For our next Runners of the Month, we have the privilege of featuring yet another amazing NRC couple – Matt and Ruth Wilkins!   If you know them, you can already see their permanently smiling faces in your mind.  Just as they are the perfect complement to each other, they bring a great mix of experience, fun, and good-spirited competiveness to NRC. 

Ruth was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. Matt also lived in Atlanta, but got there by way of Texas and Alabama.  Growing up, Ruth got tons of miles in playing travel soccer and tennis.  In the off season, she ran cross country and after a couple of tough soccer injuries, she decided to make running her sport.  Matt got his kicks in underwater on swim teams and was even Captain of his high school team.  Back then he dreaded running, but it seems he just needed the right motivation – Ruth.

If Hollywood made a romantic comedy about them, it could be called, “The 3 Day Rule.”  It was November 2012.  Jacksonville, FL.  Matt and Ruth had each moved there for work.  It was instant chemistry when their matchmaker friend introduced them at a party. They talked for hours and really hit it off. The party ended and Matt said he’d call.  

Now, listen up single guys!  You know the 3 day rule?  When a guy plays it cool and waits 3 days before calling a girl after a date?  Matt, believing it was “a thing,” decided to give it a try, but it was almost a deal breaker.

One day went by.  Then another.  Ruth was about to give up on him when she finally got Matt’s call asking if she wanted to go out again.  Unsure and a little irked, she reluctantly took him up on his invite.

She quickly saw that Matt was no “player”. They ended up talking until 2am! There was a party going on around them, but they didn’t notice.  They were in their own little bubble.  Matt found out later that Ruth got up the next day at 5:30am and ran a 20-miler!  In all their talking, she didn’t even mention it! 

Once he knew Ruth ran, Matt’s aversion magically faded and he started running to hang out with her more.  Ruth kept telling him he should join this great running club.  The group, known as PRS, actually reminds them a lot of NRC!  With about 300 runners, they represent just about every pace and level, and offer scheduled runs for people to meet and train.  

After joining PRS, Matt went from not running at all to completing his first full marathon, The Flying Pig (Cincinnati), in 18 months.  Determined to see it through, even with an injured knee, he hobbled across the finish line.  He says that memory has never gone away.  For a long time, he was intimidated by the marathon distance.  But, he plans to create a new, epic memory to put in its place at the Carmel Marathon this spring.

Ruth loves running and has done a lot of different races over the years, from road to trail and 5K to ultra.  Just a few weeks after they started dating, Ruth completed her first 50K comprised of five 10K loops.  Matt went along to support and laughs that he was winded just keeping up with her for the 100ft it took to hand her water or fuel!  She crushed that race taking 1^st place female by 35 minutes!  She since has completed another.

Ruth may be fast, but she loves the whole chill, ultra racer mentality.  She jokes about how at 5Ks people do sprint warm ups, butt kicks and rush around, but that at ultras it’s the total opposite.  Runners just stroll up with a cup of coffee, hang out, talk, and then look at each other and say, “Alright, you want to start this thing?” 

Chill is also a word that describes Matt, who flies single-engine planes for fun.  He currently works in avionics (electronic cockpit component sales and installation).  Friends, and Ruth, agree he is one of the most likeable, happy people on the planet! He’s always ready for an adventure, spontaneous (in a good way) and pretty much the life the party.

Ruth says she’s typically the “Mom” of the group socially.  She doesn’t mind.  She finds it natural to clean up, organize and plan things.  She’s also a happy and willing designated driver.  She uses her math degree doing highly-detailed work for Hershey, and has already put in a good word to get a trail runner campaign going for their peanutty, PayDay bars!  She loves her job which allows her to work from home and catch lunchtime runs with fellow NRCer Eric Waterman.

Before they moved to Nolensville in 2016, Ruth had already found NRC on facebook.  It was right after the NRC Holiday Party and the photos on the Facebook page looked like a fun crew!  So, one cold, nasty Wednesday in January 2017 they left their unpacked boxes and headed to NRC.  Scott came up and introduced himself, and it was sealed!  They’ve been regulars ever since.

Matt enjoys any race where he gets to see Ruth run and hear people’s reactions to her accomplishments.  He jokes that, “she glistens, she doesn’t sweat.” For Matt, on the other hand, it is pretty obvious when he has been working out (i.e. his dying goat stride to the finish of the Nolensville 5K which Ruth helped him PR).

Matt, who was originally a 10 min/mile or more pace, was encouraged by NRCers Amy Klotz, Michael Teague, Fast Andy, Kyle Prince and Preston Johnson to pick it up.  Now, he keeps up easily with some runs in the 8:30s.  

Many of Ruth’s favorite NRC memories center around her Boston qualifying journey.  From training with NRC, which she says gave her the push to BQ, to traveling with the crew to Boston in 2018 and running the race, and even touring the Harpoon Brewery after and everything in between, she says it all was an incredible experience.  “You might not realize, but there is a lot of gear dropped on the road at Boston.  It’s everywhere and so it’s hard to look up, but it has the best spectators,” says Ruth,  “The whole time you’re there the city celebrates you!”

