BRAINSPORT ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Tomorrow marks our 20th birthday and Run Club should be a lot of fun, even more than usual.  Run Club will begin from the Cosmo Seniors Centre and return there. The schedule looks like this

6:05 PM everyone meets at Cosmo Seniors Centre, you can leave belongings there as staff will stay behind getting things ready for your return.

6:06 Brian introduces our special guest Lieutenant Governor Gordon Barnhart who will also lead a brisk walking group.

6:10 Brian announces groups and sends everyone out by 6:12

6:45 to 7:15 runners return 

7:15 to 8 hot food and refreshments ( Cash Bar - $2.50 for beer or wine)

Catered by Weczeria Food & Wine and Caffe Sola

8PM Jason Warick will be Master of Ceremony and we have a slide show prepared.  See who you recognize in some of the old photos we’ve collected.  Anniversary T-shirts will be available for sale for $20, we will be able to do Visa, Mastercard, and Debit for these.  Those that pre-ordered we’ll have your shirts set aside for you.

We are all excited about this event but you can imagine how excited Brian is.  20 years ago today, he and Debbie were readying the store for their first day of business.  I can only imagine how stressful and exciting it must have been to be starting up a business at such a young age, wondering if you were doing the right thing or were you crazy for trying.  For those of you who don’t know Debbie, she left the store in 2004 to start new adventures getting married and starting a family.  She now resides in Australia and is very active in multisport racing.   From the beginning, Brian’s dream was to have the best running store in Canada.  In 2008 and 2009 BRAINSPORT was chosen Canadian Store of the Year in surveys conducted by the Canadian Alliance of Specialty Running Stores.  This year we were for the second time awarded Business of the Year at the annual SABEX Awards.  20 years later we know that they did the right thing and had the right stuff to make the business a success.

A PERSONAL VIEWPOINT

I didn’t meet Brian and Debbie until December 1991 when I read about BRAINSPORT in the new business section of the Star Phoenix.  I checked out the store and Brian invited me to come out to Run Club which at the time was held on Wednesday night and Sunday afternoon.  I began running with the club on December 7, 1991 and have been a regular ever since.  It has been a life affirming affair for me.  I’ve met many wonderful people and enjoyed being physically fit.  Ten years later I began to work part time at the store on top of my full time career.  Some wondered how I could do that but for me coming to BRAINSPORT was often a mental health break from a stressful job with provincial government.  Several years later I was offered and readily accepted full time work and retired from government.  Six years later here I am writing the weekly TIMES  and enjoying the company of fun, energetic people who are doing positive things with their lives.  Thanks Brian and Debbie for making this possible.

 

SAD NEWS

Erin Tisserand ( nee Johnson ) used to run with us and her step mom Lorna Johnson still does.  Sad to report that Erin passed away last week after losing her battle with cancer.  She leaves her husband Jared and a 5 year old son Luke.  Our condolences to Lorna and family.  Here is a picture of Erin enjoying running in the Saskatchewan Marathon in 2005.

EVENTS

Saturday, July 16 - 10AM at Rotary Park.  Discovery Dash.  Run, Walk, Dash.

www.museumforkids.ca 

 

Sunday, July 24 - XTERRA Regina Beach. 1K Swim, 24K Bike, 10K Run.  For details on this off road triathlon visit www.Reginamultisport.com .

 

New - Sunday, July 24 2nd Annual Clearwater Marathon.  We’ve been asked to pass on information on this marathon.  Clearwater is about 15 minutes north of The Pas, Manitoba.  Their goal is to raise funds to improve trails in the park.  Information at

http://www.clearwatercottagers.ca .

Sunday, August 14 - SRRA River Run Classic.  Half Marathon, 10K Provincial Championship, and a 5K Run/Walk. www.saskatoonroadrunners.ca  and our events page has the registration form http://brainsport.ca/events/list .

 

Saturday, August 27 - The Fin Island Trail Run at Battleford’s Finlayson Island.  5K, 10K or 21K.  Register at www.finislandtrailrun.com or contact Jes 306-937-6700.

 

Saturday, September 24 - Miles for Smiles.  Fund raiser for the Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan.  5K run or walk and Half Marathon and proudly presented by the Student Medical Society of Saskatchewan.  For more detail go to http://medicine.usask.ca/miles-for-smiles-2011 .

 

Well that is the TIMES for this week - Gotta Run

  

Ian

As always you can check out our website www.brainsport.ca or catch up on events at our Facebook page.  The TIMES is also published and archived weekly on www.saskatoon.com and www.yourregina.com .