As 2006 comes to a close, my reflections of the year are all positive, both for A.R.E.C. and personally. Sure, not everything in my life was a flat, smooth road, but I’m quite certain everything happens for a reason, and what I learn from the bumps along the way make me better for it. And anyway, who wants a flat, smooth road all of the time? It’s the peaks and valleys that let you know you’re alive! And without the valleys, the peaks wouldn’t mean as much.
After a series of nagging injuries in the early to mid part of the year, my running came back stronger than before. Currently, my race times at all distances are as low as they’ve been in the last 5 years or more. I guess 40 is the new 30. I have even discovered a new love… trail running. I am seeing places up close that I’ve only in the past viewed from a distance. And it is making me stronger in the process. I plan on doing more trail races in 2007, and keep on doing whatever I’m doing right. If it ain’t broke…
The year was as busy and fun as I’ve ever had with the club! The Jimmy Stewart Relay Marathon attracted 7 full teams. We completed the Shack to Shack relay this year without the need for paramedic assistance. Half and full marathon training was again very successful! The beach and pasta parties were both well attended and a lot of fun. Membership was up again, which will allow us to keep the annual fee the same, while doing more things for the club. I want to thank everyone who has participated in any club fun run or event this year, for it is your willingness and desire to be active and healthy that makes all of this possible. I foresee more big things for A.R.E.C. in 2007.
Finally, my thoughts move towards two of our members that did not make it through this past year: Mel Mirliss and Heather Stevens. Thank you for your donations and support for their respective causes… it made a huge difference! We still love them and miss them, and they will forever be a part of this club and our lives. I know that I am a better person because of them both. Here is to a happy and healthy 2007! -- Todd Rose
I hope to recover from my stress fracture and get back to my 35 year routine of jogging 3 miles, 4 times a week. Mele Kalikimaka! -- Dennis Murphy
Since I have been a member for 2.5 years, attend
50% of the Wednesday runs and probably only
know 2 or 3 members by name - my goal is to meet
and remember 10 names who I have run with and
spoken to over the years! -- As a person, I am looking to grow new friendships
over the next year, both in my work and social
networks. I really hope to attend more of the AREC
fun runs and get to know our fellow members
better. Beyond knowing them as runners I hope to
know them outside of their 'shoes and shorts'
personas.
As a runner, I hope to log 1000 miles over the next
year while remaining injury free. I'm moving into a
new age group this coming year and figure that if I
can’t be competitive in age group racing this year
then I'll have to resign myself to being a "social"
runner. I hope to continue to run with my son Brian
as long as I can without slowing him down too
much.
2006 was a year of change for me: children growing
up and moving out; changing jobs and meeting new
challenges. 2007 will be an exciting year and I'm
looking forward to it! -- Dave Kuntz
My goal for 2007 is to relax more and not get upset
about things I can't control...like my snail-like
running times! Also to appreciate the things I have
come to take for granted, like you guys...thanks! --
Rick Sanger
My reflections on 2006 - lots of change punctuated
by some great events. Joining AREC and having the
chance to meet so many friendly, outgoing people
has been terrific. This is the first running club I
have ever joined and I suspect it is probably one of
the best around. My goals for 2007 are to keep
running, travel more, and continue to try and get
the most out of life. -- Tom Armfield
My goals for the year are as follows:
*Get my life back together.
Not too long ago I read an article about setting
running goals, I think it was in Running Times. And
when you (Tam) sent your request out I have
thought about it even more. The article made a
really good point: it's easy to fail if the goals are to
achieve things which are not truly in our control. So
my goals are for things I think I can control, my own
behaviors or habits:
** Stretching. I have really slacked off on this
Let's see last year I said I wanted to run 6 halves and
I ran 12. So this year, I'd like to run 12 halves and
stay injury free. -- Kate Rupley
My Goal for 2007 - HAVE MORE FUN! -- Linda
Lazarus
Goals for 2007:
To be able to run a trail marathon well and in a good
time and conquer the down hills!
Also to become more social in 2007! -- Roberta
Bonifacio
Running goals for 2007 - Complete LB marathon in
one piece and finish a 5k under 24 minutes.
Other goals for 2007 - Get my friends to run and stop
eating junk food. -- Roland Chhun
I would like to be a bit more involved in the social
part of the club in the coming year. Not like sitting
on the board or anything. More like just getting to
know the people in the club a bit better. I may
actually go to club events other than Wed. nites. By
nature I'm a bit shy in group settings so I've just
been running hard to make myself known. So I'm on
my way to accomplishing my other goal which is to
get faster. Anyway, I've enjoyed being a part of
Wed. nites and look forward to the coming year. –
Steven Lee
We want to start a family. – Rich Satow
Not to start a family. – Colleen Shea
Twice as much fun in ’07 as ’06. I do not want to
start a family. I will lead my family life through
Colleen and Rich. – Zack Menke
I’ve never had a goal. My goal is to continue to
never have a goal. – Inger Nelson
To keep running. Reflection: It’s important to stay
healthy. – Bob Beachler
Party like a rock star. – Dan L.
