Category Archives: Social

General membership items, Happy Hours, parties, and other occasions.

Norman Brand (1933-2014)

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Gerry Ives regretfully shares the following sad news:

Norm Brand passed away last Friday, July 11th. He would have been 81 on July 23rd. He was a long time official of USATF, and served as WRC’s agent for many years. Although he never ran a race, he was a member of WRC from the early 1970s.

Norman Brand was a charter member of the WRC in 1974, and was a member of WRC’s antecedent clubs, dating back to the 1950s. He received the H. Browning Ross Long Distance Running Merit Award in 1980, the USATF President’s Award in 1981, and the USATF National Officials Committee Chair Award in 2003. He later received the Alfred tomFelde Perpetual Trophy in 2004 for his outstanding long term support and dedication to the WRC.

Update (7/17):
A celebration of Norm’s life will be held at Sunrise Senior Living, 5111 Connecticut Ave., N.W. on Sunday, July 20 from 2 to 5 pm. His obituary is also featured on the Potomac Valley Track Club‘s website.

Competition: Washington Running Club Runs the World!

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Grand Prize: $100 gift certificate to Pacers!!!!!!

We know you all like good competition! Here is your chance to tap into both your creative spirit and your competitive nature…all without lacing up your racing flats.

WRC singlet relaxes on the porch. Long Island Sound, Waterford, CT, USA. Photo by Carla Freyvogel

WRC singlet relaxes on the porch. Long Island Sound, Waterford, CT, USA. Photo by Carla Freyvogel

Photograph your WRC singlet as it ventures around the world. Take it to the beach! Have it scale Mt. Rushmore! Bribe Beyoncé to bop down a Brooklyn street with it nicely pinned for the perfect fit. Being the international crowd that we are, we are expecting to see the singlet with Big Ben in the background or Scotland Yard. YOU think up the possibilities!

Competition Details:
  • Prize: $100 gift certificate to Pacers Running Stores.
  • Entries close: December 31, 2014, midnight
  • Elgible participants: WRC members in good standing
  • Prize awarded: WRC’s Annual Party in late January 2015
  • Judges: Three of the newest WRC members of 2014 & two members of the WRC Board of Directors. These individuals are not excluded from competing!

Send your photos to Carla Freyvogel at carla@washrun.org. Multiple entries are permitted.

A gallery of current contest entries is available here.

A HUGE thanks to the Pacers Running Stores gang for their support and enthusiasm!

Club Singlets: Available Now, Visible Everywhere

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Will Cotton's "Cupcake Katy" (2010) went on view at the National Portrait Gallery, but not without some local finishing touches.

Will Cotton’s “Cupcake Katy” (2010) went on view at the National Portrait Gallery, but not without some local finishing touches.

Our store has finally reopened to take your pre-orders for club racing singlets! One American songbird, Katy Perry, already received hers and wore it out to the National Portrait Gallery (June 18 – July 6)! artnet News has another view of Katy’s NPG selfie.

So WRC members: place your orders, and we’ll have you suited for our own sweet sport.

The Snows of Washington-jaro*

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There are some times when we reluctantly bid friends farewell, and others when we are lucky to welcome them into our lives. Now, in a way, is both of those times.

Last summer, we said goodbye to Jonathan Baker, who was recalled by his unicorn brethren back to Marathon Mecca. But at the same time, we gained new friends and clubmates in Japan’s Daisuke Ogata and the UK’s Paul and Fiona Karlsen.

Now, in this past week we said お別れで安全な旅行 to Daisuke, who returns back to his family and fuller life in Sanda-shi. But we also recently welcomed two new members into our Young Harriers division! Here are some eyewitness reports about that breaking news:

From Elizabeth Lambert and Bill Hamblet, on February 22nd:

Evelyn Paige Laub Hamblet
(Ellie, Evie or “Peanut” – Evelyn is French for hazelnut btw – no accident).
7 lbs 1oz, 20 inches
Loooong toes and fingers
Hiccups
Tranqs out when in a stroller or wheelchair going over bumps (I attribute this to running – I’ve heard babies of runners tend to self soothe).
Her PR was in the Annapolis 10 miler back in Aug. She has also done the Parks Half and Run for the Parks and Tufts 10K for women (and women carrying future women).
WRC member I believe on my family plan.

And from Paul and Fiona Karlsen, on March 5th:

Hans Ernest Karlsen
Just wanted to let you know that little Hans Karlsen was born at 8.30am this morning, weighing in at 8lbs 2oz.
Fiona and Hans both doing well but very tired.
Cheers, Paul

Guess who’s receiving the next round of XXXXS singlets? Those two little leopard cubs, that’s who. Welcome to the club!

* with apologies to Papa.