RRCA News

All members of the RRCA in good standing as of April 16, 2010 are welcome to attend the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Membership.  Participation in the 2010 RRCA National Convention is not required in order to attend the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Membership.

The meeting will take place on April 23, 2010 starting at 4:30 PM Eastern at the Lakeland Center at 701 West Lime Street, Lakeland, FL 33815-4534.

This notice contains two important reports required in accordance with our bylaws:

1. Report of the Nominating Committee
2. Voting Assignment and Proxy Certification Instructions

REPORT OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE:
The RRCA Bylaws, Article VIII, Section B.1.b.3, stipulate that in advance the Annual Meeting of the RRCA Membership, the Nominating Committee shall present to the RRCA national office a slate of recommended candidates, one individual for each position up for election.

The Nominating Committee of Irv Newman (chair), Elizabeth Unilawski, Don Kardong, Mel Williams, and Sue Brown-Nickerson has completed its deliberations and the slate of recommended candidates proposed by the Committee is:

For President:  Brent Ayer
For Vice President:  David Cotter
For Treasurer:  Dennis Novak
For Eastern Regional Director:  Mark Grandonico
For Central Regional Director:  Mitch Garner

I am pleased to report that the Committee has worked diligently and harmoniously to arrive at this slate, with the sense that continuing these incumbents in their positions on the Board of Directors for another term will very well serve the best interests of the RRCA in the future.

Expressing my appreciation for the opportunity to participate in this effort,

Irv Newman
Chairman, RRCA Nominating Committee, 2010

President:  Brent Ayer
Brent has been active in the sport of running for over 35 years. He served on the RRCA Board of Directors from 1987 to 1990 as Treasurer and again from 2004 to 2008 as Eastern Region Director. He was also on the Kids Run the Nation Grant Selection Committee in 2007 and was given a special President’s Award for Service in 1991 and again in 2006.  In 2007 he interviewed all living RRCA presidents for the 50th Anniversary report.  Brent was elected to his first term as RRCA President in 2008.  He was a founding member of the Frederick Steeplechasers Running Club while still in college in 1975. He was their club president from 2000-2003. Brent is an RRCA Certified coach, and he holds USATF Level I & Level II coaching certifications. He launched the Hood College Cross Country program and Track & Field program. He has been recognized as a Maryland AAU Track Outstanding Coach in 2004 and as the Hood College Coach of the Year in 2005. Brent holds an MBA and serves as Finance Administrator to seven different members of the United States House of Representatives where he has worked for over 29 years. He and his wife Mary Catherine and their three teenage children reside in Frederick, Maryland.

Vice President:  David Cotter
David Cotter is a California native and forty-seven year resident of South Lake Tahoe, California. He has been running since 1990 and his passion is running the trails of the High Sierra within the Lake Tahoe Basin and the trails of Hawaii. David is the President of both the Tahoe Mountain Milers (Lake Tahoe) and Sagebrush Stompers (Carson City, Nevada) Running Club. David was appointed as the RRCA Nevada State Rep in 1998 and as the RRCA Northern California State Rep in 2002. In 2004 he served as the Convention Director for the RRCA National Convention and was awarded as the 2003 RRCA State Rep of the Year.  He is the race director for a variety of running events at Lake Tahoe including the Tahoe Rim Trail 50K/50M/100M Endurance Runs, which has served as the RRCA National Ultra Championship for several years.  David was elected to his first term as RRCA Vice President in 2008. David has served on numerous RRCA committees including chairing the Strategic Planning Task Force and the Executive Director Performance Review Committee. He organized the first State Reps Silent Auction at the 2007 RRCA National Convention.

