February 2017

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Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers February 2017 Dear Lake Grapevine

It's hard to believe that we have already finished one month in 2017 and it has been an eventful year so far. We had a great turn out for the New Year's Day Recovery Run! RAW members came out to celebrate the New Year and enjoy the delicious potluck breakfast.

Thanks to everyone who brought a dish to share.

Members also enjoyed a delicious pre­race pasta dinner on January 20, the night before our club race, Bold in the Cold. The event at Buca di Beppo marked the month's RAW 20th Anniversary celebration.

The pre­race dinner was followed the next morning by an outstanding club race. It was a beautiful day with early temperatures in the low 50s. Jeff Barnhart, Race Director, reported that we had more than 852 registrations in the 5K and 15K races. Participants liked this year's shirt and finishers enjoyed the headband earned at the finish line. Thank you to all participants and RAW volunteers.

As was announced in last month's Footprint, the position of club president is now vacant. In the January board meeting, the board decided to leave the position open until the July elections.

As vice president, I will serve the duties of the president in the interim. A nomination committee will soon be formed and I hope that many of you will be interested in serving on the board.

We are excited to celebrate our 20th Anniversary and hope that many of you will attend the banquet in May. See below for the Save the Date and look for more details in future Footprint issues. Last month we sent a survey to all members and we have carefully reviewed your responses. The committee and the RAW board will make final decisions for the banquet in the next couple of months.

In November, the board voted to send a RAW member to the next RRCA Convention, held in Detroit, March 9­12, 2017. We are excited to sponsor a grant of $1,000 to send a member on behalf of RAW. The RRCA convention offers educational workshops on best practices for running clubs, club administration, and informational meetings regarding RRCA Membership and Awards. In addition to social networking opportunities, this convention hosts club leaders, event directors, and corporate supporters along with opportunities to stay updated with the latest club practices, technology applied, and event hosting. See the article in this Footprint for more details.

Be sure to read the Footprint each month for more information on the exciting events and celebrations planned this year.

See you on the course!

Diane Hernandez VP and Acting President

In Memory

Jeph Abara

by Fiona Green I was greatly saddened to hear of the passing of Jeph Abara this week. I still can't believe I won't see his radiant smile again or hear his signature, dramatic "on your maaaaaarks, get set, goooooo'' that started off his races.

I last saw Jeph on Christmas Eve at the Christmas Spirit Classic 5K in Grand Prairie. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, he was determined to take care of every element of the race, from setting up the cones at the turnaround point, to starting the race, to announcing the names of every age group and door prize winner. It was evident to all who knew him that his health was Jeph with Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Opal declining but canceling the event was Lee, Juneteeth organizer definitely not an option for him. The weather was ideal for running, the atmosphere was festive, and many participants had brought gifts to be donated to children in need. It was a perfect morning.

Jeph's passing marks the end of an era. For years he organized charity events, usually one a month, at various locations throughout the Metroplex. Being a runner, he knew what mattered in a race and he cut out the frills and extras to keep costs low and make his events affordable to all. His races attracted a large group of regulars who appreciated his philosophy and philanthropic efforts and the fact that participating in one of his races felt like attending a family reunion. Jeph knew his regulars by name and showed a genuine interest in their achievements and race times, celebrating and commiserating with them as appropriate. Aware that not all runners were fast enough for an age group award, he mixed things up a little, introducing the random 'souls and soles' awards and distributing door prizes.

Many of Jeph's e­mails and Facebook posts began with the phrase "Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud."' Jeph was a rainbow in many people's clouds. Three years ago, when I mentioned to him that the son of a local runner had lost his leg in a lawn mower accident, he immediately made plans for an event to raise funds for the family. This event took place on a very hot July morning. Halfway through the awards ceremony Jeph passed out due to the heat. He was quickly revived and as he was being taken to the ambulance he made sure volunteers remembered to present special awards to members of the boy's family. This was typical of Jeph. He always placed others ahead of himself and was determined to keep giving to others for as long as he could.

In losing Jeph we are saying goodbye to a fellow runner, a friend and a remarkable human being. He will be greatly missed by his friends in the running community and the many people whose lives were enriched thanks to his generosity. While Jeph's shoes are impossible to fill, perhaps the best way to honor him is by embracing his philosophy of "being a rainbow in someone's cloud." Knowing Jeph, nothing would make him happier.

This tribute was originally posted on Cline's Running Corner.

Bold Without The Cold

Mother Nature gave us near perfect weather for the 18th Bold in the Cold. After cancelling last year's race due to lake flooding, this year's race went off without a hitch, but still some threat of flooding on the 15K course. Thanks to Tony Steele of the City of Grapevine for helping to prevent a section of the course from going under.

