April 2015

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Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers April 2015 Dear Lake Grapevine, March was a big month for RAW, beginning with the Cowtown (Half) Marathon. Even though the marathon and ultra were canceled due to the weather, numerous RAW members braved the elements for a half marathon that was a very successful one for many.

Then numerous club members picked up and went Off to the Races in Keller at Shannon Brewery for a warm, windy 5K on a challenging course. Despite the conditions, many RAW members represented in the award presentations. Even those who didn't win on the course were awarded some great beer and pancakes.

And they were Off (to the Races) again at the Grasslands Trail Run for the half marathon, marathon, and 50 mile races.

Despite this year being a "Mudlands" year, race director and RAW member Chris Barnwell and his wife Anne did an outstanding job of pulling off a great race. Again, RAW came away with some big awards, and again, even those who did not receive awards, enjoyed great BBQ and craft beer. (Do you see a theme developing here?)

Before we know it, it will be time again for the annual RAW Board Election and picnic on July 4th. If you would like to get more involved in RAW and its inner workings, this is a great time to do it! Run (or walk) for one of the open positions on the Board of Directors. Details on running for the Board are described below. Also, the RAW's Best Foot Forward winner will be announced at the picnic. If you know of a member who consistently goes the extra mile and deserves this elite honor, please nominate him/her. Best Foot Forward nominations will open soon. Please stay tuned.

Race Report Cowtown 2015 ­ It's not about the destination, it's about the journey Jackie Reyff

Last fall, my husband David made the decision that he wanted to run a half marathon with me. "Wonderful," I thought. I had run seven of them and was very excited to share the experience with him.

On Friday, February 27th, we took a day off from work and left our home to head into Fort Worth to get our race packets and shop the expo. Shortly after 10 AM, it began to snow. We attempted to take the highway, but there was a bad accident, so we decided to take Belknap into the city. What is normally a 30­35 minute drive became a two and a half hour odyssey with cars and trucks spinning out around us. As we made our way into the downtown area, traffic was at a complete gridlock, as the entire city was trying to flee to the suburbs. We had made it to Lancaster Boulevard when we received a phone call that our children's school was closing early for the day. I made a frantic phone call to my in­laws to make sure that they could pick up our kids. Then we heard on the radio that the Cowntown Race Expo was closed. At this point in time, we were less than a mile from the expo and had

been in the car all morning, so we decided to press on.

Although the expo was officially closed, support staff was still there. We were able to get our packets, shirts and even shopped a little. It worked out well, and I was especially pleased at how helpful and understanding everyone was because we were not the only ones that had braved the weather.

Driving home took considerably less time, but as we were leaving the city, we heard that all the races on the day before our race were going to be cancelled due to the snow freezing and becoming ice overnight. In my mind, I thought that we may not get our race in.

On Saturday afternoon, I received an email indicating that the marathon and ultra­marathon were cancelled, and the only Cowtown race would be the half marathon. I thought, "Holy cow, my husband's first half marathon and all this drama!" He and I kept preparing for our race the next morning. The race start was pushed back an hour to an 8 AM start, so we fueled up and went to sleep.

The next morning we woke up to our alarm and prepared Jackie and David Reyff at the Cowtown start/finish line. for the race. We got down to the start area with ample time. After parking, the walk to the corrals was a bit of a gamble due to the ice everywhere. While we shivered waiting in Corral 4 to start, I wondered if he would enjoy the run as much as I would and was a little nervous about the remaining ice on the road. I had read that 18 dump trucks and 400 tons of sand were placed over the entire route! The race organizers did a tremendous job in a short amount of time and were in constant communication with the runners.

Around 8:20 AM, we began our half marathon, and it turned out to be a really great race. I think I smiled for most of it because I finally had the opportunity to share the experience with my husband. The more I think about the race itself, the more I am reminded of how it is not about the destination, but rather the journey, and in our case it was a heck of a journey. We got there and ran a good solid race, his first half­marathon and my eighth half marathon. Here's to many more running adventures together!

RAW Board Elections Be a leader by serving on the board of directors Have you ever wanted to be more involved in the club? Now is the time! We are looking for people to represent the membership as leaders of the club. It's more than just attending meetings ­­ it is an educational opportunity where you can find out what goes on behind the scenes and help shape the direction of RAW. Since you are representing the membership of the club, we would like to find people who participate in club events and workouts on a regular basis.

