SAME AS IT EVER WAS

runguru May 17, 2011

Requisite hand chops downward along the length of the opposite arm. Blessings for David Byrne.

I was running with Maureen Larsen yesterday. She is the very first athlete I coached after moving to Omaha and was responsible for a lot of the club’s early women’s marathoning notoriety. We discussed TNB, how it is such a dynamic club these days. Always a lot of new faces, and in the way of the world, some others no longer with us. Marriages, babies, relocations, retirements, etc. The one thing that never changes though is the committment by the Nebraska USATF LDR leadership to Each & Every Runner in the state, it doesn’t even matter if you have a USATF membership. Same as it ever was.

The Nebraska USATF LDR (Long Distance Running) program was established in 2001. Since that time LDR memberships have grown from a mere 12 to over 300 today. We also host a full slate of Nebraska Association Championships including the Ni-Bthaska-Ke 12K Trail Run, Lincoln Marathon & Half Marathon, NE5 Mile, Big Blue Run 5K, Blair Elite Downtown Mile, Corporate Cup 10K, Swamp Stomp 8K XC, and the Monster Dash 5K XC. And we are always soliciting and entertaining bids from other races that would like the added prestige and panache of a Championships designation. While I may have founded the program it was under Linda & Jordan’s leadership that our efforts really began to flourish. In a circle of sorts, I have assumed the LDR Chair to serve out the remainder of Jordan’s term. Sure would love to get some new blood in the ranks….

I would also love to get some more USATF clubs set up in Nebraska. There is a lot of talent in Nebraska and not all of it is suited to TNB for a variety of reasons. I’ve encouraged some key figures in the past to look at setting up clubs, nothing is more fun than friendly competition. And nothing helps the cream rise quicker.