Reston Runners

STATE OF THE CLUB REPORT

November 2010

Your Board of Directors believes that it’s timely and appropriate to give you, our members, a report on the activities and condition of the Club.  Our membership includes 154 families/households and 479 individual members. These numbers continue to grow each month.  Membership chair Leslie Stanfield keeps our roster in good order.

We had another series of successful spring and summer programs.  Our very popular Women’s Training Program enrolled almost 400 women who began or continued to reach their running and walking goals.  Director Ann Deschamps was aided by 40 enthusiastic and spirited assistant coaches.  Many of the women transitioned into participation in our regular Saturday and Sunday runs and walks. Many also participated in the Women’s Distance Festival, our most popular event.  Donna Rostant and her Race Committee make the Festival race an event not to be missed, with nearly 500 participants and hundreds of passionate volunteers. Youth in Motion, our 10-week summer children’s program, continued to be extremely popular.  We reached the enrollment limit of 365 kids within 9 hours of opening on-line registration.  Kudos to Directors Mary Klaff and Mij Phelps and their nearly 70 assistant coaches for facilitating this program.   Pete Bruno reports that the new Marathon Training Program for experienced marathoners, completing its first season, was fully subscribed and deemed a success. The MTP incorporates and extends our long-running Interval Training Program, which Ellen Mannion coordinates, and which again attracted over 90 participants. The Club’s annual pilgrimage to Boonsboro, where 52 RRs completed the JFK50 this year, was organized by Anna Bradford and Todd Wait. Thanks to Anna, the Club has developed a national reputation for its superb support of first-time ultra runners.

The aforementioned Saturday and Sunday runs and walks continue as the heart and soul of the Club’s programs.  Their popularity, seen by the growth in numbers of participants, makes it an ongoing challenge for Dennis Hays and his Course Committee to find new, interesting, and safe courses that can begin and end where there is adequate parking.  In that regard, we are also very grateful to all of you who help Moshe Fluk and his Gunga Dins who keep us hydrated year around, and to Deedee Loughran’s chalk-stained course markers who help keep us moving in the right direction.

The Club also gathered several times during the year for non-running events.  Our annual meeting and dinner in February, rescheduled to March because of Snowmaggeden 2, showed an increase in attendance over prior years (cabin fever, perhaps?).  Donna’s annual Christmas Party, rescheduled due to Snowmaggeden 1, metamorphosed into a cheerful New Year’s Eve Party. Our picnic and (almost) pool party in July was well received, as were other smaller events such as the New Year’s Run/Walk/Wade at Fountain Square, the Solstice Run, Memorial Day Madness, and Labor Day Adventure Run at Lake Fairfax Park. We are planning to make this year’s Thanksgiving Day cross-country race at Lake Fairfax Park even bigger and better. Its 30+ year history makes it the oldest event on the Club’s calendar.

As the Club grows we are constantly improving our communication with you, our members.  The new web site unveiled earlier this year required an immense amount of work; we owe immeasurable gratitude to Dave Breese, who led the effort along with Will Fraize, Charles Nazare, Beth McClusky, Brian Carlson, Tim Smith, and the other technical experts who volunteered their time and talents to help in its creation.  Our weekly eNews communication, written by Amy Barrett since March 2007, is a valuable email that most of us anticipate and depend on for up-to-date information.

We continue to be in sound financial condition and do not contemplate a need to increase our dues anytime in the near future.  You may be interested to know that a recent survey showed that our dues are among the lowest of any of the dozen or more running clubs in the Washington area.  We are grateful for the work done by Anna Bradford’s Finish Line Services crew, who earn substantial income for the club while providing a valuable service for many races in the area.

The Club’s ability to conduct the large array of programs and events depends entirely on the generosity of volunteers.  There are many other programs and events that the Club could conduct to offer additional services to our members and to the community, but we are limited by the number of volunteers who are willing to commit the hours needed to organize and execute them.  In short, if you want us to do more, then please give more!

Finally, I want to thank the members of the Board of Directors—Dennis Kelleher, Vice President; Patty Joyce, Secretary; Lea Gallardo, Treasurer; Mary Klaff, Bill D’Agostino, and Jarrett Marquis, Member-at-Large; and Joe Fleig, Walking Program Representative—for their tireless work and extraordinary dedication.  In addition to our monthly meetings, each of them spends countless hours planning and assisting in a variety of club activities that contribute to our success as Northern Virginia’s premier running and walking club.

Keep moving!

Tim Cohn

Club President, Reston Runners