In The Spotlight - Greg & Valarie Serrato

The success of the Inland Empire Running Club (IERC) is attributed to the core of volunteers who have worked tirelessly and endlessly towards the formation of the club and continue devoting time and effort for the common good of the club. Two very special IERC members, who have been actively involved with the club from the inception, to the present, have been chosen for the December Spotlight of the Month. We are very fortunate to have two such dedicated members, Greg and Valarie Serrato as part of the IERC family and it is our pleasure to share their stories with you.
Both were born in California, Valarie, known to all of her friends as “Val”, was born in Ontario and Greg in Orange. As a child, Val moved often, and later graduated from Alta Loma High School.

Greg primarily lived in Anaheim, California, and graduated from Anaheim High School.

Before getting married to each other, Val worked at a grocery store as a clerk, and night manager. During that time, she pursued her education at Chaffey College and later transferred to Cal State San Bernardino to earn her Bachelors degree in Liberal Studies.

On the other hand, Greg was pursuing his two passions in life. When he was only 5 years old, Greg began playing the guitar. His dedication to his music continued, and at age 11, he played in his first band! He continued to play the guitar in bands as a teenager. In addition to his music, Greg shared another passion since he was a child. Greg was also athletic and very active in sports. His dedication, hard work and effort paid off when he was chosen to play for Cal State Fullerton. He was able to pursue his passion in sports, while obtaining his education. Greg played ball while earning his B.A. in Business Administration!

Val and Greg have been married for 20 years! They have two children together. Their 18 year old daughter Loren, attends Mt. San Antonio College, and is pursuing an American Sign Language interpreting license (Very impressive!) Eric, their 14 year old son, is a freshman at Chaffey High School.

In addition to their two children, the Serrato family members are proud owners of 2 unique pets, Bearded Dragons (big lizards).

Greg also has two children from a previous marriage. A son Greg Jr. and daughter Christine.

Greg is a proud grandfather, and is blessed to have three grandchildren, Tyler, Julian and newly born, Natalie.

Although Greg and Val are the runners in the family, their kids have also shared some running experiences, by running various 5ks in the past. Currently, their son Eric prefers playing Football, and their daughter is dedicated to her school and work.

So, other than running, what do Val and Greg do on their spare time?

Val: “Running and the Club take up most of my free time”.
Greg: “At this time, I don’t do a whole lot outside of running. The club takes up a lot of my time, which I really enjoy.”

Greg and Val have always been involved with their children’s activities. When Loren played soccer, Greg and Val enjoyed watching her play. When their son Eric played baseball, they were on the Board of Directors of Little League. In addition to his board duties, Greg also managed and coached his son Eric’s teams. Greg enjoys working with kids, instructing kids on pitching, and even wrote a pitching instruction manual! “I get a tremendous thrill watching our son play high school football!” If Greg finds a little spare time, he grabs his guitar and plays. During the summer, they enjoy the outdoors, and camp as a family. And as we are well aware, Greg also loves to build websites and create graphic designs. The IERC website is one of Greg’s website creations!

We asked our couple to tell us about other hobbies:
Val usually tackles projects at home, last summer she began planting plants covering an area where a huge tree used to be. That project is ongoing.

Did you know that Greg was a professional musician? (Very impressive!) From 1993 to 2006, Greg had his own blues rock band with Ingrid Fistori’s husband Phil. Throughout his 13 year music career, he recorded ten cds-three which were nationally released in most major retail chains and received radio play on Major National and International radio stations like KLOS. “They used to play my songs during KCAL 9 News when Jerry Dunphy would announce the lotto numbers. That was funny! One night I was watching the news as they were reading off the lotto numbers and the background music caught my ear. I was thinking, “Man that sounds familiar- who is that?” “IT’S ME, I yelled out!”

Greg’s music has been featured in seven surf documentaries, in a motion picture titled, Let me Count the Ways, and is still played on blues stations all across the globe. Greg’s last studio album, “Like a Tornado” was nominated for best blues album by the Native American Music Awards. During his music career, he wrote for a number of blues music publications.

Val is an elementary school teacher. (No wonder she has so much patience with IERC members!). This year, she teaches a 6th grade class, and plans to motivate some of her students to run a 5k in the Spring. Greg has held several engineering and manager positions, and his current occupation is in Sales and Marketing.

