DECEMBER 2016 MARKETPLACECONTRACOSTA.COM 61 you’re feeling pretty intimidated, don’t worry, even the most novice runners have a place with Brazen Racing. “It’s perfectly fine to start by walking,” Fiandaca says. “Run for 30 seconds, walk for a few minutes, run for 30 seconds, walk a few minutes, and build up from there.” A common fear of an anxious entrant is that they’ll be the last one to finish the race. First of all, “it’s almost never the case as there’s always someone slower than you,” he reassures us. Second, “even if you are the last person—who cares? There has to be somebody who’s last, and nobody’s going to look down on you for that.” Additionally, with so many different race lengths, a 5k runner has plenty of opportunities to work their way up to marathon level by attending 10k or half marathons provided by Brazen. As a nonprofit organization, Brazen Racing strengthens the community inside and out. Some of their most popular events are at Thanksgiving time, which last year raised about 4,000 pounds of food that was donated to local food banks—primarily to the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano—as well as around $6-$7,000 for them. And throughout the year they raise funds for the East Bay Regional Park District’s Campership Program, which is like a scholarship designed to send kids from lower-income areas to camp. And that’s just in the East Bay! Brazen Racing is making an impact all over the greater Bay Area and, now in their 8th year of operations, they’re really just getting started. Fiandaca looks forward to seeing new faces at every Brazen race, and invites you to join them! If you’re still a little unsure of your abilities and want to wait to get in “peak physical condition,” maybe, ya know, just get started now? “You don’t want to wait forever,” he says. “If you do an event it’s going to make you want to run more. You’re better off just going out and trying it.” To book your race or get more information, visit www.brazenracing.com. Don’t forget to stretch!
Contra Costa Marketplace - Dec 2016
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