PFIZER LA JOLLA RUNNING CLUB
LET'S GET OUT AND RUN
SPRING SEASON 2016
We are in the middle of the 2016 Spring season and I hope everybody is having fun and enjoying the sunny days outside, particularly after the time change. We already had a couple races in this season, the Mardi Gras 5K, San Diego Half marathon and the Hot Chocolate 5K/15K. For all who participated in those, I hope you had a lot of fun and enjoyed the race!
I know this seems early, but we are preparing for next Season (Fall 2016). If you know of a great race you'd like to run which was not on our race list last season, please let us know!
Thanks to everybody who came to the last running club meeting, it was great to see you all! Among the meeting attendees we had two happy winners of our raffle prizes, Jackie and Samantha, who received a $10 and $15 gift card. Thanks also to Samantha and Coach James for their inspiring presentation about the Cheetah Charity Runners and how it affects people in need (Emilio Nares Foundation), please contact Samantha Greasley for more information.
In this issue we have Terrence, our very own club president, share with us his motivation and joy about running, in the "Why I Run" column. Thanks to everybody who made the effort to take some race group photos last season, please also take lots of photos this season!
Please let us know if you'd like to be included in a "Why I run" column.
Susanne & Terrence
RUNNING CLUB POLICY: Reminder to wear the Pfizer Running Singlet during a Race
We are very fortunate that Pfizer is continuing to support our club with the current budget constraints. In return it is expected from us to visibly wear the Pfizer Singlet during the races we are signing up for via the Pfizer running club.
Please contact us (Terrence or a club board member) if you need a new Pfizer running singlet in a different size.
We have observed during the last season that not all members comply to this rule. There will be consequences in future, if we continue to have members not follow this policy. Failure to wear the Pfizer running shirt during a race will result in a request for full reimbursement of the race registration fees. In case of noncompliance we will also reserve the right to dismiss members from the running club for future.
Next Club Meeting
Agenda: Getting ready for Fall Season 2016
Selection of offered races and assigning the race coordinators
Tuesday, Apr 19, 2016, 12:00 PM
Pfizer CB4 2201 (VC HD)
RUNNING CLUB MEMBERSHIP LEVELS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
Due to a general increase in race registration fees over the last few years we needed to raise the membership contributions last year for the current Spring 2016 Season. We introduced three levels of memberships (Gold, Silver, Bronze) based on individual running needs (pay more if you want to run more) which should make it more fair to everybody. The club budget was in terrible shape last year, but thanks to the new introduced measures it is now recovering and hopefully in the black by next year. We would like to thank everyone for accepting the increase and dues and thank you for your continued support!
Bronze Membership:..$60 (3x 5k races)
Silver Membership:.... $80 (HalfMa + 10k race, or 10K + 2x 5K races)
Gold Membership:....$100 (2x HalfMa, or one each (HalfMa + 10K + 5K), or 10K + 3x 5K races)
Explanation for membership levels
We have three different race categories (5k, 10/15k or HalfMa) which are based on the amount of race registration fees, 5k being the cheapest and Half Marathons the most expensive races. A 10k race might be classified to the 5k race category if the registration fees are in the same price range as the other 5k races. Please contact us (Terrence, Susanne or Dave) if you have questions about the membership levels.
Race Sign-Up
The race coordinators are responsible for registration of interested runners in timely manner (before the sign-up deadline). Members have to pay their membership fees for the season before they can be registered for any race. The race coordinators have to make sure that the members to be registered for a race hold a valid membership for the correlating race season.
Delayed Race Registration Policy
If a member would like to sign up for a race AFTER the sign-up deadline as specified by the race coordinator, the Pfizer Running Club will pay the same amount of fees which incurred before the deadline. Any additional expenses evolving from delayed registration are fully to be paid by the member in question.
The Pfizer Running Club will also never contribute to any extra costs such as Bib transfer fees; these are to be borne by the members themselves.
Fall 2016 Season
Although we are still in the middle of the Spring 2016 race series, we have to look forward and already prepare and get ready for the Fall 2016 season!!
The registration for the AFC Half Marathon/5K is approaching fast (April 12 at the latest) and Sabine, our AFC race coordinator, already sent out a reminder with the registration info. If you would like to run the AFC Half Marathon, please pay your Fall 2016 Gold membership ($100) to Dave before you register with Sabine. The deadline for the Carlsbad Half Marathon Registration will also be very soon (End of April).
