Empire Runners Annual Club Party coming January 31 Registration ends Wednesday, January 28 - SPACE LIMITED TO 125 The Empire Runner January 2015 Volume XLIII, No. 1 www.empirerunners.org New Year, New President for Empire Runners “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.” -Groucho Marx o paraphrase Groucho, the only person who was more surprised to have me elected president of Empire Runners was my long-suffering wife. Yes, I have served on the board for a few years, as secretary and race T director, so I have a good idea how the club works. I’ve been around long enough to know that in most organizations the president (insert CEO, captain, boss, dad, manager) is propped up by many, more competent people working behind the scenes. Several years ago I worked on the committee that re-wrote the club bylaws to bring us into compliance with the state laws regarding governance. Part of that re-write was to stipulate that after the seven board members are elected by the membership in December, the officers are selected by the board. When we met on January 2, there were two new board members, so it wasn’t really fair to make them president right off the bat. Fortunately, Tanya was willing to stay on in her position as treasurer extraordinaire for another year, so I knew we were in great shape. We discussed the various duties and, long story short, after arm-wrestling myself, I emerged victorious. The dust had barely settled, but I felt like a politician who had made campaign promises that must be obscured when, at the Sunday morning run, someone asked me what was in store for the President Berg at McGuire’s club this year. I didn’t have a prepared response, but here’s a quick Breakfast Run 2014 list of ideas: • Re-organize the Summer Track series for quicker and more accurate results; • More involvement with high school runners; • A “Montecito mile” or similar event; • Fill three critical volunteer positions: permits and insurance, race director for Annadel Loop, another newsletter editor; • Make member interaction more up-to-date and timely, through social media, Facebook, blogs, and • Summer picnic to include families and kids, proposed to the board by Peter Kirk at the December meeting. Tentatively August 9 at Morton Hot Springs in Kenwood. Stay tuned for details. I’m afraid I have some big Nike Frees to fill as I take over this position from Larry Meredith, who has guided the club for several years with insight and humor. If you haven’t noticed already, I’m not the same talented writer and repository of arcane trivia of running (or football), but with the help of many, our club will thrive. I look forward to a year of new motivation, PRs, and healthy competition at whatever level you’re comfortable with. - Paul Berg EMPIRE RUNNERS NEWSLETTER, January 2015 www.empirerunners.org Ex-President’s Message Ringing in the New The editors of The Empire Runner certainly are well as serving to host our Summer Track Series among the most relieved to see my three-plus in rotation with other local schools. years of club presidency come to an end. My tendency to procrastinate in the creation of my Tanya Narath has been on our BOD since its monthly missive has been a thorn in their side inception in late 2011. She has held the office of although they have never directly expressed Treasurer even longer. It is safe to say that the that sentiment to me. I am thankful for their BOD treasures Tanya in that role. She has patience and their forgiving nature. worked through several sticky tax-related issues for the club over the years. And she has Here I am, one last time, at least a week late. So organized our annual awards banquet for quite late that your new president, Paul Berg, has some time now. Last year she orchestrated the stepped in to carry the baton. From my move of that event from the cramped confines knowledge of Paul’s previous and current work of the Luther Burbank Art & Garden Center to for the club I am sure that our editors will have the spacious ballroom at the Finley Center. one less thing to worry about at the end of each month. Election for three seats on the board was held in December and the votes were counted at our In the past couple of years Paul has taken on the club meeting. Chris Mason, who was first duties of co-director (along with Brad Zanetti) of elected to the board two years ago, was re- both our Summer Track Series and our Student elected. Chris has been on the board the past Grant Fund program. Paul was elected to the ER two years and is the designer and master of our board of directors (BOD) a year ago. When he’s impressive club website. In addition to helping not racing you might see him with his camera at with timing and results at nearly all of our club one of our events. races, Chris directs a few races of his own, most notably the Clo Cow Half-Marathon and 5K in Fellow second-year BOD member Luis Rosales Petaluma each fall. There are a number of us has been named club Vice President. Luis is the tech-challenged club officials who rely heavily head coach of cross country and track & field at on Chris in this digital age. Piner High School where he has rejuvenated those programs in terms of both participation There are two fresh faces on the board who will and performance. Luis, along with his wife and help guide the club over at least the next two assistant coach Melanie, has also cultivated a years. Nuvit Foster is addicted to marathons, spirit of volunteerism among his team members having completed more than 70 of them in the and their parents. You may have noticed how past 25 years. She has been a member of our vital a role they play in helping us put on the club cross country team for several seasons. Resolution Run and the Kenwood Footrace as Nuvit, unlike me, exhibits a calm, nurturing The Empire Runners Club | www.empirerunners.org | [email protected] persona. She is one of those rare people that Continuing into his you just can’t imagine someone saying second year on the something bad about. Nuvit will be a great board but stepping addition to our BOD. down as Vice President, Bill Browne has been a source of great ideas for our club over the years. Last year was his first as the Grand Prix Czar for our club’s racing points series and I was impressed with his work. He will continue in that role in 2015. Thanks, Bill, for filling in for me when travel called Karen Frindell Teuscher me away on several occasions last year. I am thankful that the club did not disintegrate Nuvit Foster during my three years in the big chair. I can honestly tell you that there were a number of The first time I met Karen Frindell Teuscher a nights I lost sleep wondering if things were few years ago I liked her immensely. I was in unraveling, despite my knowledge that it was the habit of giving nicknames to those who being held together by a number of incredibly attended our workouts on a regular basis and it talented and dedicated volunteers and my didn’t take me long to start calling her knowledge that this organization has never been “Sunshine.” Her face often beams with warmth more financially stable. and energy and it is contagious. In recent years Karen took on the assistant coach position for I encourage you club members who have been the Montgomery High School cross country on the sidelines to roll up your sleeves and pitch team under Val Sell and last year volunteered to in. There are plenty of opportunities, just ask co-direct our Ilsanjo Classic, teaming up with our president. Eric Walker and Eric Downing. Having her on - Larry Meredith the board is good news for the club. The Empire Runners Club | www.empirerunners.org | [email protected] Where No Wolfman Has Gone Before And update from 2011 club president Alex Wolf-Root This was supposed to be about my badass marathon debut on 12/13/14, except it wasn’t so badass. Instead let’s just give an overall update, shall we? (The marathon story itself prompted the creation of a blog, so for a hopefully-entertaining-but-painful story, check out wolfmanhorsecow.blogspot.com) I was actually running the CO 5-mile Championships here, but this picture illustrates the newness (CO + marathon) pretty well. It’s been a bit over a year since I left my home of Annadel State Park Sonoma County and I’m sure you’ve all been wondering “Where’s the Wolfman?!” (Okay okay, it may be more “What the heck is a woofman?!”, but I choose to believe the former.) As those of you who follow me on the twitter (@WolfmanHorsecow) are aware, last fall I moved to the “running Mecca” of Boulder, CO, ostensibly to pursue a PhD in philosophy, but moreso to follow this whole running dream thing. And while the trails have nothing on Sonoma County, the amount of badass runners here is staggering. It’s humbling running times that have won some races back home, in workouts, while getting dropped by others, at ~5,500 feet.