CVR Birthdays March 10-23, 2025
Happy Birthday to: Zachary Acosta, Ann Bushey, Michael Chernick, Dot Helling, Bob Howe, Evan Thornton-Sherman, Andrew Tripp, Heidi Hales, Andy Gilbert, Keely Koenig, Katie Hulbert, Christopher Gallo, Rosa DeAngelis, Randy Laprade, and Nicholas Motley!
Hello from Montpelier,
Suddenly this week, the spring race opportunities are teeming, as the club, plus some of our sister club races part of the CVR/ORO series, have many events that are practically around the corner. In fact, one of them literally is – this Saturday is the Shamrock Shuffle in Lebanon, part of the series. It kicks off a busy running weekend in general, as we have our annual meeting this Sunday, taking place in East Montpelier at the Four Corners Schoolhouse. This year, Donna Smyers is offering up some suggested routes to have a pre-meeting shakeout run for any interested members. See below for more information, but you can get quite a lot of miles in just by participating in various club activities this weekend alone!
On top of that, spring youth running grants are now open, and John and Dot Martin have had some adventures they want to share with you all. Enjoy the lighter evenings as you set aside your headlamps, even if the snow isn’t finished with us yet!
Happy running,
Heather
| Upcoming Races and Club Volunteer Needs March and April races: (More info on the 2025 CVR/ORO Race Series, and a poster is in the works from ORO so will share that in the coming weeks!)**This weekend!!** Shamrock Shuffle – March 15. This race, organized by the Upper Valley Run Club, is part of the CVR/ORO Race Series so if you’re chasing status in the series for 2025, this is a great race to help stack up some points early in the season. Kaynor’s Sap Run – April 6. This race is also part of the CVR/ORO Race Series again this year, the Green Mountain Athletic Association (GMAA) puts this one on and is a popular race for CVR members to get the lead out before our bigger spring race (Paul Mailman) sets off a few weeks later. Paul Mailman 10-miler and 5K – April 19th. Get ready for the 50th Anniversary Paul Mailman race! Registration is now open. Volunteers needed, sign up on the website!Mutt Strutt 5K – April 27th. Bring your pups and run 3 miles in Waterbury! Race registration is now open. Volunteers needed, sign up on the website!Coming up in May and June:Adamant Half Marathon – May 10. It’s not too late to start training for this phenomenal race (or 2-person relay, if you can’t get your mileage up in time!). Registration is open. Volunteers needed, sign up on the website!Barre Town Spring Run – May 18 (note the date change from Saturday to Sunday!). More details to come on this race.Capital City Stampede – June 7. This fast and flat 10K and (for the 2nd year now) 5K power walk is back! Also a Vermont Senior Games event. Registration is now open. See the flyer below, volunteers also needed!ORO Birdland Trail 5K – June 21. A part of the CVR/ORO Race Series, this fun but challenging trail run is a favorite of many CVR members. More details to come.  *********CVR cannot put on races without volunteer support, and your help is always needed. Please volunteer now to help the race directors fill necessary jobs and plan for full race day support. Volunteer now online using the Volunteer link on the CVR website homepage at https://cvrunners.org OR by email to the race directors above. |
| This Sunday! Annual Club Meeting – March 16 – Four Corners Schoolhouse, East Montpelier Please save the date for our annual club meeting, coming up this coming Sunday. The Annual Meeting is an important one, so if you only make it to one meeting a year, make it this one! Agenda item ideas are still welcome – please find the draft agenda here. New this meeting – join for an optional pre-meeting run! If you want to head to the school at 3:30, meet a group of members ready to explore some routes in the area prior to the potluck and meeting. You can see the proposed routes and sign up for the run here. |
