Rockford Wildcats 2018
Spring Session Kickoff

Rockford Road Runners youth running team the Rockford Wildcats being the 22nd year of taking the children of our community for a run with an open house spring kickoff at the YMCA Log Lodge, 200 Y Blvd. on Saturday March 10th at 9:00 am.
    The spring session runs from March 10 to April 28 and is open to children of all abilities ages 5 and up.  Only two requirements a pair of running shoes and a desire to run.  The program is free there is no charge for children to join and run with the Wildcat team.
    Parents can meet the coaches and ask questions at the open house from 8:30 am - 10:30 am on Saturday March 10.
    For more information visit Wildcats website, the entire spring practice session schedule is posted there. 

Rockford Road Runners Founders Scholarship

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Rockford Road Runners (RRR) has established a scholarship for area high school students who participate in a running program either in their school or in the community. The Rockford Road Runners Founders Scholarship commemorates the club founders and those following in their footsteps who share their passion and vision for a healthy and active lifestyle through the sport of running.
RRR was organized September 17, 1968 with the prime objective of promoting and encouraging running and walking and educating the public as to their benefits.  During the following 50 years, the club has sponsored or conducted numerous races, educational activities and social events along with monthly newsletters, websites and recognition awards.  
The $1,000 scholarship is available to a graduating senior who is committed to attending college and has been active in a running program.  Applicants must be residents of Winnebago, Boone, Ogle or Stephenson Counties, have a 3.0 or higher grade point average, and have a history of community service or volunteer work.  Those applying also must submit an essay and two recommendation letters.  Application deadline is June 1 , 2018.
More detailed scholarship information and an application form is available on our Scholarship Page

Our thanks once again to Gonzalo Gomez for putting together and sharing the RRR Arny Johnson races video.

Excerpt from RRR  January newsletter
Celebration New Year!
   2018 is a mile marker for Rockford Road Runners, it is our clubs 50th year. We expect it to be filled with many RRR races, and events. with some special celebration and recognition of those who took the steps to start RRR, as well as those who have contributed along the way over these 50 years.  We will be sharing some of the early stories, pictures, documents, results, newspaper articles and anything else that we can find to share. We will be tracking down some of the early members, with the hope that they will share recollections of what running was like before the digital watch, GPS, smart phones, running tights, hi-tech clothing, shoes and other gadgets that have only arrived in recent decades.
   It was 1968, there were only smoky bars, not yet to the moon,  Nike was still two years away as being know as such, RRR was an men’s only club (high school X-C for girls in Rockford was still a decade away),  Most of our  current RRR membership were not yet born or under the age of 10.   Cheap Trick was six years away although Rick Nielsen was an RRR member for a few years along the way. The Plymouth Road Runner car debuted in 1968 and the old Strandquist Motor dealership sponsored a number of “Plymouth Road Runner cross-country races in RRR's early years.  . 
    The phone was still attached to the wall in the kitchen and would remain there for many years to come.  Running with music would have likely involved a transistor radio or a very fast marching band even the Sony walkman was more than a decade away. Club dues were just $5 which makes today’s dues when adjusted for inflation a real bargain, race entry fees were often just $1 and the races were few and far between.  Aerobics by Dr. Kenneth Cooper is published in 1968, Dr. Harry Darland and the RRR would host him as a guest speaker in 1969. Connecting this to today…easy, the 10,000 steps per day method of maintain fitness comes out of Dr. Coopers work.    The running boom would only begin some four years later, launched by Frank Shorter as he won the 1972 Olympic marathon, Frank would later run the Gold Medal Run here in Rockford.                While it might seem like it to some…it was not all taking place a long time ago in a galaxy far far away…All of this and more was set in motion no doubt during runs sometime in late winter or early spring of 1968  by early July letters from founding members were being sent to the ten year old Road Runner Club of America inquiring as to how to they could be become a club.  With guidance from RRCA, which we are still a member organization, Rockford Road Runners was off and running.
    Here we are 50 years later having staged hundreds of races, assisted hundreds more with equipment volunteers, raised for charities either directly or indirectly a number that we are sure is many 100,000’s of thousands of dollars and can safely guess that it exceeds a million. 
    Yet that is not why or what the club was about it is about promoting the sport of running and the fitness benefits that come from running.  The miles run by club members over the 50 years by any metric exceeds many millions.  Dr. Darland set out to share and encourage, with his unbridled passion and enthusiasm, for all to have healthy lifestyles.  We like to think that we continue to serve as role models both as an organization and as individuals to that end.
 
Support Your Local Running Club!
Join RRR today >>> RRR Membership
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Heritage race photos circa 1985
RRR was given a handful of photos from what we believe to be the 1985 Heritage run.  Some of the youngsters would now likely be nearing their masters age groups are you one of them?


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 Support Your Sport and Your Local Running Club
      JOIN RRR TODAY!
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Trail Etiquette for Hikers, Runners, Bikers, Dogs, & Horses. Visit our Trail Etiquette Page with links to mountain bike and trail running sites with best practices when using trails.
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Kid & Family Friendly Races read more about this RRR initiative here. 

Would you like to sponsor, support, or have your race considered for "Kid & Family Friendly" designation? Contact us:  Email RRR

History of State Street Mile by Bob Sharp
on the State Street Mile page we have added link to a series of articles written about the first 25 years of State Street mile as published in past RRR newsletters



    Area Group Run Calendar 
We have added a new feature the  "Area Group Run Calendar" this can be found under the Where to Run menu tab, we are offering groups in the community access to post on this calendar ongoing.  If you have or know of a group that would like to be included contact us at  admin@rockfordroadrunners.org  
RRR appreciates and recognizes businesses supporting the sport of running and walking, helping to give our community healthy and fun events.. We welcome and encourage Runner Friendly Businesses  to make themselves known contact us for information. Support through sponsorship's are also welcome for Annie's Locker, Rockford Wildcats, and Rockford Road Runner events contact us for more information admin@rockfordroadrunners.org 
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On behalf of the running community the Rockford Road Runners Thank!  Rock Valley Culligan for all of their support at area events.


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Support your local running store.