Another Pride weekend has come and gone. It's hard to believe it was the club's 27th year organizing the race. It's just another reminder of our club's long and fruitful history, something we all benefit from. It's easy to forget that not every city has a club like ours, or has one at all. Back in 2004, Dublin, Ireland was one such City – heaven forbid, a city without frontrunners. That was only four years ago. It took one individual, Mark Rooney to change all that. Who says one person can't make a difference.
Happy Fourth of July everyone.
Mark Rooney, the founder of Dublin Frontrunners, was kind enough to provide answers the questions below. Please note the cute British spelling in his responses.
DFR: Founded in January 2005 by myself, Mark Rooney
FRNY: What were the circumstances under which it was founded?
DFR: Funnily enough it was after I ran my first marathon in New York on Nov 7 2004 that I decided to set the club up. I knew of the London Frontrunners having run with them once on a visit to London during my marathon training - I loved the social aspect of the club and after running the NY marathon I was in love with running.
FRNY: How many members do you have? How many active members do you have?
DFR: We have about 45 members and approx 25 to 30 active members
FRNY: What is the very approximate age and gender breakdown of your members?
DFR: 90% male, age group varies from late twenties to 50+
FRNY: What regular events do you hold - a weeknight fun run? A weekend fun run? What do they entail and where do you run?
DFR: We meet twice a week in the Phoenix Park, for a 10km run. The park is Europe's largest city park and has some of the most beautiful running routes, complete with free roaming deer. Our Saturday morning run is followed by breakfast in a nearby cafe and our mid week run is followed by pub grub and a drink (juice that is)
FRNY: Do you have an annual pride celebration and/or run?
DFR: This year will be our second year to walk as a group in the annual Pride parade - last year we won the Rainbow Award, for the most 'imaginative and colourful walking group' in the parade. We also hold a Pride Relay race, where relay teams have to make their own batons, with prizes for the race winners and most creative baton creations.
FRNY: As a club do you participate in any local or non-local races?
DFR: Yes we take part in runs throughout the country and have representatives in many international marathons, including New York, Paris this year, Antarctica Marathon to name but a few.
FRNY: Do your members do any track running - or cross training, including biking, swimming or triathlons? Do you have walkers in addition to runners?
DFR: No walkers yet, but a few tri-athletes.
FRNY: Do you have close relationships with any other frontrunner clubs?
DFR: We visited the Manchester FR's in the UK in 2006 and last year we welcomed Manchester to Dublin for a weekend.
FRNY: Do your members run in a local marathon? If so, how many members ran it this year?
DFR: The Dublin Marathon is held in October, last year we had 7 runners taking part.
FRNY: Any fun facts you want to share?
DFR: We are the great runners, better socialisers and always looking for fun
Toronto
I've been to Toronto. It was only once and it was in March, but I really liked it. It was cosmopolitan and full of life, yet it was more manageable and compact than New York City. It was also pretty clean. Did you know that they filmed “Three Men and a Baby” there? Unfortunately, I did not get to run with Frontrunners Toronto. Maybe next time.
As an aside, I find it very interesting that different frontrunner clubs have different philosophies when it comes to whether the word “frontrunners” should be placed in front or behind the name of the city. There's Seattle Frontrunners and Vancouver Frontrunners. There's also Frontrunners Chicago and our favorite, Front Runners New York. I also think it's pretty interesting that some clubs decide to spell “frontrunners” as one word and others choose to spell it with two words – “Front Runners”. It's a lot to think about.
Thomas Gaffney, who also happens to be a proud member of Front Runners New York, was kind enough to provide answers the questions below.
FRNY: When and by whom was your club founded?
TFR: The club was founded in 1987 originally went under the name RUNNING WILDE.
FRNY: What were the circumstances under which it was founded?
TFR: The original members were also members of another club called Out and Out. They started running together and decided to make a club.
FRNY: How many members do you have? How many active members do you have?
TFR: We have approximately 100 or so members and about 50 who show up on a consistent basis.
FRNY: What is the approximate age and gender breakdown of your members?
TFR: Most of our runners are over forty although we have a few members in their twenties and thirties. Presently we do not have any women.
FRNY: Toronto is a very international city. Is that reflected in your membership? Do you have many Americans and/or New Yorkers?
TFR: Unfortunately most of our runners are white. We do have a few non-Caucasian members. As for Americans - we have a few. I am actually both an American and a New Yorker. I am also a member of New York Frontrunners.
FRNY: What regular events do you hold - a weeknight fun run? A weekend fun run? What do they entail and where do you run?
TFR: We hold potlucks for members, bagels in the park in the summer (anyone is welcome) and we also put together relay and race teams.
FRNY: Do you have an annual pride celebration and/or run?
TFR: Yes, it is the biggest in Canada. Unfortunately it is always held on the last weekend in June - the same time as New York Pride.
FRNY: As a club do you participate in any local or non-local races? Does Toronto have anything similar to the New York Roadrunners, which host frequent races?
TFR: Not the present time
FRNY: Do your members do any track running - or cross training, including biking, swimming or triathalons? Do you have walkers in addition to runners?
TFR: Yes, we have runners of various skill levels. Our former president has done several Ironmen and we have a number of runners who run cross country and marathons.
FRNY: Do you have close relationships with any other frontrunner clubs?
TFR: We sometimes march in our pride parade with the Buffalo Frontrunners
FRNY: Do your members run in the Toronto marathon? Is so, how many members ran it this year?
TFR: In Toronto we have two marathons and we have members who run in both. The Waterfront marathon is in Sept and the Toronto International is in October. We also do a water station for the International marathon.
FRNY: Any fun facts you want to share?
TFR: Several years ago we were entered into a relay race in Peterborough, Ontario (located between Toronto and Ottawa). We were ten minutes late getting to the start and did not see the other teams. By the end of the first leg not only had we caught up to everyone else but we actually passed them. In the end we only to find out the other teams were made up of runners with disabilities.
