The Rundown
ISSUE #65
October 24, 2016
From the Top
By PRA President Jason Libbert

Volunteer of the Year
 
Once a year, we like to recognize a special person who goes above and beyond to help the Pensacola Runners Association succeed.  Whether its serving on the board, helping on race day, directing a race, passing out water, working packet pick-up or any of the numerous jobs that must be done, we rely 100% on people who give of their time, effort, and expertise to make the PRA "run."  Everyone associated with the management of our organization is a volunteer - we do not have any paid staff.  It really is amazing how much the PRA accomplish with volunteers - people who have day jobs, families, and other obligations, but find time to support the PRA.  And for that, the entire PRA Board says a big "Thank you!"  
 
So now onto the reward and recognition part.  We are now accepting nominations for the Volunteer of the Year.  There are only two qualifications - this person is a current member of the PRA and they have in fact, volunteered.  If you are unsure if your person you would like to nominate is a current member, we will double check the person before selecting.  Please send your nominee's name and a brief description as to why you are nominating to PensacolaRunnersAssociation@gmail.com.  Our board will review all the applicants and choose the winner.  The deadline for nominations is November 30, 2016.  The person will be announced in December and be recognized at our NEW January social (more info to come).
 
Again, on behalf of myself and the PRA Board, thank you for supporting, volunteering, and running and walking PRA events.  Until next time, have fun, run safe, and we'll see you at the finish line! 

Registr ation Now Open For the Following PRA Events:

 
Recent Results from PRA and PRA Partner Events

2016 Pensacola Seafood Don McCloskey 5K Recap
By Race Director Michele Williams

 


The 201 6 Pensacola Seafood Don McCloskey 5K is in the books and I would like to take this moment to both provide a brief recap and thank each parti cipant, volunteer and sponsor who came out and made it such a great success!

I know there were a lot of questions as to why we did not hold the race on the same weekend as the Pensacola Seafood Festival this year. While the Festival remains a great partner of the PRA, the weekend for which it was scheduled (October 1, 2016) was simply packed with races! We felt that in order to give as many runners as possible the opportunity to come out and experience this event, it was best to move our race up a week. We look forward to the 2017 Pensacola Seafood Don McCloskey 5K which will occur on September 30, 2017, the same day as the Pensacola Seafood Festival!  

With 548 registered participant and 460 finishers, numbers were slightly down but spirit wasn' t! Hours before the sun was to come up, volunteers began arriving at Seville Quarter with smiles (and coffee) in hand to begin hauling barricades, laying cones, setting  up tables and doing everything else necessary to make an event like this happen. 

Lorenzo Aguilar and Jim Hagy did a fantastic job marking our brand new course, which allowed runners a loop around the historic south Palafox Circle! Men's w inner Justin Turner sped around the course, following right behind the Allen Turner Hyundai Pace Car (containing members of the McCloskey Family) and cycle support from Gulf Coast Cycle and Tri and fending off a challenge from runner up Dewayne Riley for a 16:20 time on a beautiful morning. On the women's side, Ashley Carter emerged victorious in 22:23, just ahead of runner up Paula Piazza!  All o f our runners were spurred along by our amazing cheering and water stations, which were manned by Phat Girlz, Jacos, Krewe de Karnival and Advanced Dental Concepts. They also got a little bit of extra support from Kazoo from the Blue Wahoos, Lloyd's Cow, the Dr. Fishbein mascot and the a some folks dressed up as vegetables that turned out to be nurses from the Escambia County Health Department!

Finally, once the race was done, it was time to party! Seville Quarter was an amazing host as always, as runners rewarded themselves with shrimp, vegetables, fish tacos, chicken, pasta, subway sandwiches, pizza, fruit, beer and live music from the Dunnottar Band! Those feeling a little sore also enjoyed post race massages provided by ALaura Massage.

The support the community has always shown for this event has never ceased to amaze and this year was no different, as our sponsors and volunteers were too many to name individually, however I do want to especially thank committee members Lorenzo Aguilar, Jason Libbert, Austin Adkison, Steve Lipe, Heidi Lipe, Brian Carter, Ashley carter, Jim Readdy, Sherry Readdy, Mark Rask, Kim Stewart and Jennifer Taft. This event would truly not be possible to produce without their talents, efforts and support. I also want to extend my sincerest thanks to our always amazing announcer Susi Lyon and the McCloskey Family. 

That's a wrap for this year. I hope to see you all next fall for the 2017 Pensacola Seafood Don McCloskey 5K!


Free Gate Analysis Event for all PRA Members Offered by Select Physical Therapy!

All current PRA Members are invited out to the Pensacola State College Track at 5:30 PM on Wednesday, November 2, 2016 to receive a free gate analysis! Select Physical Therapy Athletic Trainers will be on hand to monitor all participants as they run a mile around the track and receive a form assessment and tips on how to become a more efficient runner. The event schedule is as follows:

Pensacola State College Track, 1000 College Blvd. Pensacola, FL 32504
  • 5:30 PM: Check-In/Program
  • 6:00 PM: Mile Run/Gate Analysis
  • 6:30 PM: Event Conclusion
Four attendees will be chosen to receive a free computer video analysis session with the trainers at a later date, a $150 value! Also, just for being a PRA member, you can sign up for the Video Analysis for only $75.


