100% Point Grey TFC

Delorean Monster Truck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I started this post a few days ago, but started getting bored and it was kind of dry.  Then I got distracted by the interweb.  But you can only read so much about Lance Armstrong and then that gets boring too.  That's when I got way off topic and started educating myself on the history of monster trucks.  I figure that could someday be a plausible dinner party conversation and for lack of sounding stupid I thought it best I know something.  People can only talk about politics and religion... or running... for so long before you need to spice it up a little.  All you really need to know is a guy named Chandler started it all with Bigfoot.  I've actually been to a monster truck show.  Have you?  It was entertaining.  Good for 10 year old kids because they get to watch trucks.  Good for 20 year old kids because they get to watch fights.  

I'm part of a track club, a pretty bad ass track club.  We're called Point Grey TFC.  Who are we you ask?  Let me fill you in.

Point Grey started a couple years ago as an outlet for graduating University of British Columbia athletes and other graduates or senior level athletes from elsewhere.  As many of you have likely seen and noticed in your hometown or respective running communities, lots of athletes quit competing after their university career is over.  And truthfully, this is a real shame.  Marek, the head coach at UBC, for years had been looking to create an affiliate program, but this required some help from other individuals who were willing to make this come true.  All the Vancouver based powerhouses had essentially vanished and it was time to bring one back.

Three years ago, the timing finally worked for Marek.  I got back into the running scene and was looking to train so I could uphold a promise I made to a group of guys for a road relay.  Last thing I wanted to do was show up unfit.   I agreed to fill in all the required paper work and do all the administrative type junk and before you know it we were actually official and had about 5 members!!!

Fast forward three years to now and were actually kind of legitimate.  We have nearly 30 athletes, most of us in our post university years, and a few university athletes who train with PGTFC in the summer (non-university) season.  We have two stellar coaches, Marek Jedrzejek and Richard Lee, and have began developing relationships with business's and supportive groups within the community. 

See that was boring to write which I why I started Googling monster trucks.

We're a no-thrills track club.  We don't offer much, can't support much, and don't have much. This is fair for a baby club with dirt cheap memberships and cash-poor members in their 20's.  But we have goals, and desires, and the will to make ourselves more prominent and established.  What we lack in existing infrastructure we make up for with young resourceful individuals, ingenuity, and passion for the sport. 

Princess worked on this for a long time.  He did a nice job.

I've read a lot of blogs and message boards with people sharing their thoughts on what it takes to make running "better" in Canada.  In my opinion, (and I may be wrong here in the minds of many) what you need first and foremost is a group of people who want to succeed and are willing to do the work required.  Our club is exactly that.  We're not expecting people (or governing athletic agencies) to open up their wallets and blindly support us.  We have to do the grunt work first, and that's more then just running fast.  We have to promote ourselves, physically approach local businesses, and show that were an important part of the community.  Maybe someday we will grow to a point where we can and do receive outside support and some of the small day to day burdens can be lifted allowing us to train a little more and a little harder. 

A lot of people use the Speed River example.  Speed River Track Clubs aren't going to magically pop up all around the country.  But they can exist.  Lots of them can exist.  It just means our club, and your club too, are going to have to work hard to make it happen.  And the good thing is that there are lots of groups out there trying to make it work.  We want to be a high performance club.  It may not happen in my running career, but maybe with the right attitude and drive, we someday can be the Speed River of the West Coast... but of course we'll be called Point Grey TFC!!!