April 2008
Compared to Front Runners New York, Portland Frontrunners is a relatively small club. However, they serve as a great example of how frontrunner organizations from around the world can benefit from each other. Several years ago, while organizing our club's yearly participation in the Reach the Beach Relay in New Hampshire, we received word that a Portland Frontrunner, Gary Chappel, was interesting in running with us. He was a great asset to our team and even came back to run with us the next year. As many of you may know, Reach the Beach Relay was started as the East Coast version of the older Hood to Coast Relay (the grandfather of running relay races), which is held every year in Oregon. Since Gary's participation in Reach the Beach, several FRNY members have gone out to Oregon to run on the Portland Frontrunners' Hood to Coast team. It's unlikely that we could have organized our own team and our relationship with Portland Frontrunners has given our club members an opportunity we might not otherwise have had. So, thanks Portland Frontrunners. I would love to see greater interaction between front runner clubs. I for one am looking forward to the International Frontrunner Games and the opportunity to meet more fellow frontrunners.
Gary Chappel was kind enough to provide answers the questions below.
FRNY: When and by whom was your club founded?
PFR: A group of guys had an informal Portland Frontrunners in the late 80s/early 90s. Today's active club was registered as a 501(c)3 in 2001. PFR belongs to International Frontrunners, Road Runners Club of America, and is an affiliate of the Oregon Road Runners Club.
FRNY: What were the circumstances under which it was founded?
PFR: The first time around it was loosely organized by a runner who moved here and had been a member of Boston Frontrunners. Later, the same runner was a member of a local outdoor activity group called The Adventure Group. There were a number of runners in the Adventure Group and they formed the Portland Frontrunners that lives (runs?) on today.
FRNY: How many members do you have? How many active members do you have?
PFR: We ended 2007 with 45 members, most are active in some capacity. We have had as many as 60 members.
FRNY: What is the very approximate age and gender breakdown of your members?
PFR: 21 to 60. One of our fastest and most durable runners is 60. 25-30% women.
FRNY: What regular events do you hold - a weeknight fun run? A weekend fun run? What do they entail and where do you run?
PFR: We have four scheduled weekly runs, including Monday Ladies Night on bike paths along the Willamette River, Tuesday hill run in the west hills above the city, Saturday fun run back along the river, and Sunday distance run on trails in Forest Park.
FRNY: Do you have an annual pride celebration and/or run?
PFR: Yes, Portland has a Pride Festival, Parade, and Run. Portland Frontrunners has a booth at the festival and acts as race director for the run.
FRNY: As a club, do you participate in any local or non-local races?
PFR: Yes, we have a number of signature races that we participate in every year, such as the Shamrock Run, Race for the Roses, Helvetia Half Marathon, Hood to Coast Relay (197 mile relay), Run Like Hell and Portland Marathon. We have made a number of “road trips” to events along the west coast, including the Avenue of the Giants Marathon/Half Marathon and the Vancouver Marathon.
FRNY: Do your members do any track running - or cross training, including biking, swimming or triathlons? Do you have walkers in addition to runners?
PFR: We have the full gamut of skills and abilities, including competitive runners that regularly train, and recreational runners and walkers. Many of our members do track and cross training, and compete in other sports events.
FRNY: Do you have close relationships with any other frontrunner clubs?
PFR: We frequently have visitors from other clubs all over the world. We encourage our members to run with clubs when they travel. One of our members has run Reach the Beach twice with FRNY, and several FRNY members have been on our Hood to Coast teams. This year three FRNY runners are signed up for the Hood to Coast team.
FRNY: Do your members run in a local marathon? If so, how many members ran it this year?
PFR: The Portland Marathon – this year 6 PFRs ran the race. The Portland Marathon is the first weekend in October and we are happy to provide hosted housing if anyone wants to travel to the City of Roses!
While June is the tried and true month for Gay Pride, we as a gay organization value difference and diversity. As such, not all of our sibling clubs have their Pride events at the same time. The folks in Palm Springs just had their 5K fun run and walk. Though the numbers of participants had apparently dwindled from past years, the club was surprised by three fast guys who swooped in to take the top three spots. With impressive times of 16:16, 16:47 and 16:47, respectively, Luis Aguilar, Jeff Klemmer and Jeremy Hartley smoked the competition. And judging from their picture in the newsletter , their times probably weren't the only thing causing a stir that morning.
To be filed under eclectic misadventure, the Palm Springs members also had their first annual drag queen tennis event at the Plaza Racquet Club on Halloween Night. More than thirty people bent their gender that night for a good cause - Desert AIDS Project. If the pictures are at all accurate, all tennis players in drag bear a disturbing resemblance to Jennifer Capriati. (Sorry, Jen!) The Palm Springs chapter is also celebrating its anniversary and member appreciation at the Elks Club in Cathedral City on Saturday, March 15th at 5:30 p.m.
Los Angeles Front Runners ended the year in style with a Holiday Run/Walk in Griffith Park on Wednesday, December 12th followed by a holiday party at the home of member Jim Martinez thereafter. The late December races capitalized on yuletide spirit and the beauty of the area's natural surroundings. For instance, club members partook in the Crystal Cove 15K trail run on Saturday, December 15th and celebrated their achievements with a brunch in Laguna Beach afterward. It was onto Manhattan Beach for the Yuletide Sunset 5K on Saturday, December 22nd and for those with more ambition and perhaps a little less sanity, it was the 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Big Cat End of the Year Challenge on Saturday, December 29th. Runners at this event have the option of competing in a half marathon, a full marathon or the 12-hour challenge in which the grand prize goes to the runner who has covered the greatest distance over that period of time.
While most Front Runners clubs have been remiss about updating their calendar of events past December 31st, London Front Runners is welcoming in 2008 in style with a full roster of events. The club will have its first social of the year on Saturday, January 5th at the upstairs bar at The Edge. On Sunday, January 13th at 4 p.m., there will be a performance of the club's Christmas pantomime, a Christmas Carol, at the Drill Hall Theatre to raise money for Stonewall. Tickets are £8 and available from the Drill Hall Theatre from December 3rd onward. On Thursday, January 17th from 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., come join the club for ice skating at Somerset House. Tickets cost £12.50 for a one hour session and need to be purchased in advance, so please let Martin Hooper know by December 28th if you'd like to go. (If you're reading this newsletter after December 28th, as you likely are, don't cancel your trip to London ... hop a cab to Chelsea Pier's sky rink and then get bombed at Gym Bar. Order a Bass Ale or a Pimm's if you want to sew your British oats.)
