1. “Be flexible,” recommends Steve Maher, marathoner and race director of the Run Wenatchee race series. “When training for a race, weather can change your plans.” Sometimes your partner might need a rescue if a run goes poorly, or she might need to change her long-run day due to high winds or smoke.

2. Ask them what they need. If your partner has a hard time asking for help, try to make your questions more specific: Would it be helpful if I dropped the kids of tomorrow? Will you need to go to bed early tonight? Or, can I pace you for the first few miles?

3. Cook dinner on long run days. OK, so my version of this is to treat my husband to beer and pizza, which always seems to sit well after a long run, but kudos if you are a good cook and can provide delicious, baked-from-scratch calories. 

4. Ask about the little things. Did your partner mention an ache or pain the week before? Then follow up, even if it seems minor. Athletes appreciate the chance to talk about what their bodies are going through. If it’s something they mentioned out loud, then it’s probably distracting or has been bothering them for a while. 

5. Be prepared to show up on race day. “Get yourself a map and orient yourself with the course,” suggests Maher. He also recommends looking at an elevation profile, which is as useful as mileage when trying to anticipate where a runner might be, and when.

6. Run support (whatever that looks like). When my partner traveled with me to Seattle for a race, I panicked the night before because the cheap hotel I had booked did not have free coffee in the room. He hit the streets at 11 p.m. to find some java so that I could reheat it at 4:30 the next morning as part of my pre-run routine.

7. Provide transportation. This allows runners to focus and mentally prepare for the race, and to totally relax when the race is over.

8. Confirm, don’t refute, their concerns. Chances are, if your partner has signed up for a long-distance race, then she is the kind of person who has done other hard things. Rather than argue and say, you’re crazy, you have nothing to worry about, listen to her anxious thoughts. 

9. Plan a fun and laid back recovery day. Some people want back rubs and booze. Others want snacks and naps. As a way to honor his accomplishment, whatever sounds good to him, try to make it happen. 

The post 9 Ways to Support Your Partner for the Long Run appeared first on Out There Venture.

Unfortunately—cue the record scratch sound effect, if that’s not overkill for an essay about running—I had yet to gather my running supplies. The “running stuff” pile quickly towered over the “everything else” pile. Shoes! Socks! Shirts! Shorts! Bras! Sunglasses! Most of them in multiple. Bye, extra space. Sorry, spouse.

I can’t imagine a trip without a run. I’d feel a little lost if running disappeared from my near-daily routine, but it’s more than that—running makes every trip I’ve taken better. Much of what I recall of places from Whidbey Island to Nashville to Paris comes from running-related sense memories. In Florence, Italy, I followed the route advice of our hotel owner and enthusiastic fellow runner and chugged up a hill, passing the Piazzale Michelangelo with its panoramic views of the Ponte Vecchio and the charming skyline, more peaceful than later in the day when it would be overtaken by flocks of tourists. In early morning Rome, I ran past shop owners and delivery people on otherwise empty streets near the Spanish Steps, immediately self-conscious about the contrast between their effortlessly stylish clothing and my sweaty athletic gear. In New York in my early 20s I felt a burst of independence as I took the subway from Times Square to Central Park where I ran around the reservoir alongside dozens of true New Yorkers doing the same thing I was.

If you name a place I’ve been, that’s where my mind goes first: where I ran, what I saw, how it felt. This is what happens, I think, when we use what we already love to help us navigate the world. For some that could mean kayaking or antiquing or rock climbing. For my husband, it’s checking out craft breweries and major league ballparks. For me it means running through new sections of familiar cities like Seattle; jogging along Lake Union with my way lit by the headlights of morning commuters; ascending the woodsy hillside to the top of Mt. Tabor while visiting my brother in Portland; or coming home with stinky, salty shoes from jogs along beaches in Westport, Wash., and Kihei, Hawaii. 

Thinking back on trips to Florida, I can almost feel the sweat that dripped down my back as I huffed along baked white sidewalks in the palm tree-studded neighborhood near my in-laws’ place. I remember being windblown as I ran along the shoulder of the highway through the rolling plains outside Havre, Mont., when we were in town for my husband’s grandma’s funeral. And I remember the tentativeness of a jog around the little town of Waterbury, Vt., just days after finding out I was pregnant with my first baby, head spinning with what-ifs and excitement and nerves. 

The trip I was packing for was a vacation with extended family to a house on the bank of the Pend Oreille River where bald eagles sailed overhead, hummingbirds zipped silently across the backyard, and milfoil lined the river bed. Outside, we fished and waded and sat on the beach. Inside, it was books and Nintendo Classic and card games. Usually I run alone, but a couple of times I was joined by my two daughters and my niece. Some of us enjoyed these short runs more than others (I won’t name names to protect the reluctant) but I found it so satisfying to get out of the wonderful but confining bubble of our river home to see what a quick out-and-back stretch had to offer—surprisingly, a lot. We saw a mama deer and two babies! We were rained on, and then the sun came out!  We made it all the way to the turning point at the end of the road! We passed the time with games like “List every pizza topping you can think of that starts with the letter P” and “How many Harry Potter characters can you name?” We ran and walked and ran again, and we celebrated excessively at the turnaround point, taking a few pictures for posterity. Even without the pictures, though, I know I’d remember. Those runs weren’t long, but my memory of them feels indelible.

