With this 4th of July heat dome, now’s as good a time as any to Beat the Heat with TCTC! What an exemplary portrayal of what channeling a passion can look like. Beat the Heat, under the tutelage of Er. Ralston and the infinite support of the community has grown to be a shining example of a race program in TCTC’s stable of great events. This year it’s the RRCA National 5K Championship race, kudos to the team! I bet we all can’t wait to beat this heat.
And what would the ultimate run club be without the Ultimate Runner! This year we honored Sandy Wetherhold, who dedicated forty years of “blood sweat and beers” to Ultimate Runner, a challenging yet beloved event. I would like to thank Sandy and the team for another successful orchestration of this signature event.
What I love about being a part of this club is that while running is the glue that brings us all together, we get to enjoy so much more. In June we had our Night at the Dash, where our very own Molly got the crowd going on the big screen during a live lyric challenge. It was a fun evening, and we had a great time catching up, sharing stories and just celebrating our camaraderie. Looking forward to being together again at the 4th of July fun event!
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”.
As we reflect on fifty years of the Club, forty years of Ultimate Runner, and even 10 years of Hobby Trails we are reminded that these milestones had a beginning. In the same way Sandy’s hosting of the first Ultimate Runner blossomed into a forty year event, some of us are gearing up for or celebrating firsts of our own: a first run, 5k, ultra marathon, or something in between. For the Club, some new legacies in the making include our newest Social Media chair, Jack Ashley, who is excited to help keep us engaged with the wider running community. We’ve also started a new group run, which has seen consistent growth as Marlena Westcott and John Rhodes continue to adapt this run to meet the group where they are. Let’s take pride knowing that we chose to have these beginnings. Take a moment this month to reflect on your own achievements, and how you felt taking that first step.
Our organization is its active membership, steadfast volunteers and the passion they all bring. With this responsibility, we must maintain good stewardship today, to continue to be successful for the decades to come. I’m glad to share that we are implementing best practices we learned from across the running community at the RRCA convention, including modernizing by-laws, updating the yearly budget, and ensuring we protect all our signature events.
There are so many opportunities to engage in these vibrant events, either by participating or volunteering. Some July events include the Hanes Park cleanup on July 11, $5k on the July 14 and Beat the Heat on the 18th. Also, If you’ve signed up for the Richmond Marathon join the TCTC team. I’d love to hear your marathon training and day-of tips. Looking forward to another tremendous month. Stay cool, stay dry and happy 250th birthday to these United States!