If you're going to San Francisco (be sure to wear sunflowers in your hair).
We may have recapped what the SF folks do for their members in past issues, but this is a common visiting spot for New Yorkers, and where the FR craze began so if you visit, be sure to meet up with FRs. The logistics follow below:
Tuesdays at 6:30 PM the club meets downtown at the Ferry Building for a 3-mile or 5- mile run out and back along the Embarcadero to the Municipal Pier past the Aquatic Park. Members usually go out for a moderately priced dinner afterwards. Contact Brian Hill, President for further information.
Saturdays at 9:00 AM is the club's largest weekly event - often more than 100 runners and walkers participate! People meet at Stow Lake Boathouse in Golden Gate Park, rain or shine. Regular events include:
» Stow Lake: 1-mile walk/run around the lake
» Arboretum: 2-mile walk/run through Strybing Arboretum
» Carousel: 3-mile run through the east end of the park
» Bison: 4-mile run through the west end of the park
» Beach: 5-mile run to the ocean and back
December 2007
It's comin' on Christmas
They're cuttin' down trees
They're puttin' up reindeer
And singin' songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river, I could skate away on
Now, now! There's no need to be sad at Front Runners this holiday season. Our clubs around the world will be jollying it up this December-enjoying some good racing and the tidings of the season Saint Nick style.
In Washington, D.C., Front Runners can participate in the 3rd Annual Acumen Solutions Jingle All the Way 10K on Sunday, December 9th at 8:00 am in West Potomac Park and run along the Potomac River and FDR Memorial. There's time to shower and disco nap before fa-la-la-ing to the annual holiday party at All Souls Episcopal Church that evening at 5 pm. The club welcomes members-and distinguished visitors-to please join in for food, dancing, conversation, camaraderie and some drinking to celebrate the season and each other at this annual festive event. The event is pot-luck, so any FRNY members should come with a pint of eggnog and a fifth of bourbon. (Technically, DC Front Runners suggests you test your culinary skills and create a special dish for you and about six others, but a little improvising can go a long way.) Those interested in a low-key race can partake in the 4-5 mile Christmas Light Run on Wednesday, December 19th at 7:30 pm at Union Station. It's a chance to don your gay apparel-elf stockings and Santa hats are encouraged-and sing The Twelve Days of Christmas and other carols while burning off some holiday calories.
If you're going to San Francisco, you'll have lots of holiday social options.
On December 1st, the club hosts its Holiday Banquet at 5 pm at Medjool on 2516 Mission Street. On December 9th, 11th, 16th and 17th, members will support the Golden Gate Men's Chorus Holiday Concert Series. This year's events will be held at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church located at 3281 16th Street/Dolores Street. Tickets are $20, and it is suggested that you buy early. For more information, please visit: http://www.ggmc.org/jhtml /index.php?option=com_content &task=blogsection&id=16&Itemid =163 .
After the New Year, the club will expiate for all holiday (and varied other) hedonism by burning rubber on the track. At 10 am Sunday, January 21st, SFFR will meet at the Track and Field Club at SF State University Cox Stadium for its kick-off speed session. Since this is the first of regular weekly Sunday practices, the club will take it easy starting with a 1 mile warm-up, stretching, a few 100m drills and a 1 mile warm-up.
Afterwards, runners are welcome to attend a pancake breakfast at Bob Callori's house at 415 Hill St (cross street Sanchez). For additional details, contact Bob at 415-821-7988 or callori@sbcglobal.net. Tuesday and Thursday interval training will resume in February; the interval training is geared to help sprinters and marathon runners improve their stamina and form.
Across the pond, Front Runners are getting frisky in their yuletide folly. The Londoners will have their holiday party at 7:30 pm on Saturday, December 15th at The Black Cap. The club promises men in dresses, thigh slapping, fairies and tight fitting gold hot pants. And if you get there early, there just might be a free drink in it for you. The party is for all paid members of Frontrunners, partners and close friends (lonely out-of-towners can surely make their plea!) The following day (Sunday, December 16th), the club is having an outing to a Gay Men's Chorus Concert at the London Palladium-the cost is twenty pounds and the events starts at 7:30 pm. Finally, the group will be ringing in the New Year in style at The Two Brewers on the 31st. Martin Hooper is the club contact for tickets to this event.
It's that festive time of year again in Manchester, England too where the local Front Runners chapter will host its annual "Christmas Do." On Saturday, December 8th at 5 pm the Manchester crew will meet at Sugden Sport Centre for a "pre-excesses" run to assuage guilt for what's to come. At 7:00, it's on to Pizza Express on Peter Street in Manchester where you are invited to "stuff yourself silly and participate in some serious carb loading." Drinks 'n' dancing' starts at about 9:30 and brave souls are invited to call Caroline (07947245220) or Nick (07813336445) to see where the party is at by that point.
So you're traveling to ... Dublin
While Dublin Front Runners doesn't have an active website, it has a presence in the local gay community. Publications in the region have said it is "a club for gay men and women who love running. The group consists of some serious racers, marathon runners and recreational joggers, who have participated in races, fun runs and marathons all around the world from South Africa to New York and the Aran Islands to name but a few."
The club is open to all levels of fitness, although it helps if you've run further than to catch a bus! They meet on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings in the Phoenix Park, for runs varying in length from 4 to 6 miles.
Of course it's not all about running - the emphasis is on having fun, socializing and making friends. The Dublin Front Runners runs are usually followed by brunch or drinks and they also have regular social outings.
If you'll be in the area, contact Dublin Front Runners by emailing Mark at dublinfrontrunners@eircom.net.
