Monday, November 28, 2011

2012 Galloway Marathon Training Starts January 22!

Registration will begin in November for the 2nd Annual Jeff Galloway Run/Walk/Run Marathon/Half Marathon Training Program. Over 60 RWM’ers participated in 2011 and 3 of 6 RWM Inspirational Runners of the Year were Gallowayans. Goals of the program are to prevent injury, reduce fatigue, speed recovery and have a life!...while training for a long distance event.

Participants will receive a year’s subscription to Runner’s World, a t-shirt, a very nice finishers medal and (for new participants) Galloway’s Training Programs, a comprehensive manual that answers any question one might have about training for a half or full marathon.

Pace Group Leaders will be provided (Galloway’s motto is to “leave no Gallowayan behind”), as well as seminars on running form, nutrition, proper gear, injury prevention/rehab and cross training.

Jeff Galloway will be in Missoula January 16-19 to kick off the program, promote the Missoula Marathon/Half Marathon and to conduct a 3-hour running school. He and wife Barbara will return in July to run the event again.

Cost is $99 ($125 for non-members). Co-Directors are Pam Gardiner and John Pitcairn.

Go Gallowayans!
~John Pitcairn, Runner’s Edge

Friday, November 18, 2011

M Trail Work Day a Huge Success!

RWM and Friends of the M Trail co-sponsored a work day on the M Trail on Oct 22nd. About 25 people attended and made a full day of the event while we installed a new stair structure on the 6th switchback. We also brushed over erosive side trails, pulled knapweed and planted plugs of native wildflowers and grasses.

Our attendees were UM students, volunteers from the community (and as far away as Whitefish), local Cub Scouts and parents, and of course RWM folks looking for the hardcore cardio/upper body workout! Under the supervision of UM senior Jon Paulson, the heavy timbers and half ton of gravel carried up the hill were transformed into a sturdy and attractive non-eroding staircase. This is the most recent of about 7 total step structures that have been built on the M Trail through cooperation with UM Natural Areas Program, Friends of the M Trail, UM Student Guild of Society for Ecological Restoration and RWM.

The stair structures are necessary to slow down the rapid erosion taking place at the switchbacks under the feet of up to 1000 hikers EACH DAY. It takes a village to maintain a mountain- especially one that is so heavily loved as Mt Sentinel.

We were pretty bold about asking passersby to carry things up the trail! About 50 or more good natured hikers agreed to carry a bucket of gravel up to the 6th switchback. That’s just the kind of community we live it: everyone’s happy to lend a hand.

Pizza lunch was provided by RWM and the Pizza Pipeline. Great Harvest Bread also donated a huge bag of cinnamon bread to get us going early in the morning. The weather was beautiful, the project successful, and we expect our efforts contributed to many more decades of happy M Trail running for all! See you other there next time (April 2012).
~Marilyn Marler, UM Natural Areas Specialist

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Upcoming Beer Runs

Official Fall Greetings from the Chancellor of Libations.

As much as it pains me I, the Chancellor of Libations, must apologize to the legions of Beer Runners. Yes I am down on my knees begging forgiveness for selecting a meeting place that had scheduled an EMERGENCY that required a full scale evacuation and the assistance of the Missoula City Fire Department. But rest assured that in the future I will endeavor to ensure that our Beer Runs will never suffer another scheduling conflict of this nature.

Still we managed to have an unprecedented Beer Run, somewhere between 70 and 80 of us descended upon the Draught Works on a cool but beautiful fall evening. We charged off in a great mass heading into the North side neighborhoods laying siege to the streets. In spite of our best efforts at stealth running we managed to draw cheers and waves from the many adoring
residents as we wound our way to the cemeteries. I encountered a true life first when a couple girls ran along with us for a couple blocks.

If you get a chance please take a moment to thank the folks at the city cemetery for staying open a bit late to allow our hoard to enjoy our tour of the historic Missoula City Cemetery. and it was a beautiful evening to enjoy the tour with all the fall leaves.

Another highlight for me was the first hundred yards or so of the Catholic Cemetery, as we turned through the gate a deep golden orange blanket of leaves carpeted the road leading to the far corner, and I loved the crunch and swish of the leaves under my clomping feet, but a few of our fellow Beer Runners mentioned that they were more concerned about the leaves hiding potholes and tank traps.

I am a bit embarrassed to admit this but I have our next three Beer Runs planned, well I have the meeting locations selected:

November 30th we will make our second annual pilgrimage to home of the greatest fried chicken in Missoula when we descend upon Double Front Chicken for our poultry fest.

December 28th we will again head to the South side of Missoula to tour the Griswold neighborhoods, this year we will meet at Desperados on Russell.

January we will give the Draught Works a second chance to experience our presence. I can't wait to see what "emergency" they come up with this time to leave us standing on their doorstep.

Until then have a great Thanksgiving.
~Pat Cross, Chancellor of Libations

Monday, November 14, 2011

View From The Back

I run because I can…..I run “for the health of it!”

The “spark” of my running inspiration came from my daughter-in-law, Maggie. She said, “I’m going to run the Missoula Marathon, you should do it, too.” I doubted myself and my ability to do it, so I just forgot about it…..so I thought! That challenge to run lay there, in the back of my mind growing into a “bucket list” desire to achieve that level of fitness. I have always strived for fitness and good health, staying active and attempting to watch my diet. That became especially true after going through surgery for cancer three years ago. It now became a consuming desire to take better care of my body, and ease my restless mind.

When the opportunity to hear Jeff Galloway speak in Missoula arose, I jumped at it! His talk so inspired me and made me KNOW I could attain this level of fitness. I COULD run a marathon! With his guidance, and the guidance from his trained group leaders the journey began!

I wavered a bit after those first training sessions. I remember our first run! We were told to “Go out, and run down Higgins Avenue to about Strand, run a block, walk a block. WHEW! I thought I would not make it back to the Runner’s Edge, there in the winter cold, snow and ice. Yikes! For nearly a week my leg muscles let me know they did not like this new endeavor; I could barely hobble up the steps into my house!

But, as days/weeks/months flew past, awesome friendships were formed, runner’s muscles developed, running routines were forged and memories of dark, icy mornings were a joy to look back on.

Six months later, the exhilarating, and awe-inspiring joy of crossing that finish line after 26.2 miles was mind boggling! It left me, well…..left me ready for the next challenge. Jeff Galloway’s program and the Run Wild Missoula BOP program have truly become wonderful additions to my life!
~Suzanne Burwick

Being an Athlete is
a state of mind
which is not bound by age,
performance or
place in the running pack.

~Jeff Galloway