The post Globe Trotting: Using Running to Explore Places appeared first on Out There Venture.

RUNNING CLUBS

Trail Maniacs: For trail runners as well as mountain bikers and hikers, this group hosts races and other events.

SoHi Running Club: This informal group meets Mondays year-round—rain or shine, and also on holidays—at Miguel’s Mexican Restaurant at 6 p.m. on Spokane’s South Hill.

Fleet Feet Running Club: Weekly group runs and a No Boundaries 5k Training Program are offered through Spokane and Spokane Valley Fleet Feet store locations. Schedule includes Monday trail runs, Tuesday strength training workouts and drills, Wednesday speed workouts, and Saturday long, slow distance runs.

Spokane Valley Running Club: Also referred to as the Spokane Valley Bison Running Club, group meets at 5:50 p.m. at Monkey Bar, in Spokane Valley. Runs begin at 6 p.m.

Bloomsday Road Runners Club (meets Tuesdays & Saturdays): Group runs start at 8 a.m. on Saturday mornings at Kendall Yards from the parking lot by Central Food. On Tuesday evenings speedwork is done at the Spokane Community College track; warmup begins at 6 p.m. Club’s website is the go-to resource for local running news and includes an event calendar of regional races and local club runs.

Palouse Road Runners: This Moscow, Idaho-based group has coached workouts at the University of Idaho track at 6 p.m on Tuesdays.

Flightless Birds Running Club: Cheney-based group meets at 5:45 p.m. on Tuesdays at Barrelhouse Pub & Pizza; run begins at 6.

Lantern Run Club: Meets weekly at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays in Spokane’s Perry District at Lantern Tap House.

The Monterey Café Running Club: Meets at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays during Daylight Savings time from March to November at Monterey Café in downtown Spokane (group formerly known as c:nextIT/run).

Spokane Swifts: A women’s running club that primarily focuses on training goals and competitive racing. Group practices take place year-round on Tuesdays at 5:45 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. The Lilac Bloomsday 12K is the team’s annual race.

Palouse Falls Beer Chasers: Group meets weekly on Wednesdays at Birch & Barley Restaurant in Pullman at 5:30 p.m.

High Drive Highlanders: Meets at Rocket Market on Spokane’s South Hill at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays for weekly 5K group runs.

Green Bluff Running Club: Meets weekly on Wednesdays in Mead at Big Barn Brewery at 6 p.m. for group runs or walks.

Iron Goat Running Club: Meets weekly on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. at Iron Goat Tap Room in downtown Spokane.

Flying Irish Running Club: Runners and walkers meet weekly on Thursdays at 5:45 p.m. at Chateau Rive near the Spokane Arena.

Liberty Lake Running Club: Weekly 3-mile run/walk begins at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays at Liberty Lake Physical Therapy.

Millwood Milers: Group meets weekly at 6 p.m. on Thursdays at Millwood Brewing Company in the community of Millwood east of Spokane.

Spokane Moms Run This Town/She Runs This Town: The Spokane chapter of this national organization meets on Fridays, year-round, at 9:30 a.m. at the Manito Park duck pond for 3-5 mile runs. According to local chapter leader Noelle Lovoi, the group occasionally meets at Kendall Yards, and runners should request to join the private Facebook group to learn more. Runs are open to all fitness abilities, interest levels, and run paces.

Nike+ Run Club: These weekly Friday morning runs meet at 6 a.m. in front of the Nike store in downtown Spokane.

Manito Running Club: Meets at Manito Park on Saturdays at 8 a.m. in the 18th and Grand parking lot.

Manito Night Shift: Work a non-traditional schedule? This informal group was created for Spokane-area runners to connect and plan group runs anytime, day or night. Join the group’s Facebook page to learn the schedule.

Beers & Blisters Running Group: Meets on Sundays at 9 a.m. at My Fresh Basket in Kendall Yards.

Sunday Slugs: Meets weekly at 8 a.m. at Manito Park on Spokane’s South Hill in the 18th and Grand parking lot for scenic walks or runs starting from the duck pond.

Spokane Distance Project: A dues-based men’s running club that provides a competitive team and training program for post-collegiate athletes.  

Palisades Running Club: Request to join group’s Facebook page to learn the schedule; meets near Palisades Park in west Spokane.

SPRING RACES & EVENTS

Get active and outside with these spring races and fun runs. For a more complete list of Inland Northwest running events, check out our Race, Ride & Event Guide online at OutThereOutdoors.com.

Negative Split Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K (April 7): Based in Kendall Yards, event now incorporates the annual Hunger Run.

