|
Member Spotlight: Sue Beech
 |
|
Sue Beech just turned 40 and wanted to inspire her ten-year-old daughter Lily and six-year-old daughter Sophie. Since their dad, Ken, is an Ironman and triathlete, she wanted to show that "Mom can do it too!" She started by running half-marathons several years ago, and on Oct. 9 she ran her first full marathon in Chicago alongside 4,500 other runners. Sue said that the hardest part of the race was her anticipation at the starting line.
We asked Sue what she does to prepare, and she gave us some great tips.
To start, there are some great low-cost training programs on the Internet. Sue prefers Hal Higdon’s training program: 12 to 16 weeks of alternating short and long running, such as running 3 miles the first day, 5 miles the third day, 3 miles the fifth day, and 10 miles the seventh day. She worked on building up base miles in Jan. 2011. In early June she started the actual training program. She had never ran more than 20 miles before the marathon, and three weeks before the race, the training program recommended that the runner take it easy. This is because the body is so used to running at this point, that it gets “antsy” and the runner naturally builds up the physical and mental energy to run longer.
Another difficult aspect of the training program was getting her miles in. She remembers one Sunday morning when it was raining; she slogged through the puddls to get her miles in, otherwise her training regimen would have been off. Sue mostly ran alone but sometimes had a friend run long routes with her to keep her motivated. She said that the Metroparks are great for training because there are mile markers and stopping points with water fountains.
Sue never followed a specific diet but instead made small adjustments in order to run longer and faster. For example, she cut caffeine out of her diet because caffeine is a diuretic. She chose lean proteins and complex carbs like whole grain pasta. She lost five pounds during the training program even though she didn't train to lose weight.
Sue has some tips for other marathon newbies: If you like to run in the summer, you will have to train all winter. If you like to run in cooler weather such as the fall, you will have to train in the summer. Take water with you on every run. Sue had a running belt with water. Drink at every water station, which should be every one to two miles. Drink water even if you do not feel like it, because you will run farther if you are properly hydrated. Finally, don't think of it as an impossible feat. Sue once read in a magazine: “It’s just running. Don’t overthink it. It’s one foot in front of the other.” |
|
Congratulations Tsunami's Swim Team!
The West Park YMCA Tsunamis swim team has been training hard to be top competitors at our monthly YMCA regional swim meets! The team is coached by our very own Aquatics Coordinator, Maria Buenano, top competitive swimmer from Notre Dame College.
All team members achieved top rankings at one of their first swim meets of the season, in which over 30 swimmers competed.Please join us in congratulating: Caroline Wolff: 1st place 25 yard freestyle;1st place 25 backstroke; 2nd place 25 breaststroke; Tariq Feguson: 1st place 100 medley; 2nd place 50 freestyle; 3rd place 50 backstroke;
Adam Broadbent: 1st place 100 medley; 1st place 100 freestyle; 2nd place 50 breaststroke; Seth Broadbent: 1st place 50 breaststroke; 2nd place 50 freestyle; 2nd place 50 backstroke; Grace Manga: (at 6 years old!) 10th place 25 freestyle; 12th place 25 backstroke; Noah Manga: 1st place 100 medley; 2nd place 50 backstroke and breaststroke; Lauren Hammond: 1st place 100 medley; 6th place 50 backstroke; 7th place 50 freestyle.
If you are interested in joining our Tsunamis swim team, please call 216-941-5410 for more information, or contact Maria Buenano, Aquatics Coordinator at mbuenano@clevelandymca.org |
|
MEET OUR CHILDCARE INSTRUCTORS!
Here at the West Park Fairview Family YMCA, we pride ourselves on maintaining an excellent Preschool program. We cannot do this without the excellent staff that we are blessed to have.
Christine Vidal, Preschool Instructor
Christine started in April of 2011. She came to us from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District as a long-term substitute teacher for three years for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. She has a five-year old daughter named Natalia, who will be six on Dec. 21, and a nine-year old son named Nyco, who will be ten on Feb. 10.
Tze-Ann Chou, Assistant Preschool Instructor (see picture)Tze-Ann also started in April of 2011. She earned her undergraduate degree at Ashlan, in Child and Family Studies.
Her favorite aspect of working with children is watching them learn and grow every day, and knowing that her hard work is making a positive difference in their learning development. She loves her cat, Tux, and she likes to read in her spare time.
Callan Gorbach-Foster, Part-time Child Care Instructor (see picture)
Callan started working for the West Park Fairview Family YMCA in November 2009. She has been working in child care for several years, starting at her church at the age of fifteen.
Her two passions in life are working with children and animals. She plans on attending CSU in the near future to study Zoology and Wildlife Conservation. She has two dogs, Jolie and Shelby, and she also takes care of Ebie the parakeet. | |
|
Monic Hill, Director
West Park Branch 
West Park Fairview Family YMCA had a fantastic Fall 2011! Within three months, 188 new memberships joined the West Park family.
West Park YMCA participated in the Heroes Run by partnering with West Park Early Childhood PTA to oversee the children’s race run.
A record high of 228 children and parents participated in our annual Halloween at the Y.
Lastly, The West Park Fairview Family YMCA was the recipient of West Market G.O.A.L (Group Of Aspiring Leaders) annual Cornhole tournament; receiving a total of $11,000.00 (with matching gifts included in the totals) towards our annual Strong Kids Campaign (SKC). I would like to give a special thank you to Adam Miller and Frank Longley. Both are members of G.O.A.L. as well as serve on the West Park Advisory Board. I would also like to thank Janice Murphy, President of Fairview and Lakewood Hospitals and Mary Kennedy, Interim President of Lutheran Hospital for generously deciding to make matching gifts.
Year to date, the West Park branch has raised $44,000.00 and has given out over $79,000.00 in financial assistance through the SKC campaign. As you can see, the need is great. However our YMCA mission is greater and will meet the need of the community by not turning anyone away based on financial need.
I am looking forward to seeing what lies for the West Park Fairview Family YMCA in 2012! (For more information on how to make a donation to the SKC campaign and/or interests in serving on the West Park Advisory Board of volunteers, contact the West Park leadership staff.) |
|
Winter Events and Community News
Breakfast with Santa, Saturday, Dec. 10, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at West Park Station. $6 for children under 12, $10 for adults. Includes breakfast, Santa hat decorating, and a family picture with Santa.
Parents’ Night Out, 2nd Friday of every month, $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers. Three hours of babysitting and activities for kids. |
|
Are you a teenager who is interested in giving back to your community through the YMCA? Call Karah Vance, membership coordinator, at 216-941-5410 to learn about how you can help organize fun community service projects while learning valuable leadership skills at the same time! | |
