Rogue D’Vine: A Run For Wine Experience

by coach Bobby Garcia

The Rogue DVine Marathon/Half Marathon Program is the latest in a long line of running programs offered by Rogue Running.

My name is Bobby Garcia and I’m the coach of the Rogue Team SOLE SURVIVORS. In the 2012 I completed my 20th marathon and my 9th year as a marathon coach for Rogue Running.  Truly, I am a blessed man. I get to come to Rogue Running every week and spend time with some truly special, outstanding individuals who happen to love running. We in Austin are very fortunate that Rogue Running offers a multiplicity of running programs for our community, and all of the programs are led by some equally special, outstanding coaches who love to teach, share, and run. I am so fortunate to be a member of a coaching fraternity who has helped Rogue Running establish itself as THE BEST RUNNING ORGANIZATION IN AUSTIN, TEXAS!

Rogue is introducing a new program. It is the latest of many excellent programs offered for our athletes and is truly unique.  It represents the apex of two activities – running with your fellow Rogue Running friends and drinking wine. That’s right, the Rogue D’Vine Marathon/Half Marathon Program will involve running…lots of running, AND learning about and drinking wine. The Rogue D’Vine Marathon/Half Marathon SOLE SURVIVORS will meet on Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday mornings for the long run.  As we do with all Rogue Running programs, you will have miles to run other days of the week and will be held accountable whether your focus is the marathon, the half or “just training.” Athletes who have trained with Rogue will reconnect with familiar training lexicon like Marshes, fartleks, straights and curves, Ruth’s Ladder, easy runs, tempo runs, in/outs, The LAB, and the Run From Hell. In addition, we will have monthly wine related events and activities where we learn about the notes, tannins, and versatility of Malbec, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and other wines.

Each month we will have a wine related event – wine tastings, wine pairing, and working on a fun wine dinner party idea, and we will partner with two fine and distinguished gentlemen. One is good friend and Team Rogue super stud, Edward Morgan, who blistered the 2012 Berlin Marathon with a 2:56 marathon finish. The guy is FAST and the guy knows wine. Boy, does he know wine! The other is a good friend, brainy corporate lawyer-turned-corporate leadership consultant and wine enthusiast, Kevin Leahy.  Kevin is the husband of Rogue Team SOLE SURVIVOR, Cory Leahy. I will coordinate with these two fine gentlemen to plan and offer a fun, very nice event each month.  It will be a blast! I already know of 7-8 athletes who will be renting a house in Napa Valley after the San Francisco Marathon/Half Marathon for an entire week. You too can do the same.

The Rogue Team SOLE SURVIVORS PHOTO STORY from last year embodies the essence of Rogue Running and the training we will experience in this program. We trained over the summer. We trained hard. We pushed each other. We lifted each other up when we needed it the most. We had Boston Qualifiers. We became the best friends. Some found true love in the process. We strengthened our bond and left indelible marks in each others lives. Check it out here and see what you are about to be part of.

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”

Friends, let’s live. Let’s enjoy the present, drink some fine wines, and run a race together. Join the Rogue DVine Marathon/Half Marathon Program.

Coach Bobby Garcia will offer an info session on Sunday, February 24 at 3pm at Rogue Downtown. Wine will of course be served.

New Years Day RunTex (back) to RunTex run

The 18th annual RunTex to RunTex New Year’s Day run will be a loop course from RunTex Riverside, beginning at 9am, and YOU are invited!  
 
The distance is a little over 13 miles, but given the loop course there are many variations for a run so feel free to vary as you wish.   Be at Runtex Riverside at 9 AM for the start and enjoy some black-eyed peas and other refreshments at the finish.   Spread the word!

The Route:
RunTex Riverside
The Trail
MoPac bridge
Lake Austin Blvd
Scenic
Cherry
Rockmoor
Stevenson
Scenic
Pecos
35th
Balcones
Edgemont
Madrona
Perry
Bull creek
38th
Shoal Creek Trail
Lady Bird Lake
The Trail
RunTex Riverside

Do you Run for the Rovers?

by Marilyn Faulkner

There are many ways to support our local community through running, but have you ever Run for the Rovers?  If not, this weekend is a great chance to support an amazing local rescue organization Blue Dog Rescue at their annual Run for the Rovers 5K at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.

Blue Dog Rescue reduces the number of homeless dogs euthanized in Central Texas through adoption, education, outreach and advocacy.  Founded in 2000, Blue Dog Rescue is a 501(c)3 organization that has saved the lives of approximately 1,900 dogs by first fostering then placing them in permanent, loving homes.  Blue Dog operates 100% on fundraising and NONE of their amazing foster families earn a dime for their work.  All are volunteers so every penny raised for this group goes directly to the dogs.