Hauser Lake Icebreaker 5K & 10K Run (April 7): USATF-certified 10K course and Bloomsday second-seed qualifier. Runners and walkers with strollers or dogs are welcome.

Palouse 100K Relay & Solo Run (April 7): 100K Ultra Relay, 100K 10-person relay, 100K 5-person relay, and 100K Solo, organized by Palouse Road Runners.

Spring Dash (April 27): 5-mile Bloomsday second-seed qualifier race in Coeur d’Alene at McEuen Park.

Spokane River Run (April 28): 5, 10, 25, and 50K races plus 50K relay race at Riverside State Park.

Lilac Bloomsday Run (May 5): 12K race for runners and walkers of all paces. Wheelchairs and strollers welcome.

Priest Lake Marathon, Half-Marathon, 50K Ultra, & 5K Family Fun Run (May 11): Backcountry trail run through the Panhandle National Forest.

Trail Maniacs Farragut Trail Run (May 17-18): Weekend event at Farragut State Park includes a 5, 10, and 25K and free kids race.

Windermere Marathon & Half-Marathon (May 19): Flat and fast Boston-qualifier course along the Spokane River.

Coeur d’Alene Marathon, Half-Marathon, 10K & 5K run/walk (May 26): New marathon course organized by Negative Split. Strollers allowed for 5K. //

Amy S. McCaffree is Out There’s special section editor. She wrote the Inland Northwest Race, Ride & Event Guide in March.

The post Running Clubs & Races: 30+ Ways to Run in the Inland Northwest appeared first on Out There Venture.

His aid station passion grew to the point of having so much equipment he needed to purchase a pickup and camper to haul it down remote roads. He now takes his traveling oasis to races across the western U.S. every year, often with wife Carmen and his two teen kids in tow.

“I feel it’s my calling,” he says. “It’s my way to serve these runners and bring a little joy into their lives.”

I decided to get a first-hand look at Jack’s operation by joining him at the 141-mile aid station of the Bigfoot 200-miler last July.

On a warm Friday morning, we left Spokane in a pickup with a covered box stuffed with equipment and supplies, the camper hitched behind. Son Jason followed in their SUV pulling an empty trailer. Six hours later, we were in the sweltering heat of the high school parking lot in Randle, Washington piling the trailer with food, jugs of water, and other supplies. Then with vague directions that don’t take road closures into account, Jack recalls enough from previous years to navigate the sketchy backwoods roads to where it dead-ends at the forest.

The next morning, we faced the monumental task of setup. The main area was 30 by 50 feet, with a single huge tarp overhead that draped past the kitchen to provide a back wall. It stretched across to butt up against a 10 by 15-foot warming hut set next to a snack/drink station of the same size. Since this aid station was one of several sleep stations, four sleeping tents had been set up in an adjacent field.

The kitchen was a marvel of portable culinary technology with a large griddle, toaster, coffee pot, and—get this—microwave oven, all powered by a gas generator with a separate vegan area to the side. Then there was the jumble of coolers, disposable plates, napkins, serving bowls, and utensils.

The all-hours, on-request menu included breakfast burritos, burgers (meat and veggie) with all the fixings, cheese quesadillas, make-your-own sandwiches, and pancakes. Throughout the rest of the aid station was an array of fruit, potato chips, cookies, M&Ms, sodas, and energy gels.

Over the next two days and nights, runners glided or stumbled into the camp and were met with claps and shouts by anyone present. Many looked around deliriously and quickly stumbled into the warming tent for first aid for feet shredded by blisters and a common grumble, “How come I fall asleep while I’m running but I can’t fall asleep at an aid station?”

The next sixty hours were a blur of short sleep shifts and the smell of burger grease. Any self-pity was muted by the fatigue and pain in the faces of many of the runners.

The last runner left the station at 10:30 Monday morning. What followed was seven hours of washing and packing. We stuffed Jack’s belongings, jigsaw-puzzle-style, into the back of the pickup, and precariously strapped the race supplies and garbage to the trailer.

“This is the side of it no one sees,” Jack says as he strapped the final empty gas cans to the back of his camper.

Back at the high school headquarters, we dumped the leftover supplies then headed a mile back down the highway for a quick bite. As we crossed the street to the diner, a runner passed us, probably on the way to about a 30th-place finish. Jack doesn’t recognize the runner. They probably crossed paths during Jack’s sleep shift.

It’s okay. Whether they met face-to-face or not, he and Jack have connected in spirit, one runner to another, on opposite sides of the grill. //

Trail Ultra Volunteer Opportunities

Below is a non-exhaustive list of ultramarathon (50K or longer) trail runs in and near Washington that list volunteer opportunities on their websites. A more complete list of Washington ultras can be found at ultrarunning.com.

