From the President (November 2024)

This fall season, without the commitment of coaching, I have found myself out and about as a spectator at various events. The Healthy Kids Running Series, Homecoming Races, Senior Sport Games, Cross Country State Championship Races, and the list goes on. Besides the high I get from watching kids work together as teammates, push their limits, and enjoy moving their bodies, the one thing that really stands out to me is the COMMUNITY aspect of each of these events. Not a single one of these would run as smoothly as they do, draw the crowds they do, and promote the positive energy that they give off if it weren’t for the many volunteers present. 

When Smith and I volunteered to take over leadership of the Milers’ Running Club, we knew it was a big commitment. But, it was very apparent in the Membership Meeting that the MRMs have members who see the value in the COMMUNITY that the club provides beyond all the running, book clubs, education nights, and Chillers. 

Although we are seeing our membership grow and attendance at events increasing, I am not seeing the volunteering that I hoped we would have when it comes to making “stuff happen.” The Chiller’s got a LOT of support and for that I am and was super grateful, they ran like a well oiled machine thanks to all of our volunteers. So, as I am reflecting on where our member support is, I am thinking that maybe the “ask” just isn’t being heard/seen, because I know the COMMUNITY is here! 

Moving forwards, and you will see this in today’s newsletter, we will be highlighting specific areas that would benefit from extra member attention. The MRMs is a COMMUNITY CLUB and each of its members holds a very real VALUE! 

I love this club, it’s been a part of my life since I was sixteen years old. For me, it truly is about the community. I am honored to be able to have a leadership role with the MRMs and hope to continue to promote the community aspect of this club into the future! 

Happy Miles! 
Becka

Last Call for Chiller Venues!

At this point we have four venues scheduled for Chillers this winter, Jaffrey Rec, Temple, Peterborough (Elevation PT), and New Ipswich (Be Fit).  With no other suggestions (with a contact person) we can either offer four Chillers this season, or repeat the Peterborough venue.  So, if you have a place in mind along with someone we can talk to about it, please reach out to us with the contact info, or certainly feel you can reach out yourself. 

Here are the dates we will be using for Chillers this year: Jan 18, Feb 1, Feb 15, Mar 1, Mar 15

Membership Renewal & Club Sponsorship

Many of our Members join the club in the New Year with the start of the Winter Chiller’s Series. This year, we are hoping with the website upgrades that have been completed to date the process of Renewing or Joining the MRMs is smooth and seamless - fingers crossed, knock on wood, etc. 

Membership operates on a rolling basis and we plan to have emails go out to remind you of your upcoming expiring membership status when the time comes (not everyone joins in January). Last year we switched to Tiered Membership ($25, $50, $100) with different perks to each tier. These different levels can be reviewed online in each tier’s description. We are encouraging members to PLEASE renew your membership online in order to decrease the amount of hands on work, money handling, etc needed to be performed by Board Members. 

Along the same thread, we are looking to continue connecting the club to our Community via Sponsorships from local businesses. Divine on Main is one of our sponsors and is a great example of the symbiotic relationship we can have with businesses in our community!  If you own a local business or know of someone who would be interested in sponsoring the club through their business, please let us know or ask us for a sponsorship letter that you can provide them with! We are nonprofit and any donations towards the club are tax deductible. 

The website upgrade process will continue, to include uploading Logos and Links to all of our Sponsors. Any major changes will be announced here, all in hopes of a more user friendly experience.

Webstore Updated Again!

More items have been added to the MRM’s Webstore for Garb & Gear! Check it out, pick your favorites, and promote your favorite running club while you’re putting in miles or out on the town! 

https://www.monadnockmilers.com/mrm-gear

From the President (September 2024)

So for the first time in a quarter century my beginning of September has not included putting the youth of the district through their paces as the cross country season gets into full swing.  On a Wednesday night, waiting to get started with warmup for track at ConVal, I saw their crew roll out, getting a group run in during the very first week of the season.

