Relating to community and the process of creating it (communitizing)
• Beyond just the running • [1½ MIN READ] We’ve been regulars at Human Robot from the time Wickedly Wet Wednesday was just a monthly tradition (this iCandybyWangC website and following). We watched Herman’s at the Haus leave and Cantina la Martina arrive to take up the food service. We’ve gotten to comfortable with a … More Making a Good Impression as a Club (#334: 2025’12’10’W)
• 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)
• With what velocity and zest • [1½ MIN READ] Oh, the stories that come from runners and the ones they live. I met Ab as a traveling-team member to Black Men Run last week. The typical runs there from Lloyd Hall are 5 miles, pacing around 10 minutes/mile. There are plenty of opportunities to … More Oh, The Places You’ll Go* (#329: 2025’11’05’W)
• 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*
• 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)
• Instead of “Run” • [1½ MIN READ] It’s odd to think how many JRC GGR-ers, back in the day, were not actually denizens of Jenkintown, given the store’s name; but, you know, retailers can’t discriminate: it’s bad for business (Jenkintown Running Company online and this website). What’s odd, relatively, is how many Jenkintonians there … More Walk Report (#323: 2025’09’24’W)
• Now just a little older and more familiar • [2 MIN READ] Hanging out again post-run at The Pizza Wheel, I looked at the name of our young server on the bill. Sometimes restaurant staff use other people’s logins, so I confirmed it with her as we made to go. Meredith took the opportunity … More You’re My Neighbor (#317: 2025’08’13’W)
• Communities in community • [2½ MIN READ] At Black Men Run Wednesdays Five years ago (virtually to the day), Train Dave and I joined Black Men Run Philadelphia as the inaugural Growlers travel team. We attended a 2nd time in 2020 then went on hiatus while we waited for the Growlers Group Run to … More Good Times with BMR for Wednesdays and Juneteenth (#316: 2025’08’06’W)
• A couple of thoughts from experience • [1½ MIN READ] I’ve learned a few things about negotiating grief. Two came to mind recently when I was with friends going through the process. Having gone through a few deaths of people I love, including someone very recently, I was able to sit in sympathy with … More Handling Grief
• Getting past just appearances • [2 MIN READ] When my new colleague arrived at the summer conference (SuCo) for my new organization, Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO), Jon was wearing an Orlando Half-marathon 2024 running shirt. That got us talking immediately, but only briefly as we worked on getting into our respective rooms. The … More Discovered
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