• Capitol Peak 50 Mile April 27 / Olympia, WA
• Snake River Island Hop 50K or 100K/ April 27 / near Pasco, WA
• Spokane River Run 50K/ April 28 / Spokane, WA
• Mt. Si 50 mile or 50K/ April 28 / Snoqualmie, WA
• Lake Hills 50K / May 5 / Bellevue, WA
• Tiger Mtn 50K / May 18 / Issaquah, WA
• Vashon Island 50K / June 1 / Vashon Island, WA
• Trail Rail 50 mile or 50K / June 8 / Mullan, ID
• Race the Wolf 52K / July 6-7 / Sandpoint, ID
• Mt. Spokane Vertical Challenge 50K / July 13 / Spokane, WA //

The post A Passion for Running Fuels a Passion for Helping Others appeared first on Out There Venture.

She’s talking about the symbiotic relationship between high school cross-country teams, local running races, and the BRRC. It works like this: The BRRC, a nonprofit organization committed to promoting distance running and walking in the Inland Northwest, puts on many races every year—among them the Sundae Sunday, the Spokane Marathon (plus half-marathon, relay, and 10K), and the St. Paddy’s Five Miler. These races require an enormous amount of human power to put on, from staffing aid stations to marking the route, providing entertainment, and cleaning up. Some years back the BRRC came up with a unique solution to support runners along the course and give back to the community at the same time: they take the majority of their profits and use them to pay cross-country teams for providing support at these races. Funds earned by high schoolers can go toward costs like uniforms or team shirts, entry fees for out-of-district meets, pizza parties, and travel expenses.

“It’s good for the kids to give, and it’s good for adults to see kids give. It’s kind of a win-win situation,” says Shauvin. “If we had to find volunteers to do all of that, it would be difficult. It’s a really great thing because we support the kids and the kids support us.”

Kevin Swaim, coach of the Lewis and Clark girls cross-country team, says supporting local races gives students the chance to see where they fit in the larger Spokane running community. Providing support at local races helps high schoolers “realize that a lot of the cool events that they will hopefully take advantage of when they are grown-ups depend on a lot of people, a lot of personnel,” he says. “This is a chance to realize, ‘Oh, this is how these things happen.’ You roll up your sleeves and get involved.’”

The financial incentive makes a difference, too, mitigating some expenses for team-building fun and running opportunities. Ava Bloom, a Lewis and Clark senior and one of this year’s cross-country team captains, says that the money helps their team (with nearly 60 girls on roster this past season) maintain one of their primary aims: inclusivity. “It gives us the ability to have inclusion as one of our values, and that was really, really important to me as a captain and as a runner,” she says.

Other schools have felt the positive effects of funds earned through BRRC as well. Ken Bell, coach of the boys cross-country team at Rogers, says that the BRRC “has really helped us.” Rogers students help along the course of the Spokane Marathon, and earn additional money from the BRRC by taking all of the medals out of their plastic sacks in advance of the race, a job that takes hours. Rogers uses some of the funds they earn to buy team t-shirts and to pay entry fees for meets outside the GSL. “It’s really nice that the community helps us out,” Bell says. “We don’t really have a booster club—even at our awards dinner, we’re lucky to have two or three parents out of forty kids.” The BRRC money helps bridge some of the gap.

For the runners who participate in local races, high school support gives a burst of energy and encouragement along the course. For the Spokane Marathon, Shauvin says the BRRC hires 14 teams to staff the aid stations; cross-country parents manage parking. In addition to cross-country teams, they also hire high school bands and cheerleaders, like the Shadle Park bagpipers. “If you’re running a marathon, you’re getting tired, you’ve got some crazy kids cheering for you, it takes your mind off the fact that your calves are killing you,” Shauvin says.

The goal is to get as many schools involved as possible. “We want to spread the wealth,” Shauvin says. One year, she remembers, Colville wanted to earn some money by helping with the Spokane Marathon, but the spots available were for musical entertainment. She asked if they had a band that could come. They didn’t. So now Colville students bang garbage cans at mile 20. This, she says, is a perfect solution. “You need a laugh at mile 20, and you’ve got high school kids banging garbage cans—that’s pretty good,” she says.

With so many teams out along the Spokane Marathon course, “It kind of turns into a friendly competition between schools and encourages a lot of our athletes to come out,” Ava Bloom of Lewis and Clark says. Each school chooses a theme and has fun dressing up—like the ‘80s, or Disney princesses.  The Spokane Marathon is “almost always the morning after Homecoming,” Bloom says. “The amount of girls who genuinely want to come out and sacrifice sleep for that speaks a lot to our team culture.”

Carolyn Belarde, a Spokane runner who completes many local races each year, recalls a memorable moment last fall during the Spokane Marathon. “I was coming up the hill into mile seven and as I turned the corner into the parking lot I heard this interesting noise. As I got closer I realized it was a local high school band playing their trumpets and trombones. They weren’t only playing, they were cheering on myself and all the other fellow runners. The energy they were sending was extremely high, almost too much. At that moment all I could do was smile and be thankful for these youth, coming out early on a cold Sunday to cheer us on.”

