Betsy's Corner

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Betsy's Corner is featured in the
Track Shack Event Guide

Winter 2008

Sometimes, technology makes my head spin. Sitting in church, November 4, as Gary Oakley was running the ING New York City Marathon, we were receiving emails and phone calls updating us on his status. It took Gary 11 hours to complete NY, but because of technology we felt like we were right there with him. Gary has become our local inspiration at Track Shack and we always look forward to his smile. It’s all good, Gary!

People who know me well know my technology world is still in its infancy. So it has been exciting planning Jon’s 50th birthday through the world of “ hidden emails.” Do you know what a wireless bridge does? Me either, but that is how our Track Shack and EMMI staff will stay in touch as we expand and grow in the next couple months. We are finally moving our hard working event folks into an office and warehouse together. This means bigger and better things are coming soon to Track Shack. Look for some awesome changes and growth at Central Florida’s Running and Walking Headquarters!

Great as technology is, it doesn’t exercise for you, but sure can make exercise more fun! We have some wonderful products to enhance your run, including the Nike Plus, the Garmin GPS watch, and Polar Heart Monitors. The Nike Plus no longer needs a Nike shoe to be used; we have a Velcro shoe pocket for the Plus that just fits through your shoe laces. Don’t forget our knotty shoe laces that always stayed tied for your stocking stuffers! We also carry the easy-to-use Timex pedometer for our customers keeping track as they walk. And, thanks to research and development from various shoe companies, we have amazing shoe technology that offers superior cushioning and support systems. Stop by and check out Saucony’s Paramount, the Asics Kinsei and New Balance 1223. These shoes are at the forefront of shoe technology. Let Track Shack’s highly trained, knowledgeable and experienced employees at one of the nation’s top 50 running specialty stores : ) help find the right shoe for you.

Before technology, there was just plain old running. That’s what we did in the 70’s running cross country, and that is exactly what still takes place in 2007! Jon and I have spent every weekend this fall watching, cheering, and sometimes working cross country meets all over Central Florida. Believe me, this is the true grass roots of the sport we all love…Imagine 200 kids on a starting line, preparing to run 3.1 miles on a grass course. That is the plain and simple essence of our sport. One of the biggest thrills Jon and I have each week is watching our son Chris race his heart out at these meets. Things haven’t really changed at all these last 30 years, and the goals are certainly the same; run fast and finish strong! A sincere thank you to all of our Central Florida cross country coaches. You are creating a future of runners for a lifetime.

The end of cross country means the beginning of the holiday season. Thanksgiving reminds us of all there is to be thankful for: our family, our friends, and our health and happiness. We’ll be celebrating some special birthdays this holiday season; our daughter Emma will be 21 and Jon has the big 50! We’re looking forward to some time spent with family during December, but first we’ll be counting down the 12 days of Christmas! Check our list and check it twice on the back page of this event guide! Don’t be naughty and do be nice, stop by Track Shack for some great advice.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and your family.

See you on the roads,
Betsy
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Fall 2007

It must be marathon and race season again since I seem to be constantly chatting about stretching! It is time for calves and arches to unite! Ready, set, Stretch… With a few simple and not too time consuming calf stretches, you’ll start running and walking more naturally. Imagine toeing off as you stride out on the roads. You’ll start setting new personal records daily. My newest lower leg and arch stretch combo is called “the dog walk”; the dog does her business and I stretch on the curb. Perfect way for us both to start our day. Anderson’s Book on Stretching may not include “the dog walk” but it is a great resource you’ll find at Track Shack.

Our first big event of the season, Track Shack’s Celebration of Running 3.0 was a huge success. This amazing running community helped the Track Shack Foundation raise $25,000.00 for the Orlando Science Center. It was a busy and fun week at Track Shack and we hope you enjoyed all the extra goodies in your race bag. Jon and I enjoyed many high 5’s and kudos and we want to recognize our hard working and passionate staff for all they did and are doing to continue Keeping Central Florida Fit! It was especially inspiring for Jon and I to watch our kids, Emma and Chris in action as they joined us working all week.

We’ve been talking a lot lately about the running days of the 70’s. We call them 30’s stories now that we’re celebrating the store’s 30th. A fun 30’s story is about choices. In 1975 Jon, working at the Fashion Square Athletic Attic, sold me my first pair of running shoes. My dad about choked on the $29.99 price tag. In 1975, I had just one shoe to choose from. I probably thought at the time they were actually comfortable too. Talk about choices today! We have more styles of shoes to choose from than ice cream flavors at Baskin Robbins. We have different energy gels, blocks and drinks to choose from; socks, with or without toes. Do you need a watch or a heart rate monitor? What length should your shorts be? Or do you want to try a skort, ladies? As we ease into this 30th year of keeping Central Florida fit, let us and our staff, Anthony, Jonjon, Sarah, Nate and Bruce, help you make your choices.

Since we are all in the midst of another fall training season, let’s not forget good nutrition. We are excited to announce the mid September arrival of Track Shack’s Culinary Delights cookbook! Stay tuned and be the first one in your training group to own one.

