Tandy Blaylock

Our female NRC Runner of the Month has been with the crew longer than most, but while she’s been building her miles and speed, she’s also somehow managed to run under the radar!  So, without further ado, we’re psyched to feature a determined self-competitor and quiet encourager, Tandy Blaylock!

Tandy heard about NRC from her neighbor, Shawn Berkau, and started running with the group in January 2011.  At the time, a typical group on a Wednesday night or Saturday morning would be about 5 to 10 people, so she said, “In the early days they always had to circle back for me!”

At one point in our training cycles, I had the personal honor of running fairly regularly with Tandy and a few other amazing NRC women as we pushed ourselves, and each other, closer to our ambitious pace goals.  I will always remember those runs; the challenge of the training eased by the effortlessness of the conversation.  Even though our goals have changed, I know I can still count on Tandy and those ladies for support when needed.

Running and Tandy go way back.  A St. Louis native, having lived in 6 states, 13 cities, and 24 homes/apartments, she’s blazed a path along her way, but technically, she began the sport of running at age 14.  As a freshman on the cross-country and track teams in high school she found her legs.  She continued running as an adult sticking to 5ks and 10ks, but she started upping her distance goals when she began running with NRC.

As a child, Tandy was always on the move.  She enjoyed gymnastics, softball and water skiing; plus she has 3 older brothers who would take her skiing, skate boarding, and riding on their motorcycles.

It was no mistake that she met another mover and shaker in James Blaylock!  Her trainer at the Knoxville restaurant, Gradys Goodtimes, James who is over 6’ tall found his match in this 5’ 1” go-getter.  There is nothing this duo can’t tackle together be it long-distance moves and running injuries, or the many happy triumphs they’ve had along the way!  The happy couple just celebrated their 20^th anniversary on April 8^th and they will be going to Vegas this summer to celebrate!

James also happens to be an incredible athlete and they have two gifted daughters who have clearly inherited their parents’ athletic genes.  I asked Tandy to help me remember a few of their accomplishments:  James completed the IronMan 2009 Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and qualified 4 times for the Amateur World Championships in the sport of Duathlon. Taylor (16) swims 6 days a week including 5am practices 2 mornings a week – year round and has run several 5ks and enjoyed a 10k.   Jamie (14) is the reigning state record holder for the ½ marathon as 12 year old and her 13 year old PR is 1:36:36, all of this as she somehow manages to run cross country and track, plus swim year round.  This just goes to show how dedicated this family is to meeting their personal goals… I mean, seriously!!! 🙂

As a family they love just about any outdoor activity – hiking, fishing, camping and just throwing the Frisbee or football.  They enjoy white water rafting, snorkeling and hanging out at the beach, and Tandy takes the girls to Dollywood several times a year.  They run races together when they can, but have found that as a family trails are really fun!

Tandy has several favorite races including the Middle Half, which she completed in 2012 and 2013, and her first marathon, the 2015 Carmel Full.  She loves taking on races with her extended family and regularly meets up with her brothers, nephew and parents at the Expo 5k/10k and Hot to Trot Thanksgiving 5k/10k in Knoxville.  Quick on her feet and a speedy opponent when she wants to be, Tandy has won several trophies at races, but balances her competitive streak well with her laid back approach to life and running.

Since she just completed her first racing Full Marathon, she is thinking about focusing on 5ks and 10ks once again and ramping up her speed work.  She plans to run another Full someday and try again for a sub 4-hour time.  She was crazy close to hitting her goal on her first attempt; so I can’t wait to cheer her on when she crushes that time in her next go around!

With keeping up with two ridiculously busy teens and ensuring Nolensville kids are eating healthy through her work as Sunset Schools Cafeteria Assistant Manager, it can be hard to find time to get out and run.  But, she and James are like a championship pro-wrestling tag-team, supporting each other from “the mat” and making sure each member of the family gets their workouts in during the week!

So, why does she keep coming back to NRC?  “For the people,” said Tandy.  “I love running with people and getting to know everyone.”  If you haven’t had the joy of running with Tandy, I hope this article has helped you get to know her a little more, too.  Congrats Tandy!  You are such a dedicated, long-time member of our crew and a perfect example of the spirit of NRC!

ROTM Speed Round
Runner of the Month quick-fire question section

The story behind her name: My mom, Shirley, heard it in a movie.  Her name was so common that she wanted something unique for me.

Something surprising about you that no one in NRC would guess?  I went to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show and acted out several of the characters 40+ times during my high school years.  HAHA…seriously.

Favorite mid-race fuel: Honey Stinger Gel

Do you run with music? No, never.

Hobbies (when you’re not running, of course):  Watching movies, reading, and I love going out to eat!

_____________________

Blake Bivens

Our male NRCer of the Month is worthy of a little recognition, but he won’t be the one to say so.  He’s unpretentious but quick-witted, perseveres in spite of challenges, plus he’s capable of rocking the Irish vocal styling’s at the end of Dreams by The Cranberries (so I’ve heard).  Like NRC, Blake Bivens is a perfect blend of serious and fun and for these reasons and more we’re happy to tell you his story!