We will discuss more details for all the other races in our next meeting.
2015 RACE REPORTS
Aloha Run 5K
5K Runners: Brenda Gibson, Dave Martinez, Jean Matthews, Joanalyn Bartolome, Keith Abayasiriwardana, Margaret Jaurigue, Phuong Le, Rachel Torrealba, Sangita Baxi, Shinji Yamazaki, Shuyan Lu, Simon Bailey, Susanne Lang.
Before the race
After the race
2015 Aloha Run Finisher Medal
Surfing Madonna (5K/10K)
The Surfing Madonna is the largest beach run in the country and voted as one of Southern California's "Most Beautiful Race Courses". Not surprising that the Pfizer Running Club had a large number of entries for this run and our team came in 4th place in the "Largest Team Division" category and awarded us $200 prize money for the club!! We are planning to enter a large group of runners again this year which on top will give us a great discount in registration fees. Please join us for this spectacular beach race this year!!
The Surfing Madonna Mosaic at its new home on the Leucadia Pizzeria Restaurant Wall on Encinitas Blvd.
The Surfing Madonna Run on Moonlight Beach in Encinitas was brought to life in Fall 2013 and is sure to become a classic annual event. It is a non-profit event and project dedicated to "Save the Ocean" and raise awareness to issues affecting the world's oceans. Aside from this awesome cause it is a beautiful and unique race for several other reasons. Participants are racing on a beautiful stretch of beach at low tide. Find more information about the Surfing Madonna Oceans Project under http://surfingmadonna.org/
5K Runners: Gary Gallego, Joanalyn Bartolome, Margaret Jaurigue, Mehran Jalaie, Paul Rejto, Phuong Le, Rebecca Murphy, Sabine Jalaie, Shinji Yamazaki, Simon Bailey.
10K Runners: Ana Ruiz, Andrew Chang, Brenda Gibson, Keith Abayasiriwardana.
5K Runners
10K Runners
Brenda and Ana
10K Runners
Silver Strand Half Marathon and 10M
We had only a few people signing up for the flat and long distance Silver Strand race course this year. This annual Silver Strand race is the only race with the waves of the Pacific Ocean on your right, and the San Diego Bay on your left, and runs from Coronado to Imperial Beach for the past 16 years! In 2015 for the first time the 10M distance was added and some runners took advantage of the slightly shorter route.
10M Runners: Joanalyn Bartolome.
Half Marathon Runners: Ana Ruiz, Yang Cheng.
Jingle Bell Walk/Run 5K
Chosen as one of the Most Incredible Themed Races, the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis is a fun and festive way to kick off your holidays by helping others! Wear a holiday themed costume, tie jingle bells to your shoelaces and simply enjoy a fun race. I hope our runners had exactly that: a LOT of fun.
5K Runners: Jessica Frey, Keith Abayasiriwardana, Yang Cheng.
San Diego Holiday Half Marathon
Some fearless club runners were brave enough to sign up for the 3rd annual San Diego Holiday Half Marathon race on 27th Dec right after the Holidays. Staying motivated during the holiday season is difficult enough, but throwing a half marathon in before New Years is crazy to some, but not Pfizer La Jolla running club members.
This is one of the fastest half marathons in the country, due to 714-Foot net elevation drop course, gentle rolling downhill with only a few uphill parts. Paired with the milder San Diego winter temperatures this presents a great opportunity for a new PR. And of course not to forget the beautiful scenery and stunning views while running towards the ocean.
Our Fearless Half Marathoners: Jean Matthews, Marthe Ornelas, Michelle Lee, Shuyan Lu, Yang Cheng. Congratulations!!
Carlsbad Half Marathon
The final race for the Fall season, the Carlsbad Half Marathon. This is the first race of the Triple Crown Series, followed by the La Jolla Half Marathon (April) and America's Finest City Half Marathon (August). According to some these are three of the Country's Best Half Marathons with exceptional coastal scenery.
We had several runners enlisted for this race and we hope they all finished running season on a high note. The weather certainly contributed its fair share as it was a sunny day and neither too hot nor too cold.