See you on the roads,
Betsy
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Spring 2007

“the weather is here, I wish you were beautiful…” You almost got it right Jimmy Buffet; the weather is beautiful here right now as we cruise into springtime. Now is certainly the time to enjoy our early morning and evening runs. So skip the treadmill today and enjoy exercising outside in our Central Florida weather.

I am very fortunate to see the sunrise most mornings over Lake Sue while running by, sometimes the otters play hide and seek, and the herons and wood storks, often surprised when I run by, lift off over the canal. I can hear the Winter Park train whistles, smell the Krispy Kremes and watch Mrs. and Mr. Cardinal flirt a bit. I laugh as the woodpecker attempts to drill into the metal light poles. I don’t enjoy the traffic or the noise and exhaust from the cars, but all in all for living in the city, we have some beautiful places to run. So enjoy what is all around. If you do choose to listen to your I-pod, MP-3 player or even books on tape, just remember to keep one ear open for safety.

Congratulations to all of you who have completed your first half or full marathon these past two months. It has been so rewarding to Jon and me to see so many of you at the finish lines of the OUC Half Marathon and the Disney events. It is exciting and gives us goose bumps when we walk our friends and family through the finish area as they receive their medals! We are super proud of our daughter Emma and our niece Megan who completed their first half marathon at Disney. It might be time again for me to consider setting a running goal. Hmmm… And Jon too is thinking of a down and dirty goal - doing the Muddy Buddy event at Disney's Wide World of Sports on May 12. Muddy Buddy is a challenging, team adventure race done with a partner.You can be sure there will be more on that in the next issue!

Hundreds of you have set goals this year to start a walking or beginning running program. It is amazing and inspiring to see the numbers grow! We had more than 3300 runners at Seasons 52 Park Avenue 5k. Were you one of the lucky 52’s? Our W.R.A.P. (Walk, Run Accomplishment Program) lead by Boston Bob is continuing to grow as well, it is practically bursting at the seams. We look forward to helping all of you complete your goals this year! Many graduates of this program have moved on to marathon training and some have even begun coaching other beginners! Our Track Shack Foundation Program director, Susan Paul, is now assisting Runner’s World magazine as she expertly answers the many questions from new runners. What an incredible honor! Congrats Susan!

We recently hosted an evening for 200 women at our first ever Track Shack Ladies Night! How great to spend an evening with women whose goals and desires to be fit are all similar! The Thirtieth Annual Lady Track Shack 5k was a blast! We braved the wet morning and cheered for the 1800 ladies while enjoying a special run just for women. There were beautiful roses for all cancer survivor finishers that morning and plants to all participants.

Now’s the time to stop by the store to see some exciting new apparel and a great selection of sports bras; best of all employees to help fit you properly. We have several styles of running skirts and a great selection of triathlon clothing including Zoot and Sugio. Don’t worry guys, we have several new Nike short styles for men and great moisture wicking tops at reasonable prices too. We have, we think, the best and most educated and experienced staff of any running/walking specialty store, anywhere; and Jon and I thank them for their service and dedication. Come by and let them know what your goals are while they help keep you and Central Florida fit!

There are lots of 30th anniversaries this year in the running community. I’m sure you've heard about Track Shack’s and the Winter Park Road Race. Jon and I are finding all sorts of old awards around our house, I even found an award I won from the very first Winter Park Road Race. Check your garage or closet for those old race t-shirts or trophies, we’d love to display your keepsakes from the Winter Park Road Race at this years race. We hope to see you March 24th on Park Avenue running or walking the 10k or 2 Mile, there really is no more beautiful place to enjoy the outdoors while keeping your fitness goals.

See you on the roads,
Betsy
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Winter 2006

I cannot leave a shopping cart in the parking lot area. Not even on the grass. Not even when the kids were little. And I always pick up after our dog, Brooke. You know… Talk about guilt…New Year’s is around the corner. We should all make a commitment to keep our Central Florida community a runner’s paradise. Be a responsible neighbor; grab a bag and collect some trash on one of your morning runs. And smile, that’ll make them wonder. I love being a mom. Dinnertime can be a challenge with hungry teenagers and I just discovered a great before dinner snack. Baked sweet potatoes slices sprinkled with a little garlic. I barely had time to place them on a plate before they were devoured. Our family holiday gatherings are typically balanced around an event. Thanksgiving for sure. Even our birthdays usually coincide with an annual race. Where did this year go?

Christmas will be here before we know it. Of course that makes me think of the RDV Sportsplex Reindeer Run in Maitland on December 9. I so hope Ann and Sarah don’t make us wear the antlers again this year. We are so prepared this year at Track Shack with some awesome stocking stuffers! Naturally we have socks galore, super book ideas and new car seat covers! It fits any car, truck or SUV seat and it's water resistant which is perfect after a summer training run. We also have training logs (I recently found mine from 1978!), ornaments, yummy Clif Bars with flavors like Spiced Pumpkin, and even safety lights. And don't forget the gift certificate idea. For the tech geeks, we also have the NIKE + iPod Sensor and tons of heart rate monitors. Our staff can help customers navigate through the new technology. Fill your stockings early and enjoy your holiday with less stress this year.

