Tara Underwood

Unassuming.  Webster’s Dictionary defines the word as not pretentious or arrogant; modest, and the picture next to it should be NRCer, Tara Underwood.  At first glance, her light blond hair and effortless smile might resemble more of a Disney princess than an ultra marathoner, but go out on a run with her and you’ll see why muddy trails cower in her presence.

Born in Gallatin, TN, Tara was five years old when her family moved to Decatur, AL where she spent her formidable years.  She claims she had no athletic ability as a child, so she obviously saved it all for adulthood.  After college, she traveled north to live in the Cincinnati area staying there for 8 years until finally circling back near her birthplace, to settle in Brentwood.

In 2010, Nissan was raffling free entries to employees for the Middle Half.  A co-worker challenged her to put her name in, but she was not selected.  Inspired by the challenge, she thought, ‘Why not just register!’  Like a lone wolf, she trained alone and completed that race and several half marathons before an injury flared in 2012.  By then, she was burned out and needed a break.

She’d heard of NRC several months before the 1^st Couch to 5K, but was nervous about showing up.  After talking to a friend about the C25K flyers one day, she decided to sign up as motivation to start running again.  I’d say she found her motivation and then some.

Since then she has made many running accomplishments.  The Carmel Full Marathon 2014 and Stump Jump Trail 50K 2015 stand out among the rest, not because they were both firsts; it was the training leading up to them that made them the most memorable.  “Having Kelli Alexander, Rachel Eller and Elizabeth Pfeiffer by my side, encouraging me and challenging my self-perceived limits was amazing,” said Tara.  “They made the many hours and early mornings worth it!”

For anyone considering an ultra or ultra trail, Tara is a great source of inspiration.  She signed up for Fleet Feet’s 13-week ultra trail training program earning the designation of “Ultra Dirtbag” as she upped (and downed) her running game on the paths at Percy Warner Park.  She definitely felt the training plan made it easy (albeit minus the actual running); you just follow the schedule.

Still with any goal that lofty, there will be challenges to overcome.  For Tara, a big lesson she learned was how to not get overwhelmed by the end goal.  When the enormity of it all was too much she told herself to just take it one training session at a time and trust Fleet Feet when they said ‘If she followed the plan, she’d be ready’.

Was there ever a moment when she thought she might not be able to do it?  More than once during training, she admitted.  But, her husband Daniel, also a NRCer, would remind her that she’s too stubborn to give up on anything she’s set her mind on doing.

That stubbornness was put to the test when hard rains turned the Stump Jump course into a muddy mess.  Tiring and treacherous in some places, even experienced ultra athletes were calling it the toughest trail course they’d ever run.

During the race, Tara felt strong and never doubted she would finish until she was about 5 minutes from the 21-mile cut off.  Tara and NRCer Rachel Eller ended up crossing the checkpoint just 3 minutes too late, but since they ran in, the race personnel let them go on!  With that they were rejuvenated and pushed through the remaining mucky miles to the finish line!

Need more proof that Tara got a hold of the “good Kool-Aid”?  When asked about Ragnar 2014, she can actually be quoted as saying, “What an experience being trapped in a van with some of my favorite people for 36 hours!”  If you were there running down the back roads of Tennessee all hours of the night, you might have caught a glimpse of the ever-elusive Hellcats. What is a hellcat, you ask?  According to Tara – NRCer Ken Moore in all his glory!

Tara and her husband, Daniel, have two bright and beautiful daughters, Haley (age 12) and Caroline (age 10).  Going the distance in marriage and in miles, the two ran the 2015 Carmel Marathon together, his first!  They also have a tradition of running the Turkey Trot 5k in Huntsville, AL and this year will be their sixth.

Tara gives back to NRC in more ways than one.  Since the 1^st C25K program prompted her comeback to running, Tara makes a point to mentor the 3-1 group every year and loves seeing the participants’ confidence build week to week.  She was key in NRC’s involvement with the WALK TN challenge, which won Nolensville the title of “Most Active Town in Tennessee” and recently accepted the Secretary position on the NRC board.

As a family, the Underwoods have participated in the annual NRC Turkey Challenge, Miles for Amelia fundraiser and NRC Angel Tree that benefits area elementary students.  “I am honored to be part of a club that is so much more than its name implies,” says Tara.  “I am proud that the community recognizes that as well.”

ROTM SPEED ROUND
Favorite board game: Apples to Apples
Top race on your bucket list­: Chicago Marathon
Favorite food after a big race: Chocolate milk
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Yong Kim

Our male NRCer of the Month lives life to the extreme!  Whether it’s stretching his limits on the IRONMAN course or wolfing down a plate of Nolen’s Place mega-nachos for a local cause, Yong Kim is so much more than a “fastie”.  Equal parts athlete and academic (with a little bit of jokester thrown in for good measure), Yong works hard and plays hard.  You can find him running ultra lengths at lightning speeds over trail and road, and helping others as one of the most supportive and encouraging coaches in our crew.  For all of these reasons and more, we’re excited to share his story!

