NatNews

Last Thursday evening, some White Rock Running Co-op members decided to toe the line on an extremely windy day to participate in the White Rock Lake Conservatory’s annual Celebration White Rock race at the lake. Runners had the option of taking part in the 5K or 10K distance, both of which allowed the WRRC to shine.

Gigi McGuire won the female masters division in the 5K, while Alex Sizemore ran her personal best in the same race. In the 10K, Deirdre Lane captured the title for first female overall, and Toby Linder notched the male overall masters division win.

The course is not the only place where WRRC members made their presence known, though. 

A handful of them could be seen volunteering or taking professional-looking photos to document for the group. Kevin Roberts, WRRC admin, handed out White Rock Lake Conservatory hats to runners at the finish line—an experience and responsibility that he takes very seriously, especially when volunteering alongside other WRRC members.

“I love the camaraderie and support of the group,” Roberts said. “When you’re volunteering, you get to see it from a whole different perspective since you’re not focusing on your own run.”

WRRC’s own Scott Magdziak served as the unofficial photographer for the event, and all of the pictures he took can be found on his Facebook page.

Throughout the last 27 or so years, the dating scene and ways people meet one another have changed drastically. With the creation of Match in 1995 and the launch of Tinder in 2012, life for single individuals would never be the same.

“At first, I thought, this is amazing—I am 99% personality, so I will dominate!” Josh Odegard, White Rock Running Co-op admin, said of the discovery of dating apps. “But then I realized that, even in the online world, dating is 90% about physical appearance. So I didn’t struggle, because I’m not an ogre, but I did not thrive. But online dating did evolve into more efficient vehicles, and I did learn that if you know what you are looking for, it is easier to succeed. What you are looking for will tell you where you should focus.

Apps and online sites have made it possible for people to connect without ever meeting in person until their first dates. Some of them may never meet at all if the conversation gets painfully awkward or goes nowhere or if one party opts to ghost the other. According to the Pew Research Center, 30 percent of adults in the U.S. have used dating sites or apps. Of those individuals, 12 percent have married or been in committed relationships with people they first met through these outlets.

One of those success stories took place in the lives of WRRC member Becca Edwards and her husband, Jonathan. The two both used dating apps for approximately two years prior to coming across each other’s profile on Hinge. They have been married for five months now and are grateful for their love story—one that can serve as an example to singles who might be losing patience.

“Don’t give up hope,” Edwards said. “Don’t stress. Just take it one day at a time, and continue to focus on yourself. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. You will have to go through some awkward dates with duds, but eventually the right one will come along.”

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

Sophie Lanaux will capture your heart