Matt has great memories of living in a van for 24+ hours running the 2017 TN Ragnar with the NRC Sole Crushers!  He made some great friendships that weekend with teammates, Joe Relyea, Jay Adamson, Katherine Cain, and others.  Oh and he definitely recommends doing the race with Ragnar Ambassadors, Stephanie Spann and Terrie Peterson, who are AWESOME at showing first-timers the ropes of this non-stop rollercoaster of a race!

Of course, all the planning in the world can’t help you if you register for the wrong race!  After hearing everyone talk about Downhill at Dawn, Ruth Googled races in June near Asheville.  She didn’t expect there could be two races on exactly the same day.  Turns out, there was and the other one was not “downhill”!  Of course, their friends still joke about it and if Ruth mentions any race they have to ask – “the real one?!”

That’s the thing about NRC!  Like a family, we may raz you when the opportunity presents itself, but we also raise you up for your achievements – big and small – along the way!  For all the good things they bring to NRC, we are so excited to celebrate Ruth and Matt Wilkins and look for lots more good things to come!    

ROTM Speed Round – Ruth Wilkins

I run, therefore I: eat and drink, what I want.

What is your favorite race fuel?  Stinger waffles (gluten free)

Top Must-Run Race?  New York Marathon (my birthday weekend)

Most scenic run?  Salt Lake City – Revel Big Cottonwood (BQ)

If I didn’t run, I would: still workout and be active

ROTM Speed Round – Matt Wilkins

I run, therefore I: hang out with my wife.

Favorite race fuel:  Sport beans

Top Must-Run Race:  Any race I can travel and see the sights

Most scenic run: Rome running tour – no tourist traps! Cool way to see a city.

If I didn’t run, I would: weigh 400 lbs

NRCers of the Month Jay and Suzanne Wolff make life more fun! Whenever they’re around, you can count on them for some well-played wise cracks to get the conversation off and running. During their time in NRC, they have achieved many PRs and made lots of close friendships throughout the years. Whether they are keeping it real talking about the “joys” of running, encouraging you to keep at your goals, or offering you some of Jay’s homegrown tomatoes or homemade yogurt, you’ll instantly feel like you’re part of the family!

Native New Yorkers turned Nolensvillians, they were glad to leave the blizzards behind, although they’re still hanging on to a hint of a northern accent. Jay was born in Port Jervis, NY near the Tri-State area (where New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania’s state lines meet) and grew up close by, just off the Delaware River. Suzanne was born in Brooklyn, NY. She moved with her family at the age of three to a town just 20 minutes up river from Jay, but amazingly their paths ne’er did cross, until after college.

Growing up, Jay had “no interest in being clobbered on the football field” and opted to earn his letter jacket on the track team competing in triple jump, long jump, and sometimes (to his chagrin) the ½ mile race. Back then he always came in dead last, unlike his trophy snagging races of late.

Suzanne did her running around trying to fend for herself as one of 9 kids! Surprisingly, one of her favorite family traditions was how her Dad handed out Christmas presents – one at a time – and how that person got to open their gift while everyone watched. As a child, the waiting wasn’t easy and, she laughs, that her Mom would always say, “It took me months to buy all of these presents, so it is NOT going to be over in just a few minutes!” But, it’s a tradition that lives on in their family ‘til this day.

In college, Jay majored in Electron Microscopy (I dare you to say that 7 times fast), which led him to experience Nashville for the first time, earning a position with the VA hospital from 1979-1981. Later, he and Suzanne would take a month-long “sabbatical” in Nashville, sewing the seeds for their eventual move. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

It was at The Villa Roma, an Italian-themed resort where Jay and Suzanne finally met. When Suzanne spied Jay crossing the lobby in the sales office it was love at first sight. The already-engaged Suzanne remembers stopping in her tracks, and saying to herself, “I’m going to marry that man.” So, with a broken heart in her wake, Suzanne and her friends began sitting with Jay’s crew at lunch and they bonded over laughs and lasagna. They have been married for 34 years and have two incredible kids, Josh (31) and Chelsea (26), and a Morkie (Maltese and Yorkie mix) named Lacey.

Jay admits he’s not the romantic type, but what he lacks in flowers and candy, he makes up for in the kitchen! Suzanne tells tales of Jay waking up early every day to cook her a warm breakfast AND make her lunch for work when the kids were young. He even has an apron that jokingly declares him “Suzanne’s Kitchen B***h”. Hilarious! He still enjoys cooking for the love of his life today.

Having suffered back-to-back Nor’easters in 2004, Suzanne had hit her winter limit and drew a line in the snow. She was moving south, whether Jay and the kids came or not! One year later, they moved to Nolensville where Piggly Wiggly, Fred’s Pharmacy and Sonic were the only things obscuring the scenic views.

Their running story begins in 2008, when Suzanne was diagnosed with breast cancer and suffered a complication with the mastectomy surgery. As a result, she couldn’t move her right arm, which made it impossibly awkward to walk for exercise anymore. She focused on physical therapy and the long recovery from chemo and surgery. It took two years before she could move her arm enough to feel comfortable going out to walk or run. By then, Suzanne was itching to get back in shape.

It just so happens that NRC President and First Lady, Scott and Kelli Alexander, live a few houses down from them. Suzanne saw Scott running around their cul de sac and was inspired. Soon after, she saw the Nolensville Dispatch article on the first NRC C25K Program and convinced Jay to sign-up, too!

