I have to say, until recently, I had yet to attend a widely recognized world event, athletic or otherwise, that happens to be held in a different part of the planet each year. The World Cross Country Championships was an event to behold. I was fortunate to attend the pre-event dinner the night before, along with other GWTC Board members and GWTC volunteers, and to hear remarks from co-event chairs Amanda Heidecker and Taylor Wheaton, as well as keynote remarks from former world record holder Sebastian Coe. I recall watching him battle fellow countryman Steve Ovett in the 80s in many of the middle-distance races. Somehow, though only three years my junior, he looks way younger than me.

On race day, my wife Jackie and I, along with David and Mary Jean Yon, staffed a GWTC table very close to the recently constructed pedestrian bridge. This is the structure that GWTC contributed construction funding toward. As the races got underway, we jockeyed back and forth, running to the fence to watch the runners fly by, then turning to the Jumbotron as drones and oncourse cameras tracked the action. This was a truly exhilarating experience. From my perspective, it was hard to fully appreciate the difficulty of the course due to the apparent ease with which these athletes tackled water, mud, barriers, and sand. It was like watching the NYC Marathon, where the leaders appear to be running comfortably at an 8:00-minute pace, only to discover they are actually running 4:45s. Prior to, during, and after the races, we met people from all over the country and a few from around the world who were curious about our track club. We believe we were able to encourage some locals to join, some on their own and some through parents of up-and-coming runners. A better venue for a tabling event would be difficult to come by. 

As a club, we should be quite proud to have been a significant sponsor of this event. Moreover, the list of volunteers from GWTC members was extensive, with hundreds of volunteer hours contributed during the lead-up and on race day itself. While many GWTC members gave their time and effort to make this event happen, I must recognize Judy Alexander and Bill Lott for truly herculean efforts. These individuals lived, ate, and breathed this event for a very long time and were instrumental in its success.

A new year also brings a new Board into place for our track club, and I would like to welcome back Judy Alexander, after she catches her breath, and Lisa Unger. New to the Board are members Carl Norhielm and Mickey Moore. Judy will serve as a Director at Large, while Lisa will coordinate race directors in their efforts to continue delivering quality races, taking over for Mary Jean Yon. Carl and Mickey have very big shoes to fill as they replace Peg Griffin and Jennifer Hay, respectively.