Holiday Toy Drive

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This year, in conjunction with the Greater Salem Boys & Girls Club & New England Running Company, Wicked Running Club is sponsoring a toy drive for its members.  Here are the details for donating new toys to underprivileged children, of all ages, this holiday season:

 The toy drive has started and will end on December 20th. Toys should be new and unwrapped. Gift cards would be great for the older kids. The Board recommends donating toys in the amount of $10 and greater.

Wicked will be donating the toys/gift cards to the Greater Salem Boys & Girls Club. Toys can be dropped off at Tues/Thurs runs with Alison Phelan or Saturday morning with Tim Short, or any other Board member present for the Saturday run. Gift cards to places like Target and Wal-Mart are great for older kids and young teens as people normally think of a toy drive for just young kids. Starting on November 30th you will be able to let your Family & Friends know that they can drop off toys at the New England Running Company.

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Club Night @ New England Running Co.

With Thanksgiving coming up in a few days, and Christmas not that far away, it’s time to start thinking about all the exciting things that will be happening in January 2010! Most of you know that the 3rd Annual Wicked Frosty Four will kick off the new year in style, but a few weeks later our good friends at the New England Running Co. will be hosting members from Wicked for a “Club Night” on January 20th from 7-9pm. Dave Menosky and his crew usually has Wicked over a couple of times during the year so you know that it’s going to be a fun time!

There  will  be a guest speaker for the night.  Her name is Wendy Booker and she is trying to become the first woman with MS to climb the seven summits of the  world. Here is her website is for more info: http://www.wendybooker.net/. How amazing is that!?!?

The evening will be catered by none other then Mary McNulty so make sure everyone comes hungry. And of course there will  plenty of special deals for the night to get you started the new year off on the right foot.

If you plan on attneding please RSVP to Tim Short, no later than Monday January 17, 2010. Tim can be reach at tim.short1@gmail.com

Wicked Weekly Update

Happy Friday to all the Wicked Runners out there! Lots of exciting events coming up over the next week. Over the weekend there will be the Annual Bag Stuffing for the Wild Turkey 5 Miler will take place on Sunday. Then on Thanksgiving morning it’s the main event, the Wild Turkey 5 Miler in Salem! On Friday of next week, if you are not interested in fighting the crowds at the malls, take part in the 2nd Annual Gabe’s Run.  Next weeks Wicked Weekly Update will be a Thanksgiving edition and will come out on Thursday, so please get all of your info into the newsletter@wickedrunningclub.com mail box by Wednesday!

Front PageWicked Weekly Update (PDF)

Support-By Melissa Jaynes

Melissa Jaynes who competed in the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon recently, shares the following story of why we all need support from our friends and family. Click here to view a PDF of  a story that ran in The Herald Bulletin on November 7. If you would like to share a story about your running experiences send it over to newsletter@wickedrunningclub.com.

By Melissa Jaynes

Running always ends up teaching me something, even if I never intended to learn. In the very early days, my attempts at running quickly educated me on my lack of fitness; I missed the train when I couldn’t run a whopping quarter mile soon after moving to Salem. As I got a little better, running also taught me that pushing my body also helped push my mind in working through mental and emotional conundrums. When I started running road races I learned the importance of pacing, training, the value hidden in hills, and even the need to rest. Completing my first marathon taught me the invaluable lesson of not putting limits on my own capabilities.

As I prepared for my second marathon, running continued to act as my teacher. However, the most valuable lesson from this marathon was one we often must re-learn—the importance of support. I specifically signed up for this marathon in Indianapolis so that my family could see me run (did I mention Indiana is flat?). As planned, I expectantly learned lessons from a running clinic and multiple shorter races throughout my 20 week training schedule. I even learned lessons I didn’t anticipate such as how to “recover” from a race that just didn’t go as planned. But, my most important lesson was a reminder of the value of friendship and support.  I loved the clinic because it challenged me physically, but mostly because I ran alongside up to 60 fellow runners who cheered for each other and noticed when someone was absent. I also loved running my long training runs with the support of a coach, and his beloved cooler of water and Gatorade, and fellow runners. We ran in heat and a lot of rain. Alone, such runs are often skipped or miserable, but alongside friends, I found myself laughing and sometimes even singing during torrential downpours and booming thunder. While the simple presence of the person next to you is support, so is the laughter and song that you remember in many following runs.