From that time on, they have been a big part of NRC! Both of them look back on NRC’s C25K as a great experience.  Suzanne remembers the encouragement from her coach, Joe Singer, who led the 1:1 interval group and she still walks with friends she met there including, Donna Ellis and Melanie Staudt. Jay had fun training in the 4:1 group, and discovered he had developed a knack for running that had eluded him in his school days. Motivated to keep at it, they continued coming to NRC after the program, and completed the Carmel Half Marathon in 2015!

Suzanne picks her races by who’s running them, and enjoys the social time most. A race that is near and dear to her heart is the Purity Dairy Dash. It was the first race she did after the C25K program and she was surrounded by close friends; Melanie Staudt, Elizabeth Redmon, Donna Ellis and Vicki Travis. There was no high five line, but they got ice cream, and when they mistook a runner for Scott Alexander – they got him to pose with them for “a Scott-sighting” photo (see photo – he’s the guy in the red shirt)!

Now Suzanne doesn’t run much because of plantar fasciitis issues; rather, she walks with the NRC walking crew. She loves the friends she’s made in this group and points out that they do not take it slow. In fact, she even admits it took awhile for her to catch up to fellow-NRC walker Mary Beth Moore!

Jay might have stopped at the 13.1-mile mark, but as it has been known to happen in NRC, he got caught up with a training group and just didn’t stop. After running long miles on Saturdays with NRCer Kim Abdullah who was training for a full, he figured he might as well keep going and signed up for the Little Rock Marathon.

Jay’s epically entertaining race report, entitled “Snippets and songs in my head from the 2018 Little Rock Marathon”, pairs up his takes on all the best and worst parts of the insanity of running a marathon with classic songs and lyrics like “Let it Be” by the Beatles, “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath, “Who’ll Stop the Rain” by CCR, “Running on Empty” by Jackson Browne, and of course, “Eye of the Tiger”! He ends his report with kind words to NRC, “I respect and appreciate all the support and friendship you provided me and everyone else in the club. Don’t ever stop doing what you’re doing. You are all amazing and together have created something truly special.”

What’s next on their list?  While Suzanne says she’s not a goal-setter, she has signed up for the Carmel Half in 2019. Jay has signed up for the full and is working to get a time under 5 hours.

So, if you’re looking to smile your way through training, definitely catch Suzanne or Jay on their next walk or run and let them know we’re glad they share their miles with NRC!

 

SUZANNE – Speed Round:

     Hobbies: Reading (all genres), jigsaw puzzles and adult coloring books

     Favorite Holiday Song: Ave Maria – when sung correctly

     Splurge: Trip to explore Europe, especially Italy and the city of her maiden name, Annunziata

     Must-Have Gear: Injeni socks that have toes to block blisters

JAY – Speed Round:

Hobbies: Gardening, Yogurt-making

Favorite Holiday Movie: A Christmas Story

Splurge: Land to have a big farm and be a gentleman farmer

Must-Have Gear: I like running because you don’t need much. Glide, maybe.

As I set out to interview Runners of the Month Keiko Tateiwa and Robert Plunkett for this article, I knew they were both strong runners who had moved their family here from Japan. What I didn’t know was… a lot! They have had such interesting experiences, and having learned more about them, it is easy to see why they are such extremely talented athletes!

Robert was born in Dallas, TX and spent part of his youth in Key Largo, Florida where he learned water skiing and sailing. His family eventually moved back to the Lone Star State to Boerne, TX, a town nestled in the Hill Country northwest of San Antonio. He spent his more formative years in this small, close-knit community, which he fondly considers his American hometown.

Born in the historic port city of Nagasaki, Japan, Keiko moved at an early age to Yokohama, the second largest city in Japan outside of Tokyo. She grew up in this vibrant, multi-cultural city where futuristic skyscrapers tower over centuries-old gardens and temples. Keiko started running track in middle school and continued through high school. After that, she didn’t run for a while, except for a race here and there whenever her old school buddies got together. After years off from the sport, it wasn’t until moving to Nolensville that she became truly inspired to run again by joining the Nolensville Running Club.

Unlike Keiko, Robert did not play sports in school. Still, from the time he was seven years old, his parents would send him and his brother to a month-long camp called Camp Champions in Marble Falls, TX. There they were exposed to pretty much every sport there is on both land and water! While it gave him a fundamental skill set in each sport, he remembers he wasn’t particularly gifted with any of them except sailing and waterskiing. He enjoyed it so much he ended up working summers there while in college. (Cool fact: He was a camp counselor to Drew Brees!) Foreshadowing his future, Robert took a running class in college just for the elective. The coach said he had some potential, but he didn’t follow up on it at the time.

Robert spent the last 24 years in Japan, more than half his life, before returning back to the States in 2015. While in Japan, he actively pursued his passion for inline skating, a sport he’d gotten into in 1990. He became a pro, skating for a leading global inline brand, ROCES, and was a member of the Good Skates Japan (GSJ) Team doing half-pipe shows and competitions.

“I used to joke with my skate buds that I would never date anyone unless they skated,” says Robert. “Sure enough, one day on the other side of a 10ft half-pipe was a beautiful skater-girl named Keiko. She said ‘yes’ to dinner and the rest is history.”