I happen to have two rescues that came from Blue Dog Rescue, Rosie and Keith.  These two blonde terriers are everything from wrestlemania champions, top-notch chewers, cuddlebugs, backyard assassins, to general fluff balls of fun.  Rosie and Keith wouldn’t have had a chance at life, however, had it not been for the angles at Blue Dog Rescue that saved them from certain death at the Bastrop shelter.

Rosie had puppies in the shelter.  After all had been adopted out, she was left in her cage alone to be euthanized, at the tender age of two.  Keith had been a country dog in and out of the shelter twice and had reached his bust-out limit.  He was on death row as well.  Enter Blue Dog to save them both, and the rest is happily ever after.  There are countless stories just like mine, many of which are stories that fellow Rogues have… just ask Kim Theel, Emily Phillips, Nedra Bray, and many others!

This weekend I hope you’ll go out for your Sunday recovery run for a great cause – to Run for the Rovers that can’t speak for themselves!

Running the Austin Half or Full?  Run on behalf of Blue Dog’s Rescue’s Blue Team or read about my personal experience on the Blue Team for last year’s Austin Marathon!

Waffles, fuel, & L-O-V-E

by Mariko Neveu

Mmmmm, waffles….funny how just the word waffles (or donuts) can turn almost anyone into Homer Simpson. Yet if you throw waffles at the end of a long run, suddenly you can claim to be exercise physiologist, “of course, I’m having waffles. Carb loading is very important to an endurance athlete.” So we here at Rogue Athletic Club (RAC) would like to offer the opportunity to be a Homer Simpson or an exercise physiologist…or both if you prefer.

We are going to be hosting Waffle Week once a month after Rogue DT Saturday long runs. Why? Well, partly because we love waffles, maybe a little bit because we love the chance to make a connection between Homer Simpson and exercise physiologists, but also because, just as endurance athletes needs carbohydrates to fuel their muscles further, we at RAC need your generosity to fuel our dreams.

Too cheesy?…maybe, but follow with me. Donations received for waffles help us travel to meets in California or Oregon or Kentucky or elsewhere in Texas, wherever the best competition may be. Competing among the best gives us a chance to show how we stack up…that we are part of the best. But even more than that, it makes us better. Because when you race in a large group of people who are just as strong and just as fast as you, you have to challenge your body and mind more than you can ever re-create in any practice. And whatever the outcome of the race, you come out sharper. The next race, you can react faster and know that you can push your body even further. The more opportunities we get to do this, the closer we get to that racing sweet spot, that point when you’ve got the strength, the speed, and the intuition to respond when everything breaks right and have the race that qualifies you for Nationals…or wins it.

Plus getting to do these events reminds us what a great community we are part of, to be Rogue, to gather for waffles, and to just enjoy being with so many people who get the joy of running…it makes recovery from a long run easier, getting up for an early workout not so creaky, and generally gives a big ole sense of feeling the L-O-V-E.

The first Waffle Week is happening on Saturday, November 3. A $10 donation gets you a plate full of fresh-made waffles, fruit, OJ, coffee and a warm fuzzy feeling. Details here!

Walk with me!

from Easter Seals Central Texas:

Think, for a moment, about how much you love running and being active in your community.  Now, imagine that you’ve just been informed that you’ll never be able to do it again.

For many of us, the thought of not being able to do what we love is extremely scary and often heartbreaking.  Well, it’s the same for people with disabilities.  Whether they are born with a disability or injured in an accident, people with disabilities do not want to hear that they can’t do something.  Time and time again you’ll hear storied about how these people are still living their lives the way they want without accepting that someone said, “You can’t do that.”  No disability will ever define the heart of a person or the desire to participate in the community.

At Easter Seals Central Texas, we visit with adults and children everyday who will light up your world and change the way you look at life with a disability.  Our clients exude such strength, motivation and perseverance that you can’t help but provide all the support you can muster to help them succeed and follow their dreams.  Those dreams may be physical things such as: to walk without aid, to run for the first time or to participate in sports.

When Rosalinda Reazola’s son, Matthew, was only 11 months old when she was told that he would likely never walk on his own or be able to take care of himself.  She refused to believe that and immediately sought out the therapy that her son would need.  This landed her at Easter Seals Central Texas.  Matthew received speech, occupational and physical therapy for the first few years of his life.  He began to thrive and improve and despite what doctors said, he wound up running varsity track and cross country at Vandergrift High School and has recently joined the United States Marine Corps.