| Spring Youth Running Grants- **Deadline 3/16** All running club directors and team coaches, if you are interested in receiving a grant from the Central Vermont Runners club, please submit the following and send it via email to Ann Bushey: abushey@cvsu.org, by March 16th at 4:00. Grants generally are in the amount of $200.00-$300.00, depending on the number of requests. Applications should include the following:Coach’s nameVERY IMPORTANT: to whom we should address the check, and a mailing address. We MUCH prefer to address the check to a school, team, or program, vs. just the name of the coach.Title of program, number of runnersWhat you would like to use the grant money for ( T-shirts, prizes, entries, water bottles, scholarships, etc.) |
| Gasparilla Adventures with John and Dot Gasparilla was a notorious pirate who plagued ships along the west coast of Florida in the Early 1800s. From bad guy to hero, his revised legacy is celebrated each winter in the Tampa Bay area. The pirate lives on as a better person in Floridian culture. The running festival is four races over the weekend. The first race is a 15K followed 2 hours later by the 5K. Sunday begins with a half dark half marathon and culminates with the Festival ending 8K race. The start times of each race are scheduled so as to allow runners to run both events both days or all four races for the truly foolish. Not naming anyone in the club but I’m thinking of a CVR member who would jump at this opportunity. In addition to the four single races there are a variety of mix and match Challenge divisions. Dot and I settled on the 5K/8K Challenge. Finish times are combined and Age Group placings are determined. There were a total of 17,751 finishers for the 2 day 4 race festival. On Saturday Dot placed 4th in a field of 304 60-64 year old women. Meanwhile, I ran to a 12th place finish in a field of 94 men 70-74. Stellar and not too shabby respectively. Day 2 was the 8K. Dot was 6th of 141 in her division. My pace slipped to place 16th of 38 AARP members. The Challenge Awards are the prestige of the weekend. Consistency is rewarded here. Dot won the Age Group 60-64 division and I cruised to #2. Overall 5K/8K results had Dot 9th/221 of all women while I came in the top third of all men 35th/114. Races over, we tripped to the zoo, aquarium and got up close and personal with manatees in the Crystal River. No beach time. The weather was much cooler than previous Florida trips and rain curtailed outdoor activities one day. On to the next adventure – Wyoming and South Dakota. Hint: disturbed equine — John Martin  |
Winter Group Runs – No Official Run on 3/15 – run the Shamrock Shuffle! Or join the pre-meeting run on 3/16! Or Both!
This past weekend, a good crowd headed to Randolph for a sunny morning around the VTC facility, thanks to hosts Darrel and Cheryl Lasell. There is no official WGR this weekend, so your schedule is open to hit the Shamrock Shuffle in Lebanon. You may also (or instead) want to join the crew for the pre-meeting run on Sunday afternoon in East Montpelier. If you’d like to join for future runs, please sign up in this Google sheet which will have more details about the meet up as details come together.
About WGRs
These social group runs rotate locations throughout central Vermont on Saturdays from December through early April. A few distance options are offered for each WGR, and walkers are always welcome. We most frequently meet near coffee shops to enjoy a treat and each other’s company after the run. To make these events diverse and interesting, we call on the knowledge of our club to pick locations and routes, and any CVR member is welcome to volunteer to host a WGR. “Hosting” doesn’t have to mean inviting everyone to your home, though that is an option and always a lovely time for those who are open to doing that. If you’re interested in hosting or simply want to share an idea for a WGR, please reach out directly to Katie Hulbert at kagirmus@gmail.com.
Receive more information about WGRs
Additional communications about the WGR schedule and a weekly email for each Saturday’s plan will be sent out to those on the WGR distribution list. If you would like to opt in or out of these emails, please send a note to Donna Smyers at dosmyers@gmail.com.