Treasurer:  Dennis Novak
Dennis has been a certified public accountant for over thirty-five years and retired from practice in 2004. Dennis was appointed as the RRCA Treasurer in 2005 and was elected in 2006 and 2008.  As a member of the Badgerland Striders since 1978, he has served in several leadership roles including the Treasurer and President positions. He is currently the Chair of their Finance Committee. He was a race director for eleven years for an 800 participant race in his community. Dennis has completed ten marathons and two ultras in his thirty years of running. Dennis has been a long time supporter of the RRCA National Convention by attending thirteen out of the past fifteen conventions and he was on the organizing committee of the 2007 RRCA Convention hosted by the Alpine Striders of Lake Zurich.  In addition, Dennis was the RRCA State Rep for Wisconsin. He has also been a member of the RRCA Audit Committee since 2005. Dennis graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee with a major in accounting. He was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Easter Region Director:  Mark Grandonico
Mark served in the Coast Guard for over twenty years and was decorated for his accomplishments. He is currently a Health Care Compliance Specialist and Auditor for the largest hospital system in Maine. Mark holds a bachelors degree from Regents College in New York. He is a member of the Maine Track Club where he has served as a board member-at-large, vice president, and Mark was elected president in 2005. During his tenure as the Maine Track Club president, Mark has been noted for his organizational, communication, fund-raising and recruiting skill. Under his guidance, the Maine Track Club has donated over $350,000 to local charities and schools in Maine and to the RRCA Kids Run the Nation fund. Additionally, Mark recently helped establish the MidCoast Triathlon club and serves as their Membership Director. Mark was the RRCA Maine State Representative from 2006-2008 and a member of the RRCA Audit Committee for two years.  Mark was elected to his first term as Eastern Region Director for the RRCA in 2008. Mark has also been a race director for over eight years and is a member of the Beach to Beacon 10k organizing committee. He has two children, and he has completed hundreds of races of all lengths including 30 marathons. He is training for his third Ironman Triathlon at Lake Placid this July. Mark resides in Bath Maine.

Central Region Director:  Mitchell Garner
Mitch is very active with the Ann Arbor Track Club, where he serves as president and is on his club’s executive committee of the board. He is also a committee member of two mid-sized races in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run and the Burns Park Run, where he has worked to promote positive role models for children by having them meet exemplary Olympic athletes. Mitch has attended the RRCA Conventions since 2005. In 2008, Mitch was elected RRCA Central Region Director. During his term, the number of RRCA state and regional championship events has increased in the Central region.  Mitch has worked with the RRCA Board on two projects: a study of state laws governing medical volunteers and a registry designed to match elite athletes and running-related events. In 2009, he represented the RRCA at the United States Track and Field Association Annual Meeting. In 2009, Mitch became a certified USATF official. Mitch is an attorney with the law firm of Allotta, Farley & Widman Co., L.P.A. He graduated cum laude from Yale University with a major in economics. He received his Juris Doctor from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, where he was a law review editor. Mitch credits his wife Ellen and daughter Kasia for putting up with his fanaticism about running.

OTHER NOMINATIONS:
Due to the bylaw changes adopted in 2008, the RRCA will accept nominations for non-slate candidates that would like to be considered for election. The deadline for submitting non-slate nominations to the National Office is March 23, 2010 at 5:00 PM Eastern.  Email nominations to Jean Knaack at execdir@rrca.org.  An announcement of all nominees, the recommended slate of directors along with any additional non-slate candidates, will be shared with the membership including a 200 word or less biography for each candidate in advance of the Annual Meeting where the official election will take place.

VOTING ASSIGNMENT AND PROXY CERTIFICATION
The bylaws of the RRCA allow for the assignment of a proxy vote for member clubs and events.  If an RRCA member club or event is not sending their official voting representative (president, director, or owner) to the Annual Meeting of the Membership, then the voting rights of that club or event may be assigned to another authorized representative (proxy holder) attending the meeting in person.

In accordance with the RRCA bylaws, individuals gathering proxies can only solicit or receive proxies from clubs located within the state in which the individual resides.  The individual must also be a member of an RRCA club organized within the state in which the individual resides. If an individual resides in more than one state, he or she shall be deemed to reside in the state where he or she maintains his or her principal or primary residence.

To assign voting rights to a qualified proxy on behalf of a club or event member, the authorized representative must complete the Official 2010 Voting Rights Assignment to Recognized Proxy Holder Form. Each Appointed Proxy Holder must complete and submit the Membership and Residence Certification for Proxy Holders Form in accordance with the instructions on the forms. The forms and instructions can be found on the RRCA website at http://www.rrca.org/about/governance/.  The form is the first link under the Governing Documents heading.

