BCRR This Week - September 17 - 24, 2012

HELLO BAYOU CITY!


Thanks to all of the generous Virgos for sponsoring last weeks beer tab and party at Valhalla and a special thanks to Susan Cita for coordinating this event.

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SAVE THE DATE: Sunday December 16, 2012, BCRR Christmas Party, Cadillac Bar, 1802 Shepherd, 5:30-10.

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BCRR needs you! If you run on Wednesday night and enjoy cold Gatorade, water and snacks post run, please volunteer to be part of the hydration team at least once per year. We supply the coolers, Gatorade and cups, you supply the labor! How can you help? Its simple, just visit the following link and sign up for your turn:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuZgLvk8y35ldDVTZmoyZEp5WXJNU01XMFpiNEEzeXc#gid=0

Thanks to Lisa Thompson, Loris Fusi-Goldberg, Alonso Vargas, Peter Griffiths and Susan Cita for volunteering hydration duty for the month of September and Marilyn Blythe and Joe Lengfellner for volunteering for the first two weeks of October. The club still needs volunteers for October 17, 24 and 31 or you will have to do without. When you sign-up please remember to make arrangements with the persons that will be volunteering for pick-up the week before and after your turn so you can coordinate the transfer of the cups and coolers. If you are a regular Wednesday runner please sign up today or contact Eric Pace, Hydration Czar for more information ericpacebcrr@yahoo.com

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The HARRA Cross Country Relay is on September 29, 2012. This is the first race of the HARRA fall series and we need your participation in order to score points for the club. Pace does not matter only your participation. Each team is made up of 4 runners for a 2 mile leg. Awards will be given to the top three teams in each division. Your must be a HARRA Member to score points for our club. If you are not a HARRA member please join now at the following links:

online signup: https://www.memberize.net/clubportal/memberjoin.cfm?clubID=955
download application: http://www.harra.org/955dir/documents/HARRAMembershipApplication.pdf

If you do not have a team and would like to help the club earn points please contact your division captain:

Open Women, Mixed Open and Mixed Masters (over 40): Lisa Thompson, lisa@modernbb.com
Open Men and Masters Men (over 40): Trey Beeman, treybeeman@gmailcom
Masters Women (over 40): Sam McMurtery, samantha_mcmurtrey@hotmail.com
Masters Men (over 40): Tim McGuirk, timpmcg@hotmail.com
Veteran Women (over 50) and Senior Women (over 60): Susan Davis, singdavis@yahoo.com
Veteran Men (over 50): David Piper, dspiper@aol.com
Senior Men (over 60) and Grand Master Men (70+): Mike Mangan, mikemangan41@yahoo.com

Visit the BCRR Relay Page or http://www.tornadosrunningclub.com/events-calendar/harra-xc-relay/

for more information. Contact your team captain and get on a team today.


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BCRR Birthdays This Week: Cathy McGlohn (September 18), James Castellanos (September 20), Udo Heginger (September 21), Mick Midkiff (September 21), Chuck Bracht (September 22), Derold Maney (September 22) and Emily Brabo (September 24) *=New Age Group

Have a very happy birthday!

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WORD FROM THE BIRD wants to hear from you. Feel free to contribute with any interesting running material you want to see in the newsletter. We’re always on the lookout for entertaining run/race reports, how-to/technical articles, editorials, and photos. Just submit your story to bcrr.news@gmail.com.

REPORT YOUR RACE RESULTS: We want to know what our members are doing on the roads and/or trails. Send all your results to us at bcrr.results@gmail.com before the 20th day of the month and we’ll make sure they hit the next newsletter!

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Our FIRE SALE has been a great success and inventory is getting low so you need to buy soon. We have technical shirts with BCRR logos all are now priced at only $5 each. Please contact Rosie if you would like to take advantage of this great offer resbcrr@yahoo.com

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Running Calendar:

Wednesday (Rice University): Join us every Wednesday evening at Rice University for Sprints and Spirits. The group meets at 5:45 pm (run leaves at 6 pm). The Bayou Run (6.6 miles) is the usual route but there are shortcuts and alternative routes as well. All levels are welcome. And the best part is the cheap beer at Valhalla, a delightfully casual and economical watering hole, afterwards. Come on out! It's a great way to break up the stressful work week.

