From the President (December 2024)

Dec 8

One year in the books for Becka and I and what a year it has been. We took the reins together as our time of co-coaching Mascenic cross country had ended and we knew that working together we can accomplish quite a bit. When it looked as though the club might stop functioning due to a loss of leadership, we both felt that we needed to at least step up and lend our commitment to the club we had both been a part of over the last 10 plus years. As Becka is known to say, she's been a part of the club since she's been sixteen and it's one of the things she loves about running.

We also knew that even without our commitment to high school cross country, we'd have to be practical when it came to running the club. We were both stepping back from coaching as it was pretty time consuming in season, and if we were going to ask the athletes to be fully committed, it only stands to reason we would need that commitment as well. Knowing her growing PT business and my new career were pulling us away, we stepped away from that, and seemingly right into this. But we did so knowing we would be asking for help from the membership with the activities that the club is known for and wants to add to the repertoire. To be quite frank, I was in it to save the Chillers and support the Wednesday Night track workouts I had coached previously and are now ably run by Becka.

So as we enter our second year having secured the Chiller schedule and after a real successful summer track workouts on Wednesdays, and additionally the education series and the new branding, it's time to think about where the club is going and how we want to get there. I've been known to say that if you have an idea you'd like to see the Milers be active in, don't just bring the idea but the manpower and willingness to get your hands dirty as well. I think I can speak for Becka and say we will support most endeavors the club membership is interested in, but it's going to take a group effort for whatever that might be.

Have a great holiday season and the Chiller series is right around the corner. I hope to see most of you there!

Mike Smith

Co president Mike Smith has been involved with running since he took up cross country in middle school. While never one of the top runners across the state, he did come away with a 16:35 xc PR before he stepped away from competing in his youth. Shortly into adulthood Smith came back to the sport for good, both as a means for fitness and simply to keep active and resolve some unfinished business. Looking to see if there was something left for him in high school sports, he became the head coach for his alma mater, Mascenic, and coached there for twenty five years before hanging up the head coaching position this past year. His teams racked up ten Division 3 team titles (8 boys, 2 girls) and qualified and competed at the New England championships twice. Not bad for a school of 270 kids. When not coaching, Smith is often found running, talking about running, or wandering around the woods and trails of New England.

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