They decided to move their family here in May, 2015. Robert’s company, UBS, was expanding an office in Nashville and it seemed like a great opportunity for both his career and for Keiko and the kids to learn English so he took the offer. He works as a Risk Analyst and now heads the team which he feels is a challenging and rewarding role where everyday is different. When looking for a town to raise their family, he admits that one of the reasons he was drawn to Nolensville was because it reminded him of the cozy, community of Boerne.

Now that she’s all settled in to her new life in Nolensville, Keiko is always on the go. She swims and runs everyday, and enjoys baking. Learning a new language has had its confusing moments (see Speed Round section below), but Keiko is a quick study and looks forward to the fun and productive things she can do as her English becomes more fluent.

Robert and Keiko have each qualified for the Boston Marathon, a feat few are able to accomplish. Needless to say, when I asked Robert when he started running, I had to laugh when he answered, “Whenever Keiko made me!”

The story goes, that when they were dating, Keiko had to drag Robert to run the few half-marathons and running relays she would do with her old high school buds. He ran the events, but he was so obsessed with skating he never got the running “bug”.

It was a different result though when she forced him to sign up for the Rock and Roll Half in 2016. For some reason it clicked. He had a blast in that race. Maybe it was the great atmosphere, maybe it was the “fastie” endorphins, but he has really been hooked since then.

Keiko’s experiences from her high school track days built a solid foundation, which she maintained as an occasional runner spurred to lace up for fun events with friends. Now, she says, NRC is the driving force for her.

Had Keiko and Robert picked a house on any other street to rent when they arrived in America, they may not have found out about NRC so soon, but they happen to pick a street that is perfect for hill training. They’ll never forget the first time they found out about the club.

“It was day two after arriving in Nolensville from Japan. We had a rental in Ballenger Farms at the top of Achilles Hill,” says Robert. “We were trying to get over our jet lag when we heard a commotion outside early in the morning. We looked out to see Yong Kim and Scott Alexander doing sprint drills with a group of runners. We went outside to meet them and were encouraged to stop by the Wednesday night run.”

Keiko started meeting with the crew that next week! She went regularly for six months, and when the annual Halloween Run came around, she convinced Robert that it would be fun and he should go. The costumed creativity that abounds at the NRC Halloween Run is always epic, so naturally he had a great time. He’s been running with NRC ever since.

Now focused in on running as his sport, Robert has been crushing it! He is very happy with his PR of 3:18:54 at his first Marathon (Indianapolis Monumental) in November 2016 and has found himself on a podium more than a few times; still, he admits he was surprised by his PR (1:29:57) at Oak Barrel last year.

Keiko may not make a big deal about her successes, but she has also been working very hard to reach her goals. She earned a stellar PR (3:46) at the hilly Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon in 2017, only one week after finishing the Nashville Rock and Roll Marathon where temperatures sailed into the 80s!

It isn’t just Mom and Dad lacing up for races. Their entire family has run the Franklin Classic for the past two years and they are all signed up for the 2018 Hot Chocolate 15k.

Clearly both Robert and Keiko have proven their skills as runners through a number of accomplishments, so I was curious as to whether they felt running came naturally to them.

“I think my skating days gave me the strength and stamina I needed,” Robert says. “When starting to run with NRC, I went through the normal initial pains (knees, shins, feet, toes, etc.), but now I feel broken-in and I can enjoy a long run in bliss.”

Keiko put it this way, “I believe running comes naturally to me, but having to train for a BQ is not! Brutal!”

It helped that she competed in Synchronized Ice Skating through college, which built up good leg strength and endurance. She’s still got it, too! Recently she donned her skates again when Nolensville had its first snow and she and Robert went ice-skating on a frozen Mill Creek!

After learning more about Robert, I asked if he would call himself competitive. He answered, “Not so much competitive but passionate. I believe if one is going to do something they should be all-in. To that extent, I think people would refer to me as ‘focused’. When I pick up a hobby, I like to dive 110% into it and not budge or give up till all is accomplished.”

As for Keiko, she is one tough athlete, yet I don’t think I’ve ever seen her not smiling! She has a soft, friendly demeanor, but she also has an inner strength that gives her the ability to push through goals with an unstoppable momentum.

Robert and Keiko have started on a new goal – to complete the running of a marathon in every state! They have done seven states so far and 2018 looks to be a busy year. They are now training for the Atlanta Marathon in March and the esteemed Boston Marathon in April. They plan to check Illinois off their list too, having signed up for the Chicago Marathon in October.

“We would like another BQ in one of those if the opportunity presents itself and the training pays off,” says Robert.

Well, your NRC family believes in you and you can rest assured no matter what, we’ll be there to train with you, cheer you on, and of course, give a big high five at the finish line!

Keiko– Speed Round:

Favorite winter day meal: Beef Stew

Dream splurge: I’d buy a red Jeep!

Strangest American expression you’ve heard:  “Awesome” as it sounds like the Japanese phrase “ah, samui” meaning “it’s cold”.  This did not make sense when hearing this uttered while running in the heat.

Robert – Speed Round:

Must-have gear: Garmin watch, so I can adjust my training

Dream splurge: Flying lessons to get my pilot’s license

Non-running hobby:  Airsoft (see my youtube vids! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-hzCRVHyE28GqH7VvxqT1g?view_as=subscriber or online gaming (FPS)

This month we spotlight two NRCers who have strong connections to Nolensville in their own unique ways.  Lisa Thompson, a native Nolensvillian with family ties to the town founder, and Kali Mogul, a Florida transplant helping to plan for the town’s future, met through the NRC C25K program. Together, they have swiftly attained some amazing goals!

