For Current Local Running News and Discussion, Join Our Google Group!

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Written by Martin Mazur Martin Mazur

In early 2018, we moved our email listserve to Google Groups due to unreliable service from our previous provider Yahoo. The Club listserve is where we keep you updated on coming events including races, group runs, meetings, and other activities. It's also a forum for discussing training programs, running health and injury prevention, and anything else of interest in the local running community. You do not have to be a dues-paying member of the NVRC to join our listserve, but we encourage you to join the Club!

If you would like to join our Google Group, instructions and more are here. 

Thursday Track Report: The Pitts! (Almost)

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Written by Bwana Bwana

September 12, 2019

Bwana must’ve misread the forecast. I thought today was supposed to be nice! Well, I guess it was, compared to yesterday anyway. The temperature was down about 10 degrees, to around 80, but it was still uncomfortably humid as George Lesieutre, Mike Martin, Rich Harter, Andrew Tatusko, John Hardy, David Lloyd, and Marty Mazur headed for the IM Fields. A few others, including Randy Jepson, Costas Maranas, and Torrie Raisch said “Hi”, then went off to do an alternative workout. Some of the fields neighboring the IM Fields were being readied for the onslaught of the Pitt vs. PSU game on Saturday. Should be a fun weekend!

A couple of people were new to the IM Field venue, so Bwana decided to introduce them to the letter L. Not the L with the deep pit, fire, and brimstone, but another kind of L. The workout was to do 6 to 8 X L, an L being a long and short side of the rectangular IM Fields. That’s about 320 meters. (It used to be a bit more than 330, but they compressed the field markings a bit this year.) Run each L at 5K race pace plus (i.e. a little faster than race pace, but not a “kick” or sprint pace). Follow your L with a rest as long as the next side. Since the Field is about 260 X 60, you’re alternating long (260) and short (60) rests. It’s a challenge to keep the Ls consistent!

Things have picked up a little bit, attendance wise, and Bwana hope the trend continues. It was good to see George, Andrew, and Rich back at it. Hopefully we have a regular group of at least a dozen soon!

Thursday Track: Current Venue

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Written by Bwana Bwana

August 29, 2019

The Thursday Track Crew meets every Thursday at the Curtin-Burrowes entrance to Rec Hall at noon for a warm-up run to the season's track venue. You can meet us at the season's venue or run with the group from Rec Hall as a warm-up. Join the Club listserve  for the latest announcements about Thursday Track.

NOTE: For years we were allowed to use Penn State indoor and outdoor track facilities, but the university has been tightening up access to all their facilities and so it is either impossible or cost prohibitive to do so. We now run at two seasonal locations: During the summer months (second week of June through second-last week of August), we do our workouts at the State High track, which is behind the South Building on Westerly Parkway. The rest of the year, we use IM Fields on the north side of Park Avenue just east of the Law School building. (During the worst part of winter, we sometimes do our workouts on the roads around the services buildings near the IM Fields to the north of Park Avenue.) You can run from Rec Hall to the seasonal venue, or meet us there. Meet at venue any time after noon. Some runners jog over from Rec Hall and meet us there around 12:25. By then, everyone is warmed up and ready. 

LATE SUMMER UPDATE (8/29): Now that school is in session at State High, we will be doing our speed work on the Penn State IM Fields on the north side of Park Avenue just east of the Law School Building.

NTF Youth Cross Country Program

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Written by Martin Mazur Martin Mazur

The Nittany Track and Field (NTF) youth club will kick off its 15th Cross Country season on August 26th! We invite boys and girls 8-18 years of age to join our fall cross country program. The program is geared towards a wide range of athletes - from beginners to advanced competitors. Our goal is to create a fun training environment for the youth to help them appreciate running as a life activity, train, improve, and achieve their goals. Cross country as a youth sport provides a good balance of the physical and social aspect - we go on runs in parks and on trails, travel to races, play our favorite games, and just have a good time in fresh air. See if your children want to be part of our team this fall.

Here is some information about the program in the nutshell:

Season: August 26 - November 17, 2019
Practice hours: 5:45 - 7:15 pm Monday through Thursday (+ Sunday long runs 3:00 - 4:15 pm). Attendance flexible.
Practice location: Tudek Park / Location varies for Sunday runs
Registration fees: $70 per season ($50 siblings)
Registration for the Fall season is open, and you can sign up online HERE. (Deadline September 5th)
Orientation session will be held at the beginning of the first practice (8/26 at 5:45 pm) at the first pavilion (near the tennis courts) at Tudek.

During the fall season, NTF athletes will have an opportunity to compete in local all-comers cross country races (NVRC-CRPR, Juniata Valley Striders), Middle School Invitationals, and Cross Country Regional and National Championships.

Here is the program FLYER you can forward to anyone who you know have children that may be interested.

For more information, please check NTF website (www.ntfxc.com), or if you have any questions, please feel free to email them to Mark Fedkin at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

2018 Race Series Cup

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Written by Marty Mazur Marty Mazur

The 2017 Race Series is in the books. Final tallies can be found here. The 2018 Race Series is well underway. So far we've had 2 races in the Series: the FIrst Knight Resolution Run 5K and the Indoor Mile Series. More races are coming, so lace up! 

We'll have the 2018 tallies here as soon as they're available. If you spot an error, please contact Bob Shafer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Check here for rules and here for the list of Series races. There are also numerous opportunities to earn Volunteer points: Helping out at NVRC races, 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, and many more. But to participate, you have to be an NVRC member to participate. Join the Club! More information on the Series is here.

Marathoners For Medicine Raise $45,000 For CVIM

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Written by Martin Mazur Martin Mazur

The NVRC Marathoners For Medicine raise money for Centre Volunteers In Medicine, a local medical and dental clinic serving the working poor in our area. Participants use a spring race as a focal point for their fundraising efforts. You don’t have to run a marathon to be part of the team. Sue Forster at Centre Volunteers In Medicine announced that the Marathoners For Medicine fundraising campaign of the NVRC raised $45,000 for CVIM in this year's effort. Here's the announcement:

"The 2019 Marathoners' team raised $45,000 to support the medically uninsured living or working in Centre County. Whether you believe in CVIM because you too have experienced the cost of being uninsured, because being a part of the team gives you the incentive to run/a purpose beyond personal accomplishment, or you are grateful for your health and health insurance YOU are a part of helping to save lives. Being a M4M team member means that you help to relieve dental pain, detect cancer earlier, get patients much needed medications and SO MUCH MORE.”

Thanks to Jaimie Wright for organizing this year’s effort. M4M will be gearing up for their 2020 effort after Christmas. If you’d like to join, contact Jaimie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.