Century Club

Welcome to the Jack Quinn's Running Club Century Club--where club members who have reached the 100-run milestone share their thoughts.

If you are a Century Club Member and would like a photo and blurb included on this page, please e-mail a photo and short writeup to flasher@jackquinnsrunners.com.

All Century Club members are listed at www.jackquinnsrunners.com/Reports.php?mode=rank with a special icon next to their name.

First 20 Members

Rey Gomez (Member #15)

Devra Ashby (Member #14)

Well as my dad (Century Club Member #10) says he is not a runner, nor am I…at least I wasn’t until I joined Quinn’s Running Club. I did pleasantly find that this little club here is somewhat addictive and in a good way. If you would’ve said to me a few years ago that I was going to run a marathon I would’ve looked at you like you had 3 heads. But thanks to the encouragement of the great members in this club, I ran my first marathon and a couple of halfs and am planning to run another marathon in the spring. Running has become a great passion of mine and I am grateful to the members of this club for helping me overcome the idea that being a runner means running a certain time in a race. It’s so much more than the final time on that race clock. It’s being out in nature. It’s knowing that you have been given a gift of movement that not everyone has or chooses to use. I truly believe runners are the kindest and most encouraging type of athletes out there. And with that statement I am proud to now call myself a runner. And I hope if you feel the way I felt and don’t think you are a runner, all you have to do is put one foot in front of the other and repeat for as many times as it takes until you believe in yourself.

Dean Whitman (Member #9)

Tim Barry (Member #8)

Tony Wolusky (Member #7)

It has been tremendous to be part of the Jack Quinn's Running Club.

You've helped me make staying in shape a habit I can't break (at least on Tuesdays).

I enjoy seeing the pictures sent by deployed service members in the Traveling Shirts section of the web page, which reminds me of a story and why I eventually found myself looking for a running club in back in '06. I was deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of the UN peacekeeping force SFOR and I started to run the perimeter of our base near Sarajevo. The Morale, Welfare and Recreation folks enjoyed the challenge of keeping the spirits up for troops from 40 countries and someone thought a 5K race would be a great way to start 2003. It also turned out that the local tradition to celebrate the New Year was with "celebratory fire" and the base was getting peppered with AK-47, M-16 and other fire "accidentally" so the commander ordered everyone to wear their flack vests and helmets outside. When asked when the 5K race could be rescheduled, he said that he saw no reason to change the date. So we ran the 5K race in our "battle rattle" through the mud, ice and snow with the commander on the appointed day around the old Yugoslavian Air Base. The comradery I felt that day with so many people from all the services and so many nations was tremendous and inspiring.

I started running in earnest later that year, when I was sent to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, MS to serve out my last 11 months on active duty in the Air Force. I left my wife Deb and daughter Caitlin here in C'Springs. When I arrived on the Gulf Coast, I started to run in 5Ks in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Louisiana to fill the time away from my family. I came to realize that you see a city in a very different way when you run its streets with the traffic cleared for a race. I remember a 5K race sponsored by the New Orleans Police Foundation at the City Park in 2004. The tradition for the races was to play the national anthem beforehand (one which I'd like to see in our area, too). As we stood in the foggy humidity, I noticed that a brass band was set to play and, though I've heard the anthem played around the world by many musicians, I believe I have never heard it played with such joy and feeling by this New Orleans group. I wasn't the only one buoyed by the music and it was a super run that morning though the Big Easy. Katrina came the following summer. You try to hold on to happy memories amidst the sorrow of that storm, and this May run is mine for that great town.

Looking forward to my next 100!

Tony Wolusky
 

April 21, 2009

Karen Evers (Member #5)

February 24, 2009

Jeff Owsley (Member #4)

First JQ Run (Jeff on the far left):

Recently (at Tucson Marathon):

Jack Quinn’s Running Club has gently nudged many people in our community to become more physically active. That is something I am very thankful for. A surprising number of beginning runners have gained a passion for running, and not only have become very active in training and racing, but have drastically changed their lifestyle to being much healthier. I am one of them! Our club, and many of the people in it, have helped to propel me into that world…

A couple of months before the club started, I finally took the step to join the YMCA to work on the poundage I was gaining. At the Y’s free fitness test I found out that my heart was dangerously weak – a threat to my life I had no idea about. That gave me twice as much reason to work on cardio exercise and my favorite was the treadmill. I can remember working up to one full mile without stopping at the break-neck speed of a 5mph (11 minute miles?). Then I worked up to 2 straight miles, then 3, and at that point I wondered if I could find a 5k run to join. While going into Boulder Running Company for my first pair of running shoes, I saw a flyer by the counter for a new running club that had a “5k run, walk, stagger, crawl” and I got very excited because I knew I could at least beat the crawlers!