Blake was born and raised in Gallatin, TN with a short move to Murfreesboro when he was 20 to finish college at MTSU.  Growing up, he played baseball in high school and also excelled in music.  Blake admits, “Believe it or not, I was in Performers Choir in high school and first year of college.”  Well, NRC thanks you because, you know, jazz hands make for amazing high fives!

Blake and his wife, Angie (also an NRCer) are high school sweethearts.  They started dating shortly after their junior year and have an incredible bond that is no doubt strengthened by their shared faith, friendship and of course, flagrant sense of humor; case in point, the hilarious one-liners this couple cracked us up with during the NRC Christmas Party Newlywed Game that will forever live in infamy!  “Angie’s an amazing woman, wife and mother and I couldn’t imagine my life without her,” offers Blake.  They have a busy summer planned this year complete with making an in-town move, welcoming their third child, and celebrating their 10-year anniversary this July!

They have two precocious boys, Lucas (6 in July) and Liam (3).  They love cheering on their Mom and Dad at races and while Blake is hoping to get the boys running some on trails after the baby arrives, right now they spend a lot of time at the ballpark with Lucas who’s playing baseball.  Locally, they enjoy bowling and church and when they can get away, they REALLY enjoy time at the beach soaking up the sun and beach life.

When asked about how he first became interested in running, he gives credit to Angie.  About 10 years ago he saw her challenge herself by running the Country Music Half Marathon and was inspired to begin training for his first half.

Then, about 5 years ago at the Franklin Classic, Blake discovered NRC.  He and Angie were actually living in Nolensville, but they hadn’t really seen a lot of runners in the area or heard of a group.  There were about 20 participants with NRC shirts on and he made a mental note.  Oddly, he noticed an article in the Nolensville Dispatch about NRC not long after, so following “the signs” he showed up the next Wednesday and has been an active part of the club ever since. 

You don’t have to know Angie and Blake very long to see that they actively seek out opportunities to help others.  A few years ago, through their desire to help the Nolensville Food Pantry, they organized an NRC Turkey Drive that generated huge support from the club.  Not only did the collection provide local, needy families with Thanksgiving turkeys, but also provided holiday hams and got Scott Alexander to don a turkey costume at the Boulevard Bolt!  This drive has become an annual tradition.

From 5ks to Ragnar to marathons, Blake has worked hard to realize many running accomplishments.  One of his most memorable is completing his first marathon at Rocket City in 2013 and crossing that finish line for the first time with all the support of NRC.  It was a natural high that he says lasted for weeks.

Blake has also suffered his share of injuries.  Just after the Rocket City marathon, he developed a kneecap tracking disorder.  As frustrating as the injury was, he is sort of thankful it happened.  He was forced to do more cross training, which has made him a better overall runner.  He also had a torn hamstring that technically, happened while running, albeit playing softball during the inaugural, injury plagued Fireballers softball season.

But, Blake rolls with the punches.  His motivation during recovery came from setting race goals, along with the desire to get healthy for his family and get back out running with NRC.  He also found comfort and motivation from other NRCers battling injuries.   There were many hours of aqua jogging in the pool at 6am that will not soon be forgotten.  He adds, “Those badasses know who they are and I’ll be forever grateful for their encouragement and free therapy.”

When asked what keeps him coming back to NRC, Blake explains, “For me NRC is a constant.  No matter how bad your day has been or how crazy your life may be at the moment NRC will always be there.  The smiling faces, the listening ears, the voices of encouragement and of course, the trademark Scott Alexander high fives.”  And we would add, members like you, Blake, who make NRC the place to run and have fun while making a difference!  We’re glad your family is a part of the NRC family!  Congrats!

ROTM Speed Round

What is a perk about your work?
I work at Omnicare, Inc. (a Long Term Care pharmacy) and get the most satisfaction out of helping people solve problems whether it’s a customer, a responsible party or a coworker.

What is your favorite mid-race fuel?  I’m really big on Trail Wind right now.  It’s pretty awesome.

Do you run with music?  No music for me.  I secretly enjoy talking to myself.

Something surprising about you that no one in NRC would guess?  I may or may not have read all the Harry Potter books.  That’s an accomplishment right?

Hobbies (when you’re not running, of course): 
I enjoy time with the family and watching sports – anything UT, Yankees and Titans.

Elizabeth Pfeiffer
Our female Runner of the Month is vibrant, cheerful, and kind.  I could almost call her bubbly, but you might misconstrue that she’s ditzy and that would be wrong.

Driven, determined and “dubbed” Director of the Nolensville Star Therapy location just years after graduating with her Physical Therapy degree, Elizabeth Pfeiffer is the perfect combination of strength and compassion.  Those who know her would agree, from her NRC friends to her patients young and old.  She’s crossed many a finish line with NRC, but her journey to the start line might surprise you.