Friday Hills at Mount Bacon (Tanglewood): Join us for this weekly run from St. Martins Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road to Mount Bacon. We meet in the church parking lot at the corner of Sage Road and Woodway Drive at 5:30 am. We have a 1.3 mile warm-up run to Mount Bacon and do 2 to 4 miles of hills with a 1.3 mile run back to the church.

Sunday Long Run (Memorial Park, 6:30AM): Join us for the weekly long run from Memorial Park zero-mile marker. We leave promptly at 6:30 and members typically run between 10 and 15 miles. Meet for breakfast afterwards at Empire Cafe, 1732 Westheimer Road.

The HARRA Fall Race Series: BCRR needs for you to run as many of the following races to score valuable points for the club for the HARRA Inter Club Competition. You must be a current HARRA member to earn points so if you have not joined please do so now.

September 29, 2012 - Cross Country Relay
October 14, 2012 - USA Space City 10-Miler
October 28, 2012 - Luke's Locker & Koala Healthcare Houston Half Marathon
November 18, 2012 - HMSA St. Lukes Episcopal Hospital Classical 25K
December 9, 2012 - Sugar Land Finish Line Sports 30K
January 13, 2013 - Chevron Houston Marathon

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Social Calendar:

Happy Hour (September 28, 2012, 6:30PM): Join us for happy hour at Onion Creek located at 3106 White Oak Drive (713) 880-0706. If you'd like to be on the mailing list for the unofficial Happy Hour, please email Sam Pace at mpace1bcrr@gmail.com

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Your BCRR Board!

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Are you stressed, sore, or do you just need a relaxing massage? Contact Peter Blackwell, LMT, a BCRR-affiliated massage therapist who was with us at the Run-for-a-Reason event.

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Visit Finish Strong Sports at www.Finishstrongsports.com.Finish Strong Sports isn't like your regular athletic store. We understand that every person has different feet, different fitness levels and different exercise goals. Whether you're looking for the latest shoes, apparel or accessories, our knowledgeable staff will take the time to understand your unique needs and recommend products and solutions to help you achieve peak performance.
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"MultiSportHealthCenter" for runners utilizing ART & FOOTMAXX. Contact Dr. Chris Sanders at 713.572.4100 for Injury Treatment & Prevention Through Structural Management or visit http://www.multisporthealthcenter.com

BCRR Member Paul Schulz in the News!

One of our own running club neurologists, Paul Schulz, was interviewed yesterday on Channel 11 News about a new test for the definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.  

Paul Schulz: Not just a great runner...

Paul was also featured in the Houston Chronicle several weeks ago in an article about the same topic.  Read it here.

Mark Fraser Remembrance Fund Launches

Houston Area Road Runners (HARRA) has established The Mark Fraser Remembrance Fund to provide significant funding for construction of a newly designed Stretching Area at Memorial Park. 

In cooperation with Kirksey Architecture, the Memorial Park Conservancy and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, a significant donation will be made by HARRA, in the remembrance of Mark Fraser, to fund this project. The HARRA fundraising goal is $25,000, while total project costs are expected to reach $130,000. 

Upon completion of the project, a ceremony will be held in which a plaque or similar will be added to the stretching area commemorating HARRA’s contribution in the name of Mark F. Fraser. Project completion is planned for late September 2012. 

To learn more about Mark and his contributions to the running community, see previous Blog Posts:  HARRA News: Mark Fraser - 1956-2011 and Memorial Service for Mark Fraser.

For complete details, more information, and to make a donation, please visit www.harra.org and follow the links.

Let the Fundraising Begin!!