Michelle "Drum" Blackard prepares to lead the way In total, more than 850 runners registered and more than 780 crossed the finish line. Ryan Barrow led the men in the 15K with a time of 52:55 and Antonio Florcruz took first in the 5K with a time of 17:44. On the women's side, Lesley Burke took the top spot with a time of 1:04:09 and Allie Lyda won the 5K with a time of 19:44.

The RAW crew was again at its best with more than 90 volunteers making for another very successful race. In the 20 year history of our club, this is one thing runners know they can count on.

The race this year had a twist just ten days before. We received a call from the president of the International Falls Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. She and her colleagues discovered our little race called Bold in the Cold and they mocked us. How could Texas hold a cold race? It turns out that they've been holding a 5K in conjunction with their winter festival for 38 years. Their race is called "Freeze yer Gizzard Blizzard 5K" with the motto "Only the Bold Run in the Cold." They found us and now they were challenging our right to host a winter run and claim that it would be cold. They threw down the gauntlet and we gladly picked it up and threw it back at them.

After some friendly conversation and getting an understanding of each race, we agreed on the challenges: one ­ lower temperature at race time; two ­ number of runners; and three ­ frostiest beard, eyelashes and mustache. We knew we were at a disadvantage with two of the challenges but we weren't going to be deterred. We tried to negotiate for a handicap for temperature, the amount based on the National Weather Service's average low temperature on January 21st for the two cities. The average difference is 44 degrees; them ­7, Grapevine 37. We asked for 30 degrees but were turned down.

They were determined to win. Despite early in race week International Falls having a temperature of ­31, race morning they weren't even below freezing, 32 degrees. At race time our temperature was 51.

The result was a tie. They won low temp but we destroyed them on the number of runners (us 856, them 275). The tiebreaker was frostiness and because of their warmer temps, they had none. We tried submitting a picture of Manny's gray beard but they weren't buying it.

In the end, we both had a good time and we've agreed to try it again next year. There are thoughts of a contingent from RAW to travel there to compete in International Falls.

The race is January 20, 2018. Let us know if you are interested.

20th Anniversary Banquet

20th Anniversary Happy Hour Honoring RAW's Presidents

This month's event celebrating our 20th anniversary happens to fall on President's Day. What better day to honor LGRAW's presidents for their contributions to the club? Please plan to join us for Happy Hour on President's Day, February 20, on the patio at Wise Guys Pizzeria in Grapevine, from 5:30 ­ 7:00 p.m. If you can't be there right at 5:30, or can't stay all the way to 7:00, don't worry. We will raise our glasses to toast our presidents midway through the evening so everyone has a chance to participate.

RSVP via the Facebook event here. No tickets necessary, but please do indicate Going or Not Going by Feb 17 so we can get an accurate headcount.

Third Tuesday of the Month Social Run Do you like to run and hang out with fun people? Join us for the monthly 5K social run or walk starting and ending at Grapevine Craft Brewery on February 21.

You can easily add more miles to the route if you prefer a longer distance.

This event is open to everyone­­ members and nonmembers­­so come on out and invite your friends.

Learn more in this Facebook event and let us know you are coming.

RAW Trail Clean Up Day The annual RAW Horseshoe Trail Clean Up day is set for February 11. Come out on Saturday to run and stay to help clean up the trails that we all love.

Gary Howsam will be spearheading this event after the morning run. Please bring protective clothing such as boots, work gloves, pants and long sleeve shirts that will protect you from thorns on the trails. RAW will provide rakes, bags and tools to cleanup our trails.

Let us know your coming and get the latest information by RSVPing in the Facebook event. Email questions to Michael Bassano michaelb@lgraw.com.

20th Anniversary RAWear Store If you missed the 20th Anniversary RAWear pre­sale back in November and December, here is how you can still get your hands on a shirt. The same shirts that were sold at the clubhouse are available online at lgraw.logosoftwear.com. There, you will also find sweats, hoodies, tanks, and other items you can order as designed, or customize to your liking.

To customize any item, click on that item and then click "customize" in the size/ordering box on the right. You can move, re­size, change, or add logos, change the color, or pick a different product altogether from that screen.

Before you order, make sure to check the top of the page for a banner with a coupon code that will reduce the cost of your selections a little more. This LogoSoftWear store will remain active until the end of the year­long 20th Anniversary celebration. LGRAW receives no commissions or income of any kind from sales on this site.

