Update from the California Chapter, contributed by Grant Beggs

Hello again from the left coast,
The west coast chapter of SLG is in full marathon training mode. Our half marathon (Disneyland) is in 2 weeks, and we are looking to set some personal best times. Your postings have helped to keep us motivated out here.
Grant was recently featured in the Team for Kids monthly magazine. While he mentioned SLG during the interview, it unfourtunately did not make it in to the final printed version. (Article is below).
See you all in less than 3 months!
SLG-West
David and Grant

TFK Community
TFK member Grant Beggs didn't start out as a runner he grew up playing ice hockey in Toronto. That experience inspired him to join TFK. "I want to help kids get access to sports such as running so they too will benefit from the positive values of being part of a team and learning sportsmanship," Beggs says. Despite moving across the country to Los Angeles last April, Beggs has had no trouble fund-raising.

TFK member Grant Beggs didn't start out as a runner--he grew up playing ice hockey in Toronto. He's now a resident of sunny Los Angeles, but those hours on the ice still inspire him; in fact, his experience with youth hockey inspired him to join TFK. "I want to help kids get access to sports such as running so they too will benefit from the positive values of being part of a team and learning sportsmanship," Beggs says.

A native of Canada, Beggs moved to New York in 2002. He lived near Central Park and couldn't help but notice the daily parade of runners heading there. So he laced up some shoes and joined in. "The first time I ran five miles I thought my legs were going to break," says Beggs, who works in strategic marketing for a private retail firm. He joined NYRR and started racing in Central Park and, like many New Yorkers, soon wanted to run a full marathon.

After being transferred to Minneapolis, Beggs ran the Zurich Marathon in the spring of 2005, followed by the ING New York City Marathon that November and the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in 2006. "I'm not very fast," says Beggs. "I'm the guy at mile 20 who the crowds point to and say, "Why is he still out there? He looks terrible.'"

Beggs, 32, joined Team for Kids this year because he values the role of sports and exercise in education. He was concerned about the fund-raising at first because he had moved yet again, this time to Los Angeles. But friends and co-workers in his new city have responded to the TFK message and Beggs has already reached his fund-raising goal. "Childhood obesity is an issue everywhere, not just in New York," says Beggs. "And despite what you may think, Angelenos have an affinity for New York!"

Beggs misses his NYRR friends in New York. "LA is not a running town like New York City is," he says. "I'm still going through culture shock." His parents and friends are flying in to watch the marathon, which coincidentally falls on his mother's birthday. "It's going to be a great day," says Beggs.

August in SLG land

Well, August started with a running bang. On Sunday, August 5th, 10000 runners showed up on the East Drive in Central Park to run the Second New York City Half Marathon, taking us once around the park, then down 7th ave, through Times Square and down the West Side Highway to finish in Battery Park. There we were, Stefan, Gil, Mike, Margarita and me, running in the same race as Haile Gebrselassie from Ethiopia and Robert Cheruiyot,Hilda Kibet and Catherine Ndereba, from Kenya.
It was Margarita's maiden voyage in this distance and she did great. Afterwards, we spent a glorious afternoon on the terrace at SLG headquarter






Spirits were high and talk of training for the marathon was in the air. For me it was definitely THE Kick Off for my training for November 4th.
All the enthousiasm led to an 18 mile training run last Saturday, August 11th, by Stefan, Gil and myself. The last 4 miles were tough, but we all felt very good about having the first 18 miler under our belt. In the meantime, we were getting more certainty of getting all SLG'ers a spot for New York. Mike, Stefan, Mark, Gil, David, Clem and I have guaranteed numbers. Some of us through running 9 races last year, some others by deferring their numbers (and still running 9 races anyway) and Clem by running a qualifying time. Grant got his spot by signing up for charity and raised the required 2500$ in less than 2 months. Congratulations to Grant!
We got Dora in through a "Long Arm" (A Flemish expression) and we hope to get Philippe in through a diffrent long arm. Erik has been injured for a while and will resume his all important role as "Fan Coordinator" this year.
The less good news is that injuries are marring this young-ish training season. Mike has a hip issue and needs to see a doctor, Stefan has a "Morton's neuroma" or so he has self diagnosed a painful foot. He told me it would probably go away if he would stop wearing high heals (funny, I already had a feeling he wore women's clothes and high heels to work)or get an insert for his running shoes. Anyway, it seems that he needs to take it easy and I hope he will be up and running soon.
Gil of course is always injured, right now it is his back, but his is "brave" and "running through the pain". Interestingly enough his ailments never seem to bother him at race time so I am not too concerned about him.
I heard from Philippe last week and he is back to his funky training schedule of skipping the short runs and concentrating on the long ones. I think the way he does that is by hydrating with Belgian beers.
Haven't heard from the young Southern Californis chapter? How are things going over there? Grant? David? Are you getting our vibes yet?
Dito for the Belgians. I have heard from Clem that he is doing his usual, lots of kilometers, speedtraining with the local running club and a marathon every two and a half months. How does the man do it?
Dora, How is it going for you?
Anyway, I hope that all the injury kinks will be ironed out sooner rather than later and that people will get more inspired as the temperatures get a bit cooler and your body gets into "fall marathon" groove. For those of you who need some extra inspiration, hereis another picture from the post half marathon celebration on August 5th. You too will be celebrating at SLG headquarters in less than three months. Good luck to us all!