Kali Mogul

Kali is cool, calm and steadily collecting memorable running experiences as a member of NRC. An occasional runner prior to joining, Kali is now training for her first full marathon along with her fellow NRCer of the Month, Lisa Thompson. Kind-hearted and down-to-earth, Kali attributes much of her success to her NRC friends for providing the accountability and the inspiration to do more than she would have ever dreamed possible.

Kali enjoyed an idyllic childhood just outside Ft. Lauderdale in picturesque Plantation, Florida where, I kid you not; their tagline is “the grass is greener”! Growing up in a musical family, she considered herself lucky to go to the same high school where her dad taught music and was choir director. In fact, some of her favorite memories are from the four years she was in choir with her Dad and the two years her older sister was in choir with them. She was in Jazz Choir too. That’s right. Not so long ago, before the NRC high five line, Kali rocked some serious jazz hands and to this day, if she’s listening to the radio and hears Old Time Rock n Roll, Careless Whisper, or the Theme Song from “Fame” it all comes rushing back!

In pursuit of her academic goals, Kali moved to Orlando to attend the Univ. of Central Florida (Go Knights!). Her senior year, she had a chance introduction to her roommate’s childhood friend, Marc, from Long Island. Marc was actually in graduate school in Boston at the time, but he and Kali were so smitten that they stayed in touch and sustained a long distance relationship involving a lot of traveling up and down the east coast. Being apart wasn’t easy and the snowy weather made for some unpredictable flight schedules, but it wasn’t all bad. 

Kali got to see scenic Cape Cod and Nantucket, and go to a Red Sox game while visiting Massachusetts.  Kali and Marc beat the long distance odds and will celebrate their 20^th wedding anniversary in July! Before moving to Nolensville, the happy couple lived outside Savannah, GA for four years. They’ve been here since 2007, after following Kali’s parents to middle TN. They have one son, Tanner, who is in middle school at Franklin Road Academy. He is super smart and while he doesn’t like running, he has let Kali talk him onto the soccer field. As a family, they carry on the traveling tradition, enjoying Disney Cruises, the Grand Canyon, and other cool locales.

As far as work goes, Kali said, “Everything about my job is cool to me. I work for the Town of Nolensville Board of Mayor and Aldermen and in the Planning Department. I even get to work with Mayor Jimmy, one of my running partners!”

When she’s not running or working, she admits she’s usually eating. Top local spots for their family are Amico’s and the Cheesecake Factory where they always save room for the Oreo Dream Extreme Supreme.

Kali has been running off and on since college, but not consistently. Compare that to her accomplishments in 2016 – 5 half marathons all without injuring herself – and you might wonder what happened. Was it the NRC Kool-Aid, the incredible encouragement of her close-knit running crew, or her own love of adventure? Probably all of the above!

It all started when she first heard about NRC from Mayor Alexander by working on Town Hall! “He is certainly my inspiration for running and proof that fitness is the key to longevity,” Kali said with a smile.

At the time she got involved with NRC’s 5k training group, she had a simple running goal – getting through the Change for a Chance 5k.

“When I found out none of the 5:1 leaders or mentors were running the race, I was horrified,” she laughed. “Thankfully, Jay Adamson agreed to run with me, because he had to shove me across the finish line!”

She has lots of running friends now, but there are a few NRCers who really influenced her. One is Liz Staudt (now an NRCer on location in N.C.) who ran with Kali on her very first Wednesday night after C25k and who has given her countless insider tips. Two others who are almost always at her side and who have inspired and motivated her to be her best are Mayor Jimmy and Lisa Thompson.

“We’ve have had so much fun together for the past few years,” said Kali. “I have no idea how many miles we’ve run together, but they’ve all been memorable, and we have managed to solve most of the world’s major problems on our long runs.”

This February, Kali and Lisa will be running their first marathon at the Mercedes Benz Marathon in Birmingham. It took a little convincing for Kali to talk Lisa into it at first, but Lisa (a skilled negotiator) ended up seeing Kali’s marathon and raising her a “Warrior Dash” which they will complete together in April!

“We will finish the marathon if we have to crawl,” exclaimed Kali. “But, the Warrior Dash. That one scares me more than marathon training.”

Looking back, her favorite race is the Oak Barrel Half Marathon in Lynchburg for the scenery and the great running weather. Of course, the Rollin Nolen 10 Miler, a race at which she obtained a PR this year, holds a special place all its own.

What has gotten Kali through the challenges of marathon training? Knowing Lisa is going to be there and that accountability makes her get out of bed and run.

“Lisa is very encouraging,” explains Kali. “We are different in a lot of ways. For example, Lisa’s children are older, but because of her unique parenting experiences she gives really good advice. We always have great conversations.”

Another thing that gets Kali through her long runs on Saturday is looking forward to watching classic 1970’s episodes of Wonder Woman on MeTV! She admits she’s kind of fanatical about the Justice League heroine. She even has a Wonder Woman costume. So, when the alarm goes off at 4am on Saturday, the mere knowing that at 6:30pm she’ll be in her PJs on the couch to catch a Lynda Carter episode helps her get up and power through.