So when did these two begin their running careers?

Val has run off and on throughout her life, however, never more than a few miles. Earlier in her life Val maintained her good health by teaching aerobics right out of high school and working out at the gyms where she was a member. Like many runners, when Val picked up running again she started running on the treadmill at the gym. In 2004, she began with 2 miles and gradually increasing the miles. “Once I ran my first 10k about 4 months later, I was hooked!”

She trained herself and ran the Palos Verdes Half Marathon and the Long Beach Half Marathon that same year! Then, Val met runner and current IERC member Ingrid Fistori, who encouraged her to join the Pacers Running Club at Butterfield Park. Val’s enthusiasm for her new passion encouraged Greg to join. After Greg joined, there was no turning back and the rest is history. Both enjoyed running and motivated each other to continue training.

Greg: Running has always been part of Greg’s life in one form or another, since he was heavily involved in sports. In the mid 80’s Greg began distance running during his lunch hour with people at work He ran to maintain his fitness and was in great shape when he met Val. After they got married, his focus was on his music career which attributed to bad eating habits, and lack of exercise. Greg became enthusiastic about running again when Val joined the Pacers Running Club at Butterfield Park, more specifically, when he saw Val run a 5k. Greg joined Val at Butterfield and vividly recalls, “So, that day the club was doing an eight mile training run and I was dying within the first quarter mile. However, I managed to finish the eight miles and kept with it ever since.”

Greg was inspired and motivated by Val’s dedication to the sport and the club which led to his enrollment. Greg recalls the first morning when he met Coach Eddie, “I was inspired as he was very encouraging.” In addition to his wife, kids and Coach Eddie, Greg attributes his motivation to all of the dedicated IERC members. “I really am here because of the people that make up this club.”

Since beginning her long distance running in 2004, Val has run 32 races, mostly half marathons. Greg has run a total of 30 races, mostly half marathons.

Val does not really have a training routine per se, she likes to run 5-6 miles 4 days a week and a long run on Saturday morning. She tries to do speed work (lately on the treadmill) and on another day, she’ll try a hill run.

When Greg is on a serious training program, “I incorporate all of the different facets of distance training principles. Speed Work, Long Slow Runs, Hills, Tempo Runs, Interval Training and Strength & Cross Training.” When doing longer miles, he cuts down on speed, “which saves the legs and builds endurance.” He also pays close attention to his nutrition.

After all of those races, there were memorable moments. For Val, the most memorable race was when she ran a Nike 10k called the Run Hit Wonder. There was a band playing a hit song at every mile. The race started in the evening outside the Los Angeles Coliseum, and ended inside the Coliseum. The memorable event was that both were stuck in traffic, and ten minutes to start time, Val told Greg to pull over. Val got off, dashed to the starting line with one minute to spare! (Are you sure it wasn’t the Dash Run Wonder 10K? What a way to start a race!)

Greg’s most memorable race was his first one. It was the Dinosaur Dash 10k in Tustin. Why was this race the most memorable? “Because it was when I realized I want to do this for the rest of my life. I was so out of shape and sucking serious wind that day. Val kicked my butt. The race helped me to establish my goals for losing weight and becoming a marathoner.”

What was the strangest or funniest thing that Val has experienced during a race? “The first year I ran Long Beach Half, I was shocked to look over around mile 3 or so and see men urinating on the side of a building. I was grossed out.”

Greg’s strangest experience during a race was while he was running the 2008 Los Angeles Marathon. “The strangest thing I experienced during the race was that I ended up in the hospital during the 2008 Los Angeles Marathon. As Coach Eddie says, “Long Story Short”, something went terribly wrong and I had a severe meltdown just before mile 18. I was so messed up I couldn’t even walk, let alone keep my balance”. Greg made his way to the First-Aid tent and the medical personnel insisted that he go to the hospital. Greg at first resisted, however, after an hour and two I.V. bags, he was off to the Emergency Room, where he was kept overnight.” Later he learned that had he continued in the marathon, he could have suffered a heart attack based on his high “Troponin levels”. Tests later revealed he has a healthy heart! The doctor told Greg, "Your heart just wasn't in it today."

