MEMBER SPOTLIGHT MONDAY: BRIAN JUNG

Happy Monday, Runners! This week’s Member Spotlight Monday is Brian Jung! Read below to learn more about Brian’s journey with running and BWRC!

Q: How long have you been a runner?

Brian: My defining moment as a runner came in 2014 as I struggled through a solo training run after signing up for my first half marathon.  Along the trail, a group of cyclists called out “runner ahead” as they approached.  I looked around to see who they were talking about.  It was me…I was the “runner”!

Q: Why did you start running?

Brian: High school cross country and track had long passed and an annual Turkey Trot 5K had become the extent of my yearly exercise…I needed to get into shape!

Q: How did you find BWRC?

Brian: Soon after catching the running bug, my wife and I registered for our 1st Chicago Marathon in 2015 and signed up to train with CARA (Chicago Area Runners Association) at Busse Woods.  Even though I was slow and out of shape, I was welcomed!  At the time I didn’t know it, but my ‘one-and-done’ marathon would turn out to be only just the beginning!

Q: Why did you join BWRC?

Brian: After taking the winters off between my summer marathons, there was much room for improvement; I was looking to start running year-round with a group of like-minded individuals.  While many in the group had different goals and levels of experience, the common thread that bound us was our passion for running and the joy that we got out of helping each other succeed.

Q: Why do you run?

Brian: What began as an exercise ‘chore’ has evolved into a healthy and rewarding lifestyle.  Running has helped me to lose weight, improve my overall health and focus, provides structure in my day, goals in my life, and through it I have formed long lasting friendships with incredible individuals who I may have otherwise never met! 

Q: Do you have any upcoming races or goals we should know about?

Brian: I am registered for the Carmel Marathon in March, Ragnar (a 200 mile, 12 person relay from Chicago to Madison) in May, the Chicago Marathon for the American Brain Tumor Association’s charity team in memory of my dad in October, and the Tunnel Hill 50 mile ultra marathon, which will be my first, in November!

Q: What does BWRC mean to you?

Brian: BWRC has become like a family to me. There is a feeling of pride in seeing each other work hard and succeed.  I am grateful for the knowledge and experience that I have gained from so many talented members of this club and hope to one day be able to pay it forward and inspire others whether it be as a pacer or simply as proof that you don’t need to be fast and fit to begin your running journey!

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT MONDAY: TINA RIESS

Happy Monday, BWRC! Beginning this week we will be featuring a member of our club every Monday for Member Spotlight Monday! Our first spotlight is on Tina Riess. Read below to learn more about Tina’s journey with running and BWRC!

Q: How long have you been a runner?

Tina Riess: 4 years.

Q: Why did you start running?

Tina: Once I ran my first 5k (Schaumburg Turkey Trot) as a random fun event, I became hooked after that.

Q: How did you find BWRC?

Tina: I was directed to BWRC by Christine Moss, she told me about the groups Facebook page and told me I needed to check them out ASAP!

Q: Why did you join?

Tina: The group had everything I was looking for. Support right from the start was the main thing, I was accepted and supported from the get go, even though I am a much slower runner, I was welcomed and not left behind even though I was new and did not know many people. We are all treated the same whether we are slow or fast. There is no competition, bragging or egos. Its friends running together. These were important things I was unable to find elsewhere.

Q: Why do you run?

Tina: I run because it honestly makes me feel good, I get to spend time with my running friends, and helps keep me focused.

Q: Do you have any upcoming races or goals we should know about?

Tina: I have a few upcoming races, one is the Naperville Women’s ½ marathon in April, followed by the Solider Field 10miler in May, my biggest of the year is my first marathon, the Chicago Marathon that is in October, I am running for PAWS charity!

Q: What does BWRC mean to you?

Tina: BWRC has become more then just a run club to me, it has become a major part of my life, has led to some awesome friendships, and some REALLY fun times. BWRC accepted me from day 1 and never made me feel like I did not belong. I honestly look forward to every single BWRC run, every event, and cannot wait to see what the future of BWRC holds!