Unofficial Tuesday Night Fun Runs – Continuing at the Bear Naked Growler for March/April
From Darrel: As 2025 kicks off, there are a few die-hard runners that like to get out and get some mileage in, no matter what the weather. For the months of March/April, a few of us are going to continue meeting on Tuesday eveningsat 5:30 pm in front of the Bear Naked Growler (186 River St, Montpelier, VT 05602) to go for a fun run or walk. The bike path is usually plowed, salted, and mostly lit with street lights making it a little safer than running on the roads. Another option is to go out the more secluded Old Country Club Road for a peaceful trip along the river. Head lamp and reflective vest are no longer needed with the later sunset, but bright clothing still recommended as dusk and low light can still be dangerous for runners. Some people will walk a mile or two, just to keep the legs going, others will run 3, 4, or 6 miles (or more) to keep in shape for the spring races. After the run, the group can go into the Bear Naked Growler to warm up, socialize and have a drink (both non-alcohol or a large selection of craft beers). Everyone is welcome (not just CVR Members). Bring a friend or non-running spouse. It is a good place to hang out while you are waiting for the long running buddy.
Look at that LIGHT!!!! The days are indeed getting longer!!!
CVR Running Book Club – Reviews Wanted!
Anne hosts the Bill Mares Memorial Running Book Library, loaning books to club members and other interested readers. Email her (ac98@cornell.edu) for the list. Readers are welcome to submit brief running book reviews for occasional inclusion in this newsletter. If you have a submission to share, send to Anne or Heather anytime for publication in the next newsletter!
Reminder about Committee Openings
As a note, there is a general call for committee members for a few issues, please reach out to me (by replying directly to this email) if you’re interested in joining any of the below!
Club Anniversary Event Planning Committee – 2025 marks the 45th birthday of CVR – Merill and Donna are heading this up – won’t you join them? The idea here is to come up with some ideas for how to celebrate the club’s anniversary, whether with one event next year or possibly several. If you want to shape what this looks like, join this committee!
CVR Special Edition – Did You Miss It?
So far we’ve had quite a few great stories come our way that we’ve put out in these special editions. We hope you have been enjoying them! Do you also want to tell your story or share a profile you’d like to have featured? Please reach out and send details to Heather. You could be our next special edition! Stories could cover anything running or club related, such as:
- Club history – how races started or stories from past decades of members’ accomplishments
- Your achievements – did you tackle your first marathon? Your 15th? Your first 10k? Race stories are inspiring, whether you triumphed, set a personal record, or did not finish but learned a lesson. Tell your fellow members about it!
- Personal history – how did you get into the sport of running?
- Other ideas!
All stories welcome – pitch me or just send something along with a picture or two to go with! Deadline is rolling!
| News, Races, and Updates from around the Region **New this week** Eau Claire (Wisconsin) Marathon – April 27 – Discount Code for CVR! CVR members interested in this marathon (among other races that weekend) should contact me for the discount code (50%) before registering. This is a Boston Qualifying marathon! See details here. **New this week** Saints Shuffle 5K Fun Run/Walk, Friday May 30 – Millstone Trails in Websterville Scenic trail run past historic granite quarries. Start and finish at the field across from Millstone Lodge. Register by May 10, 2024 to get a t-shirt! All entrants get a raffle ticket and post-race cook-out. More information can be found here. **New this week** Hit the Trail! a 5K Run, Bicycle Ride, and Walk for Healthy Aging on September 6, Morrisville Central Vermont Council on Aging (CVCOA) is hosting Hit the Trail! a 5K Run, Bicycle Ride, and Walk for Healthy Aging on Saturday, September 6th, 2025 on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail in Morrisville, VT. This event raises funds to support CVCOA’s innovative programs for healthy aging and individualized support for older adults and caregivers in Central Vermont. This event begins and ends at Oxbow Park in downtown Morrisville. Our bike route heads west from this location, encouraging riders to reach Hyde Park for a 5-mile round trip or Johnson for a 15-mile round trip. The more avid riders