Mountain MD Marathon Club

In this issue:

1. Brittany Armentrout

2. Events/training runs on Feb. 1, Feb. 14, Feb. 22, April 4, April 18-19

3. Club membership update

4. Mtn Md Marathon Festival registration update

5. Tidbits

1. Brittany Armentrout, from a far away place called Carpendale, W.Va., is a senior at Frankfort High School. The soon-to-be 18-year-old has been invited to participate in the Down Under Sports International Games in Australia (with a three-day pitstop in Hawaii). Brittany must raise about $4,500 to go on the 10-day trip in July. The Mountain Maryland Marathon Club's role is facilitator; that is, we're the place donors are sending contributions. It's not a money-making effort for the club but it is an outreach effort for our new, nonprofit organization to show an interest and support of local runners of all ages and abilities. It's one of many such outreach efforts this club is to undertake in 2009.

    Be sure to visit www.mountainMDmarathon.org and click on "Help Brittany Armentrout race in Australia" for more information, updated contribution figures ($681 in the first week of fundraising!) and links to newspaper articles in the Cumberland Times-News and Mineral Daily News-Tribune.

    Brittany and her mom, Jodie, are meeting with me this week to determine if she can turn our April 4 event into a fundraiser for her trip to Australia. The $3 entry fee would remain the same for the general public (and still would be free for club members). But there are ways to raise funds besides the entry fee. More on that as details develop.

2. Sunday, Feb. 1 - 8 a.m. A 12-mile group training run beginning in downtown Cumberland. This is a self-paced group for all ages and abilities. Runners should provide their own water and other supplies. Call 240-522-0276 or email run@mountainMDmarathon.org for more information. Please call or email to confirm your attendance. Otherwise, we won't know to expect you. Be sure to check the online club calendar for other training runs (right now scheduled for Feb. 7, 15, & 21). You don't have to go the whole way each time. You also can add on mileage at the end if the scheduled distance is not far enough for you.

Hobo's Heartbreaker 10K and half-mile kids run is set for a 10 a.m. start at Cooks Mill United Methodist Church just 2.5 miles north of Ellerslie, Md., on Saturday, Feb. 14. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Cost for this low-key event is $3 to the general public and free for marathon club members. See the entry form (attached) for details (race-day registration only). Please join us afterward at Hobo's Restaurant (your seat, your dime) for a warm and delicious breakfast.

RRCA Club Challenge 10-miler on Sunday, Feb. 22 in Columbia, Md. Race time 8 a.m. Leaving the Times-News parking lot at 4:45 a.m. for the 2.5-hour trip if you want to carpool with me (1 passenger spot already taken). RRCA state convention follows race awards ceremony. Will return no later than 2:45 p.m. The 10-miler is a team-oriented event complete with team standings. Entry is $7. Visit http://www.striders.net/races/rrca/2009 for details. If you register online, please be sure to register as a Mountain Maryland Marathon Club member - password mtntop09 - so you can be counted in the team standings. If you sign up as a club member, the Mtn Md Marathon Club will pay your $7 entry fee. This can be a competitive event or a fun run or a little bit of both. So long as someone can maintain a 12 minute-per-mile pace or better, you'd be considered an official finisher.

Spring is Here! 10K and half-mile kids run on Saturday, April 4. Race starts at 8 a.m. Race-day registration only, beginning at 7 a.m. The race is run entirely on Mason Road in Cumberland. Last year, we ran from Naves Cross Road out 3.1 miles and back. This year I might "flip" the course and start near the Union Grove one-room schoolhouse (more on that as details become available). Anyway, that's why the entry form isn't online yet. Remember, this could turn into a fundraiser for Brittany's trip to Australia - yet another very good reason not to advertise the race just yet!

Mountain Maryland Marathon Festival presented by Life Fitness Management is getting ready for Sunday, April 19 in downtown Cumberland. Pre-race dinner on Saturday evening, April 18. Details to be released late next month on that.

3. Membership update: Just received a family club membership form from Steve, Sarah & Jennifer Cosner in Oakland. That brings us up to 17 households and 54 members.

4. Marathon registration update: As of now, we have 154 total registrations for the marathon (46) , half marathon (56), 5K (18) and Kids Marathon (34). This is up from 130 just 16 days ago. We more than doubled the number of registered runners between Dec. 24 and Jan. 24. We have entries from 10 states and Washington D.C. We're well on our way toward reaching our goal of 300 participants between all 4 events (not including the free, 400-meter tot trot).

5. Tidbits: That's all for now. Thank you all for all of your time and support. I look forward to see you on the roads and at club events. If you're looking for a race, there's a low-key 4-mile race near Westminster (Carroll County) on Sunday, Feb. 8 sponsored by the Westminster Road Runners Club. It's a great run and VERY affordable. Visit www.carr.org/~wrrc for details. I'm the defending champ, so come on out and see if I can repeat and lower last year's winning time of 26:05. ... the Ragnar Relay team event in New York is May 15-16. Email Team Captain Christa Binns at cmobinns@gmail.com if you want to be part of an unforgettable experience. Hurry! There are only 1-2 spots left ... Updates and enhancements to www.mountainMDmarathon.org are being made almost daily. Email me with ideas if you have some good ones (or corrections, too, but be nice!)

Kevin Spradlin, executive director
Mountain MD Marathon Club - Sunday, April 19, 2009
P.O. Box 227
Ellerslie, MD 21529-0227
www.mountainMDmarathon.org
240-522-0276