Elizabeth was born and raised in Memphis, TN.  She and her older brother enjoyed family get-togethers, especially going to watch Mississippi State football games!  Her Dad played football for Mississippi State and when Elizabeth was there for undergraduate school, she got to be up close and personal at the games as an Athletic Trainer.  She was pretty much always around athletics growing up.  She played tennis and softball, but mainly enjoyed watching from the sidelines.

She followed her interests back home to UT Memphis to obtain her Physical Therapy degree and then moved to Nashville to work at Star Physical Therapy. During that time she decided to “get in the game” and train with a group for the CMM Half Marathon.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t a great experience.  She didn’t feel prepared and on top of that, CMM Half is a tough race.  When it was all said and done, she hated it.

Time passed and Elizabeth started hearing a lot about Niki G’s Bootcamp from living in the Lennox Village area.  She signed up and found it was a great fit for her.  When the Bootcamp advertised a training program for the Women’s Half in 2012, she decided to give it another try.  This time, it was a really positive experience.  No longer watching from the sideline, Elizabeth crossed the finish line excited to do it all again!  In fact, she’s done the Women’s Half three years in a row!  Hands down, it is one of her favorites!  It’s a challenging, local course, plus you get some pretty cool race bling!

Due to sheer proximity, it was pretty impossible for Elizabeth not to know about NRC.  Every Wednesday night, she would see the NRC runners, en masse, making their way by her office windows, which face Oldham Drive.  Finally, she thought, “I should do that!”

When she first came out to NRC she was just looking for another fun way to get a workout in during the week. Her objective was just to have some buddies to run with and she quickly met lots of those.

2014 was the year of the marathon for Elizabeth.  She swore she was a “half marathoner” for life, but somehow her NRC friends talked her into doing the full Marathon in Carmel.  It was her first marathon made even more memorable by the support and cheers of NRC!

Then she signed up right away for the Rocket City Marathon.  Having trained with her close-knit crew using an interval strategy, Elizabeth got a big PR in Huntsville!  Now they’re all training again and this time supporting two first time marathoners, Ken Moore and Daniel Underwood!

It’s pretty amazing all that Elizabeth accomplished in 2014, especially since she was working while simultaneously planning a wedding all throughout her training!  In the midst of a million decisions, bridal showers and weather worries, she said training was a much-welcomed escape.

Elizabeth and her hubby, Bart, were destined to be together.  He lived in Nashville and she lived in Memphis, so it couldn’t merely be coincidence that his cousin was her best friend in high school?  And, that Elizabeth passed by Bart’s senior picture at her BF’s house all the time?  And that she thought he was really cute?  I think not!

As fate would have it, it was only a matter of time before the two met. On New Year’s Eve 2008, a big group of her friends all went out in Nashville.  Of course, Elizabeth’s BF invited her cousin, Bart, and the youngsters hit is off as if they’d known each other all along.  After a brief long distance stint, she moved to Nashville and they officially started dating.  What’s even stranger…Bart’s cousin married Bart’s best friend, too!

As for running, Bart enjoys doing 5Ks and laced up for the Rutherford Relay with Elizabeth on an NRC team last year, but more importantly, he is always there to see her and share a special moment right before she heads for the finish line.  When not running, the newlyweds enjoy going hiking at Radnor Lake and Percy Warner, catching up on Blacklist, and going to craft beer breweries.

Elizabeth has made many amazing friendships through NRC.  She can’t say enough about the incredible crew she runs with.  Supportive, hilarious, and able to dish tough love when needed, she laughs and says, “They all make a miserable 5 hours actually tolerable.”

If you’ve met her crew for an early morning run, you likely waited a minute or two on Elizabeth.  In fact, her time management challenges are a bit of a “running” joke amongst her friends, but it’s all in good fun.  Her goals for 2015 include running the Oak Barrel Half and the Stump Jump Trail 30K all with her NRC training buds.

She is grateful for NRC and all it does for the community, as well.  From helping people meet their goals through the NRC Couch to 5K Program to visiting the Southerland Place Nursing Home at Christmas and being touched by the appreciation of the residents, she likes that NRC is more than just a running club.  Plus, every year since its start, her branch has sponsored the annual NRC charity event, Miles for Amelia.

She says she can guarantee she would not have had the confidence to sign up for a marathon on her own, but that the people of NRC gave her that confidence.  No more sidelines for Elizabeth.  Congratulations, Elizabeth on reaching new heights as a key player on Team NRC! 

John Dunn
What happens when a top-notch news reporter decides to ditch his fast food habits and opt for running with a high-fiving running crew?  Well, incredible friendships and impossible paces to name a few.

Our male Runner of the Month, John Dunn, grew up in the quiet city of Littleton, Colorado outside of Denver.  As a kid, you’d have seen him running a lot while playing different sports; football, soccer, basketball, you name it.  He was good at sports, but running was not his forte.  In 7^th grade, he signed up for the cross-country team and hated it.  His forte was, however, singing and acting, which has helped him in his career and more importantly, on NRC karaoke night!

