was the former. Lizzi Fogolini was extolling the virtues of CrossFit one Wednesday morning while running trails and offered to talk to the owners of Grapevine CrossFit and invite me over for a session or two. Well, CrossFit had piqued my curiosity more than once and I’m always up for a new athletic adventure – plus I was pretty sure I could rustle up a dozen or more RAW members who’d join in the fun. So one thing led to another and we organized a halfdozen intro classes for a group from RAW.

told me that she was surprised at just how hard we attacked the workouts. She also said that she loved to see the camaraderie and tight knit group that showed up. Well, it has been so much fun. CrossFit is no longer a mystery and we’ve all had a ton of fun. Several of us have signed up for regular classes and are looking forward to these additional workouts. For those that are interested, Grapevine CrossFit is offering RAW members a discount.

CrossFit is a strength and conditioning system that incorporates techniques from gymnastics and Olympic lifting. It does not target any specific sport or activity and is designed to be adaptable and scalable to any fitness level. I think that was the first thing that surprised me – my preconceived notion was that we’d all be deadlifting tractors and flipping giant tires up and down the parking lot. And, while it incorporates so much variety, there is a strong emphasis on a good warm-up, solid technique and flexibility / mobility training before the main workout. On the first night we started with about 15 people, and we started this run like any other: by pre-registering our aches and pains. Once somebody had clearly won the excuse contest, with a preexisting condition that sounded complicated and painful just to pronounce, Michelle Blackard chimed in, “I’ve got what she’s got.” We were all laughing so hard and having a great time, which became a feature of every session. The warm-up usually started with an 800 meter run, which was perfect for a bunch of runners, then various exercises – squats, sprints, skipping up and down the parking lot. Some people even managed to wear themselves out by attacking the warm-up really hard. The technique and stretching sessions were fascinating. I had done a little research prior to the sessions and have seen Kelly Starret’s , “Mobility WOD” online. This is a great resource, and I recommend it. We used some PVC pipe to discover just how inflexible our shoulders were, as well as doing some coordination drills for Olympic Weightlifting movements. We loosened ourselves up on foam rollers, winced as we used hard lacrosse balls to dig into knots and had an interesting session one night with the world’s largest elastic bands. The definition of trust is your partner holding the other end, at full stretch, and not letting go. I know that Byron Benoit was so tempted….

A group enjoying a CrossFit workout.

Planning a trip and need a running route?

The main sets are intense! They only last around 15 minutes, but are set up to tax even the fittest in the world. CrossFit features its own language and an alphabet soup of acronyms, starting with Workout Of the Day (WOD) and As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in 15 minutes. A round might be a sequence of squats, shoulder presses and 400 meter runs. Or sets of burpees, deadlifts and runs, or presses and pullups with runs in between. One night featured 15 sets of kettlebell swings, with each set starting On The Minute (OTM). The variety is as amazing as the intensity. So, how hard is it? Debby Eads told me one evening, “I couldn’t even reach my good wine glasses on the top shelf,” after the first couple of workouts. These sessions really make you feel muscles you never knew you had and we all pushed hard. Bevin ParkerHead, who is the co-owner of the gym with her husband Brandon,

Map out and measure a route from the largest database of running routes in the country. Log on to www.usatf.org/routes to map out a route anywhere in the USA.

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morning. The second round was with Jack Hase and Steve “Dog Dude” Rush. They actually let me lead and my lack of “local knowledge” had us lost and running longer than expected. Oops! As the weeks progressed, I was meeting the entire trail gang. Why running? I used to run to stay fit. It wasn’t enough, so now I CrossFit and run to relax or when I need a “rest day.” Do you have any pre/post-race ritual or anything special you do before or after a run? I religiously drink my ultra-hydrolyzed whey protein shake with a scoop of wheatgrass powder and a tablespoon of honey exactly thirty minutes before the start gun. It’s RIDICULOUS! Are you a “Trackie” or “Hillbilly”? Neither. I’m a loyal CrossFitter and get most of my sprinting and conditioning that way. It has to be fun for me to stick with it.

In Step With Lizzi Fogolini Are you a native Texan? Yes! I was born in Houston to Cuban parents. I have been a gypsy most of my life, always to be drawn back to Texas. How long have you been running? I have “intentionally” been running since I was 20, so 21 years now. How long have you been a RAW member? For almost a year. Who was the first person you met at RAW, or at first showed you the route or really “took you in”? Tony “Flash” Flesch was the first member I connected with. My first run with RAW was on the trails. I went two rounds back-to-back. The first round included Laura Swenson, “Major Mike” Eccleston and Kat Sparks. It was a big group that

NEWCOMERS Mentoring PROGRAM First Sunday of the month 8AM (standard time) 7AM (daylight savings time) at the clubhouse.

