Chuck Hargrove (4th Time Around)
Happy New Years East Nasties!!! 2011 was a big year for us, but I feeling that 2012 will be even BIGGER! And what better way to get us off on the right foot than to take in the wisdom and thoughts of THE Chuck Hargrove. Enjoy!
ATL4
Here is his annual message to the East Nasty nation:
The calendar turns another year, and I get a year older. Gaining wisdom remains questionable. Again East Nasty has honored me with title of Re-Nasty of the Week.
Greetings from the northern reaches of East Nashville: gracious and growing Inglewood. As repeat East Nasty of the Week I have an opportunity to thank the hundreds of runners and volunteers who make our running club great. 2011 started cold and dark, yet that did not thwart the spirit of dozens who braved Resolution to King 5K training. Culminating mid-March at Tom King 5K, our new Nasty runners were greeted with a flat 5K course and stadium finish. I consider it an honor to have coached this group. Some nights were cold and tough, but all were rewarding. Many coaches and runners returned as volunteers for our summer Potato to Tomato 5k plan, which apparently is now certified. Certified? Who notarizes these plans?
Anyway, I leave this winter’s 5K coaching duties to the excellent and entrepreneur Lee Wilson. I saw Lee work with Mayor’s Challenge 5K group this summer. You new runners are in for a pleasant surprise and excellent coaching. Be sure and check out his new business Nashville Running Company, near Five Points in East Nashville.
East Nasty Country Music Half Marathon training saw aspiring half marathoners churn miles after miles and breakfast casseroles after pastries into 13.1 miles of late April brute force. Nice work, long distance Nasties. Long distance is not exclusive to East Nasty, or one Hargrove for that matter. My family added a marathoner to our ranks. My lovely cousin Lindsay Hargrove invited me to Atlanta for the Publix Marathon, where she finished her first marathon in a little over 4 hours. I attached a photo of us attacking a hill between Piedmont Park and Georgia Tech (above). Lindsay quickly learned the East Nasty sign.
Summer meant Couch to Tomato 5K, where I assumed a back-of-the-pack pace coaching, the greatest legion of disciples. Throughout the summer these runners were hanging onto my every word and corny joke, viewing my chiseled calves and salmon colored lululemon shorts. Toss in a lottery grand prize and my life would be pretty much complete. You get the picture.
Apparently word got around that I can turn people into runners and walkers. Nothing could be further from the truth. The runner or walker is already within you. You have to put in miles and sweat to make this runner appear. An opportunity to spread some East Nasty gospel dragged me away from Wednesday night runs. Team Challenge recruited me to coach their runners over 14 weeks, culminating at Las Vegas Half Marathon early December. What bio would be complete without an East Nasty shirt? None, I say. Check them out here: http://www.ccteamchallenge.org/Teams/Tennessee_Chapter/Coaches.htm. I spent three days a week with Team Challenge Tennessee, using many of the same principles from our successful East Nasty program. If you are looking to raise money for Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, and run a sweet half marathon June 2 in Virginia Wine Country, I urge you to check out Team Challenge here: http://www.ccteamchallenge.org.
I want to congratulate to East Nasties who churned and burned long miles into first time and repeat Boston Marathon qualifiers. Congratulations also go to our first time 5K runners who stuck with their program and are now enjoying success at 5 miles and 10K. Nice work, Rachel S.!!! Individually, Belmont Alumni cross country invited me back for another season opener meet where we finished fourth, and ahead of many college varsity teams. Take it from me, you don’t have to be fast or slow. You just have to get out there and run, and repeat. Good luck to all East Nasties this year; may you achieve your goals.
I look forward to my East Nasty Wednesday night return, and Sunday half marathon training after the new year. Look out, 10:30 per mile pace group. I got you in my sights.
Chuck