Course Map: The Nittany Valley Marathon (1972-84)
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- Written by Martin Mazur Martin Mazur
Many of you remember the Mount Nittany Marathon, which was run in our area from 2013 to 2015. The Mount Nittany Conservancy put on the race, and the Nittany Valley Running Club provided advice and support. Marathons are hard to put on (and expensive) because of the logistics of setting up a course, providing directions, and adequate water stops, especially if the race is run in the summer as the Mt. Nittany was. Those were among the reasons that the race was only put on for 3 years.
What you may not know is that a long time ago, the area regularly held another marathon, the Nittany Valley Marathon. That race was run from about 1972 through 1984. The Nittany Valley Marathon was put on by the Nittany Valley Track Club, which is what the NVRC was called back then. The last running of the marathon in 1984 corresponded with the first running of the Nittany Valley Half-Marathon, which is still with us (and is one of the Club’s most successful races).
Read more: Course Map: The Nittany Valley Marathon (1972-84)
NVRC Supports 2020 Unofficial "Day of Caring"
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- Written by Martin Mazur Martin Mazur
The 2020 United Way Day of Caring was canceled due to COVID. But in the middle of October, a small group of volunteers, along with Joe Hughes, the Penn State Golf Courses PGA General Manager, decided not to let the PSU golf course perimeter trail go back to a state of nature. Liz & Jim Kisenwether, and Cheree Jones coordinated the project. Also involved were Tracy Hanahan and Bill Kupinski.
The crew concentrated on areas near Walker Clubhouse, hole #8, and sections of the wooded path parallel to Blue Course Drive.
The Nittany Valley Running Club, as usual, offered to chip in for food and drinks, but the crew was small enough that Cheree Jones and Joe Hughes picked up the tab. The Club will get it next year when there's a bigger crew!
Here are some photo highlights of the day.
An example before picture before brush clearing.
Jim and Liz Kisenwether, Joe Hughes, Tracy Hanahan, and Bill Kupinski in an "after" shot of a cleared area.
Marathoners For Medicine to Hold Kick-Off Dinner February 6
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- Written by Jaimie Wright Jaimie Wright
Members of the 2019 M4M team at last year's kick-off dinner at CVIM
Be part of this year's Marathoners for Medicine team, and use your love of running to support Centre Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM), a community organization that provides free and discounted medical and dental care to low-income adults who live and work in Centre County and their families. While running is often a solitary activity, Marathoners for Medicine lets you use your love of running to benefit our community. The team has raised over $600,000 for CVIM to date.
Here's how it works: You sign up for any spring race (it doesn't have to be a marathon) and ask your friends and family to make a donation to CVIM. We do not require you to raise a minimum dollar amount, and every dollar that you raise goes directly to CVIM.
The kick-off dinner will be February 6 at 6:00 p.m. at CVIM (2520 Green Tech Dr unit d, State College, PA 16803). See firsthand the amazing work that the CVIM staff does and tour the clinic, as well as enjoy dinner and fellowship with your fellow runners and our honorary coach, Olympian Greg Fredericks.
To sign up and bring a dish to the potluck, click here: https://www.PerfectPotluck.com/KORZ4206
Contact Jaimie Wright at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions. Hope to see you there!
NVRC Group Run Survey
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- Written by Martin Mazur Martin Mazur
June 8, 2020
The NVRC is looking to start up group runs again. We’re asking for your input now to help us to decide under what restrictions we’ll do this, whether the runs will be ‘official’, i.e. run under the aegis of the Club, listed on our web site Calendar and Facebook page, etc. The question of their ‘official’ status comes down to whether they’ll be covered under our liability policy provided by our umbrella organization, the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA). Local runners are currently free to organize group runs using our listserve, which is not an ‘official’ NVRC organ. However, if we were to advertise them on our web site or Facebook, potential liability questions could arise. In addition, many if not most of our group runs have, in the past, been led by Club officers. So, as you can see, even if we kept group runs as ‘unofficial’ meet-ups, connection to the Club and liability could come into play.
To help us make these decision, we’ve put together survey regarding starting group runs during the current Pennsylvania "green phase" of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Only the first three sections have required responses. The last section on your running personal habits is completely optional, as is the comments section.
Note that some pairs of questions are intended to cover some issues from 'both sides': e.g. Are you willing to participate in group runs if masks are required during the run? / Are you willing to participate in group runs if masks are NOT required during the run?