Yong was born in Taegu, South Korea and immigrated to the U.S. when he was two years old.  He was involved in competitive sports from a young age, but running was never a focus.  It was boring compared to the strategies and skills of his other sports.

Then in high school, his soccer coach required the team to run cross-country as their off-season training regimen.  Not surprisingly, he had some success and it sparked his interest for running.  Now, Yong is not only a runner, he switches up his time between trails, ultras, cycling and swimming.  He has completed many triathlons and proved his mettle (pun intended) gaining the title of IRONMAN in Chattanooga in September 2015.

His wife, Joo, and daughter, Hailey, also run.  Joo completed her first 50k at the 2015 Stump Jump (mud and all) and their family formed a 3-man team for the Hoggin ‘n’ Joggin relay benefitting the Nolensville Food Pantry.  Yong’s adventurous nature must run in the family, because they were one of the few H ‘n’ J teams willing to participate in the nacho speed-eating contest to knock out hunger, and they won!

I asked him his secret to finding time to be with family, train, and work plus still find time for fun.  He shrugged, “No secret, it’s the only way to do it… with fun.  It’s been a blessing to have Joo and Hailey more involved with my running,” said Yong.  “Hopefully it encourages the fitness in all of us and it makes the journeys we share more memorable.”

When life allowed little time for running, finding NRC made a big impact on Yong.  There was not much time for running in his late 20’s and early 30’s.  He was so busy with family, home, and work that he was making very little time for himself.  The few races he did were on a dare and he simply survived, no glory.

It was after they settled in Nolensville that he saw a few guys out running (he thinks it was NRC original, John Pryor, and Steven “Speedy” Fleming).  It got him thinking about his health and fitness and the need to make them a priority again.  Before long, he discovered NRC.

Since his return to running he has attained some awe-inspiring goals.  One that stands out from the rest is his 2010 Music City Triathlon that brought 100° temperature and many firsts.  It was his first near death swimming experience, his first experience getting passed by a, shall we say well-aged, cyclist wearing tri briefs (it was 100 degrees!), and his inaugural upchuck on lower broad without the intrusion of alcohol!  I’d say that was pretty memorable race!

2015 was the year of the IRONMAN for Yong.  He had planned to train for 9 months, but circumstances allowed him to manage only 6 with 4 truly effective.  From that experience, Yong learned the importance of discipline. “When it comes to the IRONMAN distance nothing comes easy,” he explained.  “I’ve managed to compete in most events just off my fitness; however there’s no faking a full IRONMAN.  The need for training, nutrition, and executing the plan are all amplified.”

Facing a 2.4-mile swim in the Tennessee River, a 116 mile bike course with two loops through the scenic farmland and mountain views of North Georgia and a 26.2-mile run around beautiful, but hilly Chattanooga, I wondered if Yong ever had doubts he could finish within the time to earn the IRONMAN title.

He answered honestly, “I think it’s human to have doubt when one is willing to tackle a monumental challenge for the first time.  Mistakes are inevitable and breakdowns are expected.  Though we may harp on errors or bad luck, the competitor is determined by what he/she does next.  I take those overwhelming tasks and simplify, do tasks within my means, and keep moving forward.”

A natural encourager, Yong is always sharing his knowledge and supporting other NRCers to achieve their goals.  He noted there are primarily three things that cause injury: trauma, overuse or deficient areas; so he created the Nolensville INNaE Project, a boot camp style, weekly workout, designed to impact the latter two of those factors.  Yong got the name from a Korean term that refers to a person’s inner strength, inner tolerance, endurance and fight, which fits this hard-core group perfectly!

Having run with NRC since its early days, Yong feels amazed to have witnessed the growth of the local running community.  He remembers the small group runs and one-table, post-run gatherings of a few years ago, but is not surprised that there are so many NRCers now, it’s hard to keep up with all the names.

“It’s a blessing to be immersed in such an inspiring club,” said Yong,  “The people, the stories, the achievements, the failures, the massive support, and all the joy and laughter… it only keeps me coming back.”

Yong enjoys running, because it’s simple.  He has a deep appreciation for what he sees as the most natural, “no equipment necessary” sport and how it is competition in its simplest, yet finest form.  Likewise, he is “simply” inspirational!  Whether we are learning from him, chasing his award-winning legs (NRC Best Legs 2015), or saying “Cheers” to him after a run, Yong makes NRC better and for that we are extremely thankful!

ROTM SPEED ROUND
Favorite board game:  Monopoly, dibs on the Top Hat
Top race on your bucket list:  Pike’s Peak, one of the original marathons in the US and it hits 14000 ft., literally breathtaking
Favorite thing to eat after a big race: Vietnamese soup

Katherine Cain      

Whenever our female runner of the month is out with NRC, the streets of Nolensville get a little lighter under our feet and the hills seem less daunting.  Known to get a little bit rowdy, Katherine Cain’s unending store of energy and boisterous sense of humor have not only taken her far towards her running goals, but have lifted those around her to do more.