November 2007
In a review of past events, the Two Rivers tribe in the Albany, New York area reported on two successful camping outings. Over Labor Day weekend, five members spent the entire weekend on the Rogers Rock expedition, with another five FRs joining for a part of the trip. The weather was gorgeous during the day with temperatures dipping low enough to warrant campfires at night. Innuendo is afoot as to what happened from there. A grand total of 34 members made it to "Camp OUT at Camp Scully" and enjoyed a weekend of kayaking, swimming and canoeing.
Our kin in Palm Springs dedicated the cover spread of a recent newsletter to member Keith Culver, who brags of running a grand total of 13 marathons. Now, I know scores of FRNY men and women are aghast at the prospect that one would crow over such a feat but there's more ... He claims to be one of only 176 people worldwide who is able to say that he or she ran a marathon on each of the seven continents. We'll have to check in with Rich Ervais and Zander Ross to see if they, too, are included in this elite class. Keith did the 2002 Sydney Gay Games marathon (Australia); Big Sur in California (North America); King George Island (Antarctica); Rio de Janeiro (South America); Lewa Downs in Kenya (Africa); Great Wall of China (Asia) and Reykjavik in Iceland (Europe).
In other Palm Springs news, the club now gears up for its November 3rd Pride Run and Walk-the 5K event will begin and end at Palm Springs High School Track in Central Palm Springs. To celebrate the event the FR club will be hosting a "Mega Hors d'Oeuvres Party" at 5 p.m, the details of which will be available that morning at the race.
As a fun fact, the club boasts 425 members and a bank balance of over $17,000-not bad for desert dwellers!
Barefoot Bingo has returned to Santa Monica for the LA Front Runners. The club is also planning its Fall Ball. This year it will be a Thanksgiving feast on November 10th at Sean and Allen's place on 2160 West 20th Street. If you are in the area, I bet they would love to have some East Coast cynicism with their mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. Perhaps check in with the LAFR of your choice first and be sure to come bearing food: last names beginning with A-L are sides and those with M-Z can bake or buy an apple pie. Everyone will bond over "Home for the Holidays," which is being billed as a "Jodie Foster Thanksgiving classic." Now that's going to be one gay affair!
Among the many laudable race efforts posted by the LA men and women are the following: Carlos Vizcarra ran a 1:47:46 for a first overall in the Malibu Creek State Park 25K. Club president Mark Johnson came in fourth amongst all 40-44 year-olds at the Disneyland Half Marathon with a solid 1:25:54. And Richard Nelson placed 1st in the 60-64 division in the Nike Run Hit Remix 5-miler with a time of 35:04. Congrats on some fine results.
For those wondering if Baylands Kermit Cuff is still racing everything in creation, the answer is yes. We must ask ourselves what is the depth of his indefatigability. He blistered through the Sankara Half Marathon on August 25th for a PR and a first place overall finish time of 1:19:36 and then followed up with the Angeles Crest 100-miler on September 15th - in which he placed 32nd in a time of 27 hours and 15 minutes. Can we ask if he has a day job?
The West Coast clans intermingled for a sunny weekend of fun in Yosemite in September. The Baylands, San Francisco and San Jose FRs got together with Trikone, a GLBT group for South Asians, for hiking to Inspiration Point, Half Dome and Clouds Rest. It wasn't all work. Wine and cheese were enjoyed afterward at a member's cabin in the mountains. (Seems like the Front Runners in New York City have fallen behind in the outdoorsy quotient when compared to some of these other clubs ... a whitewater rafting trip, anyone?)
If you're traveling to ... Portland, Oregon
Portland Frontrunners hosts four runs each week. These runs are open to runners and walkers of all skill levels. Three of our runs range between 2 to 6 miles on paved surfaces. The remaining run ranges between 6 to 14 miles on packed dirt and gravel surfaces.
After the run is over the club usually goes out to eat for an inexpensive brunch or dinner.
Prior to the run the group addresses any organization news and determine, by a mixture of committee and show of hands, where it will eat afterwards.
Monday night is Ladies Night and starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday night is a road run that begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday is another road run in the morning, kicking off at 9 a.m. And Sunday is a long run beginning at 9 a.m. For more information on the runs, please visit www.portlandfrontrunners.org
October 2007
As the tank tops of summer get stored away and the trees in the parks burn with autumn, Front Runners everywhere prep for their chosen fall marathon. At FRNY, we have an astonishing 102 members signed up to run the NYC marathon and yet we still managed to have folks traveling abroad as well. Fall is such a popular running season that there are 71 different marathons you can run in the United States and Canada in the month of October alone, according to MarathonGuide.com. With that in mind, we're going to take a little tour of what other cities—and other FR clubs—have to offer this fall.
Boise, Idaho
On October 7 th , Boise hosts "The City of Trees Marathon & Half Marathon," which the event websites boast as "beautiful" and "flat" courses. Both start and finish at the Owyhee Plaza Hotel, the race headquarters, and take runners on Warm Springs Ave and Harrison Blvd., two of Boise's most beautiful and historic neighborhoods, weaving around several parks and crossing the Boise River. The elevation of Boise is 2840 feet, the course is entirely flat except a tiny uphill on Americana and a tiny downhill on Capitol Blvd. Most reviewers gave this marathon either 4 or 5 stars (out of five). Unfortunately, you'll have to drive a mighty distance to find a FR outfit.
Atlantic City, New Jersey
On Sunday, October 14 th , the residents of Gamblingville, USA will take time from their busy slots-playing lives to host the 49 th annual running of the Atlantic City marathon. More than 15 miles of this course is run on the AC boardwalk and the rest is on flat streets that are near to the boardwalk. It gets decidedly mixed reviews from fans with pluses being a convenient location for a day trip (if you're from the NYC metro area), flat course and a relatively scenic route in parts. The major drawbacks are the wind, no fan support ( No dazed baccarat players stumbling out into daylight to applaud the runners? ) and poor organization. An additional bonus for those inclined to sign up for events late is that the event has race day registration for a mere $65. (It's $50 for early registration.) Amazingly, there are no Front Runners chapters in the entire state of New Jersey. Make it a point to nudge your queer friends from the Garden State to get organizing. All it takes is a pioneering spirit to get a FR chapter off the ground.
