Latest news with #Kutscher
Los Angeles Times
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Thousands of runners, each with their own story, set to take on the OC Marathon
It took time for Christine Mayfield to overcome the dread she felt in open spaces after she and five of her family members survived a mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas almost eight years ago. When she eventually laced up her favorite pair of New Balance shoes again, she did so with purpose: the Placentia resident made it her goal to complete 58 marathons in honor of each person killed in the attack. Mayfield is poised to cross that milestone Sunday at the Orange County Marathon. She said she wouldn't have gotten to this point without the patience and support of a group of 10 women she'll run with this weekend, which includes one other survivor of the same shooting. 'It made all of us realize that community is everything,' Mayfield said. 'We do everything together. We talk so much ... it has been seven and a half years of really leaning on each other and realizing we are blessed, we have our lives. There were 58 angels who did not come home from the concert that night.' Even after completing her 58th marathon, Mayfield and her group plan to continue sharing the stories of their 'angels.' In the process, they've connected with a broad and diverse community of runners, each going the distance for their inspiring reasons. 'When you're at the start line of a marathon you're very cognizant of the fact that your special story is one of many special stories,' Mayfield said. 'You look at the person next to you and perhaps they just finished their last chemo treatment. perhaps they just lost a parent or a tragedy in their own life, or a huge victory. Someone standing right next to you might have lost 100 pounds.' As of Thursday, there were about 3,600 people registered to run the marathon, 10,500 for the half marathon on Sunday, the event's race director, Gary Kutscher said. They include David Lyman, a retired Navy technician who plans to run the 26.2 mile course wearing a 74-pound blast suit to raise awareness for the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Warriors Foundation, as well as members of Ainsley's Angels, an organization of runners who push people with disabilities along with them in chariots so they can experience the joy of crossing the finish line. The routes laid out for the OC Marathon will feature plenty of challenges, including a late uphill section that can intimidate some as they approach it, Kutscher said. But the courses are not as hilly as similar events and a net downhill path, which can allow for faster times. 'It is probably one of the most beautiful half marathons that anyone will ever run,' Kutscher said. 'Starting at Fashion Island you turn the corner on MacArthur and you have the entire Pacific Ocean staring at you.' Kutscher advised those interested in cheering runners on to find positions away from the starting line. That allows the pack to thin out and makes spotting an individual among the throng easier. For the half marathon, he recommended watching from Castaways Park near mile 7, or around mile 11 along Irvine Avenue. For the full marathon, he suggested going to the foot bridge at South Coast Plaza or to the Bird Streets in the Mesa Verde area. The latter tend to draw a large gathering of people form surrounding neighborhood, creating a grassroots, festival like atmosphere. One place visitors are sure to catch up with runners is the finish line at the OC Fair & Event Center. It will also be the site of a carnival Kutscher described as a 'celebration of running,' giving attendees an opportunity to 'be social with other like-minded healthy people.' There will also be a lifestyle and fitness expo at the event center on Friday. And for Saturday, at least 4,000 people are signed up to participate in a 5K run and over 6,500 children will take on the Kids Run. The latter event is a recent addition encouraged by the marathon's primary sponsor, Hoag Hospital. They've invested heavily into the race in hopes of promoting more active lifestyles and getting people to think about their health earlier. The race has seen significant growth due to a rising popularity of running clubs and growing health consciousness, Kutscher said. There was a dip in younger participants in the OC marathon around 2019, but this year the number of registered runners aged 18 to 34 is almost equal to those in the 35 to 45 bracket. And as many as 25% of those joining this year will be attempting their very first marathon or half-marathon. Kutscher advised new marathon runners to stay hydrated and 'high five the volunteers or say, 'Thank you.' When you have that spirit of happiness while you're running, really it's good for you. If you have a happiness about you it will help you in your run.'