Don’t forget your exercise routine, even if you do less than the norm, enjoy and know it’s the best gift you can give yourself. Our ASICS®/Track Shack Running Calendar is enclosed to remind you to Be There! Pull it out and be inspired by the beauty of this community and all the great running this area affords.

See you on the roads, with my garbage bag of course. Happy NewYear!
Betsy
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Fall 2006

Do you ever sit around reminiscing and find yourself saying the old cliché “I remember when…”? It’s hard not to when thinking of next year, Track Shack’s 30th anniversary! So here it goes. I remember when… I went to Glenridge Junior High School and there was no air conditioning! We lived on the Naval Training Center, now home to Baldwin Park, close enough to bike to school. We still wore dresses or skirts back then so it was always necessary to wear shorts underneath. I probably helped start the now current trend of skorts! Have you tried them? Great for running, going to the gym and still looking good for a trip to Publix! See them at Track Shack now.

I remember when… I argued against creating a website for Track Shack. Jon won that battle because he realized the role the internet would play in the future both for product information and for our race promotions; and thank goodness. Now you can click even on my head to read Betsy’s Corner on our 84 page website! I remember when… my dad said no way could a “running only” store be successful.…Good thing I applied for that job in the fall of ‘78. I remember hanging up dozens of Adidas warm-up suits and actually reading the tags without glasses. Thankfully, Timex, Nike and Polar have designed watches and monitors with numbers I can still read. I even remember when… most of our staff wasn’t even 40 something. Look for our “age diverse” Team Track Shack at the races. We chose 10 local runners to represent the store this racing season. Tough choices! I wanted everyone based on what they wrote as criteria for representing us. Thanks to all who applied. I can hardly remember…when I didn’t wear custom Orthotics. Constant pain or injury may mean an evaluation is necessary. Whether you are a new athlete or veteran marathoner take the opportunity to meet with a Florida Hospital Physical Therapist for an in-store evaluation. Laura Podschun will be at Track Shack September 16, October 28 and December 16 from 11 am – 1 pm. I remember when... I ran for Winter Park High with my friend Kathy in the late ‘70’s. Now, today, when I watch our son run for Edgewater I visit with Kathy (who just moved back to the area) as she encourages her daughter Abby, who runs for Timber Creek. The camaraderie of these athletes and coaches from all our local schools leaves one in awe. Try to catch a local cross-country meet (see FLRunners.com) and see a positive vision for the future of running.

See you on the roads,
Betsy
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Spring 2006

Here’s my thought for today…”any run is a good run.” This morning was tough for me, my back was stiff, the pollen was playing havoc on my sinuses, but I still ran four miles and am happy that I still can do it, slow or otherwise. We runners and walkers are a small percentage of the population who exercise regularly and we are so very fortunate to be healthy enough to continue. So, there you go, “any run is a good run.” (But I really should consider initiating a little speed work into my routine…) Lots of good things are happening around Track Shack this spring. We are gearing up for the popular Outback 12k and the last few races of the Grand Prix. It is amazing to think back at how many Track Shack Grand Prix Series we have done and how many of you have participated in them over the years. Did you know we began this in 1978 with just four races? Spring is a time of re-birth, the numbers of participants this year are incredibly high! It is exciting for us to see new faces each week. Spring is cleaning time as well and we are busy fixing things up at the store. We are painting and sprucing up the counters. We are making room for many new products. In the shoe area we have the new Nike Vomero and Precept and the Structure. New Balance has updated the 857 and everyone loves the fit. Plus the Elixir is Mizuno’s lightweight trainer. Many of our customers are already thinking of the sprint triathlons and will love the new Sugoi line of tri wear. It is funny how fashions come back. Some of you conservative men should check out the new 7 and 9-inch inseam shorts by Nike.

I thought it might be helpful in this new year to talk about running and racing etiquette. We organize as many as 40 races each year and many of you have wonderful opportunities to travel to events.

Here are some hints from all of us at EMMI and Track Shack:

1. Watch where you spit.	6. Walkers, please no more than 3 abreast during a race.
2. Have a 5-minute wait rule when waiting on your training partners.	7. Migrate carefully toward all water stops.
3. Use sidewalks; if this isn’t an option run/walk facing traffic. Use pedestrian rules, not biking rules.	8. Continue moving through the finish area, never just stop on the finish line; if you are waiting on a friend, wait after you walkthrough the finish area.
4. Be respectful of cars, they are bigger.	9. Be respectful of all participants; keep the roads clear for all finishers. And be sure to thank volunteers!
5. During races/events, line up at the start in the appropriate area for your pace. Five-minute milers up front, eight – 10 minute pace toward the middle and 12 minutes through walkers toward the rear.	10. Show appreciation to our sponsors and stay for the awards ceremony.

So go out and have a good and safe run or walk today. Be thankful for your health and fitness. We look forward to seeing you at the store and the events this year. Stop in to say hi and check out our spring cleaning.

See you on the roads,
Betsy

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