The RRCA has partnered with Gatorade to bring our members a discounted purchase program for Gatorade product.  This is a great cost savings opportunity for RRCA members that do not qualify for the Gatorade Sponsorship program with the RRCA.

Products available through the purchase program include:

• Gatorade Thirst Quencher lemon-lime powder in 14-51 oz. cased - $86.00/case
• 8 oz. cups - $79.50 per case
• 7-gallon coolers - $54/unit

The above prices are for 2010 only and do not include shipping costs.  Any RRCA member event interested in utilizing the purchase program must contact the RRCA no less than 45-days in advance of their event to obtain an official purchase order form. The order must also be placed within 45-days of the event. To obtain a purchase order, you must email to request the purchase order form.  You must include your name and the name of your club or event in the email so we can verify RRCA membership.  The purchase order will be emailed to you.  You may use it for additional events, but you may not transfer the purchase order to non-RRCA members.  Do not email purchase requests to the RRCA.  You must follow the ordering instructions on the purchase form you receive from the RRCA.

Portland, OR - Leslie Jordan, a strong advocate of RRCA and supporter of the organization’s dedication to the running community, has joined the RRCA as a Gold Level supporter for 2010.

Her apparel design and manufacturing company, Leslie Jordan, Inc., is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and has grown to represent the running industry standard in quality, design and service.  Under the leadership of Leslie beginning in 1986, Leslie Jordan Inc. has grown into a multi-dimensional company.  Further testament to Leslie’s success as an independent business owner is her induction into the Running USA Hall of Champions in 2006.  This honor is only awarded to outstanding individuals who are recognized in the running community for their commitment to the industry.

“Our corporate motto - ‘We’ve got you covered from…...Head to Toe, Start to Finish’ is best evidenced by the makeup of our team.  From R&D, Production, Graphic Design, Sales and Marketing and Shipping, we can create new products or modify existing ones to meet your needs,” stated Leslie. “For almost 25 years this strong close knit team working together is why Leslie Jordan, Inc. has not missed an event date.”

Learn more about Leslie Jordan.

Learn more about the RRCA Corporate Supporters.

The RRCA offers affordable equipment insurance to all of our members through the Inland Marine Equipment Floater Policy and is available directly from Star Insurance. To obtain a piece of mind and coverage for your equipment all you need to do complete a simple application, include a narrative describing the facility where your equipment is housed, and provide a list of the equipment you wish to insure. The policy period runs from March 1st to March 31st of the next year, and the premium is $2.30 per $100.00 of the equipment’s replacement cost. Premiums for equipment insurance are sent directly to Star Insurance. Click here to access the equipment insurance application.

Download Equipment Insurance Application (Word doc)

Click here for more information about the RRCA Insurance program for members.

Lakeland, FL – The Lakeland Runners Club and Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing are pleased to announce the educational sessions that have been developed for the 52nd Annual RRCA National Convention.  The RRCA Convention will be held April 21-25, 2010 and includes the 2010 RRCA National 5K Championship race, Race the Lakes, and the Nation Running Awards banquet. Additional speakers for our panels are being finalized and will be announced soon.

Friday April 23rd Education Sessions

General Sessions

Insurance & Risk Management – Presented by Star Insurance and K&K Insurance
Presented by Terry Diller - Come learn about best practices in risk management from recent lessons learned from insurance claims.  Learn about new RRCA insurance program enhancements and how they benefit your club and event. 

Lobbying for Nonprofit Running Clubs – Sponsored by the RRCA
Presented by Jeannie Fox, CLPI Training Fellow – Learn about the laws that govern grassroots advocacy and lobbying activities for nonprofit organizations. This session will cover the differences between direct and grassroots lobbying and other important concepts for nonprofit lobbying activities.

Developing Grassroots Advocacy Campaigns - Sponsored by the RRCA
Presented by Jeannie Fox, CLPI Training Fellow – Learn how to develop grassroots advocacy campaigns that clubs can implement locally.  These locally developed campaigns will address ideas such as runners’ safety initiatives, community health promotion initiatives, multi-use trail development and maintenance initiatives, and many other topics of interest to the running community.