NOTE: We intend to have a general minimum policy for our ‘official' group runs based in part on state rules and guidelines for group activities, on the guidelines and recommendations of the RRCA, and on the responses of this survey. However, some group leaders may want to lead runs under more restrictions. If the group leader wishes more than the minimum restrictions, he or she will be asked to make them clear in the group run description.
Please take about 10 minutes to fill out the survey. And please put your ideas in the Comments section.
NVRC Supports 2019 United Way Day of Caring
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- Written by Martin Mazur Martin Mazur
The 2019 United Way Day of Caring brought crews totaling 65 volunteers to the jogging/walking/biking trail adjacent to the Penn State Golf Courses to clear brush from wooded parts of the trail. The trail has been a Centre County United Way Day of Caring project each year from 2011-2019. Joe Hughes--Penn State Golf Courses PGA General Manager, Liz & Jim Kisenwether, and Cheree Jones coordinated the project.
This year's volunteers: The Penn State University men's lacrosse team, State College Borough employees, Joe Hughes--Penn State Golf Courses PGA General Manager, Liz Kisenwether--KidTech, Inc., Jim Kisenwether, Cheree Jones, and several individuals worked tirelessly to clear brush and make the trail safer.
The Nittany Valley Running Club, as usual, chipped in for food and drinks (lunch).
Here are some photo highlights of the day.
State College Borough Volunteers and Liz Kisenwether
Volunteers from the Penn State Lacrosse team
2020 Winter Blood Drive Is A Success
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- Written by Mike Casper Mike Casper
THANK YOU!
A hearty thanks to everyone who came out to donate, invited someone to donate, or helped someone get to the Nittany Valley Running Club’s Winter Blood Drive! The NVRC’s reason for hosting blood drives is to encourage healthy, able donors to come out and donate, because just 4% of the population is providing blood for the nation’s emergency needs, so you generous donors are invaluable. With your generosity, we collected 12 units of whole blood at this drive. That translates to saving up to 36 lives – which is no small achievement. Thank you!
Our presenting donors were treated to fresh Pizza Hut pizza, running films, and recent Trail Runner and Ultrarunning magazines. Whether you were able or unable to participate in this drive, we encourage you to take a moment to put the NVRC’s Fall Blood Drive, set for Thursday, Sept. 10, on your calendar now – it’s likely to creep up on us before we know it!
The presenting blood donors, volunteers, and those whose lives may be saved by those donations were the drive’s many winners. Drawing prizes went to:
Jim M. – The NVRC Rodney Myers Memorial 17th Annual Egg Hill 10 Miler and Relay entry (May 5). Link: http://nvrun.com/index.php/racing/club-sponsored/run-around-egg-hill
Suzanne W. – Crack O’ Dawn 5K Run/Walk & Pancake Breakfast entry (June 6). Link: http://nvrun.com/index.php/racing
Erin Y. – 45th Annual Sue Crowe Memorial NVRC Arts Festival 5K and 10K Races (5K-10K) entry (July 12). Link: http://nvrun.com/index.php/racing/club-sponsored/arts-festival-races
Kathryn H. – $100 credit toward an individual or team entry in the Tussey mOUnTaiNBACK 50 Mile Relay and Ultramarathon (Oct. 11). Link: http://www.tusseymountainback.com/
WHEN AM I ELIGIBLE TO GIVE AGAIN?
If you donated at this drive, you’ll be eligible again on March 13. If you didn’t donate at this drive, we encourage you to seek out a blood drive near you anytime!
Thanks for supporting the American Red Cross and the NVRC!
Marathoners For Medicine Raise $45,000 For CVIM
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- Written by Martin Mazur Martin Mazur
The NVRC Marathoners For Medicine raise money for Centre Volunteers In Medicine, a local medical and dental clinic serving the working poor in our area. Participants use a spring race as a focal point for their fundraising efforts. You don’t have to run a marathon to be part of the team. Sue Forster at Centre Volunteers In Medicine announced that the Marathoners For Medicine fundraising campaign of the NVRC raised $45,000 for CVIM in this year's effort. Here's the announcement:
"The 2019 Marathoners' team raised $45,000 to support the medically uninsured living or working in Centre County. Whether you believe in CVIM because you too have experienced the cost of being uninsured, because being a part of the team gives you the incentive to run/a purpose beyond personal accomplishment, or you are grateful for your health and health insurance YOU are a part of helping to save lives. Being a M4M team member means that you help to relieve dental pain, detect cancer earlier, get patients much needed medications and SO MUCH MORE.”
Thanks to Jaimie Wright for organizing this year’s effort. M4M will be gearing up for their 2020 effort after Christmas. If you’d like to join, contact Jaimie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.