“Along the course I want to say all the local high schools were represented somehow,” Belarde says.

Both Swaim and Shauvin urge those who love to race to look not just at what’s convenient according to your schedule, but at who race funds support. “Local runs support local runners,” Shauvin says. “Support the locally-run races, because the money stays in town.”

Trail Races That Give Back

Other local races, like the Sekani Trail Run (September) and the Spokane River Run (April) also support local students; those races benefits the APPLE Program at Franklin Elementary and Garfield Elementary, respectively. APPLE is a part of the Spokane Public Schools system and stands for Alternative Parent Participation Learning Experiences.

For these races, the people benefiting from race funds—APPLE students and their families—provide all of the race support. The hours families put in also count toward the 90 volunteer hours required per family per year in the APPLE program.

“APPLE’s very community-based; it’s kind of its own little hub or family,” says Sekani race director Julie Lehmen Smith. “When you’re out there, all the kids are having fun, but you’re getting your APPLE hours in,” Smith says. “It turns into a really fun event for everyone.”

Runners who sign up for a race because they have students in the APPLE program often get hooked and continue after their students have graduated. This has been the case with the Spokane River Run. Jeff Zellerhoff, the race director, says there’s a real community feel among the volunteers who come together for this fundraiser. Each year, the biggest turnout is for the 5K distance. Before that race starts, they gather together all of the kids enrolled in Garfield APPLE at starting line and take a minute to show the participants who their entry fees have benefitted. Zellerhoff says many runners have said they end up signing up again after seeing those kids and being able to picture their dollars in action.

The River Run also has a high school cross-country connection; one of their longtime partner organizations is North Central girls cross-country. “Dempsey [Ortega, the NC coach] has been involved in the River Run and APPLE since the very first race,” says Zellerhoff. For North Central’s support, the River Run gives a portion of proceeds to the team. “A lot of people really believe in what we’re doing and who it benefits. I think it’s just an all-around really good thing,” Zellerhoff says.

Nonprofit organization Trail Maniacs also counts on volunteers to keep their trail races going; upcoming races include the Farragut Trail Run (May 18; 5K, 10K, and 25K) and the Mt. Spokane Vertical Challenge (July 13; 10K, 25K, and 50K). “Honestly, we just can’t have races without volunteers,” says race director Dave Dutro. Trail Maniacs encourages people to provide race-day support by giving a portion of their proceeds to any high school cross-country team that gets a group of seven or more together to help out. “I know that they need the help,” Dutro says of these high school teams. “They don’t get that much financial support. That way they can go out and do something fun, and see what racing can lead into for them as far as life enjoyment.”

Other incentives for volunteers include a one-to-one race registration deal: volunteer for a Trail Maniacs race, earn an entry to another race of equal value. This year they’re also giving volunteers money off race registration fees for time spent doing trail work. Another cool opportunity for youth: run any two Trail Maniacs races and receive a free pair of shoes from Fleet Feet Coeur d’Alene.

“It’s all yin and yang,” Dutro says. It’s just one more way volunteer incentives benefit the larger community. “If I can encourage people to get out and do trail work, it’s a win-win for everybody.”//

Want to Volunteer?

Ready to get involved? Check out these opportunities to help at upcoming races.

Spokane Marathon (October 13): Volunteers help with every aspect of the race: setup, registration, aid stations, and more. thespokanemarathon.com/

Trail Maniacs Volunteers with Trail Maniacs races earn credit toward other race entry fees. Volunteering for trail work reduces registration fees as well. High school cross-country teams who get together a volunteer group can earn money for their teams.trailmaniacs.com/

Spokane River Run (April 28): Fill out the volunteer application on the race website.

Happy Girls Spokane (September 21): Volunteers help with registration, stuffing bags, packet pickup, aid stations, and more. Pacers are also needed. “The role of volunteers is invaluable,” says Luke Larsen of Lay It Out Events, which puts on Happy Girls Spokane. “They are the heart and soul of the event and the race truly could not happen without their support.” //

Sarah Hauge lives in Spokane with her husband and two daughters, where she works as a writer and editor. She’s hoping to pull off the new-to-her feat of back-to-back half marathons this May (Windermere and Coeur d’Alene).  She writes Out There’s Run Wild Column.

The post The Bloomsday Road Runner’s Club & High School Volunteers Make Magic Happen for Local Spokane Runners and Youth appeared first on Out There Venture.

Dominic Bartoletta, the Lantern Run Club          

Each Tuesday at 6 p.m., the Lantern Run Club gathers at the Lantern Taphouse in South Perry for a 3-ish mile option and a 5-ish mile option, followed by specials on pints and food. The welcoming, fun vibe of the group is represented by its route descriptions, which mix meandering wordplay and facetious asides, with names like “Oh Hiiiiiilllll No” and “A Tale of Two Parks.”