Born and raised in Philly, home to Rocky Balboa’s first famous run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Katherine traded cheesesteak for chocolate, attending college in Hershey, PA and obtained her teaching degree before moving to Nashville.

She met her future husband, Jeff, in the college worship band (he was a drummer and she was a singer).  It took 2 years of friendship before they went out, but man, when Jeff did plan a date it was epic.  Case in point, one night he picked her up, took her to the chapel on campus and had set up a mini concert just for her consisting of songs he’d written all about their relationship.  Talk about romantic!

Her love connection (fiancé at that point) was making lots of industry connections in Music City and so she made her way south and started looking for a job.  After a month of home décor overload at Bed, Bath and Beyond, she found a posting at Ravenwood High School and within 24 hours she had an interview lined up and was offered a job that same afternoon!

Katherine was a volleyball, basketball, and track athlete in high school and played volleyball in college, so she was excited to coach at Ravenwood and took the chance to run with the girls a lot.  When she had her first daughter she couldn’t coach anymore, but says she “needed something to put [her] competitive edge at ease”.

So, she took up running and challenged herself to run her first Half Marathon (Country Music Half in 2012).  Unfortunately, her training partner ended up getting hurt and Katherine had to run the whole thing by herself.   It was such a “fun” experience that she vowed she would never run that race again.

Well, a lot has happened since then.  Check out the finisher photos from the Country Music Half 2015 and you’ll catch her crossing the line, smiling and LOVING it!

Why the transformation?  Could it have something to do with NRC?  Maybe!  Her introduction to the crew came in June of 2013.  Looking to get back in shape after having her second daughter, she reached out to a student’s mom who she knew was a runner, the ever-encouraging Wendy Mucci.

She took a leap and posted on Facebook that she wanted to run.  Within minutes, Wendy posted back that her and Kelly Rasbury were running in a half an hour and she should come.  Katherine wasn’t expecting such a quick response, but thought “what better time than now.”  During the run, she mentioned she was a morning person and learned of a fellow early riser, NRCer Julie Sparrow.  They connected and started running together three mornings a week throughout the summer.

While “chasing” Julie one morning, Katherine learned about the Saturday group runs with NRC.  Her first Saturday run was with Julie, Angela Compton, Amy Lynch and others.  After the run, they chatted over breakfast at Mama’s Java and she was hooked with NRC.

After that, she started coming out on Wednesday nights and running with the 11 minute pace group and now has an early morning crew that speeds things up a bit.

Favorite memories with NRC?  She has a TON!  There’s Ragnar 2013 (Couples Therapy) & 2014 (NRC Sole Crushers) and finally getting a sub-2 at Carmel in 2015, but her FAVORITE OF ALL so far is training with Vicki Victory for the 2014 Rocket City Marathon.

If you’re one of those people who told yourself you’d NEVER do a full marathon, harken your ear.  Katherine was just like you, but someone must have spiked the water with Kool-Aid one Wednesday night because she and Vicki somehow agreed to stick together for 26.2!

For race day, NRCers David Victory and JoAnne King split the marathon in half and paced them, which made it an awesome experience that she will always remember.

Katherine and Vicki raced in the last 0.2 miles and crossed the finish line with a time of 4:26, overwhelmed, with no words to describe her feelings.  The months of hard work, hours of memories, challenges of training, and bonds she had solidified were now at an end.  She didn’t cry until about 30 minutes later when Scott Alexander, NRC President came up and hugged her and said how proud he was of her (there may have been a tear or two in his eyes, too).

Many of these NRC friendships have been forged in the wee hours of the morning due to Katherine’s demanding schedule, which is also a testament to her incredible self-motivation and early AM intestinal fortitude.

What gets her out of bed in the morning at o’dark thirty?  Accountability of friends!! She works long hours and she knows if she waits to run at night, it won’t get done.  However, having a pack of “AMAZING” people waiting for her makes it a whole lot easier to get up.  That and the occasional wildlife sightings which usually result in somebody jumping into another person screaming!

“They are my accountability, my confidants, my “sole” sisters, and forever friends,” Katherine admits.  “I don’t take any morning for granted with them and they know that I love each of them dearly.”

She’s currently training for the Savannah Marathon on November 7^th with Vicki Victory, Sareya Kidd (who is running Chicago), Adam Malone (who she hopes will run the full), and others who tack on miles when they can (they LOVE to have newcomers)!

When she’s not running, she’s being supermom to her equally beaming beauties, Lydia (her 5 yr old 1K runner) and Audrey (her 2 yr old 1K runner in training).  Plus, she gets to live out her passion for making a difference and share her love for fun in her new role as Assistant Principal at Christ Presbyterian Academy which keeps her plenty busy.