RRCA National Convention in Detroit

Grant Opportunity The RAW board voted to award a convention grant of $1,000 to one RAW member to attend the 59th

RRCA National Convention in Detroit, Michigan this March. The convention is held March 9­12, 2017 and is attended by runners, club leaders, event directors, and corporate supporters. The convention offers educational workshops on best practices along with social networking opportunities. This is a great opportunity for a RAW member to network, become updated on the latest club practices, and technologies utilized in the industry.

Registration for the convention is $385. The remainder of the grant is to cover travel expenses.

If selected, the member will incur all expenses and will be reimbursed after attending the convention.

If you are interested in applying and attending this year's convention on behalf of RAW, submit a completed application to yars90@charter.net by February 9, 2017. The recipient will be selected and contacted the following week. The application can be found on the club home page: www.lgraw.com.

Read more about the RRCA Annual Convention.

20 Fun & Fascinating Facts about RAW

By Kelly "K2" Richards 1. In March 2002, member Dan Cole ran his 50th marathon achieving his goal of running 50 marathons before age 50. In October 2016, Dan reached another marathon milestone by completing his 25th consecutive Marine Corps Marathon!

2. The 2003 Bold in the Cold 15K overall winner was Megan Skeels. She won in 55:25 beating the first place male by 50 seconds.

3. The 2003 Double Trouble was a single 5­mile combination road and cross­ country race.

4. There was a baby boom at RAW in the year 2004. According to stats in just three issues from the FOOTPRINT that year, three members had babies, one couple adopted two babies and three more members had grandbabies born.

5. In 2004, for the only time, RAW manned an aid station at the Cowtown Marathon.

6. In 2004, RAW held a golf tournament organized by Susan Barnett. Over a dozen members participated. The scorecard shows it was a competitive event with the winning team at a score of 67 followed by scores of 68, 71 and 72. Also listed were Daryl Laney as closest to the pin and Chris McConnell with the longest drive.

7. At the suggestion of then board member Craig Minyard, "RAW Off To The Races" was officially started and the 2005 Haltom Stampede was selected as the first race to go to. More than 40 members raced that day. Highlights from the day, beyond the many Age Group awards won, included Kat Sparks return to racing after three years and Matthew Sanford, then nine years old, doing his first race.

8. In July 2005, RAW members Noreen "Diva" Henry, Cindy Lee, Chris Reyher and Kelly Richards participated in a Dallas Habitat for Humanity build. Chris was given a duty that paired

him with Jim "Captain Ruby" Rubalcaba. As it turned out, Captain Ruby was a runner. He promptly joined RAW and was a very active member for several years.

9. For a time, the FOOTPRINT featured a column called First Steps ­ The New Runner's Guide. It was broken into three sections: Getting Started, Runner's Speak, Equipment and Gadgets & Gizmos. May 2006 ­ August 2007 the column was written by K2. Rick Sanford wrote the column December 2007 ­ March 2008.

10. Taking advantage of the (at the time) new park trail on the "east loop", the 7th Annual Hound Dog Hustle 5K and 1­Mile Fun Run, held on April 29, 2006, rolled out a new 5K course.

Racers headed out from Oak Grove Park, near the pavilion, on the park road towards Dove Loop then returned on the concrete path and finished on the road with a 100 meter downhill finish.

11. RAW's 10th Anniversary 10K Fun Run, held on July 4, 2007, was marked with kilometer signs rather than mile markers. The signs were handcrafted by a group of talented RAW ladies. The 10K finish line sign made by Mary Keeffe was selected by the runners as the "best" sign and she was awarded with a Run On! gift card.

12. The 2008 FOOTPRINT won the RRCA Jerry Little Memorial Journalism Award Outstanding Newsletter of the year (small club), for the second time.

13. In 2009, the clubhouse received a "While You Were Out" style makeover courtesy of Lorraine Wessels and Kathryn Gleghorn. Their goal was to use the clubhouse floor space more efficiently and to get everything organized and the secondary goal was to change the layout but keep the same "feel." They succeeded fantastically and one of the best things they did was add the mobile shelving unit that is still used today to store members' gear while they're out running or walking.

14. In 2012, RAW earned the "Fastest Team" title at the Mercy Heart Spurs On 5K/10K. 15. In September 2012, the North Texas Trail Runners (NTTR) and RAW joined forces to conduct a two club social run and beer swap. The event was held at the RAW clubhouse.

16. Seeking specific criteria for the nomination and selection of the Best Foot Forward award winner, a committee consisting of Ray Harris, Susan Barnett and Kelly "K2" Richards was formed in 2013. The criteria recommendation was adopted by the board and is used to select RAW's highest honor winner.

