Results – Running with the Dogs 5k – Benton
June 19th, 2010
The following are the results for Conway area runners in the Running with the Dogs 5k in Benton.
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Adopt nature’s pace. Her secret is patience. – Emerson
April 27th, 2010
Running is more than a sport, it is a way of life. More than a destination, it is a bridge to new life. Running in our society is as much about relationships as it is about fitness. I heard someone say once that when we are not running we talk about running and when we are running we talk about everything else.
When we run, we eventually come face to face with simple truths that penetrate us at deeper levels. We learn to breathe and relax so we can run longer, we realize that speed and endurance are centered in our core strength rather than the size of our leg muscles and we experience how worry and anxiety rob us of valuable energy. The race is won at the finish line, we can dig deep to find strength in our weakness and that patience is nature’s secret are just a few of the real life lessons we come to know when we run.
People are running for reasons well beyond the health, fitness and personal accomplishment they receive. Consider the story of Lesley Oslica, who with some of her best friends, traveled to Oklahoma City last weekend to run the 10th Oklahoma City marathon. A lot was happening in this race and I’m going to see if I can capture some of it for you through Lesley’s experience within the broader context of the race. The tree above is the Survivor Tree near the start of the marathon and right next to the buildings that were bombed on April 19, 1995 and the National Memorial that was built in 1997 to forever remember the victims of this tradgedy.
For the last 10 years, runners have come from all over to run and remember. If you run the race, you will never forget the 168 seconds of silence in memory of the 168 victims at the beginning of the race. Music, energy and nervous activity are instantly replaced with the sound of the wind blowing through the tall downtown buildings and the songs of birds in the air. 168 seconds is a long time, long enough to deeply remember why you are there. And after you’ve asked your body to give you all it has to complete 26.2 miles you walk through the 168 chairs that signify the people who lost their lives and see the medals from other runners hung on the chairs in their memory. It’s at this point that you are ready to learn a deep lesson about the value of life and realize at a deeper level how blessed and lucky you are.
Lesley and Connie’s running began as a way to raise awareness for Neurofibromatosis (NF) and hopefully to fund the discovery of a cure for everyone who is living with NF. Their NF Hero is their daughter Katie.
They have attended many endurance events this year and this was Lesley’s 4th marathon of 2010. Of all she gives to the Children’s Tumor Foundation, the people who are touched by NF and to those she runs with, she would be the first to tell you that at the end of the day she feels like she receives more than she gives. She was the leader of and in many ways the inspiration for the NF team who ran the 2010 Little Rock Marathon and raised over $10,000 to fund research at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
While there are many reasons that we run, those of us who race fully understand the joy of a personal record (PR) for a given distance. The PR can feel like the pinnacle of our accomplishment and the source of our despair. Yes, we are running for more than a PR, but deep down most of us have a number in our head that we want to see on the clock when we finish. Lesley has had a dream to break 5 hours in a marathon someday and has come within minutes a couple of times this year. She had decided before the race that she’d completely focus on experiencing the race and give up the goal of getting under 5 hours. “I went out not even thinking about time. I had decided it was just going to be a fun day b/c the wind was so strong (15-25 mile gusts), and I just didn’t want to fight it all day thinking about my time. So – I never looked at my time – and made an agreement with myself not to look at it until mile 25. If I was close at that point (25mi), I would give it all I had.”
It was at this point that so many life truths that we learn through running collided and Lesley not only got a PR but she put 15 minutes between her finish time and her 5 hour goal. The goal that had eluded her time and time again. The expressions in the pictures below tell the story of accomplishment, patience, friendship and joy on many levels. People often ask why we run. We run for our health, for our friends, for people we don’t know who were killed in a horrific bombing incident, to raise money to find a cure for NF and to learn many of the deeper things in life first hand. Oh yes, and also to get a PR. Way to go Lesley, you did it!!!!!!
The most amazing part was…I had seen a set of balloons ahead (at mile 14) – I knew it was a pacer. I wondered if it was the 5: hour pacer or the 5:15 pacer? Then about mile 17, I caught them and noticed it was the 4:45 pacer! I thought to myself…4:45!!! No way! I was so excited from that point on b/c I still felt GREAT. It was at that point, I thought – I might be able to do a sub 5. I kept leap frogging the 4:45 pace group all the way to mile 22 when there was a 1 ½ mile hill (argg) and my calf started cramping, double argg – but it only cramped for a few seconds at a time. I’d be running and all the sudden POW! in the calf – then it was fine. So, I ran on (I must say it made me nervous). But, CB had joined me on his bike by this point, and what a blessing that was! He helped me focus on what mile I was at, encouraged me to run through the cramp, etc.
At mile 23 ½, the hill was over, CB was still riding beside me, he had brought me a fresh water bottle at mile 21 – which I ended up drinking the whole thing by mile 24, so he filled it up again (what a great friend!). Then Connie and Evelyn met me at mile 25 to run in with me (oh, and lots of high 5’s b/c I was going to make it). I was really so excited at this point I was probably skipping like a kid. Those last 3 miles, I kept thinking…I’m GONNA DO IT, I’m GONNA DO IT! Connie ran through the finish with me and it was awesome. We high fived and he was laughing at me b/c I was grinning so big (nope…no tears).