A wonder in her own right, we are so glad that Kali is a part of NRC! We appreciate her work for the Town of Nolensville and look forward to cheering her on in many more races to come!

Speed Round – Kali Mogul

1 thing I wish was never invented: Pink wine

1 thing I wish I had invented: White Wine

Hobbies: Travel, reading, watching This is Us and HGTV

______________________________________________________

Lisa Thompson

At first glance, Lisa appears to be the epitome of a Southern woman – sophisticated, self-assured, and well mannered, complete with lipstick on her long runs and a soothing Tennessee lilt to her words that would tame even the most unruly of scoundrels. But, don’t let that fool you into to thinking she’s a lightweight runner. Lisa is a risk taking, road racing, goal-chasing gal and with her friends supporting her all the way, she is definitely not afraid to get a little dirt under her nails.

Lisa is a true Nolensvillian to the core. In fact, her family heritage goes all the way back 250 years. Branches of her family tree include both Sherwood Green and William Nolen himself, the man who founded the town in 1797. For those not familiar with the tale, the Nolen family came to the area with Sherwood Green and the Colonel William Christmas family. Nolen’s wagon broke a spoke and they decided to stay. Lisa lives right next door to her mother and NRC walker, Janice Green, who is a 6^th generation descendent of Sherwood Green, and they have a rich history in this area.

Of course, the town map looked a lot different when Lisa was growing up. She attended school at the old school that is now the Williamson County Rec. Center, but there were no restaurants, stores or subdivisions. Lisa fondly remembers those years when even though it was mostly farmland, everyone knew everyone.

After high school, Lisa graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Her work with Castner Knott department store led her to Alabama for a few years; however, she knew that Nolensville was where she wanted her kids to grow up.

For 15 years, Lisa and her husband Dr. John Thompson have served the community as owners of Nolensville Family Medicine. She enjoyed working alongside her husband helping keep the town of Nolensville in good health, but seizing an opportunity that will benefit both the town and their clinic, they have turned over the management to Vanderbilt Health. Now Lisa is embarking on a new adventure, retirement!

While Lisa is a seasoned runner now, she actually got her start through the very first NRC Couch to 5K. She had learned about NRC from her friend and Nolensville Mayor, Jimmy Alexander. Her only goal at that time was to complete the 5K… and to beat the Mayor!

From there she tackled the half marathon distance. She has several “halfs” under her belt, including the Carmel Championship Half Marathon, Murfreesboro Middle Half and the Disney Half Marathon!

“My favorite race is always the Oak Barrel Half,” says Lisa. “I love the atmosphere and the challenge of it.”

Most of those finish lines Lisa crossed with her close friend and training partner, Kali Mogul. They met through the NRC C25K program. A year after Lisa participated as a runner, she went back and helped with the 4:1 interval group, which was Kali’s group. They quickly found their running styles were really similar and more than that, running was more fun together!

Lisa and Kali are pretty inseparable when it comes to logging miles. For example, this summer Lisa’s goal was to increase her overall speed. Naturally, this became Kali’s goal, too.

Kali confessed, “I would have never just decided to do speed training without Lisa’s prompting. Her friendship and support is a big reason I keep running.”

Likewise, when Kali talked Lisa into doing a marathon (something she said she would never do) Lisa agreed but insisted they use a 33-week plan she crafted from combining Hal Higdon’s Full and Half Training Plans together! That may seem like overkill to some, but for them, it’s working great!

Their running trifecta is completed by her long-time friend, Jimmy Alexander. According to Lisa, running with Jimmy is never dull – from trying to keep him from running down the middle of the street (well, he is the Mayor) to chasing him for motivation.

Lisa’s current running goals are to run a 5K under 30 minutes and to run a half marathon under 2:30.  “I know, I know. I’m slow as a turtle,” jokes Lisa!

With her determination though, it’s likely she’ll be checking those off her list soon and laughing all the way. As they say, it’s not about the time it takes to get to the destination; it’s about the journey.

Lisa and Kali are fully immersed in the high-mileage phase of full marathon training. Crossing the finish line in February at the Mercedes Benz Marathon will be the first time for both of them to trek 26.2 miles! It’s been fun seeing their smiles with each milestone, longest-run-ever Facebook post they share and we’re psyched to cheer them on for the big event.

Lisa especially loves it when she gets the chance to get in some miles with her family! She has had the chance to “travel” with her mother, Janice Green, who walks with NRC from time to time and her sister, Kathy McGee, also an NRCer; plus, her son, Matt, and his wife, Becca, who run races with her when they can, and her daughter, Emily, who doesn’t run often but has been persuaded to run a couple of 5K’s.

Something many people may not know about Lisa is that she also loves to ride motorcycles with her husband, especially in the Fall. So, next time you’re in Leipers Fork and you see a purple motorcycle, you may have just seen Lisa blazing down the roads!

From the 1^st inaugural NRC C25K to marathon training, Runner of the Month Lisa Thompson has become such a strong part of NRC’s family! Her positivity and no fear attitude have taken her on lots of adventures so far and it’s no doubt that we have yet to see what she can accomplish!

Speed Round – Lisa Thompson

1 thing I wish I had invented: Bluetooth running sunglasses that tell your pace & mileage 

Hobbies: None. I guess I need to get one now that I’m retired!

