GreenFest brings runners to park

By Basil Gist

Staff Writer

       GreenFest returned to the Greenbelt six months late after spring showers washed out the original timeline.

       The squalls in late April and May followed by a dry summer made Saturday the operative moment for the event, despite a couple days of surprise storms leading up to the day according to GreenFest race director Jackie Lovelady.

       “Of course it waited months and months and months to rain on us this weekend,” Lovelady said. “We are very fortunate to be out here today. It was a down to the last-minute call.”

       She explained the unexpected moisture brought new problems.

       “Where the ground was so dry, it soaked in really well, but there are complications,” Lovelady said. “Our overflow parking is on a field. We put down mulch in the gates and high traffic areas, but I’m hoping not to have to pull people out with utility vehicles and my jeep.”

       A number of runners showed despite the soaked ground and drizzle.

       “We were going to do it six months ago and were ready to run in the rain then, too,” Matt Valentine said. “It actually worked out better because [my fiance] was not going to run six months ago but got in 5K shape in that time, so the postpone allowed her to get ready.”

       Valentine and his fiance Taylor Bjelland drove from Carrollton to compete.

       “It’s nice to put yourself through a challenge and realize you can do it,” Bjelland said. “It’s a great feeling to get across that line even if you don’t finish first.”

       Valentine and Bjelland are examples of people who are discovering the Greenbelt through the races, which, Lovelady explained, is the intention of GreenFest.

        “This is an event that’s put on by the Greenbelt Alliance in association with Texas Parks and Wildlife to raise awareness of this park,” Lovelady said. “It doesn’t look like much, but there is a whole lot here and if you’re from the Aubrey, Pilot Point or Denton area, we see that everything is growing concrete everywhere. This is going to be our Central Park as things grow.”

       Some, like Karen McCormick, a senior who opted to walk along one of the event’s courses with friends, joined specifically to support the alliance’s goal.

       “It’s a good cause, and it keeps us healthier,” McCormick said. “We were scheduled for the five, but we’re just going to do the one because of mud and everything else.”

       In years prior, organizers have considered expanding the offerings beyond a mile and 5K run. Lovelady is interested, but said she plans to guarantee the success of the event as it currently is before pushing further into the woods.

       “It was logistics, getting extra volunteers and providing emergency personnel,” Lovelady said. “The longer the distance, the further out you get people, and I did not want to have people unsafe. Until I get more experience under my belt, I’m going to take it slow.”

       Though she’s a runner herself, Lovelady explained she had her hands too full with making sure everyone else enjoyed their time on the Greenbelt to consider joining the competition.

       “My courses are designed to show people what they don’t know is here,” Lovelady said. “It’s a good event to get people out and moving. Today I get to make sure no one gets lost on my course and make sure people have a good time. I will not be running intentionally today.”