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Members & Guests:

1. Turkey Trot Volunteers Needed: Finish line volunteers are still urgently needed for the annual DCRRC/PWBA Turkey Trot on Thursdasy, November 22nd, at 10:00 a.m. Details on the race are available by hitting the link to the left of this blog post. The cora Kelley School is in the Del Ray section of Alexandria, near both Route 1 and Commonwealth Avenue.

Please consider volunteering if you are in town. Your volunteer work at this race will satisfy your volunteer requirement for scoring in the Snowball Series. In addition, volunteers will receive a t-shirt and a bit of DCRRC merchandise.

If you are running in the race, please bring a family member or friend who can help us at the finish line.

All participants -- runners and volunteers -- are urged to bring some canned goods for the ALIVE! food pantry.

Volunteers are needed between 9:00 and 9:30, and their duties will be complete around 11:00. (We'll need a few volunteers to stay later than that.)

Thanks! Please respond to the Club president by email if you can help. president@dcroadrunners.org

2. 2008 Club Race Schedule: The final draft of the schedule will be posted shortly. The most notable change from the posted preliminary draft schedule is that we are dropping the Belle Haven 25K. An already-crowded February-March schedule, coupled with our commitments to the Washington's Birthday Greenbelt Marathon, the Club Challenge 10-Miler, and the National Marathon/Half-Marathon, led the Board to this change.

Taking the place of the 25K on the Snowball Series schedule will be the Washington's Birthday Marathon. This will be Snowball Series Race #6, meaning that those who choose to run this as a Snowball Series race will not have to come back in ensuing weeks to complete their scoring maximum of five races for the series.

3. National Marathon/Half-Marathon Training Programs: DCRRC has been selected by the directors of the Wirefly National Marathon and Half-Marathon to direct the official training programs for these races, to be held Saturday, March 29, 2008. The DCRRC Board approved this venture at its meeting on November 12, 2007.

We are now actively recruiting coaches for this program. Coaches will receive the benefit of paid tuition at a clinic that will result in their certification as distance/road running coaches. Reebok, the corproate sponsor of the training programs, will also provide gear to the coaches (which the coaches will be asked to wear at designated workouts.)

Please consider whether you would be interested. Experience in coaching one of DCRRC's training programs will be preferred, but is not absolutely necessary, particularly if you have other coaching or comparable experience. The commitment will involve leading a small group of runners, meeting them for workouts at least once a week, and staying in touch by email. Training groups will be available for both the full and half marathon distances.

Please contact the Club President if you are interested in serving in this capacity. We anticipate, depending on enrollment, that the program will begin in December.

4. Plans for 2008: While our race calendar slows a bit in October and November, the work of the Club goes on -- in this case, preparing for an exciting 2008 racing and training year. Here's a few highlights:

a. Race Directors Needed: Directors are needed for the following events:

(i) Fort Hunt 10K, March 2008. Fairly easy race to direct, with criterion course requiring just one water stop. Good opportunity for someone who wants to break into race directing!

(ii) Bunion Derby #1: WDF 5K and RATW 5K. Early June. These "split races," the firts one being part of the are Women's Distance Festival, kick off the Bunion Derby. Also a relatively easy race to direct; out and back course mostly on W&OD Trail.

b. Club Championship Series: We will add a new series, consisting of all races in calendar 2008 that are designated as Club Championships. This entails all distances from 1-Mile (Track, late July) to the Marathon (Greenbelt, in February). In between: 5K, 4-Mile, 10K, 12K, 15K, 10-Mile, 20K, 20-Mile. Prizes will be good! 5-year age groups. Look for further news.

c. National Marathon, March 29, 2008 -- New Partnership: After serving as a "cooperating club" at the 2007 running of the National Marathon, DCRRC will step up its role and its involvement for the 2008 race. Details are described above. If you are planning to run in the race, PLEASE enter early (Marathon or Half) and PLEASE designate that you are a member of DCRRC on your entry form.

5. More Upcoming Events:

December 1st: Gar Williams Belle Haven Half Marathon. Contact RD Gene Fox or the club president if you can volunteer. Many street crossings, and 2 water stops, so we need the help.

December 9th: Bread Run: Contact RD Bob Thurston at thurret@aol. com if you can help.

January 5, 2008: Al Lewis 10-Miler and Club Championship. RD Aaron Cheskis will need help with street crossings and a water stop. Please help if oyu can. aaron.cheskis@gmail.com

January 19, 2008: MLK/JFK 5K/20K: The MLK 5K is an official qualifying event for the National Half-Marathon. Race will be run on the Capital Crescent Trail, starting in Georgetown.

February 2008: 10K Training Program: Anyone interested in directing/coaching in this program should contact the Club President as soon as possible.

February 17, 2008: 47th Annual George Washington Birthday Marathon and 3-Person Marathon Relay. Please join for this marathon, one of the oldest continually held marathons in the country, if not the world. And you do not have to run 26 miles to do it! Form your teams now and set your goal. Volunteers always needed for this event. Please contact RD Pat Brown at 703-476-5765.

Run inspired!

Ed