Break-out Sessions

Non-running Events and Creative Group Runs to Build Club Camaraderie
Join RRCA Board Member, Kelly Richards as she leads an engaging discussion about great ideas for social events to build your club community beyond just regular group runs. Learn about fun ideas for making your group runs more engaging and safe.

How to Manage Race Growth
Events around the country are growing.  Come learn about strategies to manage race growth to ensure continued success.  Learn about strategies to help you grow our race. Learn about strategies for working with your local convention and visitors bureau or local sports commissions.  Learn about strategies for tapping into new resources for your event through your CVBs.

Developing Programs for Older Runners & Walkers
Gary Cohen will explore the ways to maintain running fitness and stay healthy for older runners as well as those at various fitness levels.  Gary’s session will include how to build a base of health and fitness, maintaining intensity as you age, soft surface running, as well as strength training and recovery. 

Saturday April 24th Education Sessions

“Join a Club” - Strategies for Growing Your Club
Presented by Libby Jones, 2008 RRCA Club President of the Year - Learn about strategies to grow your club membership from leaders who have significantly grown their club membership numbers.  Learn how to incorporate social networking and up-to-date web technology into your communication strategies for growing your club.

Kids Run the Nation
Present by Eve Mills, RRCA Director of Program Services – Learn about how you can implement a youth running program such as Kids Run the Nation in your community.  Learn about safety issues for youth clubs and best practices and lessons learned for hosting youth events.

Hosting RRCA Programs: The Convention, Championship Events, and Coaching Certification Courses
Present by George Rehment and David Cotter – Learn about the benefits for your club for hosting the RRCA Convention.  Learn about hosting an RRCA Championship event and sponsorship opportunities.  Learn about hosting a coaching certification course for your community to train adult distance coaches for your club.

Injury Prevention/Shoe Fit Clinic
Presented by Tim Hilden, MS, PT, ATC - Tim is a member of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine team since 1998. Tim is a physical therapist, athletic trainer, and exercise physiologist.  In addition to his physical therapy patient load, Tim specializes in walking and running gait analysis. Tim will outline common injuries related to shoe fit and how the proper shoe can prevent injuries and help you run more efficiently along with other injury prevention tips.

Putting on a Half Marathon & Marathon
Learn about best practices in putting on a half marathon and marathon by Jon Hughes race director of the Disney marathon and Susan Hemmerling race director for the Gasparilla marathon.

Chi Running – Sponsored by Chi Running
Presented by Danny & Katherine Dreyer - Chi Running has become widely acknowledged for helping beginning runners, marathoners, triathletes, and recreational runners get to the source of running-related problems by improving their running technique. In the five short years since it was introduced nationally, Chi Running has helped to reshape the landscape of the sport of running by making running more accessible and appealing to people who have stopped running due to injury, who are intimidated by the difficulty and potential danger of running, who want to improve their competitive edge, and for those who want to maintain a joyful relationship to their running.

Nutrition, Supplements, and Performance Enhancers
Presented by Cassie Dimmick MS, RD, LD -You have all heard the advertisements from companies that make performance enhancing products. “Drink this and you will run faster, eat this and you will get a PR”, and the list goes on. A lot of times the marketing of these products is way ahead of the science, which makes it confusing. In this informative class, Registered Dietitian and Board Certified Sports Nutritionist Cassie Dimmick will explain what you really need to be eating and drinking to perform at your best. She will go over the science behind the recommendations, along with false claims that are out there.  Don’t waste your time and money on a product that is just hype! Learn from a sports nutrition expert what you need to include, and what you can leave out, in your training and racing diet to perform at your best.

Working with Charities
Presented by Jean Knaack, RRCA Executive Director – Learn about strategies for working with local charities to raise funds.  Review proper organization of your event or club to ensure you meet IRS and RRCA guidelines on what is a nonprofit running club or event.  Discuss strategies for increasing running as a charity of choice for events.

Writing about Running to Promote Your Club or Event
Presented by Hal Higdon - Want to start a newsletter to promote your club or communicate to your club in a more effective way?  Learn tips from award winning author Hal Higdon and an esteemed panel of RRCA writing award recipients and running journalists. Learn strategies for effective use of social networking sites.  Learn about user friendly website builder tools and how you can incorporate social networking into your communication strategies.

Click here for more information about the RRCA Convention and to register today!