How they Train
With J.R. Tierney 



Age 35

Did you compete in high school or collegiate cross country or track?  I competed in track during high school in South Sioux City Nebraska.  I went to state in the 400, the 4x4 relay and triple jump.

How many years have you been running?  I started running at a early age to run with my Dad.  From about the age of 8 to 16 I ran mostly 10k's until high school, then concentrated more on the 400 and football.  I played two years of college football and took 12 years off from running.  This was not a good idea fitness or health wise!  35 pounds later I slowly started back.

Lifetime personal records:  5K:   18:05  ( turkey day 5k);  10k: 37:31 (corn huskers  state games);  1/2 mar:   1:21  (Omaha);  marathon:   3:19  (gasparilla);  70.3 Ir onman: 5:10 (Augusta)

Running achievements for which you are most proud:   I'm most proud of my first marathon, which was Disney in 2010. Nothing like running in Florida and having to watch out for ice on the road at the water stops. My sister (Nichole who is a much better runner than I am) flew in from California to run with me.  We had fun with it although not a great finish time of   4:20 .  The sense of achievement that I felt when I finished was incredible.  That marathon kicked me into gear.  

What events do you train for and what are your training goals? My training goals are very season to season: anything from 5K's, marathons or triathlons. Boston is a goal of mine and so is finishing an Ironman.

How many miles to you typically run when not injured and consistently running?  I'm not a high or big mileage person. I just trying to enjoy running and stay healthy.  Depending on what we have coming up it ranges from 40 miles a week up to 75.

What does your typical week of running look like?
  • Monday: Off
  • Tuesday: 6-8
  • Wednesday: 3-5 Easy
  • Thursday: 6-8
  • Friday: Off/3 Easy
  • Saturday: 10-20 Long Run
  • Sunday: 3-4 Easy
How does your training vary over the course of a year? In the summer months it varies with shorter races such as 5K's and 10k's.  The mileage comes down and the focus is more on quicker paced runs versus later in the year.  Later in the year the mileage increases and the runs are longer and slower paced.

Do you take recovery or down time? Maybe a few days off but not weeks.  Even if it's nothing more than a few easy miles I try to stay active.  swim bike run

What injuries have hampered your training over the past year? I've had issues in the past with my calf's and piriformis.  Sometimes it just takes a little time off and a lot of massages and  ICE to feel better.  Other times just a plain old LONG run seems to work things out.

What type of running shoes do you prefer? I'm a fan of "On" running shoes the "Cloud" .  Also  a fan of newton running shoes. I have a pair of brooks pure flow and I try to rotate throughout the week.

Do you stretch? Ha ha nope! I have about as much flexibility as a railroad tie.  

What are your favorite running routes? Mostly downtown along the water, especially early in the morning when you catch the moon and see the sun coming up at the same time.  What a great way to start the day. 

What running resources do you like that would benefit someone else?  We have such a great athletic community in Pensacola with so many helpful  athletes and  if you just get out and enjoy the run and talk to any of the other athletes there is a wealth of knowledge.  Like Ronald Reagan  said, "TRUST BUT VERIFY".  There can be some bad information out there too.  Running Wild is a good resource Tri Gulf Coast  has a lot of very helpful people PRA has good, helpful members.

What advice do you have for beginning or experienced runners to help them with their training? Enjoy YOUR journey! I get up every morning and say "Today I get to run," not ugh I have to run. I simply love to run and I love to run for myself -it's YOU vs YOU. My Dad would tell me when I  was a kid, "I felt sad I had no shoes till I saw a man who had no feet". Every day is not easy but it could always be worse and I'm grateful for everything I have.  I can get up and still go out to run, its my run my journey.

ENJOY YOURS!


Swimming Calms the Running Mind
By Theresa Hess of Tri Gulf Coast

Many athletes will tell you they use swimming as a "filler" exercise, something you do when you are injured or you have to do while training for a triathlon; but there is more value to swimming than just these moments of "must" do swimming. One of the best values comes in letting go in the water. While many
runners use running to let go of their thoughts there are still many distractions- c ars, music, other runners, impact pains, road conditions. These distractions run my mind
in circles, at times not letting me calm down while out on the road.  In the water, swimming, these distractions disappear. No longer do I hear the world's distractions, instead the world becomes quiet the only sound is the water rushing past, the splash of your arms as they cut into the water, and the rhythm of your breathing. Here, in the water, the world disappears, the pain in my knee and hips fades away, and my mind quiets while my body finds its true rhythm, to stretch out, and glide with no resistance.

People ask me why I swim so much or for so long, the answer I have for them is that same as the answer I received when I asked an ultra-marathoner how he could run so far- "You slow down." This isn't to say you are not getting a good workout nor does it mean you have no speed, it is to say you let go and let your body do what it knows how to do and has been trained to do- this slows your mind down. Your mind has to give up control and trust your body as you "slow down". In this moment of trust you find out how far you can push your body, how much you can take of repetitive motion, and how to find peacefulness while challenging yourself.