The annual election will be held on July 4th at the Annual Picnic. Now is the time to consider running for a Board position. Serving on the Board is a great way to get involved with the mission, strategy, direction and responsibilities of the club as a not­for­profit organization. The 11 positions on the RAW Board are President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer and Director (six positions).

The positions up for election in 2015 are President, Secretary, Assistant Treasurer and five director positions. Four director positions are two­year terms, and one is for one year to complete the term of a board member who resigned.

The President leads the Board, sets direction, provides oversight, communicates with members and follows the mission.

RAW's mission is "Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers exist to promote walking and running as part of a healthy lifestyle, one in which the whole family can participate."

The Secretary is responsible for publishing the agenda for each board meeting and distributing the meeting notices. At each meeting, the Secretary records the minutes and distributes them to the Board for approval. The Secretary is responsible for storing meeting minutes in the club notebook maintained in the clubhouse as specified in the by­laws.

The Assistant Treasurer is back­up to the Treasurer if the Treasurer is absent. They work closely together to ensure all financial records for the club are managed in a complete, accurate and timely manner. The Assistant Treasurer reconciles the banking transactions each month and serves on the Budget Committee.

The Director positions entail attending board meetings and representing the club membership, voicing their concerns to the rest of the Board and serving as a good steward of club resources. Directors may be assigned various tasks and responsibilities. Directors are not solely responsible for the execution of the tasks or duties which they oversee but may seek assistance and delegate these tasks or duties to responsible parties.

Serving on the Board has a monthly time commitment of approximately one to two hours to attend Board meetings, as well as the time to complete additional assigned tasks, depending on the individual. RAW Board members are encouraged to respond to e­mail communications in a timely manner.

If you would like an opportunity to serve your club, be more involved in the club or give back to the sport, running for a Board position is an excellent way to accomplish this. Volunteering your time in this way shows your commitment to the club and your willingness to help steer the club in a positive direction.

As always, there is an open invitation for members to attend Board meetings. Attending a Board meeting is an excellent way to see the Board in action, learn about the current business affairs in which the board is involved and become familiar with the club's by­laws. Board meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at 7 PM at the RAW clubhouse.

If you have questions about running for a Board position, please contact any Board member. They would be glad to provide more information about what the position requires. If you would like to have your name listed on the ballot, please contact Staci Rivero. The deadline to have your name included on the ballot is June 1st.

Calendar of Events Join us for our scheduled run/walk gatherings!

Saturdays and Sundays 7 AM RAW Clubhouse

Track Workouts Tuesdays 5 ­ 6:30 PM Grapevine Middle School Track (subscribe to grapevinetrackies Yahoo Group for schedule and/or location changes)

Trail Run/Walk Wednesdays and Fridays 6 AM and 7 AM RAW Clubhouse ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ ­­­­­

Adidas Shoe Demo Saturday, April 4th 7 AM RAW Clubhouse

Newbie Sunday Sunday, April 5th 7 AM RAW Clubhouse

Board Meeting Monday, April 13th 7 PM RAW Clubhouse

Lunch Bunch Tuesday, April 14th

Board Meeting Don't forget to check out the April LGRAW Board Meeting!

The meeting will take place on Monday, April 13th, 7 PM at the clubhouse.

My Membership Expires: LGRAW

Quick Links Contact Us Membership Renewals Volunteer Sign­up Water Duty Instructions

Do you have an agenda item you would like to add? Email Monica.

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A Big RAW Thank You!

LGRAW Board of Directors

RAW member named national RRCA Volunteer of the Year

RAW Privileges

Gary Howsam was recently chosen for the RRCA Volunteer of the Year Award. Gary is always ready to volunteer for any club event. He coordinates parking for club races, as well as some other races that the club supports. He also helps out with stocking clubhouse supplies.

Gary is the club's liaison to Keep Grapevine Beautiful for our periodic park clean­ups. He arranges for supplies, scouts and chooses clean­up locations and communicates results to KGVB.

Gary likely holds the all­time club record for the most number of times of putting water and Gatorade out on the course. He is usually one of the first people to arrive on weekends, and even if he isn't doing water duty, he always makes sure that the volunteer is able to park in their designated spot.