There are some pretty amazing people among those rarely spotted on NRC’s Facebook page and behind the scenes of NRC events. This month we’re excited to get to know a little more about two long-time NRCers, Alfred Eller and Jeff Mucci, who have individually done more for the club than you might realize.

Alfred Eller

Alfred was born in Macon, GA and grew up cheering on the Bulldogs every Saturday with his Mom, Dad and younger brother, Adam. He was, and is, a huge Georgia fan and has continued the tradition using his MacGyver-like skills to broadcast games even when on location for running events such as Ragnar, Ragnar Trails and the NRC Holiday Party! Not all of his NRC friends are Georgia fans and there can be some serious smack talk out on runs, but Alfred does his best to stay true to the saying, “Friends don’t let friends wear orange.”

In high school, pretty much the only running Alfred (or Frado, as his friends call him) did was from marching band, jazz band or concert band rehearsal to class, but he could play a mean trumpet! A little hidden talent trivia – he practiced so much that he actually learned how to make a ping pong ball stay hovering over his lips just from buzzing the air! (This could add a whole new challenge to our NRC party games!)

Alfred went from Macon to Atlanta before accepting the offer from his then employer, Publix, to open their first store in Franklin, Tennessee in 2002. Then, in 2006, a girl named Rachel who lived in his apartment complex caught his eye. He asked her out on a date and in his trademark, tendency to over-prepare, he scoured her MySpace page (did I mention this was ’06?) and saw that she liked sushi and well planned dates – so plan well, he did.

He picked a nice seafood restaurant in The Cascades of the Opryland Hotel complete with a live new age band set into the landscape with (I am not kidding) each musician playing on their own lily pad! Awkwardly, dinner was a hit in more ways than one – they were just getting to know each other when they were hit on by a couple of swingers, which ended up being a big laugh!

Then after dinner, they went to the adjoining bar for a drink. They’d been sitting there for a while and Rachel kept giving Alfred suspicious looks, thinking something in her drink was making her dizzy. Finally she figured out, that fancy Opryland bar was rotating! They made it through the first date and became inseparable!

With the historic backdrop of the Union Station Hotel, Alfred and Rachel were married. Together they have two amazingly bright and funny boys, Kingston and Beckett, who represent NRC NexGen at races and events throughout the year. In fact, Kingston completed all of the NRC Grand Prix races this year along with Mom and Dad, to receive a Streaker Award and both boys crushed the NRC 31 day Winter Streaker challenge! They love spending time with their cousins, taking family trips and outdoor excursions from camping to kayaking.

Working retail and all the time spent on his feet used to serve Alfred well as its own training program. He ran sporadically in the past, but in 2011 he got more serious about it. That was also about the time that the running group he and Rachel were meeting with downtown disbanded. As a result of intense Facebook stalking of the NRC page, Rachel decided to show up at Martin’s to try NRC for a run. She quickly got Alfred to come out too and the rest is history.

Since then, Alfred has completed 6 half marathons, tons of Ragnar and Ragnar Trail races and even more 5Ks and 10Ks. Out of all of those races, Ragnar Chicago is way high on the list of must-runs for its part road/part trails course with beautiful scenery and amazing beachfront finish line and tiki bar! Another favorite race is the Heroes in Recovery in Leipers Fork, which the Eller clan took part in as a family. He’s also a pro at spectating races with both boys in tow!

Alfred jokes that he’s Chairman of the NRC Volun”told” committee for social events and races! Alfred enjoys supporting Rachel, who is in charge of organizing NRC events and he is always willing to pitch in when NRC needs a hand.

The NRC Holiday Party is his favorite annual event. Why? It’s one of the only times to hang out with NRCers and their non-running significant others in real clothes! He’s helped with them all, but a special memory he’ll never forget is catching a glimpse of the graceful dance moves of Roy and Dar Tamez silhouetted in front of the white lights of the Christmas tree one year.

As for goals, he touts the NRC Grand Prix as a big help with his current focus, improving his 5K from a 31-minute to a 27-minute time. (Nice work, man!) One day he hopes to travel out west to complete the Ragnar Zion. His positive personality just fits Ragnar, plus he digs the team aspect of the relay and doing his part to make it to the finish line.

Alfred can’t say enough about the good things happening with NRC. Especially coming from out of state to Nashville he appreciates how, through NRC, there is always someone you can trust to help give advice, running related or otherwise. This is not something he takes for granted, and we certainly don’t take him for granted either!

For all the ways you have helped NRC over the years and your ability to help lift up others, we are so grateful to have Alfred Eller as a member of NRC!

ALFRED ELLER – ROTM SPEED ROUND

Favorite scary movie: Rachel and I have seen all the SAW movies together

Favorite Halloween treat: the “taxes” we exact from our kids candy

Hobbies: Golf, sporting events, getting outdoors; I’m also a Cub Scout leader for the boys’ troop and volunteer regularly at their school.

_______________________________________

Jeff Mucci

If this NRCer had to do a marathon down a frozen river in ice skates, he’d probably medal. Born and raised in St. Louis, a city known for its hot bbq and cool hockey team, Jeff Mucci started skating when he was 3 years old and grew up on the rink. He played soccer and baseball, too; but hockey was king. He was on teams all the way through high school, coached for 10 years, and still plays when he can. Even now, there’s a special kind of escape he can only find on the ice rink; one that running can’t cure.

