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Written by Martin Mazur

The Nittany Track and Field (NTF) youth club will start its summer training season on May 5^th, 2014. The practices will be 4 times a week, Monday through Thursday 6:15-7:45 pm (attendance is flexible), at the State College Area High School South Track. The season will run until July 17th.

We invite kids of different ages: as young as 8 years old through high school. The program is good for both new-comers who are interested in trying track and field events and more experienced athletes who would like to improve their skills and performance or prepare for summer competitions.

The following disciplines will be practiced: sprints, hurdles, distance running, jumps, and throwing.

Here's an informational flyer. More information about the Club and updates is on the NTF website: www.ntfxc.com 

NTF is also looking for additional coaches and volunteers to help with small groups and events. If you have any questions or would like to help coach, contact Mark Fedkin 814-876-0461 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

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Written by Bwana

April 17, 2014

Sandwiched between the commemoration of last year’s Boston terrorist attacks and this year’s triumphant return was today’s Thursday Track workout. Michael Goldfine, Mark Fedkin, Mike Casper, Marty Klanchar, Jon Thurley, Jaimie Wright, Mike Renz, Dana Todd, Mike Zimmerman, Rob Peterson, Kevin Becker, Jeff Welsh, John Iceland, Rich Harter, David Lloyd, John Sheakoski, and Marty Mazur headed for the track under partly cloudy skies, light breezes, and cool temperatures. In other words, pretty nice mid-April conditions sandwiched between a change from a mini heat wave to a hint of winter’s return, and whatever this weekend brings.

There’s been a lot of attention to this year’s Boston Marathon, and rightly so. Bwana, in his role as Propaganda Minister for the NVRC, has been fielding questions from numerous reporters wanting to know what special thing the NVRC is doing this year. And he’s directed these reporters to the capable hands of Jaimie Wright, Tom Cali, and others, who have been getting flash bulb eyes from all the attention, including a story in the latest Town and Gown. The NVRC has been organizing teams for Spring marathons for 11 years to raise money for Centre Volunteers in Medicine, and over the years the teams have raised well over a quarter of a million dollars for that worthy cause. Because of the natural attention to this year’s Boston run, Jaimie, who is coordinating this year’s Marathoners For Medicine teams, has been busier than a one-armed paper hanger with hives. A photographer for one media outlet or another has been to at least two of our recent Thursday Track workouts including this one. As Jaimie and Marty K. were being interviewed, Bwana had the Crew who weren’t tapering do the Fortitude Workout: 4X(400-200). The 400s to be run at mile race pace or better, then after a 100m ‘rest’, the 200 at just short of a sprint. Take a 400m rest, then do it again.

Good luck to all of this year’s Boston Marathoners! And ditto to everyone running a Spring marathon or half-marathon for CVIM!

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Written by Martin Mazur

The Centre Volunteers in Medicine Marathoners for Medicine Challenge Team is looking for runners who are competing in a SPRING MARATHON or HALF-MARATHON to join our team. Raise money to help your friends and neighbors without health insurance receive affordable medical and dental care.

Combine your love of running with an opportunity to make a difference to the individuals who receive care at CVIM, their families, their friends, their employers, their communities and all the people they touch in their lives. For more information or to join the team, contact Jaimie Wright at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

There will be a kick-off meeting for Marathoners For Medicine team for March 3 at St. Paul's United Methodist Church at 5:30 p.m. Pizza will be served; please feel free to bring a side dish or dessert to share. We will be using the 3rd floor of their Education Building (the building directly across Calder Way from the church).   People can park in the church parking lot after 5PM. The lot is accessed via Calder Way right behind the church and next to the Education Building.   Additional parking is available in the McAllister Street municipal parking deck (just behind Rotelli’s).  Enter the Education Building via the double glass doors facing McAllister street. 

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Written by Mike Renz

March 25, 2014

Oh we find ourselves once again at Curtin St.
My legs still throbbing from the 6 repeats.
Will they get back to normal?  I think so.
Is this a great hill to workout on?  I think so.
So seemingly steep,  so seemingly long.
Hot it wasn’t today, cold…not so much either.
Love us some hills.  Find us more hills.
Me?  I love racing up hills.
Some others – not so much. Hill repeats like
Red, red roses.  Newly sprung this cold ass March.
Head back up that hill, then you’ll make more sense.

It was a springfully chilled day as Ben Tolton, Jim Moore, Meira Minard, Andy Maguire, Tom Cali, George Lesieutre, Dean Capone and Mike Renz red-headed to Overlook Heights to get in some hill repeats and some window peeping.  Tom and George forgot that today was hill repeat day, and merely hilled, but didn’t repeat.  The rest of the clan managed 6 repeats, with 1 spirited down-peat…which Meira “you’re not the boss of me” skipped since she was busy peering into the windows of every house along the street, looking for Mr Right, or was it Mr. Red? 

Join us next week, which will likely land us at the Grove hill – another grueling, but slightly shorter hill than Curtin. 

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Written by Marty Mazur

The 2014 Race Series is underway. Two races in the Series, First Night and the Indoor Mile Series, have been run. A Leaderboard showing the top point getters through the first two races is shown below. Full tallies to date are shown here.

The 2014 Series will feature two races new to the Series: The Flutopia 5K and the Allegheny Front Trail Runs. Unfortunately, these races will be held this year on the same day, July 26, but they attract different kinds of runners, so there shouldn't be too big a conflict. The Flutopia 5K is set in beautiful Tudek Park and features musicians on the course. It was a big hit in its inaugural running last year. The Allegheny Front Trail Runs are entering their third year. They are a set of 3 trail runs, 50K, 20K, and 1 Mile, in and around Black Moshannon State Park.

There are also several new opportunities to earn Volunteer points: Helping out at the NVRC/Centre Parks and Rec Youth Cross-Country Meets, Volunteer coaching with the Nittany Track and Field Youth Group, and donating blood at the NVRC Blood Drives. (If you donated at last month's drive, email Series tally-master This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. !)

You have to be an NVRC member to participate. Join the Club! More information on the Series is here.

Leaderboard

Race Series

Volunteer Awards

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Written by Martin Mazur

Three important volunteering opportunities to help our running community are just waiting for you to pitch in.

(1) The Knights of Columbus 5K needs a new director. The race is a great opportunity for a budding Race Director: It’s a known race, but a small race. You’d get plenty of help learning the ropes. There’s plenty of lead time: the race is in early October. If we can find someone to take over this race, it would return in 2014 to it’s old staging area at the Knights Hall on Stratford Drive. Contact Marty Mazur at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for information.

(2) The NVRC needs a new Apparel/Schwag coordinator. This person would take care of the things the Club currently sells, such as logo magnets and running apparel, and look for new opportunities to bring NVRC-labeled products to our membership. Contact Marty Mazur at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

(3) Finally, the Boalsburg Memorial Day Race would like to find a new director. This is a large (~400 runners) but well-established race. It’s part of the larger Boalsburg Memorial Day festivities. It’s not an NVRC Club race, but has been put on for nearly 40 years. Though the race is big, the fact that it’s so well-established can make it relatively easy to inherit. Ashley Kraige is the current director. She would be available to help this year with the transition of leadership. Please contact her This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are interested.

Thanks for your consideration.