Axios
30-04-2025
- Health
- Axios
This D.C.-made IPA is like "micro-dosing alcohol"
Two local dads are trying to shake up the craft beer market with a low-alcohol IPA made here in D.C. Why it matters: Dad Strength Brewing's beers are meant to taste like full-strength IPAs, but they only clock in at a 2.9% ABV — much lower than typical IPAs, which often are in the 6-7% range. This comes as more people are drinking less or more moderately. State of play: Co-founders Ryan Kutscher of D.C. and Craig Carey of Clifton came up with the idea for Dad Strength two years ago when they both realized they couldn't throw 'em back like they used to — especially now that they had to get up and take care of kids. Kutscher puts it simply: "Being old is a b---h." They both love the taste of a craft IPA, so they didn't want to stick to Bud Light or NA beers. And they found that even session IPAs, which are typically under 5% ABV, could bring on a headache in the morning. But they couldn't find any traditional IPAs on the market under the 3% mark, says Kutscher. (Carey, meanwhile, was trying to work around this by mixing his IPAs with non-alcoholic beers.) When they initially set out to make Dad Strength, Kutscher says multiple brewers told them it would be impossible to make a good IPA with such little alcohol. But they ultimately figured it out and partnered with D.C.'s Atlas Brew Works to launch their first product last summer. "It's definitely a lot of deep brewing voodoo," says Kutscher, adding that the process has to do with managing the residual sugars left over from the brewing process. They now sell a West Coast IPA and a juicy IPA in D.C., Maryland's Montgomery County and Virginia. (A hazy IPA is forthcoming, as is the group's first non-IPA brew, says Kutscher.) They've got more flavor than a NA beer, but not as strong or caloric as a traditional IPA, says Kutscher. One can of Dad Strength is typically 94 calories. Mimi's thought bubble: I discovered Dad Strength during one of their tasting events at the Old Town Whole Foods, and I was an immediate fan. I love an IPA, but once I hit 30, I found that I'd have two and wake up the next day feeling like I'd lost my wallet at a Señor Frog's. But sometimes I want a lil more oomph than my regular weeknight NA beer — and this is my new go-to. What they're saying: Drinking Dad Strength is akin to "micro-dosing alcohol," says Kutscher. "We offer an interesting way for people to cut back that isn't cold turkey." The bottom line: And, sure, "dad" might be in the name, but the duo hopes all kinds of sippers partake in their beer.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A tale of two bills in Colorado
(Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury) This commentary originally appeared at Big Pivots. Matters of little consequence often get major time and attention. And vice versa. Two energy bills in the Colorado Legislature this year, one about nuclear energy and the second about electrical transmission, illustrate this. The first bill, House Bill 25-1040, which is now law, declared that nuclear energy is clean. It proclaims that utilities can meet clean-energy targets with nuclear. It also allows private projects access to financing restricted to clean energy development. The bill sailed through the Legislature. Gov. Jared Polis signed it into law March 31. For believers, those who want to believe that nuclear energy will be the answer, it was a big win. To what effect? Likely none. Forget about nuclear waste and safety concerns. Cost of energy from new nuclear plans remains exorbitant. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Some of this was sorted through in a four-hour committee hearing in March. Chuck Kutscher was among several dozen individuals given two-minute slots to testify. He deserved more time. A nuclear engineer by training, he subsequently moved into renewables, retiring from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory several years ago. At a later meeting in Jefferson County, Kutscher explained why he expects nuclear energy to play no role in Colorado's energy transition. It comes down to cost. 'I like to give credit where credit is due. And the fact is that nuclear power in this country has saved a heck of a lot of carbon dioxide and air pollution emissions,' he said. 'Nuclear provides almost half of U.S. carbon-free electricity, which is pretty impressive.' As for costs, Kutscher cited two metrics courtesy of Lazard, a financial company that monitors electrical generation. The cost of building new nuclear plants comes in at $8,000 to $13,000 per kilowatt of generating capacity. Solar comes in at $1,400, wind at $2,000. A broader metric, the levelized cost, includes capital, fuel and operating costs over the life of an energy plant. 'The longer a plant runs, the lower its life-cycle costs, because it's producing more energy,' Kutscher explained. By this measure, nuclear still comes up short: 18 cents a kilowatt-hour compared to solar and wind for 5 and 6 cents. Might costs drop with a new generation of small modular reactors? SMRs can generate 300 megawatts or less. One was planned in the West, but in 2023 the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems pulled out of its contract with nuclear company NuScale — because of cost. If nuclear costs make it a non-starter in Colorado, can renewables deliver us to an emission-free electrical system? The sun vanishes daily, and sometimes winds on our eastern plains die down, even for days. Kutscher sees possible solutions in improving storage technologies and expanded transmission. Transmission can enable electricity to be shared across multiple time zones and weather systems. Even moving electricity around Colorado more efficiently has value. The second bill, Senate Bill 24-127, proposes to do that. It would require investor-owned utilities to investigate tools called advanced transmission technologies. They will enable more use from existing transmission lines and associated infrastructure. Larry Milosevich, a Lafayette resident, decided six years ago to devote himself to fewer pursuits. He says he chose the role of advanced technologies for transmission because of its oversized impact. The transmission system developed during the last century has many inefficiencies. 'I would love to see advanced transmission technologies get a little more light,' he says. Why hasn't it happened? 'It doesn't have sex appeal.' This bill will not solve all problems. 'You need a lot of arrows in your quiver to get there. And it's not one technology that's going to save the day,' says Leah Rubin Shen, managing director of Advanced Energy United, an industry association that advocates for technologies and policies that advance decarbonization. More transmission will still be needed. Approvals take time. Using these tools can more rapidly expand capacity at lower cost. 'We characterize it as a no-regrets solution,' says Rubin Shen. State Sen. Cleave Simpson, a Republican from Alamosa, was the primary author of the bill. 'We can increase the capacity and resilience of our infrastructure without having to undertake expensive, large-scale construction projects,' he told committee members at a March meeting. The committee that day heard from fewer than a dozen witnesses. It passed an amended bill and moved on within 45 minutes. Several weeks before, the same committee heard nuclear testimony for hours. In a later interview, Simpson described the bill, slimmed greatly in ambition from its original iteration, as 'maybe a tiny step forward, but a doable one.' Unlike nuclear, not the answer, but a doable one. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