I was powerfully reminded of support when about a month before the marathon, one of my closest friends from Indiana lost her father, Tim, to a Diabetes related illness. I was unable to fly attend the funeral, and instead found myself longing for a way to show support  from 1,000 miles away. I suddenly found myself researching the American Diabetes Association and e-mailing family and friends asking for donations in Tim’s honor as I ran the race in his memory. His death also forced me to look back at my life and reminded me that all of my accomplishments in life were achieved with the support of my family and mentor’s like Tim. Once again this proved true throughout the marathon. While during the race, unlike my training runs, I did not have a partner directly next to me, I was surrounded and motivated by support. I was moved by the support of my friends in the Running Club and their well wishes, tips, and good luck trinkets (who knew how important chapstick and a lucky hair tie could be). I was also moved by the support of my family and their cheers along the course. There is just nothing like high-fiving your Dad, seeing your Mom and Sister holding bright yellow signs proudly, hearing your 80-year-old Grandfather yell “pick up the pace,” having professional style action photos from your uncle, or having your husband run the last mile with you in jeans after seeing the pain in my face. As a result, I did not cross the finish line alone, but with Tim on my mind, my friends in my heart, my family by my side, and a reminder of one of the most valuable lessons in life.

Introducing the Wicked Frosty Four Banner!

As many of you might know, the Wicked Running Club has it’s own banner that appears not only at local races but at the top of this website as well. I’m happy to announce that the Wicked Frosty Four will now have it’s very own banner as well! Below is the fantastic design by Wicked Runner Michele Campbell. Stay tuned for a picture of the actual banner in the next couple of weeks.

Frosty Four Banner

Beth O’Grady: The best race I’ve never run

By Beth O’Grady/ Running Around Salem

As seen at wickedlocal.com/salem

Salem – For many, the Salem-Beverly football rivalry is a Thanksgiving morning tradition. Back in high school, I would be up most of the prior night decorating the homes of football players (my apologies to the families who later had to remove miles of toilet paper from their property).

I would attend the game in obligatory red, white and black, screaming cheers at the top of my lungs, arriving home for Thanksgiving dinner literally speechless, often freezing, and sometimes halfway hysterical from the high school drama that would take place in our sleep-deprived high adrenaline state.

But football is no longer the only game in town. Six years ago a new Thanksgiving tradition came to Salem — the Wild Turkey 5 Mile Road Race. Introduced by Park, Recreation and Community Services Director Doug Bollen with help from former Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem Director Tom Philbin, this race has quickly become the largest on the North Shore growing from 300 to more than 1,000 participants, with proceeds benefiting Salem youth programs.
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Wicked Weekly Update

If it’s Friday it must mean it’s time for another edition of the world famous Wicked Weekly Update! Remember, this is YOUR Newsletter so if you would like to see something added or want to make sure your race results are included, get all that information to newsletter@wickedrunningclub.com by Thursday of each week!

Front PageWicked Weekly Update (PDF)

Wicked Weekly Update

Here is this week’s latestet and greatest edition of the Wicked Weekly Update! Remember if you want race results, upcoming races, or have any other info info that you would like to see in the newsletter please send it to newsletter@wickedrunningclub.com by Thursday of each week. 

NovWicked Weekly Update (PDF)

 

2010 Salem Park & Rec Race Series

With only one race remaining in the 2009 Salem Park & Rec Race Series, it’s time to start thinking about next years race series. Once again the Wicked Frosty Four will be leading off! A sixth race has been added to the series and it’s one that many of you ran this year. The Devil’s Chase, which was a great success for B&S will be the sixth race! Below is information about the race series for 2010. If you have any questions please get in touch with Doug Bollen at dougbollen12@yahoo.com.

Salem Park, Recreation and Community Services 

2010 Race Series 

The Salem race series in 2008 and 2009 were a great success!

Salem’s Park, Recreation & Community Services Department is, once again, providing the opportunity for runners of all levels to experience a wide variety of Salem races. From the chill of January to the heat of August, from one mile to a half-marathon, and from a flat and fast course to cross country, this series is intended to encourage you to experience the best racing Salem has to offer. We are offering a new and unique race in the 2010 series on Halloween day to truly experience Salem at its wickedest. All races start and finish in Salem and support the City of Salem Recreation programs for all ages as well as many other charities. By participating in, and supporting, all six races, your versatility and hard work will be rewarded with a one of a kind commemorative hooded sweatshirt with race specific logos from all six events!

Continue reading ‘2010 Salem Park & Rec Race Series’

The Nominations Are In!

Below are the nomination statements from the members of the Wicked Running Club who were nominated for a Board position for 2010. Nomination statements were read at the General Membership meeting which was held on November 2nd, 2009.

The Election will start during the first week of December. Vice President Doug Bollen who is overseeing the election process, will be notifying the membership of the Wicked Running Club on the exact day that the Election will start.

