Relating to specific events and their details
• A certain marathon was a factor • [1½ MIN READ] Probably because it’s the thanksgiving season I’m reflecting on encouraging experiences with an attitude of thankfulness. I start with the observation that the presence and influence of a running crew — a collection of runners in a common, compassionate, continuing space; a community — … More Thankful for a Reason (#332: 2025’11’26’W)
• Second of 2 club vendor events so far • [1½ MIN READ] Saucony at Growlers Group Run was the motivation for starting promotion of the club to 3 different neighborhood groups. Although I’ve been a member of Jenkintown’s Facebook group for a few years, I’ve never used it to introduce the run club and … More Promoting Saucony via GGR (#330: 2025’11’12’W)
• For better or for worse • [2 MIN READ] “Bye, Tyler.” When Tyler dislocated his knee, GroupMe was the way we shared the developing news. When the ambulance pulled out of campus, the picture and the caption were the way Ella let club followers know his status. GroupMe is also the way Tyler shared … More GroupMe and ACF
• Stickin’ like spaghetti • [1½ MIN READ] Does nicknames for some but not the rest seem exclusive? I think so. Some of the nicknames among the Growlers have developed for practical reasons. These-here Cerebruns have featured The Daves and The Kates and the distinctions they’ve necessitated, including the most recent. The Ruminations of SRC … More A New Nickname or Four (#328: 2025’10’29’W)
• It’s less about doing than being • [2 MIN READ] I have a friend who’s been alienated by institutional faith because all he heard from the lectern is commands for what to do. He heard a lot of bossiness. That introduction is an excuse to interrogate how people who are considering a lifelong partnership … More That Which Makes a Person Live Christian
• Let’s not • [<2 MIN READ] Playing softball, one ACF student managed to get smacked in the chest with a bat. How? I don’t know. It’s college. Weird things happen in college. Anyway, his chest was pretty painful and the other ACF buddies wanted him to go to Student Health Services to get checked … More I Bruise You, You Bruise Me*
• What you can discover when socializing • [1½ MIN READ] Shoshana is the youngest sister of GGR regular J’Adam (“J” is for Jenkintown). I had learned that both of his 2 younger sisters ran, but neither had ever joined us before. After visiting a few times and hanging out for the usual afterruns, I … More Degrees of Connection (#327: 2025’10’22’W)
• And being a good sport in the process • Lynette moved to the Philly area at the beginning of 2025 and started running with JRC’s Growlers Group Run on Wednesday nights. She decided to run her first marathon not so long after and picked Philadelphia. She’ll be moving back to Florida in December for … More Making Memories in Memorable Ways (#200: ZY Weekly Newsletter 10/4/25)
• It’s a matter of perspective • [1½ MIN READ] When the team lead asks a member to deliver, one does, right? Especially if the team member likes the lead. So when Lead says ‘That deadline that you were targeting? It just got moved up’, you get to delivering more quickly. Forbidden Drive at 7:30 … More Long Run as Corporate Effort (#199: ZY Weekly Newsletter 9/27/25)
• Serendipitous and deliberate • [1½ MIN READ] Since travel during race-training season often overlaps with customary training runs, one must make allowances. For me, making them gives me an opportunity to make friends in new spaces. Take Wife’s professional meetings, for instance. I’ll have her put out an announcement about a morning group run … More Accommodating Has Its Rewards (#324: 2025’10’01’W)
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