ROSE CITY RUNNERS
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE PAGE

<-Club VP Cande Olsen, President Heather Lukeman and Ashlene Sylvester

President's Column - Heather Lukeman

As most members know, our club has a reputation as a group whose runners like to socialize as much as they like to run.  The glory lives on thanks to the Walshes’ St. Patrick’s Day party and the Brushes’ post-Clinton Country Run party.  Many thanks to both families!  Unfortunately, I was away during the St. Patty gathering.  After the Clinton Country 15K, I did enjoy having a chance to chat with a fun mix of newer and seasoned club members while eating back all the yummy calories that I’d just burned off at the race (and then some).  However, the social part of our club extends way beyond the parties.
 

If you don’t currently race much, you may not realize that our small social running club is also admired for its lively cheering at the post-race awards ceremonies.  Not many NJ clubs have a larger or more vocal presence as our members who race for our team (or individually, or for other teams) receive their awards.  We may be small in number, but we are mighty in voice together to support our running buddies.  We also have some wonderful fans who cheer on the fresh, tired, and in-between runners at those crucial hills and finish lines.  Some crazy ones (Dede) even travel hundreds of miles to make sure that friends have the emotional support they need in their toughest miles of a very hot Boston Marathon.  How lucky we are!
 

I’m so happy to see our Facebook account being used to encourage and tempt each other to hit the roads and trails more often.  Many of us are still wrestling with New Year’s resolutions to log more miles, try a new race distance, or to trim our paces or waists.  Some of my best runs recently have been the result of sending out or taking up invitations broadcast over the net.  I hope you’ll support others’ goals by sharing your plans to explore some favorite roads and trails with all of us soon!  And it never hurts if the runs or walks or hikes end near food…
 

Happy Trails!

Heather