17. RAW held an inaugural Super Bowl Fun Run and potluck breakfast on the morning of Super Bowl XLVIII (2014). Participants were encouraged to wear their favorite NFL team gear whether their team was playing or not. The Fun Run was held a second time in 2015.

18. From May 2014 to August 2016 the first Saturday of the month was Shoe Wear Test Saturday. This was setup by member Alan Sivakumaran and sponsored by Run On! Southlake (now closed). Members were able to test everything from Altras to Asics, Nike to Newtons, and many more brands. The shoe vendors often held a raffle as well, giving away hats, visors, socks and even shoes.

19. In August 2015, Bruce and Kathryn Gleghorn hosted a "Meet the RAW Board" Happy Hour and August Board Meeting. This was a fun and excellent opportunity for all members to learn about the direction the club was taking.

20. In August 2016, there was a RAW Ladies Night ­ Happy Hour & Shopping event. The Happy Hour was at Del Frisco's Grill followed by an exclusive night of shopping at Athleta in Southlake. Athleta gave the ladies a 20% discount and generously raffled off a $50 gift card.

Robin Waguespack was the lucky winner of the gift card.

LGRAW Scholarship for Graduating Seniors As part of our commitment to giving back to the sport of running, LGRAW has established a scholarship for a graduating high school senior in Spring 2017.

To be eligible, applicants must be a Spring 2017 graduate of GCISD OR the son or daughter of an LGRAW member. The parent must have been a member of LGRAW for the past two years. In addition, all applicants must have participated in track or cross country in their junior and senior years, will be attending an accredited 4­year or 2­year college in Fall 2017, and must graduate from high school with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.

The scholarship is $2,000, paid half in the first semester and half in the second semester of the student's first year of college. The scholarship is not renewable.

The scholarship application is available here and must be received by mail at LGRAW, Attn: Kathryn Gleghorn, P.O. Box 2982, Grapevine, TX, 76099, or by e­mail at kdagleghorn@gmail.com by March 1, 2017.

Road Runners Club of America News

By Kelly "K2" Richards, RRCA At­Large Director

2017 RRCA Championship Races in Texas The following Texas races were selected as 2017 National, Regional or State Championship races: Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon, Seabrook, March 19, 26.2, State Run in the Sun, San Angelo, June 3, 8K, State Double Trouble 10K, Grapevine, October 14, 10K, State Houston Half & 10K, Houston, October 29, 13.1, State Alex's 5K Run/Walk, Houston, November 4, 5K, State DRC Half Marathon, Dallas, November 5,13.1, National Run for the Water, Austin, November 5, 10m,State HMSA Classical 25K, Houston, November 25, 25K, State BMW Dallas Marathon, Dallas, December 10, 26.2, Regional RRCA Coaching Certification Courses T hree dozen RRCA Coaching Certification Courses will take place during 2017. The schedule has been set through April. The rest of the year's courses will be announced later.

Registrations are limited and courses sell out quickly but there are slots open at the National Convention Cohort in Detroit, Michigan March 9­11.

RRCA Annual National Convention The 59th RRCA National Convention, Celebrating Community Transformations Through Running, will take place in Detroit, Michigan March 9­12. The Convention consists of educational workshops on best practices, the RRCA Annual Meeting of the Membership, the National Running Awards Banquet, featuring the Olympian Desiree Linden, and several social networking luncheons and events. Hundreds of runners, club leaders, event directors, and corporate supporters attend the RRCA Convention.

Stay connected to the RRCA by liking them on Facebook and following them on Twitter and Instagram.

RAW is February's Club of the Month at CycleBar Are you looking for some cross training to supplement your running? Need an indoor workout for bad weather days when you just can't face the treadmill? CycleBar's Southlake studio, at Highway 114 and Carroll Ave, has selected LGRAW as club of the month for February. Click

here to receive 4 FREE class credits you can use at any ride in the month of February. (They also provide shoes.) Have a great time rocking your ride!

Visiting Sendai, Japan, Sister City of Dallas This year is the 25th Anniversary of the Sister City relationship of Dallas, Texas and Sendai, Japan. In celebration of this anniversary, the Japan America Society of Dallas Fort Worth has a special trip planned for sightseeing in the city and country and includes running the 27th Annual Sendai Half Marathon in May. This year only, anyone interested can join the group on a trip to Japan. Normally, only one male and one female runner is invited to the half marathon based on the fastest qualifying time.

Register before February 9 to take advantage of the lowest prices. For more information, review the flyer. For a more personal account, contact David Ball, RAW member, who ran the half marathon in 2014.

Water Duty Volunteers Thank you to the volunteers who have set water and Gatorade out on the course EVERY Saturday and Sunday! Without your kindness, there would be a LOT of thirsty runners and walkers on the course.