President: Tim Short

To the Membership of the Wicked Running Club:

I am seeking a second term as President of the Wicked Running Club. As current President of Wicked it has been a very exciting year. We had another terrific Wicked Frosty Four on probably one of the coldest days of the year and still had 311 finishers. The club established a new race in partnership with the Salem Park & Recreation Department during the summer called the Wicked Kidz ½ Mile & Mile Race. Wicked will also have competed in three great relays, Lynn Woods, Lake W Relay andcoming up shortly Mill Cities Relay. We crossed the 200 member mark, gave out 4 $500 scholarships to a group of talented young adults, and we celebrated our 5th birthday! 

I’ve been a member of Wicked since 2006, and since that time I’ve had the opportunity to serve as the Social Committee Director, Vice President, and now President. I’ve also served on the Wicked Frosty Four race committee and continue to do so today. Through it all the one thing that has remained constant is my devotion to the Wicked Running Club.  I feel so incredibly lucky not only to be the President of such a wonderful running club but to also be part of a supportive running family.

I’m seeking a second term as President because I want to continue to serve the membership of Wicked and provide everyone with a great experience. I believe that I have the passion and the drive to accomplish many great things next year and if I’m elected I’ll be looking to my fellow Wicked Runners to help me continue Wicked’s great success.

Thank you for your consideration!

Vice President: Rich Tomlins

About 6 years ago I jumped back into running after a lay off of several years. I looked around for local group to run with andafter searching for sometime, found Wicked. It was a small group of about 20 people who came together to run with the Toomey’s That was the beginning of the Wicked Running Club. It was a fun small group of great people. It grew from there and I was lucky enough to get involved and serve on the first board.

I have put a tremendous amount of tim and energy into the club because of the love I have for running and because of the great group of people that make up this club. The club has change and grown so much since those days. The club is now fiscally solvent. We have over 200 members. We participate in multiple relay events. We haveour own club clothing. We partner up with New England Running Co. We even put on our own race.

Still the club faces many tasks and challenges ahead and it takes a strong united Board to meet those challenges. It takes effort day in and day out.It also takes experience and knowledge of the running community. I have volunteered my time constantly over the years and have been involved in running and clubs since high school. I have been a Board Member, Treasurer, Clothing Director, and President for the club. I have a goal and personal interest in seeing the club succeed and grow while maintaining its camaraderie.

Next year the club will need to continue its spirit of volunteerism and comraderie while becoming even bigger. I would like to be part of that challenge as Vice President.

Secretary: Alison Phelan

Dear Members:

It has been another great year running with the Wicked Running Club and the many people whose friendship I have made because of the Club. This is the best reason to continue with the Club. Yes, I love to be competitive, enjoy the challenges of a fun race or relay, but the best part of it all are the people that I’ve gotten to know and laugh with these last 2 years. One of the things that attracted me to the Club was the way the members always hung out together and cheered each other on at races. That to me is appealing and so now I hope to continue giving back to the Club in my own way as your Secretary for another year. Of Course, the meetings are always interesting especially when they are held at some pub – where taking notes can be challenging especially when you can’t hear what’s being said – so I’ve gotten creative at times! Despite that, I’ve enjoyed the past year serving in this capacity a hope you will all give me another chance in 2010.

I thank you for your consideration as your Club Secretary

Alison Phelan

Treasurer: Melissa Jaynes

I am a huge supporter of the WRC and I have been very active in the club since joining almost 2 years ago in a variety of ways; from my regular participation in club activities to helping find sponsors like Panera and EBSB for the 2nd Frosty Four race.  I would like to become even more active with the club by serving on the Board as Treasurer.  I believe I am well suited for this position as I have experience working with budgets in my job as a policy analyst, am a meticulous record keeper, and will make my attendance at Board meetings and Treasury duties a top priority.   

Membership Director: Annie Rose Willis

After being a member of Wicked for almost a year and a half now, I feel ready to be part of the board. Though I had been involved with running prior to joining, being a member has definitely made me enjoy the experience a lot more, and now I want to take my involvement to the next level. I have met some amazing friends, participated in new events and races, and enjoyed the sense of belonging and comraderie that exists (and these are just a few benefits that havecome from being a member). All of that being said, being a board member would be a great way to give back what I have already gotten in such a short amount of time.

As for why I chose “membership”… I don’t think it’s a mystery to anyone that I am an outgoing, social “people” person. I fee that membership was a good fit for me since it so directly corresponds to the actual people-the members (and soon to be recruited members) of Wicked. Recruiting and retaining our members is so important, andI feel that I could bring my positive engergy to this role in order to make such things happen :)

Thanks guys!!!