Dallas Athletes Racing 15% discount on select 2015 races. Coupon code: Raw15.

Luke's Locker 10% off most purchases with your membership.

Running Warehouse Enter LGRWD at checkout (exclusions apply).

RunOn! 15% off purchases at the Southlake location for the week after they come out to RAW for a shoe demo.

Sunstone Yoga (First Sunday of the

Noon Red Dog Right 3311 E. Hwy 114, Southlake

Newton Shoe Demo Saturday, May 2nd 7 AM RAW Clubhouse

Footnotes Condolences To Bridget Smith, whose brother Glenn and uncle Dick passed away.

To Liz and Russ Wedemeyer for the death of Liz's father.

Congratulations To Frankie Agius for becoming a U.S. citizen.

To Rick Sanford and Stacy "Cherry" Marchiori on their engagement.

Speedy Recovery To Tommy Spain as he recovers from surgery, on his way to return to running soon.

Thank you To all RAW water duty volunteers who take just a few minutes of their time to stock the course with cool water and Gatorade EVERY Saturday and Sunday! Without your kindness, there would be A LOT of thirsty RAW runners on the course.

The following people did water duty in the past month: Gary Howsam (2 times), Ed Folliard, Nannette Poole, Kelly Richards (3 times), Liz Wedemeyer, Randy Wolf, Joe and Evelyn Luccioni, John Studebaker and Terry Marcott. Thank you for braving the sometimes­ nasty weather to help out the club!

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 restroom).

RAW Off to the Races 4/4 ­ Race 2 Rebuild 5K ­

Please congratulate Gary when you see him on this well­ deserved national honor!

Thank you to Grasslands volunteers Chris Barnwell, Race Director, Grasslands Trail Runs

Well. We did it. The 2015 Grasslands Trail Runs are in the books.

In spite of the muddy conditions, the event was an overwhelming success. Why on earth anyone would think that running in these conditions was so much fun? I don't know. So the only thing I can think of is that it has to be the volunteers. Almost every runner that I spoke with mentioned how well they were taken care of while out on the course. I think it really shows the passion that our volunteers have for the sport.

I would especially like to recognize Drew Meyer for his years of service to the Grasslands Trail Runs. There is no way that we could have pulled this off without his commitment. Drew, I would personally like to thank you for helping to make this year's event a success.

Our personal time is limited and is one of our most valuable assets. It's often difficult to take time away from our families and work commitments. It is a valuable gift to give something so precious to help others in the achievement of their goals. I personally got more out of this experience than I thought possible.

I would like to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to come out and volunteer for this event. Looking forward to doing this all again in 2016. I really hope to see each and every one of you next year.

month) FREE Yoga classes at ALL DFW area Sunstone Yoga locations.

Print this newsletter as proof of your membership.

FOOTPRINT Submissions Share your race or training experiences with RAW! We are always looking for content to include in the FOOTPRINT. If you have a running/walking related story or photo you'd like to share with the club, consider submitting it for the FOOTPRINT .

Click here for the submission guidelines.

Footnotes: Want to give a shout out to your running buddy in the footnotes section? You can send congratulations, condolences, get well, speedy recovery wishes, or wishes of good luck.

All submissions must be received by the 15th of the month for the next issue.

Send all submissions to pr@lgraw.com.

RAW volunteers are everywhere The RAW parking squad went offsite this month. They helped get hundreds of cars neatly arranged in a few small lots at Shannon Brewery in Keller. Squad members included Ray Harris, Gary Howsam, Joe Luccioni, John Bush, Doug and Mary Keeffe, Kevin and Lorraine Wessels, Brad and Michelle Liles, Dennis and Janet Dixon, Staci Rivero, Jack Hase and Alan Engisch.

Jack Hase also helped direct traffic at Grasslands Trail Runs.

RAW staffed an aid station at Grasslands, helping the muddy runners refresh before going back out on the course. Volunteers included Joe and Evelyn Luccioni, John Bush, Barbara Martin, Jack Hase, Kelly Richards, Brad and Michelle LIles, Martin and Suann Guthrie, Amy Ewing, Beth Brueggen, Danyah Johnson and Suzi Cope.

Thank you everyone for spreading the RAW spirit of helpfulness throughout the Metroplex!