Des Moines, Iowa
Runners seeking a small, but not too small, marathon in a low-key setting may favor Des Moines. With just over 1,000 finishers in 2006, this venue offers sub-3:00 marathoners a decent shot at a top 25 finish and an age-place award. If you can snag a top-three finish, there's prize money in it as well. This year's race is on Sunday, October 21 st . The course is quite hilly in the first seven miles, but runners who endured the terrain felt the scenery more than made up for the inclines. Runners also applauded the loop through historic Drake Stadium, part of the local university. If you decide to sign up there is almost a 50% reduction in price for early registrants ($55 versus $95). If in Des Moines, Front Runners does have a local chapter. The group meets Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings, but either call (515) 279-0994 or e-mail dmfrfw@yahoo.com beforehand (always a good idea with smaller clubs, due to the likelihood that schedules can change without any information reflecting the changes on the club website.)
Washington, DC
The week before the NYC marathon (Sunday, October 28 th ), our nation's capital hosts The Marine Corps Marathon. The course is noted for being highly inspirational with the military and the city out in full force. According to the event website description: "Runners will experience a climb on Lee Highway in the first few miles of the new course, but are rewarded with a descent along Spout Run and the parkway. After crossing the Key Bridge into Georgetown, runners will be on familiar territory through the District of Columbia. The course passes the Kennedy Center before entering the National Mall and numerous monuments, memorials and landmarks, such as, the Lincoln, FDR, Korean War and Vietnam Veteran's memorials, Washington Monument, and the U.S. Capitol. The marathon once again returns to Hains Point and "the Awakening" in East Potomac Park before passing the Jefferson Memorial. After crossing the 14th Street Bridge back to Virginia, runners will venture to Crystal City, return past the Pentagon and finish at the Marine Corps War Memorial." If you run it, stick around afterward for the party that our DC brethren throw. The details have not yet been posted to the club's website but check out the "events" tab under www.dcfrontrunners.org closer to the date. (The DC chapter updates its website very frequently.)
If you're traveling to Philadelphia …
The City of Brotherly Love is just a short train ride away from the Big Apple, with a Front Runner chapter that also meets regularly year-round. At 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays, Philadelphia FRs meet at the beginning of Boathouse Row on Kelly Drive in front of Lloyd Hall and follow the foot/bike path on Kelly Drive out and back. The club has a relatively sparse and no-frills website through which you can ask members any questions you may have; it is accessible at the following URL: http://www.frontrunnersphila .org .
September 2007
Summer is coming to its unofficial close at the beginning of this month,
but that isn't stopping the Two Rivers club in the Albany area from
celebrating the season with some fun outdoor activities. Labor Day
weekend (September 1-3) the club will set out upon its Roger's Rock
camping trip in Ticonderoga, New York, and the weekend of Sept. 14-16,
the Two Rivers tribe will embark on "CampOUT at Camp Scully" on Snyder's
Lake, a sylvan retreat featuring a games night, ropes course, hiking,
boating and the like. A review of our Albany chapter's newsletters
would indicate that the club organizes many wonderful outdoorsy events.
(The jury's still out as to whether they actually run too.)
Pittsburgh Front Runners were active this summer in some curiously-named
races: The Bud Murphy 5K; Crafton Firecracker 3.4 miler; Oil City
Firefighters 5K; Mt. Washington "Run for Roch" 5K; and the Laurel HS Run
with the Buffalo 5K. (The Steel City just needs to lure Mary Wittenberg
away from NYRR, and in no time flat it'll be the "JPMorganChase Run with
the Buffalo.") And one of Pittsburgh's favorite races is just around
the bend-The Great Race, a 10-miler as well as a 5K, will celebrate its
30th anniversary on Sunday, September 30th. Information on the race is
available at www.rungreatrace.com.
Baylands included quite a graphic (and sometimes unsavory) photo spread
from the Bastille Day Pool Party that was reported on last month. As
suspected, Jack and Tenoch's Atherton digs were palatial-there was a
classic Citroen 2CV gleaming on the driveway, gorgeous canopies of trees
shading the kidney-shaped pool and a bistro tent decked out with French
flags and fleur-de-lis. The crowd of Baylands and San Jose runners
enjoyed ratatouille, salad nicoise and the company of "South of Market
Bare Chest Calendar" men who doubled as pool boys and party attendants.
The club has also been active in more staid environs-touring the San
Francisco MoMa's "Matisse: Painter as Sculptor" exhibit. And everyone
must be wondering what the indefatigable Kermit Cuff has been up to.
Yes, he added another 50K to his running resume, having finished the
Santa Cruz Mountains 50K in 4:53:33 for a fourth place finish overall.
A big shout-out to Baylands Front Runner Barry Eisenberg who placed an
impressive fifth in the SFFR Pride Run 10K with a time of 41:02 (Yes, no
need to debate which coast has the more competitive Pride Run.)
The California clubs are proving themselves a quite adventuresome lot.
Keith Culver of our Palm Springs contingent continued his quest to run a
marathon on each continent (smart money says that he bumps into Rich
Ervais or Zander Ross somewhere north of Katmandu) this past May be
completing the Great Wall Marathon. The marathon includes 4.5 miles of
the actual Great Wall of China and more than 3,700 of its steps. Culver
intended to run the marathon in Reykjavik, Iceland in mid-August to
complete his transcontinental challenge right after celebrating his 60th
birthday. Bravo, Keith!
In wrapping up this month's very ethnocentric column, let's look to the
chattering classes in the City of Angeles. Always chock full of lively
information, the LAFR's "Front Page" newsletter reports a bevy of social
events for September. On September 9th, the club will host its monthly
movie night; word is not yet out on the flick but last month's was the
lost classic "Cut Sleeve Boys." For September 16th, the club has
purchased a block of tickets at Hollywood Bowl where Portland-based Pink
Martini will play big band music from the Coconut Grove. Pot luck will
follow the Tuesday, September 18th fun run in Griffith Park, and the
club has organized a chili cook-off at the home of Rusty Millar on
Sunday, September 23. It's everyone's opportunity to dethrone dynamic
duo Dan Vu and Sanford Doi, the 2006 chili champs. Lots of racing and
athletic events are also in store for LAFR, with Nike's 2007 Run Hit
Remix at the LA Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, September 15th and the
8th annual 2K/5K WALK for Animals taking place at 9 a.m. on Saturday,
September 29th, among many other races.