Break 3:45 in the marathon. Do more trails. AREC
should do more relays. – Laura Chaides
Bigger hills. – Chuck Sohaskey
My goal is to stay on the right side of the grass. –
Bernard Dean Mills
Reflection: All of my kids are employed. Goal: Stay
healthy. – Ed Villalobos
I didn’t run as much as I should have (but I will in
2007.) My goal in 2007 is to the run the Chicago
Marathon because it’s the 30th Anniversary of the
race. I want to be more disciplined, get faster overall
and be a social lion (Bernard’s goal for me!) It’s
been another wonderful AREC year and I thank you
all for your support and friendships! -- Tam
Premsrirath
2006: I didn’t drink enough beer. 2007: I want to
drink more beer. – Ian Varley
Qualify for Boston, 3:20. – Johnny Zea
Have a great time in India. – Ken Peterson
Forget about 2006. Be a better person in 2007. –
Stacy Shourt
2006 really sucked. 2007 has to be better. If I
survive it, it has to be better. – Steve Mills
My goal is to win my age division in the 5K. – Rickey
Bobbitt
My primary goal is to beat Claudia Torres in just one
trail run. My secondary goal is to beat my last
marathon time by 30 minutes. Thanks to Mark Fell
for introducing us to the challenging trail runs! --
Geri Rosser
My goal for 2007 is to stay consistent with my
running. Break 4 hours in the marathon. And
continue to build my friend base through AREC. –
Kristin Deatherage
My goal for 2007 is to do a half marathon and still
form a sentence at the end. – Nicole Ahern
2006 was rough for me. I was coming back from
injury. So 2006 was just getting back into it. And
2007, mainly to stay healthy so I can run. Have fun
with it. – John Hunter
Not get hurt in the Ironman and to have more fun!
-- Sterling Kwong
I want to run the LA Marathon, San Diego Rock ‘n’
Roll Marathon and the Long Beach Marathon. –
Kristy Browns
Running in costume makes the race so much better.
– Stacy Embretson
Reflections from '06 -- "Though difficult physically &
emotionally, '06 was possibly my most successful
ever."
Goals for '07 - "One more step, one more mailbox,
one more lightpole..." -- Rick Garrido
I want to run 3 or 4 half marathons this year and do
a triathlon and I want to get faster. And I want to
get pregnant. – Suzanne Mapes
The first six months of 2006 were great, as I had run
9 half marathons (including 4 in 6 weeks). I was in
3rd place in AREC total race miles, trailing Emmett
Rahl by only 12.5 miles and ahead of the pesky Dona
McBride (ha) by 17.7 miles. I even had plans to step
it up a notch and pass Emmett, thinking by brute
force I could overcome Emmett’s insider knowledge
of those generally unknown “Sheriff’s Races” and his
almost sole knowledge of “AREC Bonus Races”. Yes,
2006 was shaping up to be a great year for this 60
year old “Rookie of the Year”.
Then while running the Summer Solstice Watermelon
10K in El Dorado Park, I aggravated an old stress
fracture in my lower left leg. Having been through
this injury three times previously, I knew I would not
be able to run a single step for at least eight weeks.
I was devastated, as not only would my AREC race
miles go in the dumper, it would mean I couldn’t run
the Long Beach Marathon, the only full marathon I
typically run each year, as we were already two
months into the Saturday morning training runs.
I decided to turn my frustration into a positive, and
started volunteering to hand out water on Saturday
mornings to the marathon training runners, typically
at the later miles. However after two weeks of this I
started feeling sorry for myself, for if you are injured
and can’t run, imagine what it’s like to sit and watch
40 healthy people run by you. So I made up an
excuse why I wouldn’t be there the next week,
thinking I’d feel a lot better if I didn’t have to be
around all those damn healthy runners.
While it felt great to sleep in the next Saturday, I
became acutely aware of what a lousy thing I had
done, allowing Todd to be there, coordinating all the
day’s activities, riding around on his bike handing out
water, while I stayed home feeling sorry for myself.
As a result, I returned the next week (and all the
following weeks) and felt much better that I was able
to contribute by handing out water to the training
runners.
Eventually I was able to slowly start running short
distances again, and actually ended up running the
LB Half, although my serious lack of training resulted
in my missing a PR by only 35 minutes (ha).
My 2007 goals are to simply enjoy the experience of
running and racing with all my AREC friends and to
stay healthy, rather than constantly worrying about
how many races I’ll be able to schedule this month,
next month, etc. I’m doing 4 “half’s” in the next 2
months, not to run up my AREC mileage, but rather
to do those races that I have come to know and
enjoy. It feels great to simply show up and race, to
not worry about PR’s, and to not go immediately to
the AREC Newsletter section that shows the race
miles for the year to date. Perhaps this is what
running is intended to be anyway.
Finally, I’d like to wish all the AREC runners a most
happy and prosperous New Year! -- Win Freeman
2007 Running Goal:
Run the "Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon" in Alaska
this June and finish under 4:30
(http://www.mayorsmarathon.com/) -- Mark Fell
My goals for 2007 are to set new PRs in all distances
I race, and to look for and take opportunities to make
random acts of kindness. :-) -- Dona McBride
I have a significant reflection from the year 2006. It
is of our fellow AREC member Heather Stevens. Dear,
precious friend of so many of us. From our sight
and touch, we had to say good-bye to her in June.
But in our hearts and minds, we will never have to
say good-bye. Through her incredible spirit; the way
she lived, loved, cared, and fought, I (and no doubt
scores of others) learned a great deal about life. I
think it should be a lifetime resolution to continually
reflect on those lessons, to keep us focused on
what's important in life. -- Steve Schatz
*Break 2:06 in the 800m
*Run 17:55 5K
*4:39 for the 1500M
-- Tim Hickok
**A race a month
**A little less beer. Drink more slowly.
**Listen better and be more considerate
**Be nicer to Todd, he's such a Mensch!
-- Liz Burger
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This page created on February 22, 2010 by ED Rahl