He is a proud graduate of Butler University in Indiana with a degree in Telecommunications and he is a staunch Butler basketball fan.  He even collects Bulldog figurines!  He went to Butler thinking he would pursue a career as a sportscaster, because he loved Bob Costas.  He remembers being as young as 8 years old watching NBA basketball and the Olympics, and the huge impression Costas made on him.  Then in college he saw just how many others were vying for those coveted spots and decided to broaden his scope to news.  This wasn’t a big leap, since he was a total news and history buff.  Case in point, in high school, he had subscriptions to Time and Newsweek.  Not his parents, him!

In college, John also started running occasionally for exercise.  Just for a few miles at a time (with a lot of walking).  It didn’t stick though once he was on the uber-competitive job hunt for a broadcast news position.  He sent out 120 resume tapes (compiled during internships) and luckily after a slew of horrible job offers, he took a position in Johnson City, TN in 2000.

A few years later, he landed a spot in Nashville at Fox 17 News.  Due to the stories John reported on, he experienced several once in a lifetime opportunities.  He “got to” jump out of a Chinook helicopter from 14K feet with the 101^st Airborne in Clarksville, fly with the Blue Angels, and sail on the U.S.S. Nashville on its final cruise into port at Norfolk, VA!  During his career, he was nominated for eight Emmys and just this year, with his 9^th nomination, he was selected for the award.  He was truly honored by the recognition, which meant even more since he had made the decision to change careers.

He now serves as Public Information Officer for the Tennessee Comptroller and as a result is more likely to be on the other end of news interviews as he provides information to the press, the legislature and all Tennesseans.

He met his wife, Jennifer, in college where one of his part-time jobs was houseboy in a sorority (doing dishes, taking out trash).  Jennifer was a dance performance major and a year younger, but they happened to meet at a party and John was love struck.  Soon after, he realized she lived in the sorority house where he worked, making houseboy the best job ever!  They married after Jennifer graduated and eventually settled in the Nolensville area in 2010. They have 3 bright and beautiful girls, Madelyn (9), Kristyn (7), and their youngest Laynie (4).  John is definitely outnumbered at times, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Around 2008, John decided to try running again, getting out for a few miles at a time, a couple times a week.  Then injury struck.  He tore the meniscus in his left knee and had to have surgery, which sidelined him for a while.  It seemed the odds were not in his favor.

The life of a field reporter doesn’t make it easy to be healthy.  Stressful deadlines, needing to stay energized and working long hours leaves you prone to fast food.  In fact, he used to go by Taco Bell after work at 10:30pm almost every night. John didn’t realize how serious it had gotten until September of 2013 when he went in for check up and learned he had reached his highest weight and highest blood pressure ever.  That day he decided he would eat better, cut out sugary drinks, and he hasn’t been back to Taco Bell since.

He was shocked that just by eating better and drinking water, he was able to lose weight, and then by adding running, he sped up the results.  What was even better was that as he was getting lighter, he was able to run longer without walking and started adding a mile at a time.  By Christmas, he had lost 50 pounds (from 230 to 180) and was up to running 6 miles without walking.

He stalked the NRC FB page for about a year before he got up the nerve to make it out.  He worked Wednesday nights, so the first Saturday in January he showed up at Mama’s Java and ran with David Victory (who in NRC style said he was going no faster than a 9:15 pace).  So, you can guess, they did 6 miles and finished with an 8:55 average pace!  John was amazed that he could run that fast!  Then, the next weekend he ran 8 miles with Scott Alexander and crew at an 8:45 pace and just couldn’t believe it!  See what a little friendly encouragement can do!

That March, he set out on a mission for the Tom King Half Marathon.  He wanted to do an 8:00 minute mile to finish in 1:45 and he planned to run with Scott, but… he was feeling it and took off.  They never saw him until after the race.  John finished in 1:39:30 with a huge feeling of accomplishment.  He kept training and later that year, he PR’d at the Middle Half with a 1:36:30.  His only previous race was the I Run for the Party July 4^th 10K, which he had finished proudly in 62 minutes.  He also met his goal of running a 5K in under 20 minutes last year. Recently, his knee injury has been rearing its ugly head, but he’s undergoing treatments and taking it easy, while training for his first full marathon in Carmel.

Not only has he made an incredible transformation and met some lofty goals, he’s also earned some cool overall and age group trophies!  All of this, he says, would not have been possible without the encouragement and support of his NRC friends.

John admits, that even though he’s lived here a long time, he hadn’t formed many strong friendships, but with NRC it has been easy right from the start.  He says he probably never would have run more than 6 miles without NRC and that being around people who are better than him has been huge in his running development.  What is the secret to his success?  He says, “It has everything to do with running with NRC!”

John recently was appointed to the NRC board and will be helping to spread some NRC news!  He will be heading a quarterly newsletter to go to official NRC members with some feature articles, recipes for healthy runner eating, and race reports.  NRC is looking for a creative title for the newsletter, so be sure to post your idea on FB to be in the “running”!