If you're traveling to ... Boston
Like it or not, fall is coming and a road trip to Boston just may make
the turning of seasons a little more palatable. There's no better place
to throw on a cableknit sweater and sip mulled cider beneath the
changing foliage. Oh, and it's a heckuva running town to boot. It's
incredibly easy to design your own run, but you should check out the
Boston Front Runners while there. They are a friendly bunch and host
two runs per week. On Tuesdays at 7 pm, they meet in front of JP Licks
on Centre St. in Jamaica Plain for a 4-4.5 mile run. This is on the #39
bus line and 1/4 mile from the Orange Line Green St. stop. There is
street parking and a parking lot nearby. And on Saturdays at 10 am, the
club meets in front of Club Cafe/Revolution Fitness at 209 Columbus Ave
(near corner of Berkeley & Columbus in Boston's South End) for a 2-5.5
mile run, followed by brunch nearby. Revolution Fitness generously
provides showers, towels, lockers and changing facilities for $2.00 when
you show your Frontrunners membership card (accompanied guests also
welcomed). For more information, check out www.frontrunnersboston.org.
Happy travels!
August 2007
The women of Baylands Front Runners in California swept the altitude-climbing 72-mile Lake Tahoe Relays. The “Women of Mass Destruction” team took first place in the masters division in a time of 11:18:13, with Jennie Brook, Barb Kempeney, Laura Cabral and Terri Hill sharing the seven legs of the race. Baylanders Debbie Amrhein and Claiborne Brown were on the “Rocket Boosters” team, which captured fourth place in the open division in a time of 10:47:27.
The Baylanders always take time to appreciate non-running accomplishments as well. In that spirit, the club reported on nine couples who had July anniversaries, with pairings that lasted between three and 27 years. It's been said before but it bears repeating: successful long-term relationships seem to flourish out there in California's Zen-inducing Oceanside.
And to be filed under fun in the sun: the Baylands crew stormed the pool at members Jack and Tenoch's Bastille Day party. The hosts let their guests eat more than just cake, with a menu that included Parisienne BBQ (whatever that might be), salad nicoise and table wine a-plenty to wash it all down. We're guessing it was a swank affair given the address was in Atherton, perennially rated as one of the costliest towns to set up manse.
What's hopping on the other side of the pond? On the shores of the Thames, our London brethren have a fun-filled August ahead of them. At 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11 th , the group will be meeting up for a social hour and drinks at Profile Bar on
Frith Street. For those who aren't hung over, the club is throwing a treasure hunt the very next day in Regents Park. And, of course, on Saturday, Aug. 18 th , the club will run its 10K Pride Run from Victoria Park at 11 a.m. Later that night, the club will celebrate its athletic endeavors with a 1980's party at The Black Cap, with London FRs having exclusive use of the downstairs bar until 10.00 p.m. The club also promises “entertainment” during the evening. We'll just let your mind wander over what, exactly, that might mean. And if that weren't enough merriment for one month, the club is gathering on Aug. 23 rd at Islington for Scottish dancing with the Gay Gordons. They will meet at Unity Hall in Upper Street. Cheers!
The Front Runners in the land down under have also been enjoying an active summer. In addition to having club runs or track training on every day of the week except Friday, Sydney Front Runners are supporting a full slate of activities in August, including: the City to Surf 11K on Aug. 12; the Manchester Pride Run on Aug. 18; the Lake Macquarie Half Marathon at Warners Bay on Aug. 26, which is the same day as the Adelaide Half Marathon at Santos Stadium and, further up ahead on the calendar, the Sydney Running Festival, an event that includes a marathon, half marathon and 9K, on Sept. 23.
Those blokes and sheilas are also cooking up some social events on the barbie. On Saturday Aug. 18 th , the club is organizing a game of squash, and in late September Sydney Front Runners will be having a bash to celebrate it's 24 th Anniversary as a club. The club welcomes those from the Northern hemisphere at all its events.
Just don't order a Foster's: it isn't really Australian for beer.
And Front Runners NY is not the only team to be expanding uniform and apparel offerings. Our Sydney brethren have polo shirts, caps, back packs and sports bags imprinted with the team logo.
In a little bit of a site comparison it seems that DC Front Runners has many appealing website features. While light on news and events, the website does have interesting user-friendly features such as an online store in which the latest, and also vintage, DC Front Runners shirts can be purchased. The D.C. site also offers membership forms to be filled out and dues to be collected online. If interested in learning about what types of members the club attracts, check out www.dcfrontrunners.org , where there are first-person profiles/memory pieces from a half dozen members. Unlike the FRNY monthly newsletters, the Washingtonian branch of the FR family tree does a quarterly spread called “Front Pages.”
If you're traveling to Seattle…
Seattle may be tucked away like a postage stamp on the opposite edge of the U.S., but its sensibilities as a racing outfit dovetail neatly with those of FRNY. The club also meets on Wednesdays and on Saturdays. Saturdays at 9 a.m., Seattle FRs gather in front of the Green Lake Community Center / Evans Pool at
7201 East Green Lake Dr. N , by the traffic circle. There are usually between 35-100 runners and walkers, and people of all fitness levels are welcome. There is a choice of four scenic courses. You can view all the courses, which vary between 3-6 miles, through the club's website. Afterwards, join fellow runners at the Green Lake Zokas Coffee House for snacks, and at Mae's Café for a sit-down breakfast.
On Wednesdays, the club meets in front of the Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park at 1400 East Prospect St. at 6:30 p.m. There are, again, choices of seven different 4-mile courses through the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
On Sundays the group also has long runs and track workouts. For more information on the club and its runs, please check out: www.seattlefrontrunners.org.
