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Just 3 more group training runs for the Zazzle Bay to Breakers! 

Join us!  We meet on Saturday mornings at 8:30 in the Sports Basement Presidio Parking Lot


For directions to Sports Basement, click here


Our last group training run will be held on May 12th.





Just one and a half more weeks until the big day!  Our last group training run will be held on May 7th.  We will start at 8:30 AM in front of the Sports Basement at 610 Old Mason Street.  Runners and walkers of all abilities are welcome!  We will have a variety of loops and training groups to fit everyone's goal for the day.

This is a perfect opportunity to...

  • Kick start your training!
  • Enjoy great views of the Golden Gate Bridge and waterfront
  • Meet some new training partners
  • Ask the Focus-N-Fly coaching team for training and racing tips

Directions to the Sports Basement - Presidio can be found here.




 

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Bob Burnett returns original 1912 Bay to Breakers trophy to race General Manager Angela Fang

 

 

Bob Burnett is a self described “avid sportsman” who has done plenty of mountain climbing, road cycling, and regular recreational golf.  As with many of our Focus-N-Fly trainees, he will be attempting the Zazzle Bay to Breakers for the first time…..with one huge difference.  Bob’s maternal grandfather, Bobby Vlaught, was the very first winner of the “Cross City Race” in 1912.  As a St. Mary’s student, Vlaught won the race twice before ceding the crown in 1914 to the previous year’s runner-up.  Burnett will literally carry history with him on May 15 as he will complete the race carrying the original winner’s trophy earned by his grandfather.

 

With only a couple weeks before the race, Burnett sat down with us for a few minutes to share more about his story.

 

Coach:  So, is running something that has run through the bloodlines directly or are you just taking it up now?

BB:  I’m not a runner at all, but I’m trying to become one.  This was going well in the beginning and I thought the  [Focus-N-Fly online training] program was great.  There were lots of options.   Lately, I’ve started developing some problems with my calves, so it has been harder to follow the plan.  But I will definitely finish.

 

Coach:  Were you close to your grandfather when you were younger?  Was he able to share some of this history with you?

BB:  My grandfather passed away when I was 10-11 years old.  I never knew of his accomplishments until I started going through the scrapbooks and finding out about all the things he did.   Nobody every really talked about those types of things then.

He was a real humble guy, so he wouldn’t have been a bragger.  He was just an ultimate sportsman.   He won the first two against this his big rival, and the two were good friends.  One the third one, he finally beat my grandfather, but he had really gracious things to say.

Coach:  Had you been thinking a while about running the 100th in honor of your grandfather?

BB:  I Thought I was going to run in 2012, but then realized 2011 was the actual 100th.   A few months ago, I sent an email to the regular info address mentioning my grandfather and the history, and not knowing how much they would really care about it.  But, they called back within 2 hours!

Coach:  What do you think your grandfather might say about the Bay to Breakers race were he around today to see it?

BB:  My grandfather would be proud to see how the competition is still very strong. Despite the changes in the city, the race has still endured.

Coach:  You’ve done a bunch of other outdoor activities including high altitude mountatin climbing, but this is your first running challenge.  What is your goal?

BB:  This is a challenging thing. I hope I can run faster than I walk at 23,000 feet.

Coach:  What is something you do remember your grandfather teaching you as a kid?

BB:  They lived up at 1855 Pacific Avenue for many years.  We used to go up there as kids for holidays, but when you are 8-9 years old, the city doesn’t captivate you that much.  So, one day, to get us out of the house, he asked us if we wanted to go watch people bowl at an alley close by.  I told him that I wanted to bowl myself, and that I wasn’t much interested in watching the other people. He told me then that there is more to sports than just doing them yourself, it is a chance to watch others doing their best as well.



Calling all Bay to Breakers trainees and local FNF athletes!

Please join us this Saturday (February 26th) at 9AM for a group training run starting at the Justin Herman Plaza.

In honor of the 100th running of the race, the grandson of Robert Jackson "Bobby" Vlught, the first Bay to Breakers champion, will present the 1912 trophy to the Bay to Breakers committee. 

Justin Herman Plaza is located at the foot of Market Street at the Embarcadero, just behind the Hyatt Regency Hotel. It is just across the street from the Ferry Building.

You can find driving directions here, but we recommend taking BART or Muni to the Embarcadero Station.  If you drive, there are parking garages at Embarcadero Center, and at various locations South of Market.

We hope many of you can enjoy us for this special event honoring the great legacy of the Bay to Breakers!




Angela took a few minutes away from last minute race preparations to give FNF members a snapshot of some unique race features. You may not realize that by running the 2010 ING Bay to Breakers, you might be able to….

Run alongside some of the world’s best…

AF: We’ve got an awesome field, a really spectacular race particularly on the women’s side, featuring many world class athletes from around the globe.  Emily Chebet is the reigning World Cross Country Champion, and Lineth Chepkurui ran 30:45 on the roads for 10k last year, the world’s #9 all-time performance.  On the men’s side, Sammy Kitwara returns to defend his crown and improve on his world record.

Experience all that the race is known for, but also get to watch….

AF: The possibility that a woman can win the race with an equalizer in place. For most of the people in back, they don’t know what is going on in front, but it is a thrilling thing to see a woman win, as happened a couple years ago [Edna Kiplagat, 2007].  The women will start 4 minutes and 51 seconds ahead of the top men, which ideally will create an exciting stretch run to crown one victor.

Benefit from some new race features…..

AF: Our corral system continues from last year, and we are getting more runners back to the race based on the changes instituted then. We will have more activity in the finish area, including t-shirt distribution.

Join a community or even be part of a Guiness World Record…..

AF: In our first year of setting up a group, we have over 7000 fans on facebook, mostly people who are going to go out and actually run the race. We also just worked out a deal with LinkedIn, a push for world’s largest centipede…anyone who is on LinkedIn can take part. We also have been excited to add Focus-N-Fly.

Look forward to the 100th year in 2011….

AF: One of the things we want to do is bring out some past champions. I’d like to have some races within the race – come up with some new fun things for the runners, and have a big post-race celebration.



Focus-N-Fly will be organizing group training runs during this spring’s lead up to the ING Bay to Breakers 12K on Sunday May 16th.  These runs will depart on Saturdays at 8am from the Hyatt Embarcadero Center, and include routes along the San Francisco waterfront.

All FNF members welcome, regardless of whether this race is on your schedule.  Come join in!



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