Tall in stature, reserved, and gracious, John can seem serious at first, but once you get to know him he is an encourager, team player, and a real comedian.  I hope you feel like you know him better already.  Be sure to congratulate him at the next run!

Melanie and Liz Staudt

Why am I not surprised?  It’s Saturday morning at Mama’s Java and I’m setting up for my interview with the illustrious mother-daughter duo, Melanie and Liz Staudt.  They have barely gotten in the door and what do I overhear, them befriending a random patron and of course, inviting them out to NRC!

They admit this happens quite a bit, but there was a time when these two actually made fun of runners!  Shocking, I know, but in their defense they’d tell you to peruse a gallery of race photos and notice the ratio of smiles to faces in pure agony.  (touché)  Plus, these converts didn’t have a lot of positive experiences with running before NRC.

Melanie, mother to Liz, remembers her family’s vocal embarrassment of her grandfather who would go running out on the farm roads in his shorts and undershirt in the 1930’s.  This fun-poking, unfortunately, set the tone for her outlook on the sport for much of her life.

Liz, who didn’t start running until age 27, adds that before the NRC C25K program, neither of them had ever heard of such things as interval running or pacing.  When her PE class had to run a mile she would go as fast as she could and when she couldn’t keep running, she just walked the rest of the way.  After a while, she came to believe that she was just “not a runner”.  It was huge to learn how to use walk breaks to enable you to go further, longer.  Now she is a “running” encyclopedia (literally) who researches training plans, gear, nutrition and more recently, injury recovery plans and Marathons/Half Marathons in all 50 states.

But before we hear where they’re going, let’s hear about where they’ve been.  Melanie is hip now, but she was what some might consider a hippie back in the day.  In her 20’s, she and her dear friend, Lynne, and their 2 cats traveled across the country in a full-on school bus; well, when it wasn’t broken down.  (This could be a whole other article!)  It was a great adventure and one they’ve shared many a laugh remembering together!  Eventually, she got married and on December 31,1983, she moved to TN with her husband and toddler, Kate.  Melanie remembers the move to Nolensville well.  They endured that first winter in their new home heated with a wood stove and green wood!  While she still relies on her wood stove, she now has a heat pump and says it has come in handy for cooking pancakes when the power goes out. (yum!)

A few years after their move, Elizabeth (Liz) was born.  She grew up playing in the fields out by their home and playing basketball led by Coach Ken Moore (fellow NRCer).  After high school, Liz headed to St. Louis for school where she studied English.  In 2010, Melanie was diagnosed with cancer and Liz came home to care for her during treatment.  It was a tough time, but Melanie won her fight with cancer and as she grew stronger, the bond between these two “roomies” grew tighter.

After her Mom’s recovery, Liz moved to Chattanooga to study Biology, but was sidelined by a serious motorcycle accident.  One day while riding her motorcycle to work, a car hit Liz as she was going through an intersection.  Miraculously, Liz survived.  Still, after several days in the hospital and a year-long recovery from a broken hand and ribs, lacerated spleen, severely lacerated knee, and numerous cuts and bruises, Liz had put on approximately 20 pounds.

Liz wanted to get back in shape.  Then she heard the magic words, FREE C25K!  Liz was determined to do the NRC C25k program, but the night of the meeting her new motorcycle died.  She called Melanie and said, ”Will you go to the meeting for me and take notes?”  So, of course, she made her way to Town Hall.  Melanie had begun walking to help her through her cancer therapy.  So, when she heard there would be a walker group, she decided, “I am doing this!”  Liz caught the last 10 minutes and then they both signed up that night!

Liz remembers expecting her Mom to walk the time trial and then seeing her get caught up in the excitement and running!  Liz trained with the 3:1s and Melanie with the 1:1s.  As a result of the experience, they gained new friendships, finished and set goals for maintaining 3 miles, and found a core group to keep Mon and Wed night runs.  Plus, both came back to help with the 2014 NRC Couch to 5k Program as volunteers!

Liz’ favorite race she completed is the Carmel Half 2014!  Beyond her goal to finish she had a dream goal of finishing under 2:30.  It was a perfect day and she came in under at 2:27 – NRC finish line fist bumps and all!

Melanie’s favorite race so far is the Middle Half 2014.  It was her first Half Marathon.  The course was flat and cool, the weather was misty and Liz coached her to the finish.  Liz even timed her Gu, opening them and everything, to make sure she met her goal on race day!  Melanie had thought it might be her first and only Half, but Liz has already signed them both up for another in Arizona this October.

When it comes to communication, Melanie tends to describe the forest, while Liz is searching for the specific tree.  Their hilarious commentary is just enough out of character to remind you these “girls” are not just sugar, but a little spice, too!   And they have more than proven they have each other’s back; like when they run separately, Melanie says Liz always does a loop back to check on her.

Currently the two are on the IR list together.  With Liz having knee issues and Melanie suffering from tendonitis in her hip and hamstring issues, they have been gaining strength and making their way back to running, slowly, but surely.