Lost and Found

Do any of these look familiar?

If anything has come up missing at your house, you might check the Lost and Found box next to the restroom at the clubhouse. There are

Couch to 5K Coaches Needed We are planning to offer our Couch to 5K program again this year as a part of the Double Trouble 5K/10K in October. The C25K program would begin about six weeks prior to the race, meeting once a week for group workouts. It is a great way to help motivate and train new and prospective runners so that they are ready for their first 5K race.

If you are interested in helping to coordinate

Meadowmere Park, Grapevine 5/9 ­ Girls on the Run 5K ­ Meadowmere Park, Grapevine

dishes, many shirts and other clothing, and the pictured shoes, including a nearly new pair of Brooks Glycerins and two almost identical pairs of flip flops.

Please rescue your items soon, as we periodically donate the leftovers when the box fills up.

the program for those six weeks, and especially if you are an RRCA­certified coach, please e­mail dt@lgraw.com.

RunOn! Social Runs

Asics Nimbus wear test lets RAW try new shoes Alan Sivakumaran, RunOn! Southlake, RAW member

This past month, Asics tech rep Emily Denny came out for a wear test of the newly­released Gel­Nimbus 17 and the GT­2000s. The Asics Gel­Nimbus 17 is the lightest product of the entire Nimbus series with updates such as the Fluid Ride midsole, seamless Fluid Fit upper, and a new ComforDry X­40 sockliner.

Emily continually proves to be a great resource for the running community by offering wear tests, providing information about Asics products, and giving away promotional items such as Asics socks and hats. Emily wants to find ways that she can give back to the running community. We definitely hope to have Emily back for another wear test in the fall. In the mean time, say hi to Emily if you see her out on the course, as she is also a RAW member.

As an employee of Run On! and a member of RAW, I Emily, K2, and Alan sport the latest Asics feel very fortunate to be able to coordinate these events models during the RunOn! visit. with RAW once a month. Our store provides customers opportunities to try different brands of shoes and allows our reps to receive feedback and exposure on their products. Our store is very thankful for being a small part of the RAW community.

Our Saturday Social Runs are held on the first Saturday of the month. On Saturday April 4th, Adidas rep Nicole will be at the clubhouse for a wear test run. Sarah, the Newton rep, will visit on Saturday, May 2nd. See you out there!

Road Runners Club of America News

Help name the new RRCA Roadrunner mascot

Kelly "K2" Richards, Road Runners Club of America Director­at­Large

The RRCA is excited to introduce a new addition to the RRCA family; a mascot! Help name the RRCA's Roadrunner by taking their name the mascot poll. Just click the "Take Our Poll"

tab. You can vote until mid­April. The name will be revealed at the 57th Annual RRCA National Convention in Des Moines, IA.

The next RRCA Texas State Championship race is the 16th Annual DRC White Rock N Roll 10 Mile on Saturday, May 2, 2015. A local craft brewery will be providing the post­race adult beverages! Prices go up as race day approaches, so register today and avoid paying more!

Gender­specific tech shirts are guaranteed to the first 1,000 registrants. Plus, new for 2015, a finisher's medal will be awarded to the first 500 runners.

Notice of the 2015 Annual Meeting of the RRCA Membership and Report of the Nominating Committee: All members of the RRCA in good standing as of April 1, 2015 are welcome and encouraged to attend the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Membership. Participation in the 2015 RRCA National Convention is not required in order to attend the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Membership. The meeting will take place on April 24, 2015 at 3:15 PM (Central) at the Marriott Downtown, 700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50309.

The new RRCA Roadrunner mascot. Vote for your favorite name!

As mentioned in last month's column, the 2014 Double Trouble shirt has been submitted in the RRCA's 7th Annual Race Shirt Contest sponsored by Sport Science. The winning shirt will be selected on April 25th at the National Convention.

If all this exciting convention news sounds too good to miss, there's still time to attend. Register now.

Giving Back to the Sport

RAW supports youth running

Once again RAW's annual races, Double Trouble 5K & 10K and Bold in the Cold 5K & 15K, made a donation to the Road Runners Club of America's Kids Run the Nation Fund from race proceeds. The combined donation from the 2014 DT and 2015 BITC was $4,500.

