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. 

Minutes of the February 2nd 2021 of the NVRC

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Written by John Iceland John Iceland

Present: Jake Clements, Dave Eggler, John Iceland, Marty Klanchar, Marty Mazur, and Bob Shafer

The first item on the agenda was the challenge of planning local races during this uncertain period. The consensus was that races likely won’t return until there is broader vaccination and covid case counts go down. As race planning begins again in the coming months, it would be helpful to have guidelines on best practices for organizing events with participant safety in mind. One possible resource is the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), which has some guidelines on their website.

The second item on the agenda was the NVRC website, which is out of date. In addition, one of the club members who had helped routinely update the website has moved away. While the club does not have the resources for a professional redesign, the group discussed the possibility for a very basic redesign, such as by a club officer (or member).

Both of these issues will be revisited at the next NVRC member meeting on April 6.

Minutes of the April 6th 2021 of the NVRC

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Written by John Iceland John Iceland

Present: Amy Blake, Mike Casper, Dave Eggler, John Iceland, Marty Klanchar, Ken Knappenberger, Monica Mahoney, Marty Mazur, Bob Shafer, Jamie Wright The first item on the agenda was fundraising. The challenge for NVRC is that the Arts Fest races are not being held this year (nor last) due to the pandemic, and those are the club’s biggest fundraisers. Money from these fundraisers is what allows NVRC to support other running activities in town, such as youth running (e.g., Nittany Track and Field). Meeting attendees discussed various options for fundraising. One member will look into the possibility of holding an outdoor mile race some time during the summer. There was discussion of holding a club-sponsored race in August, and also initiating a new membership drive as the pandemic (hopefully) recedes over the summer and more group running activities are possible. The second item was an update on CVIM (Centre Volunteers in Medicine) running-related fundraising efforts. Jamie Wright, who is leading this effort, has been reaching out to get more people involved, especially since Nittany Valley Half Marathon (which raises money for CVIM) wasn’t held last year. Previously, the fundraising activity had been called “Marathoners for Medicine,” but this year it will be called the “2021 CVIM Challenge” as a way to open up fundraising efforts to runners involved in races of all lengths. There will be more publicity about the Challenge in the coming weeks. The third item on the agenda was the race calendar for the rest of the year. There are some efforts to organize races for the summer and beyond, though some of these are still in early planning stages. Races where more definitive plans are underway include the Nittany Valley Half Marathon on December 5. This year it likely will be a fairly bare bones, no frills race, such as not having a post-race party, due to current public health conditions. The main focus is raising money for CVIM. There likely will be a low entry fee. More information will be forthcoming beginning in May. The Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK 50 mile race is scheduled for October 24. The current plan is that the same entry rules as last year will apply to this year, where the race will include ultrarunners and teams only with family members. This is subject to change—to allow more relay teams—if public health conditions improve.

NVRC Supports 2020 Unofficial "Day of Caring"

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Written by Martin Mazur Martin Mazur

The 2020 United Way Day of Caring was canceled due to COVID. But in the middle of October, a small group of volunteers, along with Joe Hughes, the Penn State Golf Courses PGA General Manager, decided not to let the PSU golf course perimeter trail go back to a state of nature. Liz & Jim Kisenwether, and Cheree Jones coordinated the project. Also involved were Tracy Hanahan and Bill Kupinski.

The crew concentrated on areas near Walker Clubhouse, hole #8, and sections of the wooded path parallel to Blue Course Drive.

The Nittany Valley Running Club, as usual, offered to chip in for food and drinks, but the crew was small enough that Cheree Jones and Joe Hughes picked up the tab. The Club will get it next year when there's a bigger crew!

Here are some photo highlights of the day.

An example before picture before brush clearing.

Jim and Liz Kisenwether, Joe Hughes, Tracy Hanahan, and Bill Kupinski in an "after" shot of a cleared area.

Read more: NVRC Supports 2020 Unofficial "Day of Caring"

Course Map: The Nittany Valley Marathon (1972-84)

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Written by Martin Mazur Martin Mazur

Many of you remember the Mount Nittany Marathon, which was run in our area from 2013 to 2015. The Mount Nittany Conservancy put on the race, and the Nittany Valley Running Club provided advice and support. Marathons are hard to put on (and expensive) because of the logistics of setting up a course, providing directions, and adequate water stops, especially if the race is run in the summer as the Mt. Nittany was. Those were among the reasons that the race was only put on for 3 years.

What you may not know is that a long time ago, the area regularly held another marathon, the Nittany Valley Marathon. That race was run from about 1972 through 1984. The Nittany Valley Marathon was put on by the Nittany Valley Track Club, which is what the NVRC was called back then. The last running of the marathon in 1984 corresponded with the first running of the Nittany Valley Half-Marathon, which is still with us (and is one of the Club’s most successful races).

Read more: Course Map: The Nittany Valley Marathon (1972-84)

NVRC Group Run Survey

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Written by Martin Mazur Martin Mazur

June 8, 2020

The NVRC is looking to start up group runs again. We’re asking for your input now to help us to decide under what restrictions we’ll do this, whether the runs will be ‘official’, i.e. run under the aegis of the Club, listed on our web site Calendar and Facebook page, etc. The question of their ‘official’ status comes down to whether they’ll be covered under our liability policy provided by our umbrella organization, the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA). Local runners are currently free to organize group runs using our listserve, which is not an ‘official’ NVRC organ. However, if we were to advertise them on our web site or Facebook, potential liability questions could arise. In addition, many if not most of our group runs have, in the past, been led by Club officers. So, as you can see, even if we kept group runs as ‘unofficial’ meet-ups, connection to the Club and liability could come into play.

To help us make these decision, we’ve put together survey regarding starting group runs during the current Pennsylvania "green phase" of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Only the first three sections have required responses. The last section on your running personal habits is completely optional, as is the comments section.

Note that some pairs of questions are intended to cover some issues from 'both sides': e.g. Are you willing to participate in group runs if masks are required during the run? / Are you willing to participate in group runs if masks are NOT required during the run?

NOTE: We intend to have a general minimum policy for our ‘official' group runs based in part on state rules and guidelines for group activities, on the guidelines and recommendations of the RRCA, and on the responses of this survey. However, some group leaders may want to lead runs under more restrictions. If the group leader wishes more than the minimum restrictions, he or she will be asked to make them clear in the group run description.

Please take about 10 minutes to fill out the survey. And please put your ideas in the Comments section.

https://forms.gle/nVXgCp6PFzWQ8XKL8