Do you have a favorite place to run? Do you prefer roads or trails? Trails – without a doubt. Trail running is a natural obstacle course. Almost all races I participate in are obstacle races, mud races with obstacles, or trail races. If there is dirt and things I can jump over, under, or through, I am very happy! What has been your fondest running memory? My first, longest run (twelve miles) with my husband. Not sure how I managed the leap from running five miles one day to twelve miles the next, but I’m smarter now! Where is the most unique or unusual place you have ever run? I lived in Venezuela and visited the Amazon Jungle, so that would be the most unusual place. I ran from really mean bugs!

What do you consider your biggest running achievement? Still working on it. What running gear would you never travel without? My “uniform.” If it’s black, it works for me. If I have to pick a favorite piece, it would be arm sleeves to wear with my tanks. Love those things in cold weather! Also, I have become obsessed with the Garmin ® – not good! Do you GU, gel, Gatorade ®, or other? In a race up to 13 miles, the shakes I drink beforehand hold me over and I just carry GU ® Electrolyte Brew in my bottles. Anything over 13 miles is still a mystery. What has running taught you about yourself or what have you learned about life through running? A lot. I don’t run with “noise.” I tune into my breathing and movement of my body. The lesson is continuous. Do you have a spouse, significant other or any children? I have been married to a very “low profile” man for 14 years now. Are you a professional runner or do you have a real job? What? Neither. I currently have my own soap business and am learning to be a farmer with my husband. Besides running, what other fitness activities do you enjoy or do as crosstraining? Yep, you’re gonna read it again – CrossFit. I love it! It has made me into a better and stronger runner. What would the members be surprised to learn about you? I love beer.

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 For more information, contact Kathryn at kathryng@runnersandwalkers.com.

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Boston and Gansett: Two Marathons in Three Days (While Sleeping In My Car For Six Straight Days!) By Thomas “T.O.” Okazaki Do you think it is hard to run a marathon? How about qualifying and signing up for the Boston Marathon? What about doing two marathons in three days in two different states? Do you think you could do all that and while sleeping in a rental car for six straight days? Sounds pretty crazy, right? I recently ran and survived the record heat of 89° at the 116th Boston Marathon, finishing in a time of 3:41:20. As I crossed the finish line, my hands started to tingle from running too fast and too hard in the heat. I saw lots of runners cramping, while others fainted and collapsed.

As the temperatures started to soar into the upper 80s, I kept getting stronger. I was doing a reasonable pace between 7:45 and 8:00 minutes a mile. Both the heat and hills were my friends that day by pulling back a lot of struggling runners who had raced ahead of me at the start. A lot of the runners looked for small areas of shade from the tall building along the course.

Last year, I ran Boston while recovering from a knee injury, so I felt a great deal of satisfaction catching so many of the runners that started ahead of me this year. Running a marathon two days earlier in Narragansett, Rhode Island, at the Gansett Marathon actually helped. Starting out slowly and taking it easy at Boston was a good strategy. This is especially true because there is such dramatic elevation loss in the early miles, luring and enticing marathoners to go out way too fast who then end up paying for it later on the Newton hills and Heartbreak Hill. The airfare this year to Boston was very expensive, so I ended up coming in earlier and staying for six days. I decided to run another marathon in another state for marathon number 27 to help reach my goal of doing all 50 states. I enjoy doing back-to-back marathons, so I chose to enter the Gansett Marathon, scheduled two days before Boston. About three years ago, The Gansett Marathon was created in response to all the runners who were shut out of the Boston Marathon. Here’s a fun fact. The Gansett Marathon is the only marathon in the U.S., except for the Olympic marathon Trials, where qualification is the only means of entry. Gansett uses the same qualifying standards as Boston, so the entry field was stacked with fast runners. Only 5 of the 107 runners finished the marathon in over 4 hours this year! It was a clear, cool, sunny Saturday morning at the start of the Gansett Marathon. What a contrast in the size of the two the races, with this one only having 107 finishers, while the Boston Marathon had 25,000 registered runners! Gansett was a throwback to a simpler time of racing – few frills, very intimate and runners doing a race just for the pure joy of racing and competing. The course was a shrinking, double loop, fast and flat, running past quiet New England summer homes and cottages and state park beaches. I kept trading places with a runner dressed up as a giant hamburger! I finally got rid of this “fast” food Whopper ® at Mile 14 when the course turned back into a steady headwind. I ended up finishing with a time of 3:28:16. At the Boston Marathon, after going out easy the first five miles, my plan was to try and cruise from Miles 6 to 16, hit the notorious hills hard between Miles 16 to 21, and save enough in the tank to set up a strong ending the final 10K, all the way to the finish line.

