The regular meeting of the Nittany Valley Running Club was held on Tuesday, October 7, at the HiWay Pizza  on Westerly Parkway. Present were Marty Klanchar, Dave Eggler, Jerry Steffy, Marty Mazur, Kim Nelson, Dave DeGroote, John Wilcock, Tara Murray, Denise Weaver, Mike Casper, Pam Scott, Cheryl Capone, guest Katie Hamilton, and newcomer Ignasi Pi. Service was distressingly slow, but the Club made the best of it by drinking more beer.

Jerry had to leave early so he left it up to Marty to keep the meeting rolling. The first item of business was to get our visitor Katie Hamilton of the Sociology Department community service committee on the right track toward putting on a 5K. She wants to put one together for some time in April to benefit the local Youth Services Bureau. Katie got a lot of advice, hopefully some of it useful.

The end of this year's race season is coming, but there are still a few big Club events coming. This weekend is the big Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK 50 Mile Relay and Ultramarathon. Mike Casper reports that nearly 100 teams and 100 ultras will participate. After Tussey, we'll see the Nittany Valley Half-Marathon and First Night, as well as a few campus races. The year's NVRC Race Series closes out with the Half. We'll have the Series Awards Banquet at our next Club Meeting, December 2. So far Martha Nelson is ahead in the Race Series and Dave Eggler in the Volunteer points bracket.

Back to the Tussey race, Mike reports that there are 75 reservations for the pre-race dinner, a race record. Mike plands to announce a fundraising challenge to mOUnTaiNBACK teams. A prize will be awarded for individuals and teams that raise the most money beyond race fees for Centre Volunteers in Medicine.

Thanks were in order for Pam Scott, who provided wonderful treats for the participants in all the mOUnTaiNBACK Discovery Series training runs. Attendance will surely double next year.

Cheryl Capone reported that the Knights race was a success. She got through her first year directing and did a bang-up job. But attendance was down a little, and this is a continuing mystery. It's a great race and the regulars always have a wonderful time. Good sponsorship, and loads of prizes. So what keeps attendance low? Is it the conflict with mOUnTaiNBACK? The day? The time?, Location? What can we do to bump this race to the next level? Ideas anyone?

Marty Klanchar reported that membership is very good, over 215 members and families, this after he culled out the expired membership. The numbers will go up again with the Indoot Mile Series and other Club events.

Marty Mazur and Dave DeGroote reported that progress on the new web site, which was released in mid-August, is coming along. We're getting more and more of the old site trransferred over to the new format and making improvements continually. Suggestions are welcome.

The rest of the evening was spent eating, drinking, and helping John Wilcock study for his citizenship exam. John will probably make it as a Yank, though some of the other quiz-takers will probably have theirs revoked!

Next Meeting: December 2..