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Another Evening of Free Running Stories to Inspire
By George Banker Washington, DC August 11, 2010 For the Washington Running Report
An invitation is being extended to runners of all abilities and interest for an evening of inspiring stories which will inspire you to achieve your running fitness goals. The challenges of running may not be obvious until you lace up your shoes. What are the influences in your life that shape your running schedule and other priorities? Do you have to set a "Personal Record" in every race? Is it important to listen to your body when you run?
The evening of conversation will be held at The North Face Store, 3333 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007 (202-298-5510). The session will be on Wednesday September 8, 2010, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
The speakers will include:
Elyse Braner
Program Manager, Endurance for the Greater Washington Sports Alliance. At the Lulu Lemon Logan Circle store (1461 P Street NW), Elyse leads a running club each Monday night for runners of all abilities and she focuses on Community Outreach and run-related activities.
Elyse is President of Washington Running Club and trains for races from the 5K through the marathon. She is also involved in Girls on the Run in Washington, DC and is a columnist for irunfar.com.
Outside of running, Elyse enjoys cooking, event planning, yoga, weight lifting, and volunteer work. She graduated from Smith College where she was a two-year captain of the cross country team.
Alisa Harvey
Alisa Harvey is a 2008 Olympic Trials qualifier in the 800 meters. She was named USA Track & Field 2007 Masters Athlete of the Year. Harvey is the World Record Holder of the indoor master's mile (4:47.26). She also holds U.S. masters records of 2:07.57 for 800 meters, 4:46.29 for the mile outdoors, 2:05.75 for 800 meters (set February 24, 2008), and 4:26.18 for 1500 meters (set February 9, 2008) indoors. She was the 800 meter and 1500 meter champion at the 2007 U.S. Masters Outdoor T&F National Championships. She is also a monthly columnist for the Washington Running Report.
Michael Wardian
Photo by Kathy Freedman
From a 2009 Runner's World interview Wardian's reply why he competes in so many races:
"A lot of people say, "Oh, you could be a 2:12 guy or a 2:14 guy if you just focused on one race a year, or two races a year and really built up." And I think the counter argument is that you could get hurt and you wouldn't have any races a year. There are so many opportunities out there and, I love to toe the line. I love to see what I can do and just push the limits and try and experiment with myself. I like that people can look at me, and say, "Wow, if that guy can do 13 marathons a year and do pretty well maybe I can do one." I think a lot of people can relate to that. Like, that guy works a real job. He's not a professional runner."
(Vigneron, Peter (April 20, 2009). "A Brief Chat with Michael Wardian" Runner's World
On July 2, 2010 at the TJ Community Center in Arlington, VA, after making 211 laps on a 200-meter track Wardian set a world indoor marathon record of 2:27:21 (pending ratification). The event was the Grant-Pierce Indoor Marathon.
He is the four-time winner of Washington's National Marathon and the top American finisher with the best time ever at the Marathon Des Sables, Morocco (April 4-10, 2010), 150 mile stage race (18:44:49),
As well as the he U.S. Track & Field 2008 and 2009 Ultra Runner of the year. He was featured in the The Washington Post. Sunday, May 30, 2010, page D1. His Sponsors includes MarthonGuide, The North Face, and PowerBar.
George Banker
He is the author, "Marine Corps Marathon A Running Tradition." Banker completed 77 marathons including 26 Marine Corps Marathons to date and four JFK 50 milers. He is a journalist and photographer as well as serving on the Ad Hoc Publicity Committee of the Marine Corps Marathon as the historian. He is a member of the Brooks I.D. Program and Chairman, Long Distance Running/Potomac Valley Association-USATF. Currently he serves as the Operations Manager for the Army Ten-Miler. He is a senior writer for the Runner's Gazette and contributes to the Washington Running Report. In 2006 he was entered into the DC Road Runners Club Hall of Fame. Read his bio page.