What race would these two like to run in the future?

Val would love to spend her anniversary with Greg at the Maui Half Marathon, “what a great way to celebrate another year together.” While Val has romantic notions on her mind for her ideal run, Greg has other challenges in mind that first must be conquered.

Greg has his mind set on several marathons and first and foremost, he has his heart set on running, “the most historic race which you actually have to qualify for”. Greg would like to run the Boston Marathon. Secondly, he would like to run the Chicago Marathon, simply, because “it’s there”. Also, he wants to run the New York City Marathon, which he says is a major event in one of our greatest cities with lots of world class runners and finally, the Maui Marathon, because after all of those races, “I’ll need a vacation.” So, Val will eventually get her wish!”

Val would like to be able to run and keep up with Greg however, has realistically accepted that it’s not possible. Val is happy to share running with her sister Rhonda, also a long time member of IERC. However, she thinks that it would be ideal if her other sister, Andrea, joined them! Val would like to see all three sisters running together someday. (Come on Andrea!)

So who would Greg like to run with? Greg has never crossed the finish line with Val, and hopes that when they run the Maui or New York, they will run together and enjoy the experience. Greg and his son Eric have also talked about someday running a marathon together. Greg thinks that would be “cool” and looks forward to that experience.

Their favorite race distance is the half marathon. Greg admits that the half is not as testing on the body’s limits as a marathon is.

What advice do these two legendary runners offer new members?

Val has the right ideas, “I try and sleep plenty two nights before the night of the race”. That’s because she already knows that she will not sleep well the night before the race. For her nutritional needs, Val tries to do exactly the same thing she does during a long run. For quite some time she has been eating oatmeal prior to her long runs. Prior to the Long Beach Half, she took hot water in a thermos, so she could eat her oatmeal when she arrived.

Coach Greg also has plenty of sound advice as well. Greg tries not to think too much about the race itself. He also enjoys eating a bowl of oatmeal, drink a couple of Emergen-C mixed with water, swallows a few electrolyte tablets, sips on Gatorade and drink more water. Prior to the race, “I always say a little prayer at the start line asking the lord to keep his hand on Val and on everyone racing. I pray for everyone to make it safely through the marathon”.

What about after the race, what do the couple enjoy doing right after the race.

Val says, “I am not picky”. She’ll eat pizza, Mexican food, anything, so long as she doesn’t have to wait too long, and she doesn’t have to cook.

Greg on the other hand has a more discriminating taste after a marathon, he must head to a hamburger joint and order, “the biggest, greasiest, double cheeseburger” on the menu, with a large diet soda of course! Greg says, “Hamburgers settle my stomach.”

Both Val and Greg prefer Asics running shoes. They have always liked Asics and Val says, that she’s had tremendous luck with that brand of shoe. Val also likes Underarmour apparel. She has yet to find comfortable running shorts and welcomes any suggestions.

Greg runs in any apparel that feels comfortable.

After all these years of continued running, what and who inspires Val and Greg to keep going?

There are several reasons Val continues running. Like most of us, we love to eat! Val says, “Food” inspires her to run. If you like to eat, running is a great activity to allow you to indulge once in a while. Also, Val realizes that she has, “worked too hard building up her endurance to have to start all over again”. Her biggest inspiration and motivation however, is her husband, Greg. “It gives us a lot to talk about and do together”.

Greg’s inspiration comes from various sources. “My wife, first and foremost inspires me”. It is what they spend most of their time doing together. Greg also finds his inspiration in the, “wonderful people who make up the IERC”. He is inspired and enjoys watching members progress from their first training run to their first marathon. The faster runners like, “Danny, April, Guy, Daniel, Stan, Frank and Ron, and others” are great inspiration to him. The IERC members are what motivate him to continue training, coaching and showing up on Saturdays. One final comment why Greg shows up on Saturdays, “Oh yeah…and Val kicking me out of bed!”

Everyone has their pet peeves at a race. For Val, she dislikes “people that push or run into you to pass you and then you pass them later while they are walking.”

Greg has three pet peeves. He dislikes, “poor parking conditions” and of course like the rest of us, “the nasty porta-potties” and “having to walk far to the car after a grueling race!”