For instance: “Back on April 17, 2018, tall and slow alike joined us for the third and final running of ‘Le Internationale,’ a romp through what we mistakenly believed was the International District of East Sprague Avenue. It was at or about that very time that we realized the route did not in fact traverse the International District, but instead delivered us about a block or two from its eastern edge. Unfazed by our lack of geographical knowledge, and emboldened by our newfound knowledge regarding our lack of geographical knowledge, we now bring you the newly minted ‘Le NATIONALE,’ a run with all the same roads, the same directions, and the same hills as Le Internationale, just with a different name.”

The man behind these words is one of the club’s leaders, Dominic Bartoletta. Running club leader, he admits, is not anything he ever imagined he’d be. “I have a hard time thinking of myself as a runner,” he says. Though he ran sporadically starting in college, his background was in football. He didn’t even know run clubs existed as recently as seven or eight years ago. “I had no idea,” he says. But thanks to a friend’s invitation, he got connected with a couple of local running groups, and a few years ago when The Lantern’s owners asked him to take over the leadership of their group (alongside Conor Craigen), he said yes.

The goal is to make the group inviting for all. “When you make [the descriptions] lighthearted, people read them and think, ‘I can do this,’” Dominic says, even when the routes in question include arduous hills. The once-small group now has weekly turnouts of a hundred participants or more, and a range of runners and walkers of all ages.

Dominic says the various routes have provided introductions to hidden pockets of Spokane: the Perry Street steps, the Ben Burr Trail, the volcanic outcropping at the top of Cliff Park, a spiral-bottomed ramp that spans 1-90. It’s given him a bigger community, and it’s a good counterpoint to his career as an attorney. “I do find that I feel better and think better when I’ve been exercising,” he says.

He remembers running alone last winter as a cold snap set in. A reporter on the street stopped him for a quick interview. When he saw the clip on TV later, he was surprised by the caption: “Dominic Bartoletta, Runner,” he recalls with a laugh. Deep down, though, he knows it fits him as much as anyone. “As long as you run, you’re a runner,” he says. “There’s no secret to it.”

Jessicah Travis, Fleet Feet Northwest Running Club Lead

Jessicah Travis was first introduced to running when she was in her mid-30s by Wade and Julie Pannell, owners of the Spokane locations of running store Fleet Feet (as well as the others that make up Fleet Feet Northwest). It transformed Jessicah’s and her husband, Casey’s lives and health so much that when the Pannells invited them to move from McCall, Idaho, to Spokane and start working for Fleet Feet, the answer was a clear yes.

For the past five years, Jessicah has coached and coordinated running groups for Fleet Feet’s Northwest locations. She has a special affinity for the No Boundaries groups, which focus on helping beginning runners cross the finish line of their first 5K. She got an insider’s view on running’s power to transform when she and her husband were new runners and needed to lose weight for their health. Through running she lost 45 pounds and he lost 65. In the No Boundaries groups, she continues to have a front-row seat for others’ transformations, and the vital role community plays in motivating and encouraging runners to keep going.

Part of what she gets to do with these new runners is “help them find their new trajectory of their lives,” she says. “We’ve watched people from all kinds of life circumstances overcome things to get across that finish line,” like women diagnosed with breast cancer who’ve run through chemo. For one couple in the Winter Warriors group, the husband lost his eyesight a couple of years ago and now he and his wife run together with the group, “all through winter together, hand in hand,” Jessicah says.

More recently Jessicah has felt the support of Fleet Feet’s running groups more keenly. In July of 2017, doctors discovered that there was a tumor connected to the main artery of her eye, entwined with the optic nerve. She rapidly began losing eyesight. “By September I only had a pie slice shape left, and it was minimal at that,” she says. Her vision at that point was 20/250—she was legally blind, with no depth perception or ability to see color. In 2018 she had a full craniotomy with nerve reconstruction, and later a second surgery to create a titanium barrier between her brain and her eye. The risky surgeries overcame some complications, including the double vision/bouncing that had become a problem after the first surgery, and enabled her to run again. Though there are long-term side effects, she can now run with no bouncing and has 20/30 full color vision.

Jessicah credits her surgeons with the amazing success of her operations, and her supportive running community with encouragement that’s helped bring her through.

“I say now that although I was coaching my group of runners, they were coaching me every step I took,” she says. “They have been with me when I’ve fallen—I couldn’t see the pothole without depth perception. They have been with me when I reached a full 3-mile run again post-surgery. The love in the running community has been endless.”

Heather and Andy LeFriec, Spokane Swifts and Spokane Distance Project

For married couple Heather LeFriec (president, coach, and co-founder of the Spokane Swifts) and Andy LeFriec (one of Spokane Distance Project’s co-founding members and current vice president), running is a major part of day-to-day life. They formed their groups (in 2008 and 2010, respectively) to bring together likeminded people who wanted to push each other to get stronger and faster.

“Misery loves company,” says Andy. “If you’re doing this on your own, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to bond with other people with the same interest.” Both LeFriecs note that the camaraderie is a major draw of their teams. When you connect regularly with other runners, good things happen: you’ll train harder, sign up for more races, and have people to go through the highs and lows with—of running and of life.

 “For me it’s a community,” says Heather. “And for my husband and child. Madeleine talks about the Swifts all the time,” she says of their kindergartner.

One household with two dedicated long-distance runners means there are twice the workouts to fit in, twice the running-related commitments (for instance, Andy sits on the Bloomsday board; Heather is on the Active4Youth board), and plenty of logistical puzzles to solve. Prized morning run time is parceled out (“My mornings are Thursday and Sunday. Somehow I get two and she gets five,” quips Andy). Andy’s mom babysits every Tuesday evening, which is practice time for each of their groups, and she also covers Bloomsday. “She’s great. I don’t know if we’d be able to do it without my mother-in-law,” Heather says.

There are always new negotiations and details to work out between “co-parenting, scheduling, who’s going to do what race,” says Heather. “That’s caused a few fights,” she adds with a laugh.

On the flip side, there’s a common understanding that comes with a shared interest—like recently when Andy, knowing Heather wanted to sign up for an ultra but was hesitant to pull the trigger, registered her as a surprise. They get each other. “You have a bad day, you have a bad workout, you have a bad race or a really good race—the other person understands what you’re going through, what you feel,” says Andy. They have someone to bounce workout plans ideas off, to talk through how they’re feeling and how hard to train.

Even though it can be a bit of a scheduling nightmare, the LeFriecs realize running is key to their well-being, and that a healthy, active lifestyle is something they want their daughter to see. “She just assumes everybody’s parents run,” says Heather. Even more importantly though, she says, is that their daughter is witnessing her mom and dad as people who understand the importance of “having a passion in your life.”

“We’ve both realized how much running fuels our soul,” says Heather. “It’s important for us to make the time for each person to get to do what they like, what feeds their soul.”//

The post Who Runs Spokane’s Running Clubs? appeared first on Out There Venture.

Race History: The Orth Brothers

The S2S was founded by twin brothers, Bart and Ben Orth. The Orth brothers were both competitive runners who enjoyed adventure running and participated in various extended races. The brothers also had a passion for entrepreneurship. According to Bart, Ben approached him one day with the idea of combining their passion and hobby by starting a race from Spokane to Sandpoint.

The focus of the race was really about building lasting memories. “Life is about making memories,” said Orth. He asked, “What can we do to make this [relay] something that stands out and makes it memorable?” Their answer was to focus on team camaraderie.

Efforts included costume competitions, timed trials, and a stop at Silverwood Theme Park in the middle of the night to ride the Tremors rollercoaster!

In 2010, the event’s third year, tragedy struck. Early in the morning a driver hit two race participants, killing one and seriously injuring the other. Police believed that alcohol was a factor. The day prior a woman was hit crossing Newport Highway. The driver in that incident was not believed to be at fault.

“200 miles is a long way and you can’t control every variable,” reflects Orth. “The Centennial Trail only goes so far so you have to go on the manmade roads.” The Orth brothers added additional safety measures to the course and ran it for one more year before deciding to sell the event to Cascade Relays.

When asked about their decision to sell the relay, Orth answers, “The weight of [the accidents] was a factor,” but both brothers also had families and full-time jobs.

The Cascade Relays Years

Scott Douglass, co-founder of Cascade Relays based out of Bend, OR with his wife Carrie, agreed to take over the event in 2012. Douglass, who was familiar with the Orth brothers as fellow independent relay organizers, attempted to revive the relay.

“Over a 6-year period [we] took a race that was struggling and used resources to help it grow,” says Douglass. “We rebranded everything and changed the course to make it a safer event.”

In 2008, the first year the relay was held, there were just over 50 teams registered. Over the years, registrations peaked at about 90 teams and settled between 70-80.

“These races are a logistical juggernaut,” says Douglass about coordinating such large-scale events. At this time Cascade Relays also launched their Beer Chases, which were growing, while S2S remained stagnant. “We made a business decision to invest in the beer chases,” said Douglass, and in 2017 it was announced that S2S would run its final year.

One month later, the event was sold to the Alaska-based North by Northwest Relays (NXNW).

North by Northwest Rebirth

NXNW is a series of relays based out of Alaska owned by Nathan Luke and his father David. “We think it’s important to have an event like this in the area, and we want to keep it,” says Luke. “We really want S2S to be a permanent fixture in the community. Something the average person living in town is aware of and maybe has on their bucket list.”

The Inland Northwest has access to miles of trails and beautiful scenery, which makes it a picturesque venue for an adventure relay. “The centennial trail network system is a huge asset to the area…and City Beach is one of the most beautiful finish lines to any relay across the nation,” says Douglass.

Three-time participant Shane Fuller loves the event. “It has been both a pivotal and extremely positive influence for my fitness journey,” says Fuller. “The sense of accomplishment coupled with the friendships built and memories made are things I’ll always cherish.”