For Liz, she likes the results running brings.  For Melanie, she likes the social aspect.  Both love the empowerment that comes from crossing the finish line and knowing you have done something most will never do.  As for future goals, Liz is on a mission to race in all 50 states!  She’s done 3 states already, (MO/TN/IN), and plans to do 3 in 2015 including the Lake Powell race in AZ.  She’s contemplating Downhill at Dawn and Rocket City (cue peer pressure!).

Belied by her mod-hippie style and nose ring, Liz is a self-proclaimed nerd.  She likes to read sci-fi and fantasy books and has the Star Wars Half in CA on her bucket list.  She is also a beer snob, ah hem, I mean connoisseur, and was recently honored with her very own plate at The Flying Saucer in Nashville for imbibing 200 different brews.  She also enjoys biking, kayaking, and skydiving with her boyfriend, Richard.

If you’ve met Miss Melanie, you won’t forget her beautiful smile, bobbed silver hair, and kind, gentle demeanor.  This along with her wry witticisms and thoughtful perspective make her perfectly match for her career as a teacher.  This past year, after a total life evaluation, she retired.  Now she has time to see her oldest daughter and family more, and she has booked a trip to Greece!  She remains very active at church, playing piano for services and sharing her musical talents.  Of course, she’ll also have more time to run with friends!  In fact, she wanted to say thanks to all her running mates from C25K and NRC – with you, she logged over 650 miles last year!

We’re so very lucky to have these two wonderful ladies in our club!  Help me congratulate them the next time your out at a run and if you’re not running with NRC yet… watch out!  They’ll recruit you faster than you can order a cappuccino!

Kim Bean

Our male Member of the Month’s story starts in northern Alabama, Albertville, to be exact.  Not far from Guntersville Lake, known for its top-notch Bass fishing tournaments, this fierce and fun-loving competitor was born.

Even as a child, Kim Bean got a kick out of pushing himself to the limit and taking on the next, new challenge.  This same drive prompted him to start running with NRC as a participant in the 2013 Couch to 5K program and now it has him enduring two, back-to-back marathon training schedules in hopes he will be one of the few selected to run the Flying Monkey Marathon this year.

What keeps him going?  Well, having supportive people with him and maybe the occasional Metallica or Dr. Dre song on his running playlist.  He’s had his share of injuries from plantar fasciitis, posterior tibia tendonitis, and a broken toe, too.  Still, the ability to encourage others towards their goals keeps Kim lacing up his shoes.

One of his first memories of running was when he was 13 years old and his Dad, a shade-tree mechanic, took him on a test drive after working on their truck.  The truck backfired as they approached a 4 way stop and Kim noticed a fire had started near the fuel tank.  He remembers yelling at his Dad to “Get out!” as he hopped out of the still-moving truck and ran as fast as he could down the road.  Yep, between his Dad and brother’s “knack” for setting things on fire, he had some good motivation for running over the years.

Eventually, Kim moved to downtown Nashville for his career as an engineer.  Once there, he befriended his now wife, Dori, online and after a while, they decided to meet at… a Starbucks, of course!  Well, they hit it off and started spending more time together in person.  He took her on the Gen. Jackson and they spent that whole time getting to know each other more.  They’ve been married 6 years and have a rough and tumble 3-year boy, J.J. whose favorite word is, “No”.  Together they support each other through it all.

It was Dori who dragged Kim to a Spin Class as his initiation into the exercise world.  He came out in a pool of his own sweat, exhausted and sore, but somehow decided to go again.  He also started weightlifting and that became his main focus, but he admits he bulked up to a weight of about 320 lbs. in the process.  He decided something had to change.

In 2013, he started road-running solo in his neighborhood and it was hard for him.  He set a goal for himself and signed up for the Murfreesboro Middle Half almost 9 months away.  He knew he wanted to try it and knew he needed something to keep him motivated, even though a part of him thought he might not be able to do it.

Then, family friend, Becky Christensen, told Kim and Dori about the NRC C25K program.  They both signed up and did the time trial. Kim still recalls watching people fly by him at the start and trying to stay steady so that he could finish strong.  He trained with the 2:1 group, chasing Amy K. and others around the Nolensville track in the heat of the summer.  His hard work paid off in endurance and weight loss.  By the time he ran the Middle Half in October (yep, he did it!) he was down to 290 pounds.  It took him 3:10 to finish and it was rough, but he accomplished his goal.

Dori had started the C25K program, but stopped at the recommendation of her doctor due to pregnancy.  Tragically, Kim and Dori lost their little angel, Avery, the day after Christmas.  Through their strong faith and the help of family and friends, they found their way forward together.  At times, it was running that would allow Kim to clear his head and help him through a tough moment.  Dori is back to running and just recently ran 8 miles (her longest run so far) as part of her training for the Hot Chocolate 15k.

Whatever the goal, you can be sure that along the way Kim is taking time to encourage and motivate others.  Immediately following the C25K, Kim remembers running with Liz Staudt, Tom Ervin and Sammy Starks doing 3:1s and it helped keep him motivated after the C25K.  Then, the following year he served as a mentor for NRC’s C25K and had a great time with runners Catherine Hartsfield, Courtney Fuson, and Michael McGarvey.