July 2007
Summer's here and everyone is itching to get a little sand between his or her toes. In the spirit of the season, let's off-road a bit from our usual itinerary and while away some time in a gay mecca...or two...or… Don't forget to bring your sunblock and a sensible thong. (And don't worry you traditionalists; there is a quick update on the mundane happenings of FR clubs in other cities at the end of this column.)
Those day-trippers sticking closest to the sweltering metropolis by ferrying to Fire Island can probably rally some Front Runners off the strand and go for an early a.m. run. But if you're interested in something a little more structured, perhaps attempt the "half Trans Fire Island Run." Organized by Northport Running Club, this event will occur at noon on Saturday, July 21 st . The run used to cover 23 miles of Fire Island, but the first half, which traversed protected lands, is no longer officially part of the run. Those interested in fun running the remaining 11 miles should meet at noon at the Fire Island Pines ferry dock. The second half of the run includes Sailor's Haven (where showers are available), the Sunken Forest, a brief stop at Flynn's in Ocean Bay Park (where lunch is available) and ends at “The Out” pub in Kismet. This run is casual and Northport Running Club suggests that participants bring a bathing suit to swim at various points. This is a free event. For more information, please visit www.nrcrun.org.
Those fond of sand dunes and salty air might trek through quaint little villages (here and there) on the way out to Old Cape Cod for their Provincetown vacation. Many good running opportunities await those P-town bound. You'll either be lodged on, or within spitting distance of, Commercial Street, which runs east-west through the town's business district. For runs of up to five miles, you can do a Commercial Street—Bradford Street loop (these roads run parallel to one another) by, for instance, going eastbound toward Truro on Commercial and, when you see that Commercial Street is forking into Route 6A, making an almost 180 degree turn and taking Bradford Street westward to the end of P-town and looping back onto Commercial Street to where you started. If you like solitude, run before nine a.m. and you'll see only a few errant dog walkers. (You'll also be able to watch the town slowly awaken from its wanton nightly misadventures.) If you want to comb the streets for eye candy or turn heads with your own shirtlessness, you should head out in late afternoon before the tea dances. You'll have to slalom through the throngs, but that might be a large part of the fun. For a longer run that encompasses more of the area's naturally beautiful landscape, you should head toward the bike trails that rise and fall through the dunes of Province Lands. The loop from the center of town is approximately 7 miles so do it twice for a healthy long run or three times if you're feeling particularly cuckoo. Check out this link– www.cctrails.org/provbike.htm – for the specific turns on the bike trail. Please note that there are long stretches without shade so, as is always the case in summer, run early in the day and hydrate carefully.
If you're heading south to visit the DuPont Circle set's answer to Fire Island, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find Rehoboth Beach offers plenty of running—and racing—opportunities. On Sundays throughout July, there is a local 5K series put on by “Seven Sisters & Four Brothers of Dewey Beach.” On July 8 th , it's the Lighthouse Taco Toss, followed by the Northbeach 5K on July 15 th and the inaugural Grog Shop 5K on July 22 nd . For the exact locations, race courses and other information on these races, please visit www.races2run.com/sisters. Of course, if you're just looking to trim your waist before hitting the Purple Parrot or Cloud 9 for cocktails, try a light jog on the boardwalk. To make sure you're seeing and being seen, hit the stretch of boardwalk around North Shores and Poodle Beach where the gays tend to frolic. (Here's a hint, it's right by “Queen Street.”) Dewey Beach tends to collect more of the straight folks.
If you're traveling all the way down the eastern seaboard, you'll find that Key West offers some great running options. Once upon a time, there was even a Front Runner chapter in the resort town. (According to the International Front Runner site, the Key West clan hasn't updated its website since 2000, so we'll consider its membership inactive—if not officially defunct.) There are great trail running courses available for Key West travelers, so please check out this link to Runner's World if you're heading that way and interested in scenic routes: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-239-283-318-7483-0,00.html.
In terms of racing, on July 4 th , the Crime Stoppers 5K Starts at 7:30 a.m. from Sheraton Suites at South Roosevelt Boulevard. At 7 p.m. on July 21 st , the Hemingway Days 5K takes off from Southernmost House at the corner of South and Duval Streets. For the latest information on racing in Key West, make sure to check out the Southernmost Runners website at www.southernmostrunners.com.
And, yes, we did promise to bring you back to life—back to reality. In that vein, our Pittsburgh brethren had a successful Gay Pride Festival on June 16 th , with an at-the-park brunch following their fun run. In the City of Angels, nearly 30 LAFR members participated in the May 19th Shortline Front Runners Pride 5K run, with club members placing 1st (16:50), 2nd & 3rd overall! On a sad note, the club is dealing with recent horrific fires that swept through Griffith Park—the site of the club's fun runs for the past 26 years. In the Baylands chapter, member Kermit Cuff still baffles with his insane long distance feats, recently completing two 50 miles races just two weeks apart! Also of note, Baylands club member Carol Lowe was recently ordained as a Reverend in the M.C.C. church in San Mateo, California.
June 2007
This summer you can celebrate your gayness no matter where in the world you happen to be. Be loud, be proud, be queer, be here (or there, for that matter). As FRNY members, you are, of course, required to sign up for the New York City Pride Run, which will be held on Saturday, June 23 at 9 a.m. in Central Park. (In case you've been in a coma the last few months, the sign up for our race and all details about the course are available at the New York Road Runners website - www.nyrr.org.)