Despite the changes in the event over the years, the original dream of creating a relay that builds camaraderie and makes memories remains constant.

The post Spokane to Sandpoint Relay: 12 Years and Running appeared first on Out There Venture.

If I’m honest, I love all the superficial things about races. I love my collection of race bibs, the tech shirts and hoodies, and, yeah, the finisher’s medals. This year, instead of just collecting things from my races, I’m going to focus on collecting experiences.

Doing “just one thing” in today’s world—like running a half marathon without headphones—is a chance to take in my surroundings that I don’t often find when accompanied by a smartphone and easily-accessible inbox. I’ve long admired this reflective quality of running. I hadn’t associated it with the act of connecting with a specific bit of nature until I raced somewhere I’d already lived a while.

For the four years I lived in the Palouse, I ran on paved activity trails and gravel roads. Only after leaving did I return to run the Snake River Half Marathon. I quickly realized the years of missed opportunity: running long distance on a race course helped me tune in to the geography. The dramatic hills that sloped to meet the river were mesmerizing, despite cold running temperatures and sleet. I don’t have to tell runners how strangely euphoric a race can be. More than hiking along a peaceful mountain trail, the adrenaline-fueled vision made me focus on the details of the land.

The Snake River Half has been my tradition to kick off race season for the last several years. Each time I run there, I gain a slightly better understanding of how the sparse brush reflects in the river, how the sun diffuses along the water, how the snow clings irregularly to the rocky land. What I’m choosing to focus on this year, aside from race swag, is taking away a sense of place from every finish line.

Using a race to explore new territory comes down to intent. My younger brother—heretofore my host in the Palouse for those Snake River races—is moving across the state. To connect with the new town where he’ll live, we both signed up for a race in Everett. My motivation with this registration was clear: I didn’t sign up to force myself to train in winter months, but to get a feel for a spot on the map. I tracked the course online and imagined how the view of the bay might look in early spring. I’m planning to spend a fair amount of time gazing, setting personal records aside.

It’s likely I’m writing about a race topic that many of you already prioritize. I know lots of folks who sign up for events just to travel somewhere new. I’m hoping that however you choose to race this year—via bike, watercraft, or your own two feet—that you’ll take time to focus on the world around you. When we connect our personal stories with the spaces around us, we create memories far richer than race medals. //

The post Editorial: Reasons to Race appeared first on Out There Venture.

This “thriving,” though, does not carry over to my fingers, which sometimes feel like they’re going to slowly freeze then snap off in my otherwise-beloved subzero winter temps. I struggle, Goldilocks-like, with gloves. Some are too thin and don’t offer real protection. Some are too thick and quickly feel swampy inside. But over time I’ve landed on a combo that works without fail: thin gloves and my secret weapon of winter, a single hand warmer.

Thanks to my generous mom, who lives near Seattle and for whom my family’s daily warmth in the Inland Northwest often seems questionable, I receive with some regularity a box of hand and foot warmers. When the temperature is very low, say 25 degrees or less, I get out one of the HotHands hand warmers from this thoughtfully-provided stockpile, squeeze it to activate the stuff inside, and I’m off, holding it in my gloved palm.

The single hand warmer is key to the operation’s success. At first I tried double fisting it, one hand warmer per paw, but I found that uncomfortably warm. The single hand warmer, on the other hand (ha ha), is the perfect solution. I hold it in one glove until those fingers are almost uncomfortably toasty, then switch to the other side. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

The hand warmer also solves another problem: my phone’s finicky battery life, which is even more unreliable in cold weather. While playing one of my favorite podcasts such as Hidden Brain, OnBeing, Serial, the Liturgists, and Armchair Expert, I nervously anticipate the moment it will abruptly be silenced, with nothing on my phone’s screen except the dreaded “zero battery” symbol. Once again, a hand warmer comes to the rescue. On a very cold day, I’ll wrap my phone in a spare glove or mitten and toss the hand warmer in there occasionally to keep things at a sustainable temperature.

My only concern with this otherwise perfect solution is the waste. HotHands are lightweight and unobtrusive, the ideal size for carrying on even a long run. They’ve never done me wrong, but after a single use these little guys get tossed in the garbage. My goal for this winter is to thoroughly research and then purchase something reusable. A few on my list to investigate: Zippo brand hand warmers, which are fueled with lighter fluid and have mostly good reviews online, but are bulkier than I’m used to; HotSnapZ, which are recharged between uses by boiling in water, which will take more prep time than I’m accustomed to, but are supposed to be easy to carry; and Osunlin Portable Pebbles, a rechargeable electric-powered option with three heat settings. They’re also designed to work as a power banks for charging phones.

Until I’ve found a comparable option, I’ll keep working my way through my stash of HotHands. Thankfully, I’ve got a box full. //

The post The Humble Hand Warmer: How to Stay Warm While Running in Winter appeared first on Out There Venture.