One hundred percent of money donated to the KRN fund is granted to youth running programs across the country. No money donated to the fund is used for administrative costs. Multiple youth programs in Texas, including some here in the Metroplex, have received grants from KRN. Based on the average grant amounts, RAW's donation will support up to nine different youth running programs in 2015.

RAW thanks our race directors and every volunteer for helping put on these two fantastic races as well as all the runners for participating in our 100% volunteer produced races.

Grasslands Trail Run

A trail run seemed like a good idea at the time Chris Morris Since I started running a few years ago, I've mostly had a live­and­let­live relationship with the trail runners. Apart from a few times braving the Horseshoe Trails at Lake Grapevine and a Bird on the Run four­miler, I've pretty much restricted myself to roads. But when Chris and Anne Barnwell decided to coordinate the Grasslands Trail Runs, I knew I had to check it out for myself.

When I signed up for the race about a week out, the weather forecast predicted rain on the Wednesday before the race and then dry up through race day. So that was a great recipe for avoiding extremely dry, sandy conditions, as well as sloppy, deep mud. As it turned out, there was also rain on Friday, the day before the race. This created the perfect conditions for a "Mudlands" year, even though there fortunately wasn't any rain during my half marathon on race day.

The 228 runners who started the half marathon made for some pretty challenging passing toward the beginning of the race. That was also the time during which everyone was trying to decide all at once whether it was better to run around the mud or straight through. I wasn't under any illusions of staying clean in this race, but I did start out trying the "run around" plan. It only took one time getting behind a crowd of people dodging tree limbs to decide that trudging through the middle allowed me to pass a lot of people.

After I had advanced in the pack in the first mile, I saw one runner coming back towards me. I wasn't sure what to think at the time, but apparently he had discovered that we were all going the wrong way before everyone else did (and didn't bother telling any of the people who he met). So in another eighth mile or so, everyone started coming back toward us, and we turned around to follow. In all, we wasted about a half mile going the wrong direction. The trail runners called me a "roadie" when I joked about having missed the course marshal. Thankfully, that would be the only time I ended up going the wrong way.

Here I am in my roadie shirt and roadie shoes. Hey, at least I brought a water bottle!

I continued to trudge along for a few miles, getting progressively slower and taking more walk breaks. Running through the mud and lifting mud­caked shoes with every step really take its toll quickly. It made me realize that I had started out too fast, something I commonly do in new racing situations. A few miles in, Ray Harris caught up to me. He had gotten injured and struggled to run too much at that point, which was about my pace at the time anyway. We stayed together for several miles, and Ray was able to do more running after Joe Luccioni recommended some stretches at the RAW aid station.

I was finally feeling up to running more during the last few miles of the race, and I pushed forward, paced by one of the other runners who had ended up with Ray and me. From that point, it was mostly running with some short walk breaks here and there. She was the same person who I had seen lose a shoe in the mud earlier in the race. Since we were going a little faster we encountered more runners toward the end of the race. Everyone had their stories about past Grasslands races, and I felt a little better that there was no rain, sleet, or snow this year. Temperatures in the 50s were also quite nice.

The finish line of the race couldn't come too soon. Since this was my first trail race, I suppose it was a trail PR, but it was by far my worst half marathon overall and almost an hour slower than my road PR. That made it all the more impressive that RAW member John Studebaker came in first overall at 1:44:11. RAW also took the first two places for the women ­­ Jessica Smith at 1:56:33 and Michelle "Drum" Blackard at 2:01:23.

Since the marathon had started an hour and a half before the half marathon, it wasn't long before the marathon winners began crossing the finish line. John Winstead took the Masters title at 4:30:35, and Amy Ewing was the second woman overall at 4:49:43. Despite the conditions, 58 of the 60 people registered for the 50­mile race made it to the start, 43 of them finished. The 50­milers started the five­lap course at 6 a.m., with the first finisher making it across after 2:30 p.m.

The spectating after my race was made even better by the BBQ dinner and the local craft beers from Four Corners Brewing Co. and Grapevine Craft Brewery. Chris, Ann, and North Texas Trail Runners put on an impressive event, given all of the challenges. (That's nttr.org, not ntta.org ­­ they're not the North Texas Tollway Runners.) The volunteers and organizers made this a race that I'll definitely have to put on my calendar next year. If anyone is taking requests for next year, this roadie will take nice and dry, easy on the dust.