Half Marathoners: Andrew Chang, Jacqui Hoffman, Jean Matthews, Marianne Martinic, Michelle Lee, Sabine Jalaie, Sapna Vijayakumar, Shinji Yamazaki, Susanne Lang, Yang Cheng.
Why I Run
I always enjoyed running, but not for sport, just for fun. Growing up in the city of Detroit in the 80’s; it was actually safe to play outside. We played tag, had foot races, and other sports: football, baseball, and basketball. My great-grandfather participated in track & field in the 1920’s and had won many medals at the city college and received a scholarship to run in college. He competed with some of the best in his time and did very well in the long jump and the sprint relays; I wouldn’t find this out until after high school, where I competed in the same events. In high school I ran the sprint races: 100 meter, 200 meter, 400 meter and 800 meter relays. Occasionally my coach would put me in the long jump and 400 meter dash. I received my varsity letter my freshman year in track and field. I ran throughout high school and into college, but I did not compete in college. I started running again my senior year of college, but I hated running. I thought it was boring and wouldn’t last more than 15 minutes running. I was more of a jogger. I ran to keep in shape for soccer and basketball. I didn’t like the shorts that the runners wore or the singlets. I ran in basketball shorts and t-shirts. Once I graduated college I joined the Ann Arbor Track and Field club with my wife. We would practice with the club weekly and really started to enjoy running. My wife was always a runner. She ran cross-country in high school. I ran my first ½ marathon before we moved to San Diego in 2007 and liked it. Once we moved to San Diego I joined the San Diego Track Club with some work colleagues and really started to enjoy running, even the long distance races. I have completed the Triple Crown (Carlsbad, La Jolla, and AFC); San Dieguito Half Marathon, San Diego Holiday Half Marathon, Xterra trail races (Malibu Creek Challenge, Mission Gorge), Shelter Island, St. Patty’s Day 10k, Hot Chocolate Run, and many more races. I really enjoy running and volunteering at my son’s school for their running club.
Running is such an easy sport. All you need is a pair of shoes (I did the five-finger shoe running and wouldn’t recommend it) and you are ready to go! I think that running brings people together. It helps you clear your mind and find new places in your city or across the world. A new thing that I started is to find races when you travel. Vacations are for relaxing, but if you can find a race the 1st or 2nd day of your vacation, you get to explore a new city, get a new t-shirt, and get a good workout. After the race you feel like you have accomplished something and can spend the remainder of your vacation sitting on the beach and relaxing.
Happy Trails,
Terrence
UPCOMING RACES
XTERRA Black Mountain Trail Run (5K/15K)
Race Coordinator: Terrence Coleman
Registered Runners: Jean Matthews
Sunday, Apr 10, 2016, 08:00 AM
12115 Black Mountain Road, San Diego, CA, United States
UCSD Triton Run (5K)
Race Coordinator: Shuyan Lu
Registered Runners for 5K: Christopher Bi, Margaret Jaurigue, Mindy Meader, Paul Rejto
Sunday, Apr 10, 2016, 09:00 AM
9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, United States
La Jolla Half Marathon
Race Coordinator: Michelle Lee
Registered Runners: Andrew Chang, Brenda Gibson, Jean Matthews, Keith Abayasiriwardana, Marianne Martinic, Michelle Lee, Sabine Jalaie, Shinji Yamazaki, Susanne Lang
Sunday, Apr 24, 2016, 07:30 AM
2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar, CA, United States
Coronado Bay Bridge Run (4M)
Race Coordinator: Jamie Rowe
Registered Runners: Keith Abayasiriwardana, Mehran Jalaie, Mindy Meader, Sabine Jalaie, Susanne Lang
Sunday, May 15, 2016, 07:30 AM
1 Park Boulevard, San Diego, CA, United States
Scripps Ranch Old Pros 4th of July 10K
Registration hasn't opened yet, will be coming soon.
Monday, Jul 4, 2016, 07:00 AM
Hoyt Park, Aviary Drive, San Diego, CA, United States
Pfizer La Jolla Running Club
Secretary: Susanne Lang
Treasurer: David Martinez
Board: Michelle Lee, Wes Scott, Sam Greasley
Email: terrence.coleman@pfizer.com
Location: San Diego, CA, United States
Phone: 858-622-7394