He started heart rate training to prepare for the Middle Half at the suggestion of NRCer, Ray Whitford.  This required him to pace himself slower, so that he could ultimately run longer consistently. He has enjoyed the challenge this type of training has offered and as seen it pay off in his races.

While he has a love hate relationship with the hot and hilly Franklin Classic 10K, he says his favorite race so far was the 2014 Middle Half.  Not because of the blister-inducing wet weather, but because he took over 20 minutes off his time for a PR of 2:49.  Plus, the support from NRCers also made it a great experience.

Now he’s set his sights on a sub-30 5K and hopes to cross his first marathon finish line at the Flying Monkey Marathon.  He says if he can finish it, he’ll know he can do anything or that he never wants to do it again!  So, he’s starting early to avoid injury, cross training with yoga, and juicing (Spinach juice is a fave).

Ambitious, inspiring and always quick on the draw when it comes to being first to comment on the NRC Facebook page (he’s my pick for NRC Family Feud), we’re glad to have Kim Bean in NRC!  Congratulations and best wishes for your goals in 2015!

Howdy, folks.  I’m obliged to introduce you to a couple of NRCers of the Month who are as much at home on the running trail as they are on a sawdust covered dance floor.   You bet your fuel belt, this month the spotlight is on two boot scootin’, road runnin’ fools in love – Tim and Dena Lloyd!

Dena was born in Springfield, TN and has lived in Tennessee all her life.  She moved to Rutherford County in the second grade where she’s stayed ever since.  Her mother actually named her Raydena.  If it weren’t for kids teasing her about her name at school, we’d probably still be using her full name, but ultimately she shortened it to Dena and that was the end of that.  All grown up, Dena is one of the nicest people you’ll meet, but don’t let her petite frame fool you; she is one tough cookie.  She’ll do anything for a friend, is always good to crack a joke on a tough run, and is the quintessential devoted wife, mother, and grandma (aka:  Nina)!

Tim was born and raised in northeastern Ohio, about 45 minutes west of Cleveland.  He lived up in New Hampshire and Massachusetts for a short time, before moving to Nashville.  Tim has a hilarious, dry sense of humor and a flair for sarcasm.  He works hard, but loves to travel and enjoys taking in the sights with Dena when they can.

Like the heartaches depicted in sad, country songs, both Tim and Dena have been in previous relationships before.  Following the ends of those relationships, they each found escape in country music out on the dance floor.  Just when they were least expecting it, they also found true love!  Back then, there used to be a dance hall down on Thompson Lane called, Rodeo’s, where Tim would go kicker dancin’.  One night, he asked a girl to dance and she said she didn’t know how.  But, as he turned to walk away, she stopped him and said, “but my friend does” pointing to Dena who was quietly sitting in the shadows.

Tim took Dena’s hand and they danced the entire night!  That was 20 years ago!  From that night on, Tim swept her off her feet, one two-step at a time, for the next 2 years.  Dena remembers one night on the dance floor with Tim as the Shania Twain lyrics played, “I’m waiting for the perfect moment, looking for the perfect phrase,” and then being inspired to tell him she loved him for the first time!   Isn’t that romantic?!!!

Dena has worked 8 years with Williamson Medical Center in the HR department and is currently pursuing a business management degree.  Tim is a Sr. Electrical Engineer at Nissan and is celebrating 30 years there in January.  Needless to say, you can see that they love their jobs, which is good for NRC, because it means they’re not going anywhere!

From time to time, they’ll throw on their boots and go dancing.  They also have Titans season tickets and enjoy hanging at the games.  You may be surprised to know they are wine connoisseurs and have even followed their passion to Napa Valley.  Just for fun, they love taking rides in Tim’s new Jeep with the top down.  Of course, they make lots of time for their family!   They have three beautiful daughters between them, Ashley (27), Chelsea (27), and Chelsey (24), plus 4 granddaughters, Fallon, Mylan, Reagan, and Jayda.  And this is all when they aren’t running!!

I couldn’t believe it when they told me how long they’d been running!  You see, Dena was never an athlete growing up and Tim ran a little bit during junior high, but not consistently.  Surprisingly, terms like “body glide” and “compression socks” have only been a part of their vocabulary for the past 3 years!

In February of 2011, something happened that changed the course of Tim and Dena’s lives forever.  Tim was at work and visiting with his Dad who had stopped by.  All of a sudden, Tim felt his heart racing for no reason.  He knew he was having extreme heart palpitations.  He had never experienced anything like that before and he was scared.  His Dad asked him what was wrong and Tim started to describe what he was feeling, but it was only a matter of minutes before he lost consciousness and passed out.  When he came to, they said he’d been out for about 30 seconds, but it had felt like an eternity to Tim.  He had thought he was done.

