They call us the three musketeers and AREC has made us such. The title is carried proudly by all three of us.
It started with Diane over 4 years ago. She wanted to run a marathon after she retired and got AREC's name and meeting place from a friend. It was nearing the end of the summer and she had only been running with the club for a few weeks and BAM! she twisted her ankle (badly) and was out of the running club for the next 6-8 weeks. Diane lagged all that winter, but with AREC's and the LA Roadrunner's help, was in shape to run her first marathon in the spring.
Soon after, Laura arrived on the scene with her son, Josh, riding his bicycle. A friendship ensued quite quickly. Laura could barely keep up with Diane at this point. (It's hard to imagine there was a time like that!)
Diane prodded and Laura just kept running faster and faster. The AREC friendship continued. The following year, Diane and Laura both ran LA Marathon. They finished together in 5-1/2 hours. Soon after this marathon, Barbara sailed into the picture. Barb and her husband, Paul, sailed Iris, their boat, from Port Townsend, WA, to Long Beach. Paul, who works for Mobil, left for a two-month work stint, and Barbara found AREC soon after. Laura and Diane had found their third.
AREC is more than a running club; it is a social event, a place to meet friends. Now Laura and Diane had someone to prod (that is, Barbara). Soon after, she was talked into running the next LA Marathon. Yes, the three musketeers ran it (but not together). Laura took off like a little jackrabbit and came in right around 5 hours. Diane trailed at about 5:15, and Barb at 6 hours. But, WOW, they ALL did it!
In November 1999, the Long Beach Marathon was reinstated and Laura broke 4 hours!, Diane 5 hours and Barbara ran a half-marathon PR. Now we have a new millenium (ed. upon us). Laura is becoming unbeatable, Diane is riding a bicycle, and Barbara is getting ready to sail back into the sunset to Washington (but she is happy to announce she will return in about 2 years or sooner). AREC will not be forgotten nor will the Three Musketeers. AREC will continue on for many years and so will our friendships!