Do you listen to music, and what is your favorite? During the Saturday runs, Val usually doesn’t listen to music because, “the company of the group keeps me going”. However when she runs alone, she may listen to Christian contemporary, pop, 80’s to Greg’s music. “Nothing beats, “The Eye of the Tiger” when you need a little kick at the end of a long run.”

Greg has had technical difficulties with his iPods, so they became a distraction to him when trying to focus on racing. When training alone, he does listen to a variety of genres. From softer rock music at the start, a blues shuffle with a kickin’ beat, classic rock, and some 80’s new wave.

Why did they join a running Club? Although Ingrid told Val how great the running club was, Val was able to see the group dynamics herself. When Val saw the group at the Long Beach half marathon, she knew she wanted to be part of it.

Greg joined the running group because Val had joined and he realized that he needed to regain his fitness. When the prior running club went through various changes, both Val and Greg, as well as a small group of club members decided to return to Butterfield Park. This small group put their heads together, rolled their sleeves up and began the formation of the IERC!

Val and Greg have actively participated with IERC, from the inception to the present. So what do they enjoy the most about the club? Val enjoys the people, she enjoys catching up with friends while running and “I love to see new members hit milestones of distances they are running”.

Greg loves everything about the club, “the people are what I enjoy the most. The club is very special to me and I’ve developed some great friendships along the way. I love the course we train on and how the club attends races together. We’re like one big happy family and I am so lucky to be part of it.”

So what goals do these two members have for the next 5 years?

Val would like to just keep it up. Perhaps she would move up to the 9:30 group. Greg’s goals for the next 5 years include: to continue losing weight, to a weight that would be more suitable for faster times, and to qualify for Boston at the 2010 LA Marathon. His goals also include, doing his best to help people achieve their running and weight loss goals. Also, he would like to travel with Val to different states to run marathons. Greg would like to eventually try an Ultra marathon. So, someday he will hook up with Husein and Georgina. The IERC has grown so fast, leading to his next goal, which is to learn the names of every IERC member. Greg would like everyone to come up to him and re-introduce themselves and he’ll make it a point to do the same.

What advice do you have for someone just starting to run? Val provides very practical advice to new runners. “its one mile at a time” if you did 5 last week, you can do 6 this week”

Greg also has sound advise, “Stay with it, and don’t get down on yourself if you don’t meet your expectations right away.” “Always remember that whether building speed, endurance or losing weight, real results take time. Always train smart and learn all you can about the sport. Don’t be afraid to ask questions! During your toughest moments of a race is when you will define yourself by breaking through all obstacles. So take time to prepare mentally, as well as physically. Take something positive away from each race and treat each running experience as an important step towards your ultimate goal. Most importantly, have fun with it!”

They would like to share their favorite inspirational quote with the IERC members:

Val’s favorite quote: Matthew 19:26 says, “…but with God all things are possible.”

Val would like to provide additional insight, to give you a better idea of who she is: “I love Christ, my savoir, with all my heart and thank Him for giving me the ability to get out there and run.” She believes that she has been blessed to meet other Christians in the club and able to share their faith and pray together for each other. Val also believes that she has been blessed with so many friends by becoming a runner."

Val would also like to share another inspirational quote, found in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”.

Greg’s inspirational quote is found in Romans 8:37, which reads…”We are more than conquerors through him that loves us.”

It is most appropriate that Val and Greg are our Spotlight Members for December! They are truly a gift to the club. We are so grateful that they share their lives with us and that the IERC has become their second family! In addition to both being Founding Board Members, Club Treasurer, Head Coach, Group Leaders, ect. They do so much more for the club that words alone cannot express! Greg is responsible for the IERC website! The reaction of those who visit the IERC website is, "Wow!" Isn't this the best website! In addition to the website, Greg also dedicates a lot of his time providing IERC members with Weight Loss and Nutrition advice for a healthier lifestyle.

THANK YOU VAL AND GREG FOR YOUR DEDICATION, TIME AND EFFORT. THE GREATNESS OF THIS CLUB IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE ORIGINAL FOUNDING MEMBERS, SUCH AS YOURSELVES! BOTH OF YOU ARE UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS WHO AND HAVE TOUCHED SO MANY LIVES WITH YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS!