Club News

SCTC is a new club formed in 2009 and made up mostly of 20-something men and women. Their coach is Pacific Strider Carl Rose, who has been a member of the club (f.k.a. East Bay Striders) for over 20 years. Below are several answers to the many questions you may have about this new club. Fee free to email me if you have others.

Why?
The biggest reason behind this merge was the long-term viability of the Striders. Our club, like many, is getting older, with fewer young runners to sustain us in the future. In order to ensure a future for a competitive East Bay running team, we need to keep bringing in young members. Our core racing group consists mainly of masters and seniors. Soon it will be seniors and super-seniors. It is hard to attract younger runners when the average age (and talent) is getting on in years. This is more about the club than it is about individual members.

What will the new club be called?
Strawberry Canyon Track Club. The East Bay Striders became the Pacific Stridrers to appeal to a wider area of runners (e.g. Reno, SF, Peninsual). We discussed keeping our name, or creating a combined name, but in the long run, it's just a name. I, as one of original founding members of the club (Dann Brown and I came up with the idea in 1982 at the Acalanes HS Track, one rainy winter day) will be sorry to see the name go, but I think that change and the new energy SCTC brings is much more important than the arrangement of letters on a singlet.

Who will be our new leaders?
It is not clear at this time, but Carl Rose will play a leading part in the new club. I will probably be involved as the "Masters" team coordinator (i.e. over-40s teams). We are looking for volunteers from both clubs if you are interested in volunteering some of your time. I think John will be turning over the Treasurer spot to someone with more connection to the day-to-day activities of the club.

What will our new PAUSATF Club Number be?
STCT is club number 384. I will check with the PA office about transferring existing Strider (#138) members over, without penalty. Typically you have to sit out 90 days between races, which is not a problem considering the first 2010 race in in March. More on this later.

Will the Workouts or Weekend Runs change?
We will continue with the Thursday track and Sunday runs, unless or until we decide on better options to involve the entire membership. SCTC is on a slightly different track schedule. Stay tuned.

Sponsors?
We will continue with the PowerBar sponsorship, and likely add others with the new talent on board. Carl is a great promotoer and recruiter.

Singlets?
We hope to have new racing singlets/shorts ready by early 2010.

Website?
The Strider website will be merged/combined into whatever SCTC has planned. I will maintain an active role in the new production and operation.

Track Club?
No, you don't have to run just track to be a member. While there may be more emphasis on track meets, we will still compete in road, XC and ultra races as before. For the most part the only difference will be what is printed on your singlet.

Club Meetings / Pizza Bust?
We hope to increase the number of get-togethers with the new membership. We hope to kick off the new club with a Pizza Bust something this winter. Details to follow.

Current SCTC Members?
Here is a link to the current SCTC roster

New Logo?
The SCTC people are working on a shield/flying shoe type logo, perhaps incorporating the Strider oak into it. No club colors yet, but blue and gold are leading the vote.

What is the capitol of Kentucky?
Frankfurt......that's all I got.

More Questions? Email Thom

On the benches above the west end of the post-race lawn; check at PA tent to confirm location. Aquatic Park, San Francisco

LDR Meeting Minutes, September 16, 2007, after the Banana Chase 5K
In the stands above the 100 meter start, Kezar Stadium, San Francisco

Tyler Abbott, men's LDR chair, Lloyd Stephenson, master's LDR chair, Tom Bernhard, road scorer, New Balance excelsior; Katie Wasilenko, emily Bates, Impalas; Tony Coffey, Aggies; Bob Rowden, River City Rebels; Doug Thurston, Brooks Fleet Feet; Mark Winitz, WVJ&S; Frank Ruona, Tamalpa

Convention Reps. Tyler Abbott nominated Irene Herman (women's LDR), Mark Winitz (men's LDR), and Lloyd Stephenson (master's LDR). Unanimously approved.

Road Bid Coordinator. After performing this job for seven or eight years, Susan Beck is moving out of the area. We need to find a replacement. The main responsibilities of the job center around late August-mid September--sending out, receiving, and consolidating bid packages--with some follow-up with race directors the rest of the year. The Sanction Monitor position may be incorporated into this one.

Other current volunteers. Winitz discussed encouraging the cross country chairs to be more active during the season, in addition to all the work they perform in coordinating the crross contry bid process.

LDR BANQUET

Abbott expressed that he believed Irene Herman had contacted Randy Sturgeon about hosting the 2008 banquet. With neither party present, Abbott said he would contact Irene to get an update.