Jeff says the camaraderie of hockey is a lot like the close friendships he’s made through the running club.  Whether it’s the road or the rink, all different personalities come together to support each other and do good things for the community. But not all running clubs are as philanthropic as NRC.

“It’s great that the club has a focus on charity work,” says Jeff. “The generosity of NRC is overwhelming. Plus, where else can you run through a high-five line of 20-30 people and have members who are not even running a race come out to spectate and volunteer, like at the Flying Monkey and our local NRC races!”

Prior to moving Nolensville, Jeff attended Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State) in Springfield, MO. While earning his degree, he also earned a special place in the heart of the newly crowned Apple Butter Queen, Miss Wendy Cook. Jeff just happened to live in a co-ed dorm where Wendy was R.A., as well as a reporter for their school paper. Little did Jeff know that his favorite column (the one he was clipping and sending in the mail to his long-distance girlfriend) was written by Wendy.

Not until the paper started adding headshots of their writers did he piece it all together and get the nerve to call out to her as she was passing by one night in the stairwell of the dorm. It would be the beginning of a beautiful relationship and his words will forever go down in Mucci family history: “Hey, Miss Apple Butter Queen!”

Jeff and Wendy have four amazing children who each excel in their endeavors! Maddie (24), Josh (21), Nick (19) and Max (12). When Jeff’s not running, he loves to camp and boat with the family. One of his most memorable family trips was when the whole crew flew to Vegas, then hit the road to sightsee their way to San Diego and up the coast and back. It was 14 days of pure, Mucci family hilarity and quality bonding. Now, with their older children out of the house, they will have even more reasons to hit the road and explore along the way!

By trade, Jeff is a retirement planner and enjoys helping people attain their future goals, but you may not know that it’s his neighborly voice you hear in every local Financial Engines commercial on the radio!

For the last 8 years, Jeff has been Race Director for the Change for a Chance 5K, working with a dedicated team of volunteers. Eventually the race became the goal race of the NRC Couch to 5K Training Program, and just this past year, was officially adopted by NRC! The now NRC Nolensville 5K has raised over $60,000 for individuals in need. That’s not including this year’s $7000 donation to the Nolensville High School.

“At first we thought it would be cool to make the 5K course hilly, like a badge of honor,” laughs Jeff. “After the feedback from the first race year, we learned pretty quick we were wrong. So, we changed the course to make it flatter and then, of course, NRC and the C25K was a big reason we were successful.”

As for his personal running story, there was a time when a 5K would have totally ruined Jeff Mucci’s day. Like literally, he would run 3 miles and be sore and exhausted the next 24. He’d been running off and on for 10 years before he decided in 2012 to really get in shape and get serious about running.

Wendy, who continues to be his biggest motivator, had been running with NRC and encouraged him to join, which may or may not have involved pushing him out the door on a Wednesday night. He loved the social aspect of it and since he knew Scott and other NRCers through his work with Change for a Chance, he took the opportunity to learn from their knowledge and experiences to help him improve.

He has run with lots of inspiring NRCers through the years, including Jimmy Stitt who kept him laughing through his first half marathon and Ray Sadler who braved early dawns to help him get his miles in prepping for Chicago this year.  Jeff is also famous for his part in the amazing NRC baby Scott photo (see right).

In 2015, Jeff ran his first ever marathon, the St. Jude’s Marathon in Memphis, TN. He still remembers the incredible feeling of achieving his goal and how moving it was seeing the cheering faces of the children of St. Jude’s as he passed through the hospital section of the course.

He just recently completed his second 26.2, the Chicago Marathon, and in spite of the heat had an amazing time complete with a PBR break and selfies! Just a week after, he piled into a van to run Bourbon Chase 2017 with 11 other NRC over-achievers. As races go, Jeff holds the Heroes in Recovery race in Leipers Fork in high regard. He has done it every year, even getting his oldest, Maddie, and youngest, Max, to run with him.

Downhill at Dawn Half Marathon is a Mucci tradition. Jeff and Wendy have been meeting long time friends from AL and SC at Ridgecrest for many years for this race (well food and laughter too!) Then, started sharing it with NRC, because of it’s beauty and location. Now, NRC takes quite a few podium spots at this race!

While he has played hockey his whole life and has never lost a tooth or broken a bone, in his 10 years running he’s had two surgeries! A foot surgery, he jokingly calls the Kelli Alexander foot surgery, and a repair of his MCL. What he learned is that it is critical to take your time and to not push it getting back into running.

“Every time, you will come back stronger,” says Jeff. “But, it’s easy to run too much with all the NRC Kool-Aid being passed around.”

Belied by his cool, calm and collected attitude, he admits rarely does he NOT look like death in race pictures! Jeff says he’s looking to do more destination races, from a half marathon in Vegas this April, to just picking a cool city/race and having fun.

More than anything, he plans to keep his base up, stay injury free, and give back to other NRCers by helping them train for their big races. He may just join you on a run, so be sure to congratulate him on NRCer of the Month!

JEFF MUCCI – ROTM SPEED ROUND

Favorite Scary Movie: JAWS, it still affects me

Favorite Halloween Candy: $100 Grand Bars

Hobby: Golf, my handicap has gone up with each kid, but my Dad and Grandfather taught me growing up and it’s a tradition