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Text Box: Upcoming Races Additional Races Listed on our Upcoming Races Page

Email Us: sailfishstriders@gmail.com

Site Last Updated 6/23/09

Stuart Weather Forecast, FL (34997)

Click on Date Below for Printable Application

Call Us: (772) 334-3469

Hello Sailfish Striders and our other running friends.

I’ve been rather silent, at least in print, since entering the office of president of your club. I think that was because I didn’t know what I wanted to say to you as a group. I started volunteering with the club to support my running wife Jacque ten years ago. With my infant niece in tow, I’ve watched most of you cross the finish line of our races many times. Now I’m driving the bus, but with the help of a good board of directors and some of the best group of volunteers I know.

Since the club transitioned from the hands of Bonny Wolff, Nick Valerio and Mike Melton I’ve become keenly aware of how important you volunteers are. We have people continually working on events like our Run for the Pineapple, the annual picnic, and Christmas party. Volunteers who are rarely seen on race days are working on some of those projects right now. If you’ve helped us out on any activity and felt like you didn’t do much, realize that every piece of the puzzle is equally important and that your contribution was greatly appreciated. If you show up to help with a race and all jobs have been filled, we’ll pair you with one of our more experienced volunteers on a job to give you some on-the-job training. You’ll get to see that it’s not as nerve-wracking as some think.

Rex Noble and I have found that there are some who feel the races we operate are a business and that this is a real cash cow for someone. Nothing could be farther from the truth. This running club is an all-volunteer organization, there are no paid positions and we all pay for our own gas to get to and from an event. The modest fee paid by organizations for our services really amounts to equipment rental and insurance. Mapping new courses and marking them on race day also is done by volunteers, mostly Mike, Rex and me. Our goal is to provide safe, well run races for both local and visiting runners. So far, we can say we’ve done a good job at that.

In the past year, we have increased the membership fees while increasing member benefits. In the coming year we will add to those member benefits. This year we also would like to concentrate on activities outside of races including more buddy runs that we would map and upload onto our website for local and visiting runners to use. By the end of the year, we hope to provide information about our buddy runs and courses at area hotels for guests who run.

Please join the club in our efforts to make our communities runner-friendly for everyone.

I hope to see you all on Sunday at our annual picnic and on Memorial Day at the Run for the Pineapple.

Bob Brokaw