WHY I JOINED A RUNNING CLUB (AND WHY YOU SHOULD, TOO)

It was the spring of 2017, just months away from training for my fourth full marathon, and I was
reflecting back on my performance from the 2016 Chicago Marathon. 3:38. Just 3-minutes off of my Boston qualifying time. Don’t get me wrong, I am extremely proud of that time and training myself down from a 4:10 first marathon to a 3:38, but I knew something was missing in my training.

In high school, I was a part of the cross-country and track and field teams and trained with a group of 12 girls day after day. We knew each other’s goals, supported one another, and pushed each other to reach new levels we never dreamed we could reach. It was this team comradery that I was missing in my training after I left high school that I realized I wanted to start seeking out again to help me in my next marathon training cycle.

I was in the midst of a transition period during the summer of 2017 moving from St. Louis to Chicago, but I prioritized finding a club to join to train for the Chicago Marathon with. I came across the CARA group and was attracted to their summer marathon training program in Schaumburg. I signed up and was contacted by Jimmy, one of the site leaders for Schaumburg, who welcomed me to the group and sent me the group meeting schedule. This gave me something to look forward to during a crazy time in my life coordinating a move, living apart from my husband for a few months, and not knowing many runners in the Chicago area.

I remember showing up to my first group run out on the track and immediately being welcomed by the entire group. I was nervous, showing up to meet a group of people I had never met before, but it was in that moment I realized just how amazing this group and the running community was. We welcome each other with open arms, are accepting of runners of all abilities, and encourage people we’ve never even met before. Just a few months later, BWRC was born and I really felt like I belonged to something bigger than myself and my own running goals. Over the course of the summer, I developed so many friendships and even ended up running the Chicago Marathon with another BWRC member, John Wall! While we didn’t achieve our goal that hot, October day, I finished the race feeling like I had still won because I now had 50+ new friends to share this running journey with.

Being a part of BWRC has reinvigorated the passion for running that I have in a way I wasn’t expecting. I didn’t realize just how much I was missing by not training with a team of others who also shared my passion. I have been overwhelmed with the amount of support I have gotten from this club and how much people care about each other’s goals. For me that has been chasing down my BQ time and having so many BWRC members checking in with me to see how things are going and asking how they can help. Not only do I have running buddies now, but I can firmly say I have made friends for life. I truly hope if you’ve been considering joining a running club that you’ll give BWRC a try, and if you do, please don’t hesitate to say hi! I’d love to hear more about your personal journey through running and have you as part of the BWRC family.

HEY…LET’S START A RUNNING CLUB

For the last few years, a small group of us who had been running together all year round toyed with the idea of giving our group a name. We had already developed an unbreakable bond and thought it would be cool to have our own identity. We insisted on being different than traditional running clubs in that we did not want to charge membership fees for people to run with us. This past August we decided to finally act on our idea.

Our group primarily runs at Busse Woods in Elk Grove Village so we wanted to create something unique that would incorporate this into our name. After exploring options, we voted on Busse Woods Running Club (BWRC) which was the winner by a landslide. After we decided on a name, we started thinking that we should also have a logo to create our “brand”. Busse Woods is well known for its unique elk pasture and from there our logo was born! Flash forward to February and we’re looking into “adopting” an elk…how cool is that??

Over the course of six months, and during the winter months I might add, the group grew tremendously. Runners from all walks of life, various distances and paces began to show up for our Saturday or Sunday weekend runs. Our Facebook group grew from 20 people to over 250 in no time.

It is the welcoming atmosphere and amazing core culture already instilled in this group that makes
anyone and everyone new to the group feel so welcome. We are about establishing and building upon a community of people who want to enjoy life, meet new people who share a common interest, or perhaps grow in some capacity when it comes to running and fitness. Regardless of the end goal, BWRC provides an inclusive atmosphere for all.

We grew so rapidly that we needed to create a structure to protect our culture and club. Quickly and
proudly we incorporated our group as a non for profit organization in the State of IL and gained 501C(3) tax exemption as a charter member of Road Runners Club of America. Although we will always remain a no membership fee club, it does cost money to keep our club active, pay for insurance, to hold events, etc. We rely on fundraisers, donations, and sponsorships to pay those expenses.

We host weekly group runs, fun runs, social gatherings, and participate in several community and
special events throughout the year. Continuing to grow and impacting our community in a positive way are just a couple of the BWRC goals.