Rice University All Comers Track Meets

RICE UNIVERSITY All Comers Track Meets- 2012
THURSDAY NIGHTS
May 17th, May 31st, June 7th, June 14th, June 21st,  & June 28th


Holloway Field (Rice University Track Stadium)


Who: This meet is for everyone! They’ve had people from age 5- 80 run, Olympic Champions and world record holders to people who have never participated in a meet. 
For details see http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/rice/sports/m-track/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/All-ComersInfo.pdf

Tour de Bayou Begins!

2012 Tour de Bayou
Five Tuesdays at 6pm

HOUSTON, Texas (March 27, 2012)--The Houston Area Road Runners Association (HARRA) and Finish Strong Sports continue to offer the cult classic Tour de Bayou cross country races.

For your running pleasure, the stages all start at 6:00 pm, are open to everyone, and are free of charge. Distances vary from roughly three miles to five miles. Runners may run any or all of the stages. Results will be posted for individual stages and cumulatively.

Stage 1: April 3	Spotts Park, near Memorial Dr & Heights Blvd
Stage 2: April 10	Dog Park, near Allen Pkwy & Montrose (AKA Over the River and thru the Woods)
Stage 3: April 17	White Oak Bayou, White Oak Ave @ Thelma
Stage 4: April 24	Ho Chi Minh, Memorial Park @ Rugby Field
Stage 5: May 1	Ho Chi Minh, Memorial Park @ Rugby Field

Note that this series has been rescheduled from Thursdays. It is now on Tuesdays.

For more information, email Roger Boak.

LAST CHANCE: HARRA Houston Marathon Slots Available

If you are interested in running the Chevron Houston Marathon, on Janaury 15, 2012, and have not registered, this may be your last chance. HARRA has 3 slots left. You must be an HARRA member. You must be registered by tomorrow night. If you qualify, first email Roger Boak, nboka.xc@gmail.com . If there are still slots left, he will give you instructions. HARRA has already purchased the entries, so you will be reimbursing us. Then you will be directed to the marathon website to give them all your information. THIS MUST BE COMPLETED BY FRIDAY AT MIDNIGHT. LAST CHANCE, HURRY

Proposed Changes to Terry Hershey Park will Destroy Trails

A message from GHORBA (Greater Houston Off-Road Biking Association):

GHORBA needs your help in a grassroots effort to save the forest and trails at Terry Hershey Park. We have recently learned that Harris County Flood Control District, through its Charting Buffalo Bayou Project, intends to implement a plan in which a number of detention basins will be built along the south side of the Bayou from Hwy 6 to Beltway 8. The detention basins will be 3-4 acres in size, possibly both wet and dry bottom.

To build such basins, all the trees will be clear-cut and large volumes of soil removed. This will result in much of the natural-surface trail we call the Anthills being destroyed. Moreover, the forested areas consist of old growth trees and are home to a diverse array of birds, insects and animals. This habitat will be lost and so will an important trail system utilized on a daily basis by hikers, runners, and riders, if the proposal is implemented.

The goal of our governmental entities, both city and county, in attempting to address flooding in Houston is both important and essential as this city continues to grow. However, it is our position, which is supported by many of the residents in the area, that we need to explore solutions which do not involve the destruction of a community asset. Neither the county nor city has engaged user groups and those affected by the proposal in the process.

Moreover, the little information provided by officials and groups involved in the project has been conflicting. We have heard the proposed project is either imminent (as in construction will start next year) or just something they are thinking about and we don't need to worry about.

Given the severe consequences, GHORBA believes it is time to be proactive in letting our representatives know how we feel about the loss of this park asset. Please consider signing the Save the Terry Hershey Park Forest Petition if you live in Houston. In addition, write your city council member, county commissioner or the mayor, and let them know how the this portion of the park is important to you and should be preserved for today and future generations.

For most of us, the ability to escape to our little piece of "green" space is what makes living in such a large city enjoyable, and we cannot avoid to lose more of it.

Thank you,

Bill Rustam
President of GHORBA

Jeff Jeansonne
Platform Virtualization Strategy
PSG Business Notebooks
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