can make it to Cambridge and back. The 5K run and walk heads east from Oxbow on an out-and-back course. Following the activities on the rail trail, participants will meet back at Oxbow Park for lunch, lawn games, prizes, and music. Register today at http://tiny.cc/HitTrail. Heritage Family Credit Union Shamrocks 5K Fun Run – this weekendMarch 15 It is that time of year again when Heritage Family Credit Union invites everyone to give winter the boot by bringing a wave of green to downtown Rutland. CVR has been invited to join the Heritage O’Family’s Shiver Me Shamrocks 5k Fun Run. The race is Saturday March 15th at 1pm and will start on Center Street in Rutland, VT. You can get more details and register from a link on our website http://www.hfcuvt.com. Sign up today with a special Club code, LOVE2RUN for a 10% discount from now thru the 28th. Calling all Runners – Survey inputs needed! A few Dartmouth students are working on a startup and want your inputs to contribute to their research on how runners purchase, use, and assess the condition of their shoes. The anonymous, 3-minute survey can be accessed here. FOR SALE For sale: Runner’s World Training Journal for Beginners: 52 Weeks of Motivation, Training Tips, Nutrition Advice, and Much More for Runners Who Are Just Starting Out. Like-new condition, 100% unused. https://www.amazon.com/Runners-World-Training-Journal-Beginners/dp/1609615395/ $10. Contact Graham Sherriff at graham.a.sherriff@outlook.com 10% off Opened in October 2022 in Waitsfield Vermont The Mad Rover carries lifestyle and outdoor apparel for all seasons. We carry STIO, KUHL, PRANA, JETTY and FAIR HARBOR to name a few. We stock backpacks and bags, Sunglasses, Jewelry, Socks, Hats and Hydration vessels of all sizes. All CVR members get 10% off. Owner Steve Kenny has been an avid runner for 20 years. |
| Club Needs, Opportunities, and Reminders Quarterly Newsletter Support – Now “Special Editions” Rather than publish a newsletter, we will plan to send out the periodic “special editions” – see above for a call for stories! Membership Renewal – Reminder Stan is sending out a reminder to folks about renewing. Renew so you can continue to receive these amazing newsletters! It takes less than 5 minutes. Check your status! There’s a link to RunReg at https://cvrunners.org/join-cvr (“JOIN CVR”). This page also has a printable form for those who prefer to mail their renewal. Renewing with a multi-year membership means fewer year-end renewals for you and less administration for the club. CVR Equipment Use Anyone wanting to use equipment send Sal (and cc myself) a request that includes 1) Date equipment to be removed from the shed, 2) Itemized list of equipment being removed; including quantities, 3) Date equipment will be returned to the shed. Please send Sal (and cc the club president) and email to let us know when the equipment has been returned.Race Series – 2025Stay tuned for a new poster in the new year! We agreed on some new rules for the next year so check out the Race Series site for more details. Link above. |
| Current Club Membership Benefits:Don’t forget that you get many benefits to being a member!Meet, run with, and socialize with other area runners of all abilities.Keep up-to-date on area running races and events.Receive a regular newsletter with race results and club news.Be eligible for the Central Vermont Runners/Onion River Outdoors Race Series.Join a club that’s part of the Road Runners Club of America organization. RRCA is invaluable for insuring CVR races.Become eligible for discounts at these area businesses:Onion River Outdoors – 15% off all running gear, including running shoes, running apparel and socks, reflective gear, run vests, etc. Special orders of Hoka and Altra running shoes included.Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel — 10% off running shoes.Ski Rack — 15% off running shoes and running apparel.Mountain Valley Lotus Massage Therapy — 15% off massages |
| Club Info:Elected Officers President – Heather Tomlins Vice President – Tim Noonan Finance – John Valentine Secretary – Cheryl Lasell At Large Executive Committee: Anne Treadwell & Dot Helling John Hackney: website and timing Donna Smyers: timing Sal Acosta: Equipment tracking/storage Stan Brinkerhoff: club membership tracking Jackie Jancaitis: Race director support TBD: Winter Group Run organization Mark Howard: Summer Trail Runs organization Jeff Prescott: MailChimp Administrator Ann Bushey: Youth Running Program Grants Joe Merrill: Race Series Tracking and Awards Dinner MC Darrel Lasell and Jim Flint: CVR Facebook page managers |
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