Meet the Board of Directors
Officers
Brian Pessolano – President
I found a love for running late in life. In 2016 I decided to work on my health and set a goal to run my first half which ended up being the Blue & Gray Half. After that I had caught the bug and in 2017 ran my first full at Marine Corps.
I have 3 grown kids and live in Fredericksburg.
I am also the race director for the Great Train Race.
Elected 2021 & 2023
Vic Barthelemy – Vice President
I truly enjoy running and the benefits I receive from a healthier lifestyle. I started running at age 55 because of a challenge from my superior at work. I fell in love with running and been running ever since. I have accomplished things that I would never would have thought possible, running many marathons including the New City Marathon and 120th Boston Marathon. I have also accomplished running at least a Half Marathon in all 50 states. All these were made possible by the support from my wife and running family.
I moved to the Fredericksburg area in 2016 and joined FARC in 2018. FARC has been the connection I needed to continue to enjoy and improve my running. To me running is more than just putting one foot in front of the other, it’s the family you build around running. I came to my first Saturday Group Run and felt a true sense of family. It was not long and I knew this was the group I needed to belong to.
I hope to be able to run for a long time and continue to support the running community of Fredericksburg for as long as I live here. – Running the Good Race –
Elected 2021 & 2023
Carrie Thibodeau – secretary
Running has been a major part of my life for 15+ years. Training for races and helping others train is my true passion in life. I recently accomplished my ultimate goal, which was to BQ and have the honor to run in my home state in 2022.
I am so fortunate to be part of the FARC family. My fellow runners challenge me, encourage me, and overall help me to be a better runner and person. I am honored to be your FARC Board Secretary and I look forward to running with you!
Elected 2022
Rebecca Ivester – treasurer
I began running in 2013. I always admired the discipline of runners (both within and outside of their sport) and wanted to become one of them. Too intimidated to join track or cross country, my brief stint running in high school quickly fizzled out. In college, I began running here and there on my own (and only when the weather was good) and even signed up for the occasional race. I started to figure things out . . . slowly, and in 2017 I ran my first marathon in Edinburgh, Scotland. For the next three years, I (somehow) remained committed and continued to improve. I discovered Hal Higdon’s free training plans, found a few friends to run with, and raced more frequently. However, it wasn’t until I moved to Virginia and joined FARC (late 2020) that I began to understand running and appreciate the running community. Running was no longer strictly about discipline; running became my opportunity to meet people and make dear friends, it became my motivation to get outside (even in the cold), it became my way to explore new places and to connect with people wherever I go. I am honored and excited to get the opportunity to serve this amazing community and I hope that I can help running bring joy to others as it has brought joy to me.
Elected 2022
Directors
david lovegrove
2 year Director – elected 2023
SHAWN CARRINGTON
I started running very late in life, only taking it up seriously after my gym was closed due to the COVID outbreak. In May of 2020, a friend challenged me to join the “5K per day in May” Facebook Group. I have been hooked ever since! In the summer of 2021, I decided to attend a Saturday run with FARC. I was looking to meet some other runners who loved the sport as much as I do. As it turns out, I have met the most amazing people and have challenged myself to run longer/faster/more consistently because of their influence. I completed the Grand Prix series in 2021 and won an age group award which was quite thrilling. I joined the board in 2022. I could not be more proud to serve my community in this way promoting what I love.
2 Year Director elected 2022
Will Triplett
I have been a member of FARC since 2015 when I moved back to the Fredericksburg area for the third and final time for my final tour in the Pentagon. Originally from Baltimore, I found the area great to settle in for the long haul as we raised our daughter here (off and on) for the past 21 years, and it is close to home and a plethora of relatives that live in the DMV. I am a retired naval officer who now works as a consultant in the pharmaceutical industry. I really picked up the sport of running while stationed in Everett, Washington and became a member of a running group out there. So when we moved back to the area, I was happy to find FARC and meet such warm and inviting people who are a pleasure to be around and who share the same passion. It is my high honor to be your newsletter editor and I hope to keep you informed and entertained as we embark on this new chapter.
2 Year Director elected 2023
Honorary Board Member