If you haven’t had the chance to share steps with Katherine Cain, take my word for it:  she brings the fun to the run no matter the mileage, the temp or the time of day!  We’re proud to have her as part of NRC!

ROTM SPEED ROUND

Favorite mid-race fuel:  Gatorade fruit punch chews (under 15 miles)/Orange AccuGel & pretzel crisps (over 15 miles)

iTunes or NoTunes:  I don’t run with music – I LOVE to chat when running.  As a matter of fact, if we are going too fast, you will often hear people saying, “Shut up Katherine, we need to slow down.”

Hidden talent: I can do 3 sound effects with my mouth simultaneously.

Scenic miles:  This past summer I had the honor to take students abroad and I made a point to run in EVERY city we visited.  My favorite was a 4 mile morning run in France followed by a bus trip and 4 mile night run in Italy!
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Jimmy Stitt

One of the first times I had the pleasure of running with our male Runner of the Month was at Carmel 2015.  I hadn’t really met him before and it was only for a mile or so, but in that short amount of time I pretty much laughed non-stop and felt an instant like for the guy.

Jimmy Stitt, also lovingly known as the Human Highlighter, is not afraid of neon yellow technical clothing, cracking a few jokes on a run, or taking on new challenges.  Add to that, the fact that he is a fun loving, family man who gives back to his community and you can see why NRC feels blessed to have him in our crew.

Jimmy was born in Danville, IL but moved to Tennessee at age 11, so if you hear a tinge of a southern accent that’s why.  He met his wife, Jamie, in graduate school at Illinois State University when they both worked for the Recreation Department.  They started hanging out together at graduate assistant gatherings, hit it off and the whirlwind romance began.

More like “two peas in a pod” than opposites attract, Jimmy and Jamie both love sports and come from very similar family and faith backgrounds.  The two went to church together their first week dating and it must have been a blessed union, because he stills says he loves her more everyday.  Aww!  They married in 2004 and have two beautiful children Jayden (8) and Jaycie (6).

Jamie was a big motivator when it came to Jimmy lacing up his running shoes.  A runner herself, she talked him into the Illinois Half Marathon in May 2010.  This being pre-NRC and him just starting out, Jimmy trained by himself all but a few runs.  Not knowing what to do, he downloaded a Hal Higdon plan and just tried to be consistent three days a week.  His race goal was not to walk, which he accomplished while running a 2:05:56!

Still, in that experience he learned a big lesson on the importance of the 12-mile training run.  His longest run had only been 10 miles and the last 3.1 miles were awful!  His legs felt like concrete bricks.  Now, you’re probably expecting me to say but he “got the bug” and signed up for another, but you’d be wrong.  He quit running because it was golf season!

A few years later, Jamie coerced him to do the 2013 Scenic City Chattanooga race.  At the time, she ran an 11:30 pace and he was a 9:00.  The deal was he’d run at her pace and hang with her.  Slowing down was easy and he really enjoyed the sights at the race.  “But now,” he laughs,  “I can’t speed back up!  She’s faster than me!”

He’s been running ever since.  In April 2013, they moved their family to Nolensville to save Jamie time in her downtown commute.  They heard about NRC while attending Nolensville First United Methodist Church with the Mucci, Alexander, Eller, and Pryor families.  First, Jamie started running on Wednesday nights and Jimmy would run mornings with an NRC crew.  Then, somewhere along the way, she took mornings and he got Wednesday nights, but they’re regulars just the same.

Now, the male to female ratio in NRC means that often he runs with mostly females.  I asked him what he’s learned from his conversations over the miles with the women of NRC and he had this to say:

“Wow!  I owe a lot to Julie Sparrow, Katherine Cain, Gina Loyd, and the “Carmel on Tour Group” (Queen Kelli Alexander, Wendy Mucci, Rachel Eller, Tara Underwood, and Elizabeth Jones Pfeiffer).  Julie can run from now to eternity and make it look effortless.  She pushed me many mornings and taught me to run for the friendships.  Katherine says one pace and runs 30 seconds faster, so I always know I will be challenged, and entertained, when running with her.  Gina is very philosophical and methodical about running and I have learned so much about life in general while running with her.  Then there is the “Carmel on Tour” group – marathon training at its best!  Though they barely get a chance to talk when Kenneth Moore is around, I could lose track of the miles listening to their world travels.  I loved every minute… well, maybe a few minutes sucked at the Carmel Marathon, but all in all, I truly love my time with them!”

As a result of his dedicated training, Jimmy has clocked some impressive PRs including a 26:17 5K at Tom King 2015, a 2:04:53 at Illinois Half 2015, and a 4:52:34 at Rocket City Marathon 2014.  Still, his favorite race is the Scenic City Half he ran with Jamie.  The hilly Chattanooga course was such a bonding experience as a couple and showed him how precious, time spent doing things you love, can be.

