Shorter days are here, and whether you like it or not, winter isn’t far behind. Colorful then falling leaves will soon be everywhere as the nighttime temperature cools. The holidays are coming fast too!

    October was the busiest racing month in the club’s history with six races. We also had another successful Beginning Runners Class with graduation on the 27^th and our Rowan Helping Ministries Walk Club that will end on Monday, November 2^nd. We also timed three exciting middle school cross country meets.

     Now we head into a slightly more relaxed month of November, but the excitement continues with three long standing events. First up on November 14^th is the Clean Water 5K and fun run at Grace Lutheran Church on Saturday, November 14^th. This event is commonly called the Hush Puppy race as each participant gets them post-race. Proceeds go to dig wells for clean drinking water in those areas without them. SRR’s Pam Roseman is race director.

      Next is the fall celebration for Girls on the Run 5K and Fun Run at Salisbury Community Park on Saturday, November 21^st. The graduates of the GOTR program and their running buddies complete the run with great fanfare and fun! Community runners are encouraged to participate.

     Then on Thanksgiving morning, it is time for the Butterball 5K, the largest 5K in Salisbury. With an 8:30am start, you can run the race and still have plenty of time for the rest of your holiday festivities. Proceeds go to Prevent Child Abuse Rowan. SRR’s Rayna Gardner is race director.  

      December has the Freeze Your Buns 5K and Fun Run on December 5^th in Spencer as part of Winterfest and is followed by SRR’s own Santa Run 5K and Fun Run at the Millbridge Ruritans next to Sloan Park on December 12th.

     Newsletter columnists are in rare form this month with Steve Staley sharing his ‘Get ready to race routine” and national “all things running” icon Wayne Crowder upset because his training failed with certain notable club race volunteers at Spooky Sprint. Fred shares his thoughts on the just completed BRC graduation and the people who made it notable. Fred often stays in the shadows or dark to experience the facts around his column’s focus. I hope Wayne doesn’t yet know that the same notable club members forgot the SRR 3-mile sign and left it at Catawba.

      Catawba College cross country, track and field head coach Jason Bryan informed us that the new community track at Knox Intermediate School likely won’t be ready for use until about this time next year. This means that the races that used Overton Elementary in 2026 as race headquarters will need to do that again for most of 2027.

     Plans are underway for the 2027 44^th Annual Forum Fitness Winter Flight and Annual Meeting. Dianne Allen will be the keynote speaker at the Annual Meeting at 6pm on Saturday, February 20^th at the City Park Recreation Center. Come hear her thoughts on “Use It or Lose It!”. Dianne is 70 plus and still challenges herself daily! Winter Flight sponsors are needed, and we’ll share the info on constant contact soon. All proceeds go to Rowan Helping Ministries,

     You might be obsessed with running if you refer to food as “fuel” or you spent more time analyzing your latest pair of running shoes that you did your last car.

      See you on the roads!!

David