Rohan Murphy, an honorary ambassador for Easter Seals Central Texas, had his legs amputated at age 4 because of a birth defect.  Just like most young boys, he grew up loving sports but was always on the sidelines.  Then, one day, someone gave him the encouragement that he needed and he gave wrestling a try.  Rohan surprised everyone and ended up competing at the collegiate level, for Penn State, and became an international power lifting competitor.  Rohan now travels the country speaking to kids and adults about how anything is possible and is currently training for the 2016 Paralympics.  He will be a guest speaker at this year’s Walk With Me event.

Most of us know someone who is currently living with a disability and in the blink of an eye could find ourselves in that same demographic.  We all know that accidents happen and that makes it even more important to show our support for our friends and neighbors living with disabilities.  Join Easter Seals Central Texas at Walk With Me Austin, November 11, 2012 for an exciting day of running, walking and family fun.

www.centraltx.easterseals.com/events
Event Manager – Angelica Reyes, 512-615-6817
Volunteer Manager – Lindsay Mason, 512-615-6818

Dream!

by Allison Macsas

In the 3.5 years that I’ve worked at Rogue, I’ve heard countless reasons as to why people began running, and even more reasons as to why people keep running. For some people, weight-loss is the big motivator. Others want a social outlet, to improve their overall health, check off that bucket-list race, set PRs. Everyone, whether they admit it or not, wants to see how fast they can get. The rewards go well beyond these initial motivators, however – runners who join us develop incredible levels of self-confidence, achieve goals that they’d only dreamed of,  become fitter and healthier than they’d ever thought possible and make lifelong friends.

I watch running have these effects on adults every single day. Can you imagine what the effect would be on young girls?

Girls on the Run is an organization that does just that – gets young girls running, achieving and developing into confident, motivated, healthy members of society. GOTR combines training for a 5K with healthy living education, instilling self-esteem and strong values through health education, life skills development, mentoring relationships, and physical training.

GOTR is doing really, really great things. Really important things! And, like any non-profit, relies on community support. If there is anything that Rogue has to offer, it’s community, and we feel that it’s a no-brainer to support what Girls on the Run is doing. However, we like to keep things fun, and this is where you come in!

On Thursday, September 20, we are hosting Running Down a Dream, an event that will be a ton of fun for you, and a ton of help for GOTR.

Get ready for:

Music

Food

Beer

Wine

Brownies

Cupcakes

Nutrition talk

PRIZES!!

ALL of this is FREE for you. We will be taking voluntary $10 donations, which will get you three raffle tickets – additional tickets can also be purchased. All proceeds go directly to Girls on the Run, and the prizes are HUGE. We’ll be releasing sneak peeks each day on our Facebook page (including the GRAND PRIZE), but expect the winners to walk out with clothing, gear, wellness, entertainment and fitness dreams fulfilled!

So, come help us pass along the gift of running to the next generation and walk out fulfilled, inside and out.

Running Down a Dream

Thursday, September 20

6:30pm @ Rogue Running Downtown (500 San Marcos St. 78702)

FREE & OPEN TO EVERYONE, though RSVPs are appreciated!

Find out more about Girls on the Run here.

Get behind it.

At Rogue, we are all about running and runners, no matter the reason behind it. Whether the motivation is weight-loss, PR-setting, meeting new friends or simply a love of getting outside and moving, we are behind it.  We are also behind the idea of organized races and other running events, as it takes these personal motivations to the next level by providing a goal and, ultimately, an unbeatable sense of accomplishment once you attain it.

However, there are events out there that use these motivations for something much bigger, and those are the events that we can really get behind. The CASA Superhero Run is one of these events – beyond serving as a goal, a venue for a potential PR and a really fun Sunday morning, it serves as a support system for those who truly need it most – abused and neglected children. CASA is doing great, great things, and all you have to do to help them continue is to go have a great, great time at the Superhero Run.

from the CASA Superhero Run organizers:

Superman was adopted. Spiderman was raised by his aunt and uncle. Batman grew up with his butler, Alfred, and later took in Robin to raise as his ward. Thor was kicked out of Asgard by his dad but eventually reunified with his family. Few superheroes grew up in a typical family situation raised by their own parents, yet they all accomplished great things as adults. CASA, a nonprofit that advocates for children who’ve experienced abuse or neglect, believes all children deserve the chance to grow up happy and healthy and become superhero adults themselves.