This translates on race day to being able to calm your mind by hearing the water rush by and letting go of the world. You know you can trust your body to push on without your mind getting in the way, and you can "slow down" in order to speed up. I challenge you to take sometime in the water, not because you have to but because you want to. You don't have to be the best swimmer out there, take a deep breath and go- freestyle stroke, breast stroke, back stroke, just let go. Use the water to train you to let go of your running mind. Don't get caught up on time or distance, find the rhythm your body knows at its core, then trust your body to do what it knows to do when all the pressure of the world is lifted.

Happy Swimming!!!


Registration Now Open For the Following Events by PRA Partners:
  

November 13, 2016
 

February 4, 2016

 
September PRA Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
September 13, 2016; 5:30 PM
Pensacola Sports Board Room
                                                    
Meeting was called to order by President Jason Libbert at 5:37 pm. President Jason Libbert  welcomed everyone and roll call was taken.

Board Members in Attendance:  Jason Libbert, Austin Adkison, Steve Lipe, Mark Rask, Michele Williams, Craig Henry, Jared Brandenburg

Guests in Attendance: Caleb Carmichael, Kim Stewart 

Previous Month's Minutes:  Minutes from the August 2016 Board of Directors Meeting were read and a motion to accept was made by Mark R. and seconded by Craig Henry. Motion passed.

President's Report: Jason L. said that Brian C. had proposed that board members who want to participate in a race should be comped by the PRA. There was discussion by several members and this proposal was denied. Jason also presented the PRA Road Race Management Manual. He said it was last revised in 2007 and needs updating. 

Vice President's Report: Austin A. advised that he was still in the process of working on the current by-laws. He also advised that he and Jason have reached out to Tiger Point West for possibly having a trail run and also doing a membership run sometime in the future. 

Treasurers Report:  Jennifer T. reported that Seafood monies and bills were still coming in and this should be hopefully closed by next meeting. All other financials are in good shape. A motion was made by Jared to approve the financial report and it was seconded by Mark R. Motion passed.

Events:
  • Pensacola Seafood Don McCloskey 5K: Michele W. reported that everything was coming together smoothly. She is in good shape for the volunteers. The food vendors are all in line. Shirts are finished. Both Runners and Walkers will receive the same top awards. There will be different bib colors for runners and walkers and there will be a one minute delay for walkers. At the time of this meeting the registration was up will be at Running Wild on the Friday before the race and there will be late packet pickup along with late registration on the morning of the race at Seville. 

Other:  A nyone wanting to contribute to The Rundown should have their stories in to Jason or Eric as soon as possible. Jason also reminded all board members to make sure they are paid up and in good standing as members. 

Caleb requested a donation be made to the UWF/CC team to help partially subsidize a bus for travel to Fayettville, NC for an upcoming October event. A motion was made by Michele to donate $286.63 and this was seconded by Jennifer. This amount was left in the budgeted donation account. Motion passed.


Meeting was adjourned at 6:54 PM.




All current PRA members are invited to the University of West Florida Track at 5:30 PM each Monday evening for a FREE interval workout overseen by UWF Cross Country Coach Caleb Carmichael! To learn more, join our Facebook Group .


Call for Volunteers

The PRA is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to promote, support and develop running, walking and racing along Florida's North
ern Gulf Coast. We want the dollars spent by the running community spent on the running community, to enhance the experience of being a runner or walker in Northwest Florida.

The events and programs we produce would not be possible without the support of the Pensacola area's active and involved community of runners and w alkers. That said, we are always looking for new blood to get involved and help take us to the next level. 

We currently have open positions on our Volunteer Coordination Committee and our  Equipment/Course Coordination Committee . Both of these 
extremely important roles provide excellent and fulfilling opportunities to meet some great folks and to get involved in the local fitness community. 
If you'd like more information about either of these positions or other ways to get involved please send your your inquiry and contact information to the PRA at PensacolaRunnersAssociation@gmail.com. To be added to our general volunteer database, please submit your information here.


    
Membership

The Pensacola Runners Association brings together runners, walkers and fitness enthusiasts to promote, support and develop running and racing along the Northern Gulf Coast. Our objective is to provide information, education, training, social and sporting events for competitive and noncompetitive runners and walkers of all ages, races, genders and abilities.

Benefits:
  • Discounted entry rates on the full calendar of PRA Races/Events, including FREE entry to our Membership Run
  • The chance to eat, drink and socialize with fellow runners at our free, members only social events
  • Access to our action packed monthly newsletter: "the Rundown"
  • Eligibility for the Lou Gregory, Jim Harrington and Volunteer of the Year Awards
  • Access to free, members only weekly interval workouts overseen by a professional Coach
  • The chance to do your part to promote, support and develop running and racing along the Northern Gulf Coast
 

Thanks to our Organizational Sponsors!





 
PensacolaRunnersAssociation@gmail.com 

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A PENSACOLA RUNNERS ASSOCIATION PUBLICATION