Thomas “T.O.” Okazaki proudly displays his finisher's medal.

The marathon had long, well-manned aid stations every mile, staggered on both sides of the course. I took a sip of Gatorade® and poured water on my head at every opportunity along with some SUCCEED!™ Electrolyte Caps every hour to help prevent cramping. I really didn’t start feeling bad until the last mile and a half, but at that point, it was almost over. Seeing the huge crowds lining both side of Boylston Street on the final left turn to the finish was all I needed to work hard and empty the tank all the way to the end! Although this was one of the hottest marathons out of the 147 marathons and ultras I have done in the past 10 years, I must say it was probably one of the most satisfying. I survived and finished strong amid the worst conditions since the 1976 Run for the Hoses at Boston! More than 200 participants ended up in hospitals that day and approximately another 2,700 were treated in tents along the course and at the finish. Many runners ended up finishing 20 minutes to an hour slower than normal from the oppressive heat. I am glad I was not one of them and I only missed another BQ by just another minute and 40 seconds – after running a marathon only two days earlier! This was my second Boston Marathon and I am looking forward to be going back for number three again next year. Boom!

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RAW off to the Races: Colorado

A group of RAW members converged in Colorado to run the Ft. Collins Marathon and Half Marathon.

(l-r) Rick and Melissa Schlenker, Kevin and Lorraine Wessels, Michelle and Brad Liles, Mary and Doug Keeffe, and Staci and George Rivero on a hike to Fern Lake.

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Housemates in Colorado.

LAKE GRAPEVINE RUNNERS & WALKERS CLUB

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION  New Membership

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 Renewal

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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.

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.

Keep your membership current

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.

Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers

MEMBERSHIP

UPDATE

New Members Charles Birden J. Brian Brazeal Emily Cottingham Megan Davis Sherri Gibson

Natalia Gladis Allison Gray Lamont Hamilton Angela Haney Rachel Harper

Kimberly Kay Bill Kreston Webster Mangham Rachel Peterson Mary Jo Stukey

Pamela Toelle Kyle Womble Leslie Yordy

Gavin Fearey Theresa Guy-Tippie John Hayes Diane Hernandez Kristine Hinojos Emily Johnston Mary Lessor Amy Matasso

Dale Mauger Chris and Cynthia Morris Monica and David Ortigoza Christine Roath Mark Rogers Jeannie Sheffield Leana Sloan David and Bridget Smith

John and Becky St. John Christina Stone Joe Storaska Laura Swenson Liz Tinch John Webb Barbara Werley

Membership Renewals Frankie Agius Joe Allen Crisann Becker Byron Benoit Chris Brady Ana Cardona-Story Scott and Pauline Decker Scott and Kelly Eppelman

Welcome to all of our New Members July - August 2012 |

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Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers P.O. Box 2982 Grapevine, TX 76099

Non-Proﬁt U.S. Postage PAID Grapevine, TX Permit 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.

American Audience Saves Boston Marathon 2012 By David Ball

David Ball beats the heat at one of the hottest Boston Marathons on record.

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I was honored to run the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 16th (known as Patriot’s Day in New England), which was one of the hottest Boston Marathons on record. It was 76º at the start and 88º at finish and it took all I had to keep a running pace the entire way. It was especially challenging running around all of the runners-turnedwalkers who were suffering from the heat in the last ten miles.

In addition to my Burn Camp charity, I also ran to help Sendai, Japan, recover from the tsunami over a year ago. Again, the diverse, caring American audience cheered my foreign shirt, "Go Japan! Go Sendai!" over a hundred times during the 26.2mile course. I was deeply inspired by the American support of all the nations represented in the marathon.

The world stage of athletes that is the Boston Marathon was a success because of the American audience who lined the route and handed out extra water, fruit, ice and wet towels to the runners and cooled all of us down with sprinklers and hoses. The marathon water and Gatorade® aid stations would not have been enough for the runners racing in this heat. Over 2,000 runners required medical attention during or after the race.

I stopped once in the race, 50 yards from the finish line, to salute a large American flag. It was an unforgettable moment and the startled crowd cheered.

runnersandwalkers.com or like us at

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I just had to share this great story of American exceptionalism reflected in the character and actions of her generous people. On that day in Boston, they were all patriots and I am proud to be an American.

lgraw runners and walkers