NEW BUSINESS

2008 Road Grand Prix schedule. The tentative 2008 Road Grand Prix Schedule is attached as Appendix A. The voting took place in the following parts:

1. The following races were approved unanimously: NorCal John Frank 10 Mile, emerald Nuts Across the Bay 12K, MMD 10K, Don Bowden Mile, Shriners 8K, Banana Chase 5K, Clarksburg 30K, Seagate elite 5K, Christmas Relays.

2. Heritage Oaks Bank 10K did not bid. In case a bid is made, it was unanimously approved to reject it unless it offered more than single point money or were a national championship, in which case it would go to the LDR executive Committee for approval.

3. Stephenson moved for the approval of the Rock N Roll Half Marathon in San Jose 10/5, assuming they make some arrangements to let PA athletes avoid mandatory expo packet pickup and increase the prize money from $4000 to $5300 (double point). A friendly amendment from Winitz added that Humboldt also be approved for masters only, with either $2650 and double points or approximately $1325 and 1.5 points, at the discretion of the race, and that Marin Memorial Day 10K be made a long grand prix race. After Stephenson accepted the friendly amendment, the main motion was accepted unanimously.

4. After some discussion re: logistics in prior years and a sense that the PA's requirements sometimes seemed like a burden to the race, the Big Sur 5K was accepted unanimously.

5. Zippy 5K was accepted unanimously after 2007 race director Stephenson agreed to move the date to 4/20.

6. CIM was accepted if they submit a bid for all age divisions similar to those of past years.

Cross Country Race Prize Money. Bernhard expressed that the cross country races so far had not been scored because of inconsistencies in different versions of prize money breakdowns. Abbott and he decided to discuss this after the meeting.

Other New Business. Winitz announced that the PA now has a Communications Director (himself), and that clubs and invidivuals are encouraged to forward pieces they believe would be interesting to PA members.

_______________________

Appendix A: Tentative 2008 Road Grand Prix Schedule

3/1 NorCal John Frank 10 Mile Redding $2650 1.0 Long
3/16 Emerald Nuts Across the Bay 12K Sausalito-SF $4650 1.5 Long
4/20 Zippy 5K San Francisco $2650 1.0 Short
4/27 Big Sur 5K Big Sur $5300 2.0 Short
5/26 Marin Memorial Day 10K Kentfield $2650 1.0 Long
6/21 Shriners 8K Sacramento $2650 1.0 Short
7/12 Don Bowden Mile Stockton $2650 1.0 Short
9/21 Banana Chase 5K San Francisco $4650 1.5 Short
10/5 Rock N Roll Half Marathon San Jose $4000 or $5300 1.5 or 2.0 Long
10/19 Humboldt Half Marathon Weott $2650 or $1325 1.5 or 2.0 Masters only Long
11/9 Clarksburg 30K Clarksburg $2650 2.0 Long
11/27 Seagate Elite 5K San Jose $5200 Open only Short
12/7 CIM - Awaiting possible bid
12/14 Christmas Relays San Francisco $2650 1.0 (w/CIM) or 2.0 (no CIM) Team only

Open issues:

1. Awaiting confirmation from Rock N Roll as to prize money and ability to do race day packet pickup or some other way around mandatory expo attendance for all athletes. 2. Need to confirm Humboldt's bid after making it masters only. They will have the choice of keeping the prize money the same for double points or cutting it approximately in half for 1.5 points. [They have chosen to make it masters only, assuming RNR comes through.]

12/10/07 - Couples Relay Discount

Join LMJS running club for the 30th anniversary of the Couples Relay in which teams of two runners compete against each other for bragging rights as to who is the fastest. This is LMJS's oldest race and will be held on February 24, 2008 at Lake Merritt in Oakland. To help celebrate the 30th anniversary, LMJS has a special gift for the first 100 teams to register (200 runners). Each team member will receive an attractive and useful sports bag that has a retail value of $15. The Couples Relay event features a two-person relay, each person running a 5K around Lake Merritt. Teams can be Female/Male, Female/Female, or Male/Male. In addition, every team will receive a goody bag with various items provided by our sponsors, including valuable discount coupons for local running and sporting goods stores. On race day, there will be refreshments including a 30th anniversary cake, raffle prizes, participant ribbons, etc. The LMJS entry fee of just $16 per team, for two runners, is being extended to all Pacific Striders. You can enter several ways. If y

ou want to download an entry form, just go to: http://www.lmjs.org/Couples_Relay
Or you can register on-line, the link is: http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1498715

If you have questions, contact Len Goldman at: lgoldman@pacbell.net