Annie

Clothing Director: Michele Campbell

About four years ago I decided to try something new. I started running with Salem’s Wild Turkey 5 Mile as an “ultimate” goal. One day I discovered the Wicked Running Club and decided to show up for a Saturday run. This was the first time I ever met club members. Steve Touchette kindly ran much slower than his usual pace to keep me company. And the others there that day were incredibly encouraging. I became a member soon after.

I began volunteering with the club, primarily designing race posters, shirts and ads, and setting up recycling at the Frosty Four (with husband and non-runner Gif!). This year I helped Kathey with the artwork for the fabulous clothing she ordered for us. I am familiar with the merchandise and with clothing production and believe I can continue her great work. When Doug asked if I would consider running for a Board position, I thought about it and decided that I could — andshould — give more of my time to the club.

Wicked Running Club is the bomb. I’ve made new friends, and continue to benefit from the motivation that only a club of like-minded people can offer. I would be honored to serve on the Board as Clothing Director and hope that you’ll consider my candidacy.

I’d like to thank all of the other Board members, past and present, fortheir commitment and service.

Regards,

Michele Campbell

Member At Large: Shari Hewson

By way of introduction my name is Shari Hewson and I joined the Wicked Running Club in May of 2009.  I started to get back into running a couple years ago but did not seriously train.  My idea of training at that time was “Hey, there is a 5K coming up – let’s run.”  I realized I wanted running to become a bigger part of my life and began researching running clubs in the area. 

 The first people I met from the Club was Tim Short, Deb Touchette and John Mahoney.  They were all very pleasant, welcoming and enthusiastic.  I knew this was a club I had to try and I havenot been disappointed.  My husband Kenny joined in July and shortly after the Club incorporated a family membership and welcomed children.  Our son Kyle then joined and we have had a great time. 

I was always somewhat envious at races when people that belonged to a club all congregated and supported one another.  This was something we had been looking for.  The Wicked Running Club has provided support and encouragement at all times.  There is always someone to run with, ask questions of and commiserate with.  The mantra often spoken is “You can do that – no problem”. 

I had the privilege of serving on the Board last year as a Member-At-Large and truly enjoyed the experience and believe I contributed to the good of the Club.  I would welcome the opportunity to serve on the Board again.  I am definitely a team player and will bring enthusiasm and experience to this position.   

Thank you for your consideration. 

Shari R.M. Hewson

Member At Large: Allison Rourke

To the members of the Wicked Running Club:

I am writing to ask for your support in nominating me for the position of Member-at-Large.

I have been an active member of the Wicked Running Club for 3 years and have participated in the planning and carry-out of many club events, including the Winter Banquet and the Frosty Four.  Over the course of the past 3 years I have had the opportunity to get to know many of you personally, and to gain a better understanding of how the Board can help to make the Club a venue for nurturing Club members’ love of running.

As a Member-at-Large, I plan to help support the Club as it continues to grow and to increase the sense of community among club members.

Thank you for your consideration!

Allison Rourke

Member At Large: T.R. Ramsdell

To the members of Wicked,

I’ve only been a member of Wicked for about a year, and I’ve been a runner for a little longer than that. I met Rich Tomlins at The Running Company while getting new shoes, and he persuaded me to run the Frosty Four and also join Wicked. I had been running with the D5K crew and recognized a lot of the same faces.  I was looking for some kind of organized running group to help me become a “runner”. I started running races as a member of Wicked, and met so many great people. I couldn’t get over how “friendly” competition could be. It was slaps on the back, and knuckles all around, both before and after the races. I soon found out that this wasn’t a club of just “elite” runners; it was a “Family” of runners of ALL levels. I knew I had found a home.

I’ve been running races and making new friends for the past year or so. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the other members and also their families. Tim recently asked me if I’d be interested in a spot on the board. I declined, sighting the fact that I’d been a member for such a short amount of time, that I didn’t think that I could be of any benefit to the club. He asked a second time, and so did Doug. A couple other members also asked me about running. The turning point, I feel, came a few weeks ago. After a very poor performance during an important  race, I was very “down” on running. But the support and encouragement from Wicked members brought me out of my slump. Recently, I posed the question on my facebook page, “are all runners generally optimistic and very supportive of each other, or did I get lucky enough to join the best group of people on Earth? I feel that it is the latter. Runners seem to understand each other better than any other breed of athlete. We all have victories. We all have defeats. But it is this core and genuine caring for one another, and because of the support system in the club, that I have considered running for the At-Large position.

I love to talk, and I love to meet people, and because of this, I feel that I can bring ideas and concerns of other members, to the board in a constructive manner. Everyone has a voice, and if through a conversation with a member, I can help bring forward an idea or concern they may have, than I feel I can be a viable member of the board. I’m happy to provide any help that I am able. Thank you for your time.