The finish line was great! Our friend, Frank, was there taking pictures (he couldn’t run b/c he has a torn muscle), and the crowd was going crazy, the food was awesome, and we had great friends there to celebrate with (Evelyn, CB, Judy & Frank). I missed all of our other running buddies being there, but honestly – they were all with me every step of the way! Through all of our training runs, and encouragement with each other…I knew we were all together in spirit.
Someone once said – running is about relationships…I couldn’t ever figure that statement out until this weekend. I think the relationships that made a difference for me this weekend are – the relationships of: Running with NF Singlet on – for all those with NF, running with friends, running with strangers – thousands of them, running with family, and running with ‘Spirit’…one that doesn’t come from oneself, but a relationship far stronger than we can imagine…
How can I get a CRC running shirt?
April 7th, 2010
Last year Christian had the great idea to brand the CRC with this orange color and new logo and so someone (not sure who – if you know, email me and I’ll fix this post) designed this logo and before you knew it, CRC runners could be spotted for miles. That’s great because we have runners of all paces and so we are sprinkled throughout every race.
We’ve grown as an association and more and more people are wondering, “how do I get my orange shirt?” Here’s how to do it:
Contact Judy Massingill and put in your order. That’s it. She’ll order when we have enough to place an order and will try and get some extras. Here are the prices:
Hoodie $20
Long Sleeve t-shirt $15
Short Sleeve t-shirt $10
Long Sleeve Tech Shirt – unisex cut – $20
Short Sleeve Tech Shirt – unisex cut – $15
Men’s Singlet Tech Shirt – $15
Women’s Singlet Tech Shirt – $15
All shirts are solid orange. The Singlet’s are Orange and White. The following is the STYLE of the singlet, not the color.
Women Run Arkansas 5K – Volunteers Needed
April 5th, 2010
The Women Run Arkansas (WRA) 5K will be held in Conway on Saturday, May 8. With over 30 clinics in progress across the state, this 5K serves as the “graduation event” for the women completing the 10 week training program (it is also open to the public – sorry, women only). This program is responsible for many Conway-based women (many members of CRC) becoming runners (and walkers). The mission of WRA is to address the special needs of women’s fitness, while promoting health and fitness through running and walking. We are expecting 1,000 participants in the 5K.
Volunteers are needed to help with the 5K which starts behind Conway Regional Medical Center at 8:00 a.m. If you can help anytime between 6:30 a.m. to the end of the race (9:00ish), please contact Tambra Clement at tcleme@acxiom.com or 501-472-5050.
The pre-race Pasta Party will be on Friday, 5/7, at Agora. Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to “officially” run the Boston Marathon, will be the guest speaker. The public is invited to attend (advanced ticket purchase required). If you want to purchase a pasta party ticket, also contact Tambra.
Another Great Chase Race is History
March 13th, 2010
Hundreds of people experienced the 2010 Chase Race & Paws today. To some it was another Grand Prix Race. To others it was one of the few opportunities to enter a race with their pet. There were others who were not ready for a 5k distance yet and a 2 mile race was exactly what they needed. It is a race unlike any other that attracts all kinds of people and has meaning beyond a starting line, a finishing line and a time clock to count the seconds between them.
For Don Potter, the above picture kind of says it all. It says thank you to the many volunteers who gave long hours to make the event another success. It is his appreciation to all of the sponsors for financially supporting something so close to his heart. It is disbelief and overwhelming joy that he has come so far since the tragic event in 2005 when he lost his son Chase. Maybe it is the feeling of deep accomplishment and relief that his dream to carry on Chase’s legacy by doing something positive for others has made it through another year. For all of us who know Don, it is the expression of the Don Potter that we have come to know and love.
Race results for Conway area runners only are below (Complete results on the Arkansas RRCA Site). However, the #1 race result is that for one more year, we stand beside Don and remember Chase Potter and experience once again the good that has come from a very sad and unfortunate event 5 years ago. Remembering Donald Lee Chase Potter, 1991 – 2005.
Runners Movie night – You are Invited
February 22nd, 2010
Conway’s Rock Runners will be presenting the film: Dean Karnazes is UltraMarathon Man, 50 Marathons + 50 States + 50 Days, this Saturday evening, Feb. 27th at 7:10pm at Woodland Heights Baptist Church. Admission is free to the public. All are welcome.
The inspirational film UltraMarathon Man: 50 Marathons • 50 States • 50 Days, features renowned endurance athlete and best selling author Dean Karnazes, in his attempt to run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days to raise awareness for youth obesity and to get America active. A beautiful and epic journey across the United States, during which Dean pushes the limits of human endurance, inspiring thousands across the country to join him along the path while uniting people of all ages and abilities to take “the next step.”
For more information contact Bill Doshier at bdoshier@conwaycorp.net or 501.352.9385.
Back and running strong
February 7th, 2010
I started running with the CRC a few years ago and every once in a while on a run you’d hear a story about this guy named Jimmy Green. Then about a year ago he showed up. Out of shape and slow (in Jimmy Green measures) he started running, and walking when he had to. His comeback has been steady and deliberate. Recently on tempo runs he’s been pushing harder and harder. Still deliberate. This weekend at the 15k he clocked an 8 minute pace, won his age group and came in second in the Male Senior division. I think it is safe to say that Jimmy Green is back.
