Gallagher Fitness Resources

Tag: Local Events

  • Runners for Boston

    R4B_0028

    Gallagher Fitness Resources presents “Runners for Boston” a unified walk/run by Salem Area citizens to show our support and solidarity with the victims and families of the Boston Marathon bombing tragedy April 15, 2013.


    Date:     Monday, April 22 6:30 p.m. We will observe a Moment of Silence before beginning.


    Where:     Salem Riverfront Park – Rotary Club Pavilion


    Cost:     FREE event – donations encouraged to One Fund Boston (see below)


    Distance:     As short or long as you wish to walk or run


    Route:     Please stay on the pathways within Riverfront Park, the Union Street RR Bridge, and Wallace Marine Park. Please do not run or walk on the streets in the parks.


    Details:     This is not an organized, registered run, it’s more of an impromptu meeting to show support for those impacted by the Boston Marathon tragedy.  No money will be exchanged on site.

    T-Shirts: Please wear blue and yellow (Boston Marathon official colors) or any Boston Marathon apparel, anything that says Boston or a race t-shirt from a local event.

    Running Specialty Stores of the Independent Running Retailers Association (IRRA) across the USA are concurrently hosting “Runners for Boston.” While we are walking and running in Salem, tens of thousands of people will be participating simultaneously nationwide.

    Donations

    This is an opportunity to stand with the national running community and let the people of Boston know that we love their marathon as much as they do, that it’s much more than just a race, and that Boston is much more than just a city.

    Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino have announced the formation of The One Fund Boston, Inc. to help the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston on April 15, 2013.

    Find out more here.

    To donate click here.

    To send a check by mail:

    One Fund Boston, Inc.

    800 Boylston Street #990009

    Boston, MA 02199

    Send inquiries to: info@onefundboston.org

    Thank you for participating in “Runners for Boston” with Gallagher Fitness Resources, your Running Specialty Store for the Salem area.

  • GFR Donates $2000 to Friends of Two Bridges

    F2B Hazel
    John & Susan with Hazel Patton, Friends of Two Bridges

    For Immediate Release – 2/3/12

    Gallagher Fitness Resources Supports Friends of Two Bridges

    Gallagher Fitness Resources, Salem’s running and walking shoe store since 1997, has donated $2000 to the Friends of Two Bridges. Hazel Patton, F2B President, accepted the check on Thursday, Feb 2, 2012.

    The Minto Island Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge will span the Willamette Slough from the south end of Riverfront Park to Minto Island, connecting users to existing trail systems and downtown Salem via a multi-use path. Together, with the conversion of the historic Union Street Railroad Bridge into a bicycle and pedestrian facility, these two bridges will link more than 1,300 acres of popular downtown parks and about 26 miles of trails.

    At the 1/9/12 F2B meeting, Linda Norris, City Manager, addressed the need for more private funding and suggested F2B have a campaign identified and kicked off by this fall. John and Susan don’t want to wait any longer. The Bridge has been part of the Salem Planning process for over 30 years, a long-held community priority.

    In 1984 the City acquired the first easement on the Island to serve as the landing point for the bridge and the link to the Minto path system.

    It was in the first Park Master Plan, over 20 years ago.

    It was in the first Salem Transportation Plan, over 20 years ago.

    At least 3 citizen groups have been formed to implement the Bridge to Minto plan. John and Susan served on the second, starting in 2004. Friends of Two Bridges, the 3rd group, was formed in early 2007.

    It is in both the Downtown and the South Riverfront Urban Renewal Plans.

    The 2006 Urban Land Institute study on redevelopment of the Boise site recommended that the bridge remain an important part of the plan.

    In 2006 we had the opportunity to build the bridge, partly with donated materials, for a total cost of under $2 million dollars. At that time $1.6 in funding was available.

    The Development Standards for the former Boise Cascade site anticipate the Bridge link to Minto.

    It is in the Salem 2020 Plan.

    It has been one of the adopted City Council Goals since 2005.

    It received a 91% approval rating from the 2009 community forums (only 3% were opposed).

    Tens of Thousands of public dollars have been spent studying this bridge for 30 years.

    Two complete engineering studies for the bridge have been presented to City Council in the last 6 years.

    Gallagher Fitness Resources is planning a series of events along with F2B, Gallagher Fitness On Your Feet Fridays, to increase awareness of the Minto Bridge and help raise funds to get it done. Events will be held the 2nd Friday of the month from May through October.

    Friends of Two Bridges is a grassroots citizen group focused on the design, construction and opening of the Union Street Railroad and Minto Island bridges, and connecting pathways to bicyclists and pedestrians. A variety of interests are represented in this group, including the recreational community, historic preservationists, area children’s advocates, downtown merchants, property owners and statewide cycling interests. F2B meets monthly. For more information, contact Hazel Patten, 503-581-4939 or ptn1363@msn.com.

    More information from the City of Salem is available at this site: http://www.cityofsalem.net/Departments/UrbanDevelopment/DepartmentProjects/Pages/MintoIslandBridge.aspx

     

    Click here for Bridge Design Concept

  • Thoughts: Post-PDX Marathon 10/10/10

    Congratulations to all finishers on 10/10/10!  Mother Nature dealt a crooked hand this past Sunday in Portland, OR.  Soggy shoes, soggy shirts, and soggy shorts ruled the morning.  Our TeamGFR Marathon and Half-Marathon group performed bravely!  Finishers endured a record setting rainfall for marathon day and a record crowd of runners and walkers.