Texas Trail Championship

Ten months of trails yields victory and burnout Belynda Warner with Kat Sparks It all started with the Deck the Trails 5K in December, 2013. Kat Sparks

Belynda and Kat claim their Texas Trail Championship plaques.

and I ran the race with some friends and decided that we would run the Palo Duro 50K in 2014. Following that race, an email conversation began that led to such statements as "Let's race our way to the 50K!" and "We might as well sign up for the Texas Trail Championships since we are running those races anyway" and "Let's do the Endurance Buzz challenge." Here's what happened next:

March: Grasslands Half. One week earlier, Kat said "Let's do it." I said okay. So we ran a trail half. Who does that? Crazy people. As it turns out, that's what we are.

April: Possum Kingdom 20K. I ran it on antibiotics, got dehydrated and thought I was going to have a stroke. Kat sprained her ankle in the sand.

We both left feeling like we had a lot to learn about trail running, but Kat won her age group. So there's that. Endurance Buzz Challenge ­ 1 down, 4 to go.

May: Whispering Pines 10M/20M. By this point, Kat had figured out the Texas Trail Championship scoring method, and bumped herself up to the 20 miler to increase her points. I couldn't have cared less about points, so I stuck with the 10 miler. Probably a good thing since I took a hard fall and ended up in urgent care getting chest x­rays. Diagnosis: bruised ribs (and other things). Endurance Buzz Challenge ­ 2 down, 3 to go.

June: Wounded Warrior Half. To stay sharp, we ran the half on roads...in the rain...after a delayed start. Found out we weren't so sharp. But we finished. Back to trails, where walking isn't so obvious.

July: Cedar Ridge 36K. Seriously? Whose idea was this? Apparently the universe as a whole didn't like the idea, because this race almost didn't happen for both of us. One day prior, I had symptoms reminiscent of my previous brush with early kidney failure, and Kat's sister was unexpectedly hospitalized in critical condition. I was cleared to race just 13 hours before we had to be at the start line, and Kat's decision to run came around the same time. While many RAW runners carried home hardware from this race, Kat and I left with mental toughness that would carry us through the rest of the year. Championship points earned; Endurance Buzz Challenge ­ 3 down, 2 to go.

September: Rough Creek Marathon. Race Director Dave Hanenburg likes to ask "Who will bow to the rusty crown?" We thought that was cute. Little did we know how low we would bow. This 26.9 mile "marathon" was a butt kicker. Between the two of us, we suffered at least 5 falls while ascending enough elevation, Kat tells me, to qualify as a summit in mountain climbing. God sent an angel named Jay Jones out to run each of us in. When he reached me and asked how I felt, I told him my feet hurt, my knees hurt, my butt hurt, my stomach was sick, I was tired of Gu and wanted to throw up, my arms hurt, my neck was burnt, my hand was bleeding and I hated Dave Hanenburg. Jay calmly informed me that there were soldiers coming home from Afghanistan without limbs and then tricked me into running through the finish.

Amidst dozens of DNF's, Kat won her age group. I came in eighth female. We both took home a boatload of points.

Endurance Buzz Challenge ­ 4 down, 1 to go.

October: Palo Duro 50K. Here it was! The event of the year. The one that we had prepared for long enough that one of us could have conceived, developed, and delivered a baby. It was freaking awesome, beginning to end. Best race ever.

Amazing. WE ARE ULTRA RUNNERS! But we didn't get any points for the Championship. So, three weeks later, back on the trails....

November: Rockledge Rumble 30K. We fully intended that finishing out the year would be slow, short, and easy. HA! We were both suffering overuse injuries, but we were on a points­quest for the Texas Trail Championship that would impress an Olympics hopeful. So we bumped up from 15K to 30K and hobbled our way to a handful of additional points.

Still November: Wild Hare 25K. Unplanned, probably ill advised, and clearly decided on by two crazy women who'd lost their minds. The drive to this race could have been the opening scene of a horror movie: It was a dark and stormy night on a road with no lane markings that went on forever in the middle of nowhere. But the race itself, two loops through lightning, thunder, rain, electric fences and copious amount of mud was amazing. Not only did we secure enough points to feel pretty confident about placing well in the Championship, Kat became a local celebrity when competitors in her age group figured out who she was. Apparently she forgot our plan that if asked our names, she was Gertie and I was Opal, so when asked, she said "Kat." In any case, we left with cute medals,

and Kat, once again, won her age group.