He’s currently training for the Middle Half in October and will then train for his “LAST” full marathon, the Little Rock 2016; then he will focus Fall 2016 on going sub 2:00 for a half.  (Help wanted!)

In his spare time, Jimmy is big into youth sports and assistant coaches for the Nolensville “C” Panthers.  He also paints the field on Friday nights for home games, something he did back in college and enjoys now, as a fun way to give back to the league.

“It’s a blast,” he says.  “It is amazing to see a light bulb go off and the totally different understanding of the game these 7 and 8 year olds have when they get their role and how they can contribute.”

For all these reasons and more, we’re glad that Jimmy found his way to Nolensville and NRC!  Make sure you tell him congrats!

ROTM SPEED ROUND

Favorite mid-race fuel:  Gu, Advocare Rehydrate Gel

iTunes or NoTunes:  Only when I run alone which is hardly ever.

Hidden talent:  I was a scratch golfer before moving to Nolensville.

Scenic miles:  Ragnar Tennessee 2014.  I ran at sunset on Friday night and also had the privilege to run at sunrise on Saturday morning; two beautiful runs for me.  It was quiet, peaceful, and I was in total awe of God’s creation and glory.

Every April NRC helps people kick the couch and get moving with the C25K program.  Those who stick with it gain strength and endurance, but the participants aren’t the only ones to reap benefits.  NRC is blessed to add phenomenal people to our crew who may never have joined if it weren’t for C25k. 

Many of our Runners of the Month are C25k participants turned regular NRCers and mentors for others.  Their stories are as unique as they are and we’re proud to share them with you!

Nancy Foust

Our female NRCer’s childhood was a little bit country and little bit rock ’n’ roll!  She was born and raised in Detroit, but Nancy Foust spent her summers and many weekends outside of the city in a little town called Dexter, as one of nine children living in a cottage on a lake.

After school, she married and the happy couple welcomed their first child.  True to her feisty and fearless nature, she agreed with her husband to spontaneously put their house on the market with no prospects.  It sold in one day!  It was 1974, and the three headed out on the road on a new adventure.  While it’s not quite a Nolensville broken spoke story, its close.  They settled in Nashville, because it was where they got tired of being in the car!

Nancy and her husband Gary (now deceased) were blessed with five wonderful children:  Dana, Lindsay (died in infancy), Matthew, Travis and Wesley.  She’s not just a super Mom, she has three amazing granddaughters aged 17, 16, & 15 too!

Wherever Nancy is, you’ll find laughter.  I asked her if the trait runs in the family and she admitted, it’s hereditary.  All, but Wesley, the serious one, seem to have inherited it.  “He is a real grump, that Wesley,” she jokes.  “You should ask him about his cranky pants.”

Nancy’s not just funny, she also happens to be one of the most compassionate people you’ll ever meet.  She has used this gift as an RN in Labor and Delivery at St. Thomas Midtown, formerly Baptist Hospital.  “I have been so blessed to be allowed to share with families their great joy in the birth of their child and help support those experiencing the greatest loss they will ever know,” says Nancy.  Having dedicated 28 years, she plans to retire this September.

Running is relatively new to Nancy.  When her son Matt, an NRCer, told her that they were starting a C25K program, she decided to try it.  She finished the 2013 program with the 1:1 interval group, The Oneders, but it was a challenge.  “I hated every minute of my first 5k, because I couldn’t get my breathing right,” she says.

If it wasn’t for the people, she may have given up!  Thankfully, her new friendships motivated her to keep coming out after C25k to join the NRC walkers.  When the next C25k came around, she trained in the 1:1 group again and has steadily improved ever since.  Nancy says she isn’t one of those “born to run” people, but because of the friends she’s made, she’ll keep running!  Plus, she likes to challenge herself and she acknowledges that running for her is not easy.  She draws on that part of her to power through and notes, “I refuse to let something beat me!”

In her short time running, she has wowed us with her accomplishments, like the first time she placed in a race at the 2014 Change for a Chance.  Since then, she’s gotten dubbed by NRCers as “The Podium Queen”, but if you ask her just finishing a race makes her proud and happy.  “Placing in a race just makes me laugh at myself in disbelief,” says Nancy.  “The good thing is that when you’re my age there aren’t many participants!”  Even more of a reason why she is so deserving!

She survived her first 15k earlier this year at the 2015 Hot Chocolate 15k and another momentous occasion for her was actually running the Race for the Cure which is near and dear to her heart, especially since her daughter is now a 19 year breast cancer survivor!  She had walked it many times, but actually running it was very special.

She recently ran her first trail run at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit Monk’s 5k in Conyers, GA with her daughter.  She laughs and says she thinks she’s now ready to run the Savage Gulf/Stone Door Trail Marathon with NRCer Yong Kim next year!  Hey, I wouldn’t put it past her.