    Here’s a link to the pictures Susan took:  [You may have to paste it into your browser or go to the GFR Facebook page.]

    Pictures from 2010 Portland Marathon:   http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=226386&id=87156918283

    Many of you are still a bit sore today.  Most are happy they finished.  Some are admittedly a little (or a lot) disappointed they did not meet their intended goal time.  Regardless of that finish time, YOU ARE A MARATHONER or a HALF MARATHONER!

    As I have reminded folks after numerous marathons.  You are now a member of an elite bunch of folks.  Less than 1/10 of 1% (that’s .001 for the decimal minded) of the US population finished a marathon last year.  How many people can confidently say they are in the 99.9+ percentile in anything?  Congratulations – you can make that claim!  Don’t believe me?  Here’s your proof:

    The Running USA Annual Report on the State of the Sport:  http://www.runningusa.org/node/57770

    Susan and I have spoken to a lot of folks.  Emailed a few more.  And posted to a whole bunch of Facebook profiles.  Ladies and Gentlemen, that was a tough day.  No one should feel disappointed with their performance.  You may not believe me at this point (just 2 or 3 days after the race), but some day soon – maybe not this week or next – but soon, you will look at that finisher’s medal and wear that finishers shirt and shed tears of joy while feeling an intense sense of accomplishment.  You EARNED that medal and shirt on Sunday.  No one can take that away from you.  Think about ALL the days that went into earning that medal and shirt.  It didn’t just happen magically on Sunday 10/10/10.

    Not only did you endure nearly 3/4 of an inch of rain, you made it through over 5 months of consistent training.  Are you fitter, thinner, healthier than you were 5 months ago?  Did you meet and get to know some brand new and absolutely awesome people over the last 5 months?  Did you find yourself actually looking forward to getting up early on Saturday mornings – and behaving a bit more on Friday nights? Did your life change?  Did your accomplishment inspire others to make changes in their lives?  Do you realize the impact that medal around your neck had on your family, friends, and co-workers?  How does it feel to be inspirational?

    I’ll admit, I have had a few brutal marathons.  More of them have been successes, but none of them have been a “walk in the park.”  My first experience at the Boston Marathon in 2005 was affected by an unseasonably hot day and I wilted miserably over the last 4.5 miles.  I was disappointed and felt that sense of failure.  I was kicking myself around inside my head.  It was still obvious on my face a couple of hours after the race.   Then something extraordinary happened.  Susan and I were doing the tourist thing, walking around Boston wearing my finisher’s shirt with my medal around my neck.  While we were waiting at a crosswalk for a traffic light to change, a guy holding a cigarette and wearing a Boston Red Sox ballcap asked me how I did.  I mumbled something like “Well, I finished, but I didn’t hit my goal.”  He looked at me in absolute amazement.  He tossed his cigarette aside and threw his hands up in the air and shouted, “What’re you talkin about? You finished da Bah-stun marathon! Bah-stun, man!  Nobody cares what your time was – you did it!”

    Ah – perspective!

    Susan and I are excited to hear your post-marathon stories.  We will listen and offer advice on how to get closer to those goals in the next one.  But expect the same reaction from us as that guy on the Boston street corner:  “What’re you talkin about? You finished da Portland marathon! Portland, man!  Nobody cares what your time was – you did it!

    ”

    Have a great week!  Please plan on attending the Celebration and Kickoff on Thursday November 4th.  We want to see ALL of you PROUDLY wearing those finishers shirts!

  • Iris 5k, 10k and Half Marathon Results 2010

    Congratulations to all Team GFR Half Marathon/Marathon Training Participants!


    Iris 5k May 22, 2010

    Raille Wilson 17:29.1 (5:38)
    John Gallagher 19:35.2 (6:19)
    Susan Gallagher 20:17.0 (6:33)
    Kelsi Eisele 20:43.6 (6:41)
    Bill Sime 21:0.9 (7:03)
    Susan Brainard 21:57.3 (7:05)
    Charlotte Hartwig 24:56.2 (8:03)
    Leslie Plotts 26:49.3 (8:39)
    Janna Curtis 26:52.5 (8:40)
    Shelley Bokor 28:19.1 (9:08)
    Blanca Rogers 28:26.9 (9:11)
    Debbie Case 29:06.2 (9:23)
    Deb Lush 29:55.0 (9:39)
    Jim Vu 30:32.7 (9:51)
    Link to complete 5k results

    Iris 10k May 23, 2010

    Raille Wilson 35:39.2 (5:45)
    Jim Sears 44:46.8 (7:13)
    Kathy Wilson 56:20.9 (9:05)
    Jacquie Strand 57:35.8 (9:17)
    Courtney Nichols 57:48.6 (9:19)
    Yolanda Zuger 59:01.0 (9:31)
    Krista Nunn 1:05:37 (10:35)
    Jennifer Hudson 1:16:37 (12:21)
    Link to complete 10k results

    Iris Half Marathon May 23, 2010

    Joel Turner 1:22:57 (6:20)
    Rick Segal 1:42:00 (7:47)
    Ingrid Siadal 1:50:30 (8:26)
    Laura Metzger 1:52:35 (8:36)
    Link to complete Half Marathon Results