Many thanks to everyone that volunteered for Water Duty in January including Mike Yates, Ken Merte, Danyah Arafat­Johnson, Jack Hase, Edward Hinojos, Randy Nelson, Stacie Sauber and Randy Wolf.

The LGRAW board of directors recognizes and appreciates the effort made to get water and Gatorade out for our runners and walkers. As an extra incentive to volunteer for water duty, everyone who volunteers for Water Duty will be put in a quarterly drawing for a $50 Gift Card!

There are plenty of slots open in early 2017. Be sure to sign up!

RAW Off to the Races Join your fellow LGRAW members at these upcoming races: Cowtown Marathon, Half, & Ultra Sunday, February 26, 2017 Will Rogers Memorial Center, Fort Worth Grasslands Trail Run Saturday, March 18, 2017 LBJ National Grasslands Use code RAW10 to get 10% off registration Run 4 Elise 5K, 1­Mile Saturday, April 8, 2017 Southlake, TX

Footnotes Congratulations

To Erin McCarthy who completed her first marathon, the Disney Marathon.

To John Winstead who placed second overall in the Fall 2016 Texas Trail Running Championship Series, Trail Division.

To Melissa Schlenker who placed 2nd in the Texas State Weight Lifting Championship.

To the RAW team, Dirty Mindz, for earning 2nd place in the Mixed Masters Division of the Dallas Marathon. Team members were: Ray Harris, Noreen "Diva" Henry, Staci "Tini" Rivero, Kevin Wessels, and Jeff "Barney" Barnhart.

To Chris Barnwell for his top Masters finish at the Knob Hill Trail Run Half Marathon.

To Michelle "Drum" Blackard for achieving a new half marathon PR of 1:32:20 at the 3M Half Marathon in Austin, Texas.

Do you have an accomplishment to share? Let us know!

Lost & Found Left something at the clubhouse? Check to see if we found it. Unclaimed items are kept in the clear tote along the north wall of the Clubhouse (just outside the restroom).

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

The meeting will take place on Monday, February 13, 7 p.m. at the Clubhouse. All members are welcome to attend.

Do you have an agenda item you would like to add?

Email the board secretary by Thursday, February 9.

Calendar of Events February 5 Newbie Sunday and Pancake Breakfast 7 a.m., RAW Clubhouse

February 11 Horseshoe Trail Clean Up After morning run, RAW Clubhouse

February 13 RAW Board Meeting 7 p.m., RAW Clubhouse

February 20 20th Anniversary Happy Hour 5:30 p.m., Wise Guy's Pizza

February 21 Third Tuesday of the Month Social Run 6 p.m., Grapevine Craft Brewery

February 26 Cowtown Marathon, Half & Ultra Will Rogers Memorial Center, Fort Worth

Online

Social Media Not on Facebook?

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LGRAW Website

Ever wonder what's going on at RAW but didn't know where to look for the information?

Now it's not a problem! Check out our new Calendar of Events on the club website at lgraw.com .

It's even mobile­friendly, so check it out on your phone or other mobile device!

RAW Membership Privileges Sunstone Yoga (First Sunday of the month) FREE Yoga classes at ALL DFW area Sunstone Yoga locations. Print this newsletter as proof of your membership.

RunOn! 15% discount at RunOn! stores using the code: JRLOCALCONNECT

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

Lucy Receive 20% off full­priced items when you bring in your current race bib. Lucy carries fashion­forward yoga, running and workout wear and accessories for women.

Running Warehouse Enter LGRWD at checkout for 15% discount (exclusions apply).

Support RAW You can support RAW by making the purchases that you would make anyway.

At Tom Thumb, link your Reward card to RAW, and a portion of your purchases are donated to the club. Pick up a Reward Application at the Courtesy Booth and fill out the Good Neighbor section of the application. Indicate 8637 for RAW. More information is here.

AmazonSmile: By registering RAW as your preferred charity at Amazon, a portion of purchases that you initiate from smile.amazon.com will be donated to RAW. Make RAW your preferred charity by using our EIN 75­2722926. More information is here.

Footprint Submissions We are always looking for content to include in the FOOTPRINT. Share your race or training experiences with RAW! If you have a running/walking related story or photo you'd like to share with the club, consider submitting it for the FOOTPRINT. If writing is not a strength you possess, no problem. Just send us some notes and photos, and our happy article­writing elves will write it up and send it back for your approval. The deadline for submitting to the Footprint is the 22nd of each month. Provide more time if you need assistance with writing. Email pr@lgraw.com.

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