He spent one night at the hospital getting tests run to find out that it had not been a heart attack; rather they believed it was an arrhythmia, but couldn’t pinpoint any one reason.  This drove Tim crazy with worry about when and where it would happen again.  He felt like a ticking time bomb.  Finally, after six weeks dealing with constant stress and anxiety about it, he made a decision to use his experience for good, and stepped out of his sedentary lifestyle and get healthy.  That’s when he started running.

A huge motivation for him was his daughter Chelsea.  She had taken up running before him, doing her own Couch to 5K.  Inspired, he Googled “Couch to 5K program” and both he and Dena began training together in their neighborhood.  They remember the challenge of that first week, walking a minute and running a minute.  Little by little they got stronger and by week eight they were able to run their whole workout.  Tim took to it immediately.

He ran his first race at the Memorial 5K that year and then the Middle Half that October.  One of the perks of Tim’s job is that his company will pay for races!  It was as simple as checking the box to run a full marathon, so he decided to just do it!  He trained well, and ran the Country Music Marathon in April 2012!  His first full was his most memorable race by far.  Tim recalls, “What can you say?  You never think you’re gonna run, let alone run a full marathon, and then you finish Country Music?!”  He admits there may have been a few tears involved, but they were earned honestly over 26.2 miles.

Dena had a hard time getting motivated at first.  After their DIY Couch to 5K training, she took a break.  But, luckily she decided to not let Tim have all the fun and signed up with Fleet Feet for the Country Music Half training in January 2012.  She, too, was hit hard when Tim had his heart troubles and knew that she had to support him in his journey to be healthier even though it would mean a major lifestyle change for her, as well.

Dena completed the Country Music Half and has done many more since, along with her first full this year!  She will always remember her most memorable race, Carmel 2014 Marathon.  Tim met Dena at mile 24 and saw she was struggling,  Tim told her that they were going to finish this race in under 6 hours.  Tim then coaxed her to run 1 minute intervals.  She still gets emotional telling about how it felt to come down the final turn of the race, knowing she was one of the last runners left, only to find the entire NRC family cheering for her with their hands out to high five and Tim running in with her and the whole of NRC right behind!  She finished in 5.55.42.

Some of their other favorites include their first road trip race in July 2012 where they traveled to run the Chicago Half Marathon.  Plus, they have some great memories of running step by step together in the Middle Half, where Dena got her first PR with a 2:30 and Oak Barrel Half 2014 in Lynchburg, TN.

They are also Ragnar TN survivors!  Fellow NRCer, Katherine Cain, was in their van and made a big impression on Tim & Dena.  For one thing, it was freezing that night (around 20 degrees) and they were all piled in the van cheering. Katherine jumped out the van and caught every runner with a blanket at the end of their leg. Plus, she kept their spirits up by rolling her window down and yelling her trademark line, “I see you!!!!” bringing smiles and renewed resolve to her van mates.

So how in the world did they find NRC?  Tim first heard about NRC while running with the Tin Roof 2 Running Crew.  One of the Fleet Feet reps, Tammy (Sanders) McKinney,  was in the NRC Facebook group and he decided to check it out knowing it was closer to home.  He came out to (the old) Mama’s Java one Wednesday night to find a small, but mighty group of runners (this was NRC’s pre-panoramic group photo phase).  One of the first times Tim came out he ended up running with John Pryor and he laughs that J.P. kept the conversation going the entire run and that he…breathed!  J.P. turned to check on him every so often to see if he was OK (keeping up). He loved it, though and appreciated his “no runner left behind” attitude.

It was a while before he made it back on Wednesdays, but he did come out on some Saturdays.  These gatherings were pretty small too, compared to now.  We may have had less pace groups to choose from, but that just meant more courtesy loops!  I personally remember Tim just crushing this one long run on a Saturday only to return to find that he was wearing the badge of honor fondly referred to as “bloody nips”!  That’s when I knew Tim was one tough runner.

They really started running with NRC right when everybody had just done Carmel 2012 and the “Fab 5” had gotten their Boston Qualifying times.  Tim was so motivated reading the posts online after the race and recalls telling Dena, “You’ve got to read some of these!  They are really inspiring!”  That got them excited to come out to NRC and had them looking forward to running Carmel!

They are now a big part of NRC and we’re so thankful for them!  They participated in Miles for Amelia this past July and volunteered as mentors for both NRC Couch to 5k programs. Dena’s group was the Triple Threats and Tim’s was the Four Runners.  This year, Tim mentored the 1:1 crew and Dena helped when schedules allowed.

The Lloyds love NRC!  They say one of the greatest things is that, “you always have someone to run with.  It doesn’t matter what day of the week, how far you want to go, or how slow or how fast, you always have someone to run with.”  NRC has that family feel and does a great job of making sure no one is running solo unless they want to.  Sometimes you come out wanting to run one pace, but it’s nice to know if you fall back you can always hang with the next pace crew.  Most of all, Tim and Dena love the support and encouragement that is trademark NRC!

We’re so lucky to have this down-home, good-hearted pair in our club.  Hope you’ll take a minute to seek them out at the next run, do a little do-si-do, and tell them congrats!