Photos and Presentation Slides posted! – About 30 Wanderers packed the bar at the Valley Green Inn on January 12 to see highlights of 2011 and to make plans for 2012.

 

Bob Reynolds won the prestigious Athlete of the Year award.  Other winners were Dennis Crowne for Comeback of the Year,  Pat Barrett lifetime achievement award, Brian Frederick most improved Wanderer, and Rodman as best dressed Wanderer.  Numerous certificates of achievement were also presented.

Developments at the meeting were as follows:

  • The Wanderers will investigate whether to form a relay team for either the Back on My Feet 24-hour relay on the Schuylkill River loop or for one of the other relays such as the Ragner Relay in Pennsylvania.  Randy Clever, who has been volunteering as a runner with the BoMF program, urged the Wanderers to participate in the BoMF relay, and strong interest was expressed at the meeting.
  • The Chestnut Hill Classic will not be held by the Wanderers in 2012.  Although the club wants to promote cross country races, the turnout for this event has always been light especially this past year when another USATF relay was scheduled the same weekend.
  • The Wanderers will explore setting up a “Fat Ass” distance run in the Wissahickon.  These races are bare bones operations with minimal or no entrance fee and just a few jugs of water for support.  The race would be for ultra runners and could be either two 25-mile loops of the Wissahickon or a 12-hour endurance run.  Again, this proposal elicited strong interest.
  • No decision was made whether the Wanderers will participate in the USATF off-road series in 2012.  The Wanderers performance in the past has been sporadic with strong early finishes.  But when other obligations in the ultra and triathlon season kick in, the club has had difficulties fielding a team.  A decision on whether to participate should be made in the next couple of weeks.
  • The Technovan was declared dead.   This mobile unit has served the Wanderers well for more than a decade supplying support and transportation to all sorts of races.  Having died once before and been resuscitated with a new engine, the Technovan suffered a relapse a few weeks ago with a smoking and stinking engine and a strange clicking noise. Technovan….RIP.
  • Phil Ranly, who has directed the Wissahickon Trail Classic for six years, is looking for a new director of the race because he will be away on race day for his sister’s wedding.  This is a great race, and anyone interested in getting involved should contact Phil.
  • Otherwise, the two trail series will be held as usual in 2012 as well as the summer track meet and the Philadelphia Marathon Water Table.

 

Events Photos by Melanie

Presentation Slides