I know over the coming weeks I’ll get the question about if I miss it, and thankfully I feel I’ll be able to answer no and actually mean it.  That’s not to say I’m happy I’m not coaching, but conversely I’m not unhappy I’m not coaching.  Last week Becka and I sat down to do a podcast looking over her career at Mascenic, as an athlete and then as a coach.  In that conversation we discussed many things about our time with the program, each reminiscing about things the other had forgotten.

One of the things that came up is how we both “retired” at the right time, and not just because we won that last championship.  No, we were very comfortable that finishing up this past year was the right choice, Beck because she has a thriving PT practice and myself as the juggling of my professional life with my coaching duties was too much.  Yes, we were lucky enough to be along for this ride, but we weren’t hanging on simply to end as champions.  This girls crew really meant something to us and it was an honor to see them through the season.

Over the next few months I’ll be getting used to my full time spectator status, following Mascenic cross country along with two graduates running in college.  With no coaching duties I’ll hopefully be able to get around a bit more and see other meets across the state, providing commentary and camera work for some as well.  I think I’ll like this new opportunity to see the sport from a slightly different view, and regardless I’m going to lean into this because it is my new reality.

I’m also happy to have a local chap at the helm of Mascneic.  Evan Coyne, alumnus of ConVal is steering the ship and I’m hoping for deep waters and strong winds to fill his sails.  I hear they’ve got a growing boys team while looking for a few more girls to round out the squad.  I feel the crew is in good hands and I’m thankful for that.

Looking for Venues!

We’re looking to set our Winter Chiller locations with dates.  As far as venues go, we’re looking to vary the locations (from each other and previous ones) and match them to the following dates.  If you have a good location for a venue; good place to host a course, enough room for everyone to get out of the weather if needed, no or low cost, let us know and give us the  contact information for who we should talk to.  We’re anticipating if someone suggests a site, they will either give us a good person to be the location liaison or be willing to be the liaison themselves.  So no need to suggest a place you’d like to run without any info with regard to a host.  Here are the dates for 2025! January 18, February 1 and 15, and March 1 and 15.

Podcasts and Blogs

Track coach Becka Lyons was recently featured on the podcast Short Strides and Odd Thoughts, hosted by club member Mike Smith.  The second episode piggybacks on the first podcast where Smith interviewed the senior members of the 2023 Division 3 Girls Cross Country Champions, Mascenic.  This second episode picks up with coach Lyons and reflects back on her running career at Mascenic (where her 2006 team won) through her coaching career at Mascenic and up through where she is at now and what’s coming next.  Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQpOYFTWymk&t=9s

Mike Smith also shares his musings about running on the website New Hampshire Cross Country.  The column by the same name, Short Strides and Odd Thoughts, looks at the sport through a different lens than most do with regard to running at the high school and collegiate level, so don’t expect any Runner’s World type articles here.  The general theme is running as a lifestyle, how it’s beneficial and where it can take you.  Often off kilter and always tongue in cheek, these contemplations mark the milestones of a less than remarkable runner.  If you want to check it out, here’s the link: https://nh.staterunning.net/2024/09/02/short-strides-and-odd-thoughts-big-girl-doing-big-things-part-1/

In the other world of podcasts, one of our newest members who has been joining us with her family at Wednesday Night Track and who travels the local racing circuit, Kristen Seitz, co-hosts a weekly chat on Local Legends Running Podcast. Kristen is joined by Peterborough local, Krystal Buckley who you may know from the Healthy Kids Running Series that she champions to bring running to the up and coming generation! These two “chat about running and whatever other nonsense comes up” and they seem to have a good time while they are at it! Their podcast can be found on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon, here’s the link:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/local-legends-running-podcast/id1759562069

Website Upgrades - New & Ongoing Changes (September 2024)

The MRM Membership page has officially been upgraded to the new system and is alive and well, even tested with some new members! You can now select your membership tier, add it to your “Cart” and checkout like any other online shopping transaction. Our hope is that by implementing this system it allows for a smoother registration & renewal, improved data keeping and communication on our end, and overall a more streamlined system. Website upgrades will continue and major changes will be announced here, all in hopes of a more user friendly experience.