What’s next?  Nancy is doing four of the five NRC Grand Prix races and she has signed up for the Middle Half.  She is going to train and see if that is a doable race for her.  Still, she is optimistic and has signed up for the half marathon in Savannah, GA in November to run with her daughter and son-in-law, but she assured me that she WILL NEVER do a full marathon!

Whether its mentoring C25k or befriending newbies to NRC, she has been such a huge inspiration, so I asked Nancy, who inspires her?  She replied, “I am in awe of so many NRC members, from the walkers to those who love running and accomplish so much.  I love hearing about their races, looking at the pictures and the joy on their faces as they run.  Outside of NRC, my biggest inspiration comes from my son Travis and my daughter Dana.  They both battled and beat cancer.  Their courage and strength makes me so proud of them.  Their will to live is so strong.  They are my heroes!!!”

To Nancy, NRC means more than good exercise, new friends, and being accepted for who she is – it’s also being part of a group so caring and giving of themselves, their time and their money that it amazes her.  It’s because of Nancy, and members like her, that NRC continues to grow and make a difference in the lives of others.  Give her a high five or better yet, join her for a mile and a laugh to share your congrats!

ROTM SPEED ROUND:
Runner of the Month quick-fire question section

Hobbies: Reading and swimming
Furbabies:  Gabbi, a 2 yr old dog adopted from a shelter a few weeks ago & Ophelia, a Great Dane (pictured right)
Dream splurge:  A new car
Brand of current kicks:  Brooks
Favorite “beat-the-heat” treat:  Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream!

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!

Somehow, before our eyes, June has melted into July.  Summer is now in full, sweltering swing and just as we all are starting to get burned out on picnics and patios, opting for more air-conditioned activities, I’m here to save the day with an NRC Double Feature!

That’s right.  Curl up in the comfortable confines of your own couch and get ready for two back-to-back tales, each worthy of the big screen in their own right.  Tune into your inner FM dial and imagine our soundtrack as we follow first, the country girl turned warrior walker, and then, the “wild ‘n’ crazy”, northerner who now runs the roads of Tennessee…

Who are the stars of our double bill, you ask?  Well, they’re none other than Cindy McGarvey and Victor Neilson!  Now you’re really intrigued, right?  So, grab your popcorn and settle in for double the danger, double the excitement and double the NRC love!

Cindy McGarvey

3 – 2 – 1… Action!  Our scene opens on the picturesque town of LaVergne, TN where our star was born.  An only child, Cindy McGarvey always wished for a brother or sister.  Although she was little, she remembers the letters her church would occasionally mail to her mom about opportunities to adopt orphan children.  Whenever these arrived, she would seize the opportunity to use the free visual aids and plead her case, but to no avail.  Nevertheless, in spite of her only-childhood she grew humble and generous, not solitary and spoiled.  When it came to sports, her game was basketball, which made her mother ecstatic!  She was good and played several years into high school, but decided to stop her Junior Year knowing she wasn’t the competitive type.

Back in those days there was no Facebook or texting, so Cindy and her friends would keep up with each other on their CB radios.  (Yep. 10-4, good buddy!)  Cindy’s handle was… wait for it… “Country Girl”!  Radio waves also brought her the voice of her first and only true love.   One time while spinning her CB dial, Cindy found Tommy McGarvey, a.k.a. “Double A”.  She could tell he was a nice guy and they kept in touch throughout school.

Speaking of school, Math was Cindy’s favorite subject, but she didn’t want to be a math teacher.  Her senior year of high school, Cindy took a class in computers and loved it!  (Actually, that is a major understatement.)  She pursued her education in computers at Nashville Tech and went on to become a computer programmer.  As technology evolved from CB radios to mobile phones, so did her and Tommy’s relationship.  It was around this time that they finally took the plunge and got married.  Their love story is still going strong and they’ll be together a whopping 31 years this year!

Since graduating, Cindy has worked for big corporations and small start-ups.  At one point, she faced a difficult decision.  Her employer for over a decade told her that, not only was she going to be laid-off, but that they wanted her to train the people who would be taking her job in another country.  She had never been so torn.  Her initial anger had her wanting to leave them in the lurch, but her mind and the financial benefits of aiding in the outsourcing of her job, won out.  Down on her luck and the job market bleak, Cindy says she couldn’t have done it without Tommy’s support.  Now, she loves her current job and enjoys keeping up with technology.

Here’s a tasty scoop: A little bird told me that the McGarvey’s are some of the best cooks around.  Friends have been telling them to open a Nolensville restaurant for years.  Sausage and Peppers, Spaghetti Sauce, any smoked meat that Tommy makes and Cindy’s banana pudding… so good!  (Mmmm, we need a NRC potluck?!)

When she’s not cooking, walking or working, Cindy likes to read (Kristin Hannah books lately) and watch marathons of reality TV!  Nashville… Survivor… Food Network Star… 19 Kids & Counting… Shipping Wars… they’re all set to record at her house, so she can watch any time.  In the movie of her life, she would cast Jennifer Garner to play her.  I totally see it – the innocence of 13 Going on 30 mixed with the strong-jawed toughness of Alias and the drive of the actress herself, fit Cindy’s leading-lady persona well.