That’s why the CASA programs of Travis and Williamson counties are hosting the CASA Superhero Run. This run raises funds and awareness to provide children who’ve been abused or neglected with the powerful voice of their very own CASA volunteer. Children with CASA volunteers are more likely to receive therapy, health care and education, more likely to do better in school, less likely to be bounced from one place to another, less likely to get stuck in long-term foster care and significantly more likely to reach safe, permanent homes than children without CASA

Who: CASA programs of Travis and Williamson Counties and more than 1,500 local superheroes, runners, families and super dogs.

What: CASA Superhero Run – Superhero-themed 5K and Kids 1K with superhero costume contest, bounce-houses, photo booth, superhero appearances, free food & drink, and more!

When: Sunday, September 30^th, 2012

7 am – Registration, Check-In and Superhero Costume Contest
8 am – 5K Race Starts
8:45 am – Kids 1K Starts
9:15 am (approx) – Costume Contest and Race Awards Ceremony after Kids 1K

Where: Mueller Lake Park & Hangar, 4550 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723

Why: To raise funds and awareness in support of children who’ve been abused or neglected. Or, as one boy told us: “If abused kids see that other kids are superheroes, then they’ll know that they can be superheroes too.”

More Info: Find out more about the run and register or donate at www.casasuperherorun.com

Sponsored By: KLRU-TV, Univision 62, KASE 101, AM 1300 The ZONE

About CASA:

CASA speaks up for children who’ve been abused or neglected by empowering our community to volunteer as advocates for them in the court system. When the state steps in to protect a child’s safety, a judge appoints a trained CASA volunteer to make independent and informed recommendations in the child’s best interest. After 30 hours of intensive training, background checks and being sworn-in by a judge, volunteers are appointed to a child or family of children and spend an average of 15-20 hours a month advocating for these children for at least a year. CASA of Travis County was founded in 1985 and supports more than 550 volunteers who advocate for at least 1,400 children a year. CASA of Williamson County was founded in 2009 and supports 40 volunteers who advocate for 75 children a year.

Learn more about CASA of Travis County at www.casatravis.org and CASA of Williamson County at www.casawctx.com.

Marathon Kids Fundraiser

Find a bit of extra energy after your long run next Saturday for a good cause!

Free fitness “bootcamp” style workout benefiting Marathon Kids. Participation is free and donations are welcome but not required. Starts at 10:00 am.

All participants will be elligible to win cool stuff like:
- Free bootcamp classes
- Free Chiropractic Treatment worth $200 at Austin Family and Sports Chiro
- Gift cards to Rogue Running

If you donate at the below levels, you will get the following benefits:

$10 – 50% Discount One-Month of Fitness “bootcamp” Classes for up to two people
$20 – Marathon Kids Hat and 50% Discount One-Month of Fitness “bootcamp” Classes for up to two people
$40 – Marathon Kids Technical Shirt and 50% Discount One-Month of Fitness “bootcamp” Classes for up to two people
$50 – Marathon Kids Fleece and 50% Discount One-Month of Fitness “bootcamp” Classes for up to two people

Come and kickoff your New Year’s resolutions while helping a great cause and having fun!

Saturday, January 8, 2011
9:30a-11:00a
Butler Park
950 West Riverside Drive
Austin, TX
Get full details and rsvp!

Win some Brooks swag!

On Tuesday November 16th, from 7am-9am, Brooks Sports will have 4 stations set up on Town Lake trail between Congress and Mopac promoting the Run Happy Spirit!

Table 1 = Parking lot at Lady Bird Lake Trail under S Mopac Expwy (SW corner)

Table 2 = Parking lot on Stephen F Austin Dr/Lady Bird Lake Trail under S Mopac Expwy (NW corner)

Table 3 = Intersection of Shoal Creek Trail and Lady Bird Lake Trail (NE corner)

Table 4 = Parking lot of Lady Bird Lake Trail and S 1st St. (SE corner)

Stop by the tables to play some games and win some Brooks swag – MAYBE
EVEN A FREE PAIR OF BROOKS SHOES!”

Tonight: Free Beer and a Famous Person

You may or may or may not know the name, but Brad Hudson is a legendary coach who has certainly worked with names you do know: does Shayne Culpepper, or maybe Dathan Ritzenhein ring a bell?

Brad will be at Rogue Equipment TONIGHT, Thursday, June 17  to talk about his widely-acclaimed book, Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon, and to discuss his training philosophies and experiences. This is a rare chance to listen to a great coach and athlete – don’t miss it!

Additionally, we will have FREE BEER, will be giving away a pair of Asics Nimbus shoes, giving away an entry to the closed Chicago Marathon and will offer discounts on our brand new, super awesome Rogue graphic tees.

Rogue EQ Happy Hour with Brad Hudson
Rogue Equipment
Thursday, June 17 @ 6:30p