We do realize that you may travel this month. If you do, definitely do a web search to see if there are Front Runner-sponsored Pride events in whatever town your jet-setting leads you to. San Francisco Front Runners-who beat out New York as the first city to host a Pride Run-will be having its annual race the same day as FRNY. If you're stuck in the Golden State that weekend and want to be a part of Pride activities, our SF brethren host both a 5K and a 10K the morning of June 23 at 9 a.m. at the South entrance of the Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park. The signage can be quite tricky within the park, so leave yourself some time to get to the start. Feel empowered while racing - this event tends to have far fewer elite runners than NYC's Pride Run so scoring an age-place, or top ten overall, finish is definitely a possibility for many in FRNY. Sign-up for this race is available through www.active.com. Further up the coast, Seattle Front Runners is also celebrating its Pride the weekend of June 23-24. The club is publicizing its race for 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 23 in Seward Park. Options abound for those visiting the gray and rainy birthplace of grunge that weekend-race choices include a 4K run, a 4K walk and a 10K run. For information on registration and race logistics, please visit www.seattlefrontrunners.org. (On a random and mostly unrelated note, Seattle may be famous for its rainfall but a recent meteorological study showed that it's not even among the top 10 wettest U.S. cities. Mobile, Alabama tops the rainfall-per-year chart with an average of 59 inches of rain, followed by Pensacola and New Orleans.)
Atlanta also chose the same date as FRNY for its 13th Annual Pride Run/Walk, which is being held in conjunction other events associated with the city's Gay Pride Weekend. The 5K run and walk start at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 23 and will follow a picturesque route around historic Grant Park starting near the Cyclorama and the Zoo Atlanta entrances. The race proceeds benefit local Atlanta charities. For more information, please visit www.frontrunnersatlanta.org.
Stretch your Pride activities later into the summer by venturing outside the United States. In Vancouver, The Pride Run/Walk comes on Saturday, August 4 with a 10K run and a 4K social walk in Stanley Park. The event is an AIDS fundraiser with a limited number of participants, so if you may be interested look into signing up now. To add to the enticements of gorgeous Vancouver, there is not only the race in Stanley Park but also a Pride Festival the following day, Sunday, August 5. For more information including a link to the race sign-up at karelo.com, just log onto www.vancouverfrontrunners.org.
London also celebrates its Pride a tad later in the summer-hosting a 10K race on Saturday, August 18 at 11 a.m. in Victoria Park. The race, which is three loops of the park, promises to be flat and fast and beautiful. There are social events thrown the evening of the run. In the past, such misadventures included an evening at the uber-gay mecca Heaven. (Don't you feel better knowing that FRNY members aren't the only boozehound cum runners out there.) Details have not yet been finalized, so please visit www.londonpriderun.org if you are interested. If you are traveling to another city this June-Washington D.C., Philadelphia or Boston-do some online searches to see what non-running Pride Events might be in the offing. For instance, the Boston Pride Parade will start at noon on Saturday, June 9. The Parade will start on Tremont Street between Clarendon and Rutledge in the South End section of Boston and then wind its way to City Hall Plaza, where the Pride Festival will be in full swing. The Washington, D.C. Parade is also being held on Saturday, June 9 with a street festival to follow on June 10; details are available at www.capitalpride.org.
May 2007
Someone in New York must have left his heart in San Francisco. Okay, with bicoastal—and now transcontinental—Rich Ervais having a hand in the reporting, it's no wonder that New York played big in SFFR's recent “Foot Print” newsletter. A picture of Ervais and Zander Ross running the Mardis Gras marathon graced the pages, as did results from the annual FRNY track meet and the Coogan's 5K. Ervais's finishes in the Rome marathon and the Westparklauf 10K also made the editorial cut. (Now how's that for self-promoting!) And Front Runner of the Year Patrick Guilfoyle got a huge shout-out in the newsletter's “Around the World” column, in which Guilfoyle's two sub 3-hour marathons were heralded as “truly amazing.” Okay, okay, we do worry that Patrick's head will swell with all the kudos he's received this year.
The Palm Springs chapter of Front Runners celebrated its tenth anniversary at a reception at the Doral Resort on March 11 th . Buttons were distributed to members who had been in the club for its entire duration, and The President's 2006 Outstanding Member award was then presented to Scott Connelly for his service as Travel Events Chairman. And while Front Runners New York has been adding new columns such as Bibs and Chips, which answers member questions on racing, to its newsletter mix, Palm Springs has been dabbling in new ideas as well. “Van Gogh's Ear” chronicles the latest happenings in the thriving local art scene. Different strokes, as they say, for different folks. No judgments.
In the Baylands, Front Runner Kermit Cuff, whose name makes these lines every other month or so, ran another 50K, one with a 6,400 elevation lift, and beat the old course record by 15 minutes for second place. (Unfortunately for Cuff, the winner obviously beat the record by a bit more.) Always a font of training information, the Baylands crew also warns us about the deleterious effects of poor hydration. Good thing to know going into the spring and summer running seasons. So how do you know if you're dehydrating? Symptoms include general feelings of thirstiness, uneasiness and irritability, followed by headache, dizziness, cramping, chills, throwing up and even disorientation. (If these sensations are a normal part of your running life, then get in shape girl!) But seriously, the key to good hydration is drinking before you feel thirsty. Also remember to carry salt tablets on long runs if you have a tendency to cramp and feel nauseated.
Meanwhile in another hemisphere, Sydney Front Runners were busily promoting the April 25 th Anzac day run –a 5K or 7K test of speed and endurance. What is Anzac Day, you ask? Well, it is probably Australia's most important national occasion, marking the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces quickly became known as ANZACs, and the pride they soon took in that name endures to this day. It now stands as a day of remembrance for those lost in the war, and in this run participants wear Khaki theme or wear commando outfits to show their national pride and spirit. Avid trainers and racers, the Sydney chapter is also advertising the “first race of the winter season,” the Mother's Day Classic Run. This is the half of the year when we in the northern hemisphere get to gloat about our solar placement and superior tilt-and-balance to the sun.
And if you're traveling to Chicago…
The group of walkers and runners in Chicago meets Saturday mornings at 9:00 and Tuesday evenings at 6:30 at the Totem Pole in Lincoln Park, near Addison. The walkers usually cover between one and two miles with runners hitting distances of three to five miles. After the run, the group rewards itself with a nice, low-cost dinner at a nearby restaurant. Favorites include Northcoast Cafe, Nookies on Halsted, Bamee Noodle and Mars Chinese Restaurant. Please visit the organization's website for more information (www.frfwchicago.org).