Cindy started walking regularly one year ago when NRC launched their Couch to 5k Program.  Fellow NRCer, Wendy Mucci, mentioned it to her at church one Sunday.  She thought to herself, “I can walk and do it.”  And she did.  In her NRC C25K story, she wrote, “At first I felt like I wasn’t doing enough or that I wasn’t good enough by walking instead of running, but then Scott said that all that is important is that we are traveling and it doesn’t matter how you are doing it. At least I wasn’t sitting on the couch!”

Cindy was a solid member of the C25K 2013 Walker Texas Rangers!  She loved the positive encouragement she got from her friends and mentors; NRCer and mentor Diane Taylor, in particular.  Although she admits walking makes her feel like she can do anything, it honestly doesn’t make her want to run!  Instead, Cindy focuses on being a motivator for NRC walkers through her consistent presence and get ‘er done attitude.

In the words of her friend, Wendy Mucci, “Cindy McGarvey is one of the most inspirational people I know.  She shows up when most people would stay home.  I have seen her out in crazy hot temperatures and with snow plowing down.   Sometimes I will hear someone say that they can’t run because of the weather or because they aren’t feeling up to it and I just want to introduce them to Cindy.”

To be honest, Cindy will tell you she doesn’t always feel up to it either, but the cathartic release keeps her going.  In her C25K story, she also opened up about her personal experience with cancer.  Two years ago. Cindy had a GIST tumor (Gastrointestinal stromal tumor), which was cancerous, removed and underwent treatment with some miraculous medicines.  Last summer, she learned of a new spot and changed her medicine to one that has been successful in shrinking the tumor; however, the treatment makes her feet hurt horribly.  Even though, she hasn’t been able to walk as far or as fast due to the pain, she is determined to not let GIST take that away.  She’s lost 54lbs in the last year making no other changes, but walking.  She has taken on these challenges like a true warrior, never backing down, and is an inspiration to so many.

“What I am most thankful for on this walking journey have been the friends I have made in NRC. They are always so inspiring and friendly,” she added.  “We walked all last summer and winter long in the heat & freezing cold. I don’t think I could have kept up the walking if it wasn’t for my friends’ encouragement.”

After completing the C25K program, she participated in the Change for Chance 5K and had a great experience.  She had never walked 3 whole miles in her life and it felt really good crossing that finish line!  Later that year she did the Franklin Classic 5K and then got together with friends, Jessica Boely, Catherine Hartsfield and Cathy Perizzo, to get messy in the Color Run 2014!  Her future race plans include the 2014 Franklin Classic with NRC.

This past C25K season, Cindy was a mentor for the walkers and she said it was awesome being able to support others in their goals.  Her family has picked up on the walking thing, too.  Her teenage son, Michael, signed up for the 2013 C25K, but was not able to be consistent.  This year, he participated with his father and both have been making forward strides.  Her older son, Matthew, gets lots of walking in around campus, at Harding University.

When it comes to walking on Monday and Wednesday nights, I asked her how she manages to stay consistent.  She looked me square in the eye and said without missing a beat, “This is high priority for me.”  Mostly, it’s the positive encouragement that keeps her lacing up her Brooks Glycerin and coming back to NRC.  To people on the NRC fence, she says in the nicest, sweetest voice, “Just do it!” and walks confidently into the sunset.

We’re all just traveling.  Whether you’re running or walking, or a mix of both, its companions like Cindy that make NRC the best running club in the world. So come out to NRC and be sure to congratulate Cindy on her NRCelebrity status!

Victor Neilson

For this feature presentation, we leave the countryside of the South and head north to Buffalo, NY where the winters are bitter, but the football fans are not.  Our male NRCer of the Month, Victor Neilson, was born and spent the early years of his idyllic youth with his younger sister in the western New York town not far from the famed Niagara Falls.  When he was 6 years old, his family moved to Angola, IN, but they stayed die-hard Buffalo fans.  His fondest childhood memories are times he spent with his father watching Buffalo Bills or Sabres games and cheering them on together.  His own participation in sports started early, too; he was playing golf at 7 years old and took up tennis in his pre-teens.  He was never a runner though, that came later.

What’s more country than Nolensville?  Angola, Indiana, according to Victor!  As the county seat of Steuben County, which is well known for its 101 lakes, Angola had no shortage of farming and fishing. Victor and his friends spent much of their time on the lakes where he learned how to water-ski at an early age, a tradition the Neilson’s continue now on their family boat.  Victor still remembers “Tractor Day” at Angola High and cheering on the Angola Hornets at high school games.

