|
|
|
|
200 7
Bettys
and Wamps Unite
First
things first.
What
exactly is a “Betty?”
A
Betty is a female runner who enjoys the companionship of teammates while
training for races, relays, marathons, trail runs, triathlons, you name
it, a Betty can do it. The Bettys were founded by a couple of crazy
local women who knew that they could build a competitive, all-female
masters relay team that could compete in the 2004 Reach the Beach Relay.
Not an easy task, compiling a team from scratch or running 208 miles in
28+ hours. Nonetheless, that goal was more than accomplished.
Not only did the Bettys cross the finish line of RTB that year as the
first female team overall, but they also forged a solid group of women
that, to this day, continue to train and compete together.
Why
“Betty?”
Long
story short, “the Bettys” started out as the Bouncing Bettys, but with
a little research, noted that the name was associated with more than one
negative definition. Not wanting to start off on the wrong foot, we
decided to shorten the name to “the Bettys.” Simple, but yet
complex. Understated but boisterous. Whimsical and yet seriously
determined. Each of these statements describes the women of the
Reach the Beach Relay Teams that have competed and placed either in 1st
or 2nd
place overall. Not bad for a group of local girls that hardly knew
each other or how well they were going to perform as a team.
Needless to say, the Bettys were here to stay.
To
Be(tty)or Not to Be(tty)
Should
the Bettys form their own Running Club?
This
was a question that many of the Bettys had been asking each other.
The Bettys, as an organized, cohesive group had been offering many of the
same amenities that the local running clubs made available accept for a
couple of things…mainly, bylaws, a bank account and well, men, to name a
few. As new Bettys joined the existing group, many wondered what it
took to be a member of the club. We had and have no criteria or fee.
Whether it be a beginner, the experienced marathoner or any facet
in-between, all abilities are welcome. For that matter, more than a
few Wamps, of the male variety, had been joining the Bettys for their
usual Saturday morning long run. Light bulb goes off.
When
building the Betty team, we solicited members from many different running
clubs, but predominantly, they came from the Wampanoag Road Runners.
We noticed that many of the women not affiliated with a running club that
joined the Betty,s often joined the Wamps pretty shortly thereafter.
Hmmm, that light bulb again…should we form our own club? Should we
join the Wamps and keep this great thing going? What to do?
Not wanting to upset the two active and prosperous clubs by doing
something that would not benefit all, the combined club theory seemed to
be where we wanted to go. The Wamps did not want to lose many of
their female runners to a separate club, and the Bettys did not want to
lose out on the benefits that the Wampanoag Road Runners had to offer.
Streetlamp sized light bulb going off now…. An opportunity, a marriage,
a merger, a union…a vote. We give you the Betty/Wamps.
A
unanimous vote from the board of the Wamponoags produced the Betty/Wamps
or Wamp/Bettys or the Bettys, which ever you prefer.
The
Wampanoags (the mother or father club) has always been, but is even more
so now, a welcoming and expanding running club with many active female
members, many of them… Bettys.
It’s
incredible to see the increasing number of female runners out on the road
today. It would be wonderful to see even more of those women join the
Wamps/Bettys for a group run soon. The benefits are a motivating, safe run
loaded with support and encouragement. If you haven’t checked us
out, you should soon. You don’t know what you’re missing!
|
|
Send mail to wrrweb@yahoo.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|
