One of the great things about East Nasty is that Mark Miller has not only fostered a fantastic community of runners, but also a dedicated group of volunteers. The volunteer opportunities within the group are numerous and range from pace group leaders, to cup washers, to graphic designers, to Couch to 5k coaches, and so many more. It’s with great pleasure that I introduce to you one of our dedicated volunteers (and runner!) as this weeks East Nasty of the Week, Alyce Scrivner! Alyce Scrivner was born in Colby, KS and has also lived in Manhattan! (KS), and Winfield, KS where her parents still live. While in junior high Alyce was involved with the track team and focused on short distances (100 m dash, 100 and 200 m hurdles, and 4x100 relay team) and she was also on the cheer team. Her high school had no sponsored sports, so she did a lot of mountain biking.

Attending Oklahoma Sate University in fabulous Stillwater, OK, she majored in hotel and restaurant administration. Alyce considered herself a bit of a book nerd in college as she was concerned with keeping up her academic scholarship, but she continued to mountain bike and also work out at the gym.

Living in Nashville since 2001, Alyce is currently in her second year of teaching with Metro Nashville Public Schools where she teaches culinary arts to 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students at Glencliff High School.

Alyce fell into running the exact same way I did. She and her husband, Mark Scrivner, were taking a boot camp class at the YMCA and she was forced into running! She had previously left the running to her sister and Mark, but she decided to try her hand at a half marathon. She was well on her way to increasing her weekly mileage when she found out she was pregnant. She didn’t let pregnancy stop her and she finished her first half marathon 7 1/2 months pregnant walking the 2008 Country Music Half Marathon!!! Get it girl!

It was through Mark that Alyce learned about East Nasty. Mark was one of the original East Nasties, but Alyce didn’t start running with the group until 2010. Since 2010 Alyce has given back so much to Easty Nasty. She has coached several Couch to 5k groups and for the past 3 years she has led a group of women in training for the Women’s Half Marathon in September. It should be no surprise that giving back to East Nasty is one of her favorite things about the group. According to Alyce, “I feel a bit of pride when I see the Couch to 5k trainees at the Wednesday East Nasty runs following the 5k. The trainee stories that I hear and the questions that I’m asked help me to better understand why I’ve taken up running.” And when talking about her Women’s Half Marathon group Alyce is so honored to be the one to help many of these women train, some even for their first half marathon.

After the finish of the 2012 Women's Half Marathon with Mark and Chloe.

Alyce’s biggest supporter is definitely her husband Mark, well it’s probably a tie between Mark and their 5 year old daughter Chloe. (If you see someone pushing a darling little girl in a jogging stroller playing with an iPhone, chances are it’s either Mark or Alyce!) Mark is proud of Alyce’s running accomplishments-running a 2:30 half to begin with and now running at just around 2:00. He knows (and I know too), she will make that goal of a sub 2 hour half.

Alyce, Mark, and Chloe at the Mayor's 5k in 2012

Mark is more proud of how his wife gives of herself to the running community. Mark had this to share with me, “The thing that makes me the most proud of her running is how dedicated she is to giving back to our running community by coaching the Couch to Tomato and Women's EN Half Marathon groups. She plans her weekends around her group trainings and never misses. She always comes home to tell me how well her groups did or how proud she is of them…it inspires me to be a better person!”

Alyce with a few of her 2012 Nashville Women's Half Trainees.

Alyce, congratulations on East Nasty of the Week and thank you for all that you have given and shared with the East Nasty Community. Easty Nasty couldn't survive without our volunteers like you!