In a twist of fate, Victor met his future bride, Mindy, while still in middle school. Mindy had just moved to Angola and the Neilson’s were the first family they met in town.  While their fathers were best buds, Victor admits his boyish charm was more than lacking at that stage of his life or as he puts it, “I was a jerk.”  He must have made a pretty strong impression, because Mindy still remembers to this day what he was wearing when they first met – a light blue I.O.U. chambray shirt and I.O.U. dark denim jorts!!!

This is the part of the film where our leading man must prove his enduring love to gain the affection of his soul mate.  (Don’t worry, there’s a happy ending.)  Due to their fathers’ friendship, their families hung out regularly, but it wasn’t until after high school that they tested the dating waters.  Little did Victor know, Mindy was a little skeptical that he could change his bad boy attitude, and it would take a long time for him to break down that wall.

Their first date was December 16, 2002 (yes, he remembers this date all on his own!)  He had it all planned.  They’d go to the nicest restaurant in town and he would wine and dine her.  He called to give her the big news and she sighed, “Oh.”  “Would you rather do something else?” he asked.  “Well,” she confessed, “I was kind of craving Guinness and wings.”  So, of course, Victor obliged and every year to celebrate their first date anniversary they go out for the same pub fare.

Victor attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN and graduated the same year, and same major, as a then future player for another black and gold team – New Orleans quarterback, Drew Brees of Super Bowl fame!  Victor minces no words when he says he hates Indiana University, Purdue’s archrivals, with a passion.  After graduating college, Victor took an opportunity to work with U.S. Foods, which eventually brought him and Mindy to Nashville.  During his 13-week training and sampling the different foods offered by the company, Victor gained 38 lbs. and learned quickly the perils of his new job.  Now, he’s careful to not grab a handful when passing by the French fry bowl in his client’s kitchens.  Above all, he feels fortunate to be one of the lucky few who actually loves their job.

Victor and Mindy moved to Nolensville about three years ago and love the community.  They have an adorable son, Robert, and Victor hopes to make a Buffalo Bills fan out of him someday.  Earlier this year, their entire family took a trip to Disneyworld where Victor and Mindy ran their first ever marathons and Robert ran his first race, as well.  Before his son’s race, Victor leaned down and asked, “Do you want Daddy to run with you?”  Robert looked him in the eye and said, “Daddy, I got this!”  NRC NextGen has another member!

This marathon trip came not long after Victor and Mindy started running consistently.  Before than, they would make jaunts out when they could.  He recalls, back then, Mindy had a worse time of it than he did and would get the runner gripes after about a mile in.  That being said, Mindy was the first to start running races.  It was about 3 years ago, when Mindy came home and said she was going to run her first half marathon.  Victor was suspicious.  His doubts only ended up spurring her on to finish her training and he had to eat his words one mile at a time when she completed the Women’s Half!  Five months later, she paced him to his first half at the New Orleans Half Marathon.  Victor has great memories of that race and it was there that he got bit by the running bug.

One of his other favorite races was the 2014 Carmel Half Marathon, because of the enormous NRC support and our epic finish line!  He first heard about NRC from his wife.  She kept telling him he should go meet up with the club and he finally did about two summers ago.  Now Mindy is also a regular.  He was struck by the friendliness and camaraderie NRC extended to newcomers.  The friendships he has made are what it’s all about to him.  He laughed, “It could be called the Nolensville Sitting Club and I would come, because of the people.”  Victor doesn’t have any specific running goals.  He simply runs for fun and the companionship, and… to eat.  His favorite meal is pepperoni pizza and ice-cold Pepsi, not beer or Coke, Pepsi!  (It is the choice of a new generation.)

More than anything, he enjoys encouraging others out on runs.  He loves taking the time to talk with and urge on runners in races who have started walking and need support.  It is a great feeling when he can help someone to keep on going and he says that almost always those people will see him after the race and thank him for giving them the boost they needed.  He ran the Middle Half for himself and got a sub 2:00, but he would rather pace Mindy or others to meet their goals.

Looking into the future, Victor sees no more than one marathon a year.  When not training, he runs to maintain his mileage and stay Half Marathon ready.  When he’s not running, Victor has been working on his bucket list.  He was able to check off “See a European football game” when he traveled to Barcelona recently.  He’s gotten into Formula One Racing a lot lately and so he wants to drive a racecar one day, plus he’s fixing up his high school wheels, a 1970 El Camino, which will be appearing on Wednesday nights before long.  He also plans to jump out of a perfectly good airplane and hopefully, one day, see the Bills play in the Super Bowl.

If he had to pick an actor to play him in the movie of his life, Victor would choose Jim Carrey.  A joker himself, Victor admits he’s almost never serious, sometimes a little raunchy even, and always the first to go “there” in a conversation amongst friends over a few beers.  He’s a breath of fresh air and a sip of cold water (a cooler of ice water welcomes NRCers by his mailbox often on Wednesday nights) and we are blessed to have him!  Be sure to congratulate Victor on his newfound stardom the next time you see him at NRC!