The USATF Nebraska Association annual meeting will be this coming Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at Ralston High School. If you care about the direction of our sport, as relates to our USATF LDR member clubs and individuals, please come to the meeting and find out some nuts and bolts.
When I moved to Nebraska in 2001 there was only a strong USATF Youth presence. The Long Distance Running component didn’t exist. After attending my first local meeting, I was able to get a couple of thousand dollars from the national office in Indianapolis, and then matching funds from our Nebraska leadership. Nebraska LDR was born. Team Nebraska would follow in short order. And then a long standing series of Association Championship events. In 2004 I received the Scott Hamilton Award at the national USATF annual meetings in Portland, OR for my work setting up Nebraska’s LDR program.
After overseeing the program for a few years it was Linda next leading the efforts. And then Jordan Tucker would step in. After Jordan it was Matty Pohren’s turn. Both young men had been mentored well for a couple of years and understood the machinations and dynamics of trying to serve such a diverse membership.
Matty was the Right candidate at last year’s election. There were shenanigans afoot however. Ndorfnz Racing (no longer associated with USATF, surprise!, surprise!) were offering their own club president as candidate, Derek Fey. Derek had/has no USATF administrative experience but the Lincoln Running Co. Racing team leadership decided to throw their votes and support with Ndorfnz anyway. I would have loved to hear the strong and charming persuasion that brought that about. The ballots were cast and Matty P. had a single vote edge. But wait! Team Nebraska attorney Tim Langdon had excused himself from the meeting, thus making his vote ineligible during the recount. And so a tie between Matt and Derek occurred. After much discussion it was decided that in the best interest of the running community, both men would serve as Joint LDR Chairs.
But Derek would notify Nebraska Association President John Wissler the very next day that he would not remain in the position. And so it was Matt directing until he moved to New York last month. Strange but true.
Elections will be held Sunday to fill the remaining year of Matt’s term.
Show up and vote. But vote for the best person, not just against someone.
The poster for my 1999 Run For The Arts 10 Mile in Lake Jackson, Texas. Artist Christopher Cudworth produced the signature artwork for the event for several years.
But it was his 1999 edition that joined Twin Cities Marathon, Bolder Boulder, Grandma’s Marathon, and the Cincinnati Heart Mini-Marathon as one of the top 5 posters of the year in Runner’s World annual Cream of the Crop contest.
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