I went that very next Tuesday to Jack Quinn’s, it was July 11, 2006 to be exact, and I think it was the 3rd or 4th week of the club’s existence. I remember having anxious feelings about showing up by myself without knowing anyone – being new to running and all. But, I sat down afterward with some people at a table with my pasta and beer and we became fast friends.

They were the first of literally hundreds of new friends. I’ve lost 40 lbs and my heart is now rated as ‘elite’. I remember thinking that I’d be thrilled to get good enough to finish a 10k race – now I’ve run several marathons and recently qualified for the Boston Marathon. Most importantly (besides all my new friends), I have learned an immense amount about living a healthier lifestyle. Not only am I the healthiest I’ve ever been in my life, but I’m able to pass that kind of life on to our kids and help other people as well.

I am extremely thankful and I’d encourage others to join us!

Jeff Owsley

Mary Smith (Member #3)

I remember making fun of the running crowd. It wasn't that long ago. "What is wrong with those people? Run for fun? What the hell kind of fun is that?" I remember asking myself.

I was a reasonably fit guy in high school--keeping busy with football, tennis, and my blue-collar landscaping job. After seven years of little more than studying, beer, partying, and pizza in college, I had put on a significant amount of weight. I was hovering around 215 lbs when I moved out to Colorado seven years ago in 2001.

A few years ago, a guy named Charlie Grumbine (currently our Volunteer Coordinator for JQRC) came to work for my company. My friend and co-worker at the time (John Friedman) had just recently been promoted to a managerial position and hired Charlie onto his team. One night at the Ritz in downtown Colorado Springs (and during one of John's performances with his band "One Man Gone"), I was introduced to his new employee. I immediately struck a cord with Charlie and over the years became really close friends.

Charlie, being the avid runner that he is, really made an impression on me. After hanging out with the guy for quite a while (and the rest of the runner crowd he had surrounded himself with), I decided I needed to finally get myself back into shape.

After years of being overweight, I decided to try getting into the running scene (despite my reluctance)--starting with regular attendances of the JQRC Tuesday night run that Charlie would frequent. During my first JQRC run in November of 2006, I could run only about three blocks before getting out of breath! I vowed to myself that I would change all that for good! Over the next two years I got increasing more active. Who would have guessed that two years later I would have run a half dozen half marathons, a couple of full marathons, endless trail running adventures and 14'er hiking sessions, been voted "Most Inspirational Member" at JQRC, been accepted onto the JQRC committee, and run too many 10K, 5K, and relay races to count (and been through a half dozen running shoes)!

I have been a regular attendee of JQRC since November 2006 for many reasons. I like what this club is about--bringing people of many walks of life together in a non-intimidating and fun environment! I've also had the satisfaction of watching the club grow in popularity and membership numbers from a few hundred to many hundreds throughout the club's evolution since its inception in June 2006.

JQRC (as well as my friends) served as my launch pad for life-long changes! I frequently strive to do more and get better. My friends in the running community continue to provide the needed motivation. Now at ~170 lbs and excellent health (knock on wood), I have no regrets! I'm never going back to the way I was! And I've only just begun... :)

Matt Laubhan

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November 11, 2008

Donovan Thorpe (Member #1)

In late July (2006) I was attending a social event when Ryan Shininger, a founder of the Jack Quinn's Running Club (JQRC), stopped at our table to promote the run. At the time I was running about two times a week and was looking for motivation to run more. The JQRC seemed like a way to not only get in some additional running, but to meet new people and be social as well. The following week I went and bought my first pair of running shoes and ran with the club for the first time, and have been running since. I've talked many of my friends and family into joining JQRC as well, and have made many new friends myself. I really like that the club is open to everyone—kids, young and older adults, as well as people of all abilities. I do not consider myself a great runner by any means, but enjoy going at the same pace of my friends, sometimes running hard while other times jogging or walking. I run all year long, in the beating hot sun of the summer as well as on cold frigid winter evenings. It is a rare thing for the dedicated runners of the club to cancel. No matter how much I dread running beforehand, I always feel good about it after the run. This, as well as the chance to meet new people and enjoy a good meal and a beer, is what keeps me coming back time after time.

I would encourage anyone to come run with us, at least give it a chance for whatever reason works for you. Whether that's to exercise, meet other runners, get free pasta, cheap beer, or just a chance to socialize in general.

PS I want to thank our sponsors, leaders and volunteers for keeping this group going.

~Donovan Thorpe
donovan.thorpe@gmail.com