December: Isle Du Bois 36K. The (hopefully) final race for each of us. Kat was securely in first place in her age group for the Texas Trail Championship going into the race, but I was poised precariously at the third place mark, potentially catchable if I let my guard down. I worked hard in this one and managed a PR of 79 minutes. Kat's PR was nearly an hour. I beat the current Championship leader in my age group and grabbed enough points to put me in a pretty solid position. Kat's place was practically a guarantee. And, Endurance Buzz Challenge ­ COMPLETE. We were 2 of only 24 people to finish all five races.

Still December: Brazos Bend Marathon. No, we did not run this one, but the amount of energy expended monitoring Championship points and the entrant lists made it feel like we did. We both remained mentally and physically prepared to make the trip to Needville to run this one if we needed to defend our positions, to the point that we both delayed making family plans just in case. In the end, neither of us needed the points.

Belynda and Kat show off their

Wild Hare 25K medals.

One week later, when the final announcement came, we were both thrilled and relieved to have official confirmation of our results. In the Texas Trail Championship, I finished third in my age group, and Kat won female Masters. Kat's title comes with half price entry into all 2015 Championship Series races, but the last I heard, she won't be back to defend her title. Neither will I. The trails are nice ­ even like heaven sometimes ­ but it's time for us to both kick some asphalt.

RAW Pics

RAW was Off to the Races at the Haltom Stampede 5K on Valentine's Day. Members are holding roses, courtesy of John Studebaker. Pictured are Christine Bassano, Jessica Smith, Jeff Barnhart, Elizabeth Lawrence, John Winstead (hiding in the shadow) and Cathy Buchanan.

Emily, RunOn!'s Asics rep, shows the new models to Doug Keeffe during her visit in March.

RAW Off to the Races Grasslands Trail Run

Grasslands Race Director and RAW member Chris Barnwell along with race founder Suzi Cope.

Suzi and Chris also have the Grand Slam of Ultra Running in common.

Chris did it in 2013, and Suzi was the first female Grand Slammer in 1989.

RAW really was "Off to the Races" in the half marathon. Pictured are Michelle "Drum" Blackard (2nd female), John Studebaker (1st male), Jessica Smith (1st female) and Byron Benoit (9th male, coming in right behind Jessica).

Dallas Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon

The afternoon shift at the RAW aid station, Kelly "K2" Richards and Jack Hase. They caught a bit of rain before it was over.

Jennifer Van Vlack (left) who was motivated by Deena Kastor to a 1:50 half marathon PR performance. Yes, you just saw Jennifer in the FOOTPRINT last month with a PR in Las Vegas. Way to go!

Julie Smith (BITC race director) waves and smiles for the camera at the Dallas Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon.

Cowtown Half Marathon

RAW huddles together for warmth at the starting line of the Cowtown Half Marathon.

Then the crew finally finds a place to convene for the post­race celebration.

Cowtown Virtual Run ­ More Cowbell!

The RAW "Cowbell Crazy" cheering squad gives some motivation to Carolyn and Anita for their Cowtown Marathon virtual race. They're still smiling at mile 22!

Russ Wedemeyer finishes his Cowtown Marathon virtual race, cheered on by Kelly "K2" Richards and his wife Liz.

Marci after her Cowtown Half Marathon virtual race.

What better place to run it than the RAW course?

Estelle and John give the thumbs up after their Cowtown virtual Half Marathon.

RAW Off to the Races Shannon Brewery 5K

Suzi Cope was the 65­69 age group winner at the RAW Off to the Races Shannon Brewery 5K.

RAW members in the beer drinking phase after the Shannon Brewery 5K. Pictured are Chris Morris, Evelyn Luccioni, Liz and Russ Wedemeyer, Kat Sparks, Kelly "K2" Richards, Belynda Warner, Jeff Bozarth and Ray Harris.

Alan Walker sporting his vintage RAW Wear near the finish of the Shannon Brewery 5K.

Diane Ferguson, in an outfit even Spareribs would love, comes in to the finish.

Jay Jones comes in with a strong finish to the Shannon Brewery 5K.

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