Blog Archives

Join Striders at our Annual Banquet on January 25 at The End Zone

12/23/2016

On Wednesday, January 25, please join fellow Central Maine Striders for food, drinks, awards, and more at The End Zone in Waterville at the club’s annual banquet.

All are welcome!

Maybe you’ve seen other Striders at local running races and events. Well, here’s your chance to meet and connect with other local runners over dinner and drinks.

Central Maine Striders Annual Banquet
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
The End Zone, 38 College Ave, Waterville
(directly across from post office)

5:30-6 p.m. Social Time
The club will provide appetizers. Drinks will be available for purchase from The End Zone.

6-7:30 p.m. Dinner and Awards
Attendees may order food and drink from The End Zone at their own expense.

During dinner we will recognize members for Club Awards, including Striders of the Year, Youth Awards, Volunteer of the Year, Race Director of the Year, and Sponsor of the Year. We also will hold the Election of Officers.

To Vote for Striders of the Year:
Meet the women's nominees: Susan Vogt Brooks, Stephanie Friend LeBlanc, and Julie Millard.
Meet the men's nominees: Mike Brooks, Dave Drew, and Ron Peck.

Then email us your votes (run@centralmainestriders.com) for both female and male Striders of the Year by 1/3/17.
Note: You must be a 2016 or 2017 club member to vote. Note a member? Join or renew today.

For more information on the Striders Annual Banquet, please email run@centralmainestriders.com

All members and friends of the club are welcome. We hope to see you on January 25 at The End Zone!

Vote for Central Maine Strider of the Year: Women's Nominees

12/14/2016

We're excited to recognize two club members for their standout running achievements as female and male Striders of the Year. Susan Brooks, Stephanie LeBlanc, and Julie Millard were nominated by fellow club members for the female Strider of the Year award.

Please review the nominees' info below, as well as the male Strider of the Year nominees (Dave Drew, Mike Brooks, and Ron Peck) separately. Then vote for one female Strider of the Year and one male Strider of the Year. (Note: you must be a 2016 or 2017 club member to vote.)

To vote for Striders of the Year, send your picks to:

run@centralmainestriders.com
or mail them to: Central Maine Striders, P.O. Box 1177, Waterville, ME 04903
Must be a 2016 or 2017 club member to vote. Note a member? Join or renew today.
Deadline: January 7, 2017

We’ll announce the Striders of the Year and recognize them at our annual dinner in January.

Susan Vogt Brooks

Susan Brooks started running 45 years ago at age 12 and has run consistently since. She ran her first marathon, the 1994 SAPPI Saicor Marathon (3:58), while living in South Africa. A year later she ran it in 3:27 (PR) and ran her first ultramarathon, the Two Oceans Marathon (56K in 5:03) across the tip of South Africa. "That race remains the most challenging I’ve ever done," she said. The next year she ran the iconic 92K Comrades Marathon on an uphill year.

Susan has since run 15 marathons and ultras, including Boston (3:43) and the Vermont City Marathon in 2000 while three months pregnant (under doctor supervision).

This May, Susan won her age group (W55-59) at the Sugarloaf 15K (1:15:21.2). In June she placed second in her age group at the Bay of Fundy International Half Marathon (1:55:07). She placed second in her age group (W50-59) at this year's Quarry Road Summer Race series.

On the bike, Susan has participated in the Trek Across Maine for 14 years, raising funds for the American Lung Association.

Stephanie Friend LeBlanc

Stephanie LeBlanc started her 2016 season at the January Thaw 4.5 Road Race and in February participated in her first snowshoe run, the Quarry Road Snowshoe Shuffle.

In June she completed her first marathon at the Black Bear Marathon (4:09:39), and was first woman at the Hospice Run/Walk for Life 5K (25:04). Over the summer she competed in the Bond Brook Trail Series (third female for the series) and at the Quarry Road Summer Race Series, where she placed second in her age group (W40-49).

In September she ran her first trail ultra at Last Man Standing, completing eight 4.2-mile loops to pass 50K. She also ran the Bradbury Mountain Trail Series, placing second for F40-49.

Other 2016 races included the 10K Healthy High, Rabbit Trail Run, Salomon Trail Running Festival 10K, Midnight Owl 15K prediction run, TD Beach to Beacon 10K, Doc and Mardie Brown 5K, The Flume 10K, the Ragnar Adirondack Relay, and her first trail half at Run Through the Woods.

Julie Millard

Julie Millard has been racing for almost 40 years. Highlights of her early career include finishing 109th at the 1986 Boston Marathon (3:12.43) and on the first-place women’s team (Team Fischer Women) at the 1996 Mt. Baker Ski to Sea Relay. She was named the 1996 Striders Comeback Runner of the Year when she finished third at the Casco Bay Marathon (3:21.01) a year after her first child was born.

In recent years Julie has competed in distances from the mile (6:48 at the Maine Mile in 2014) to the 50K (5:48:02 at Pineland Farms in 2013, in recognition of her 50th birthday). Her marathon PR of 3:06:34 was set in 1993 at Sugarloaf, and her PW of 4:05:03 was set in 2010 at Boston, where she ran to honor her great uncle Fred Cameron's victory there in 1910.

Julie is the Maine Senior Games record holder for 3000 meters for women aged 50-54 (13.57.6). She placed third in her age group at this May’s Sugarloaf 15K (1:14:23.07) and has won her age group (W50-59) for the Quarry Road Summer Race Series every year since its inception in 2013.

Vote for Central Maine Strider of the Year: Men's Nominees

12/13/2016

We're excited to recognize two club members for their standout running achievements as male and female Striders of the Year. Mike Brooks, Dave Drew, and Ron Peck were nominated by fellow club members for the male Strider of the Year award.

Please review the nominees' info below, as well as the female Strider of the Year nominees (Susan Brooks, Stephanie LeBlanc, and Julie Millard ) separately. Then vote for one male Strider of the Year and one female Strider of the Year. (Note: you must be a 2016 or 2017 club member to vote.)

To vote for Striders of the Year, send your picks to:

run@centralmainestriders.com
or mail them to: Central Maine Striders, P.O. Box 1177, Waterville, ME 04903
Must be a 2016 or 2017 club member to vote. Note a member? Join or renew today.
Deadline: January 7, 2017

We’ll announce the Striders of the Year and recognize them at our annual dinner in January.

Mike Brooks

For his 70th birthday, Mike Brooks ran seven marathons in seven days in seven states this spring to raise more than $17,000 for Camp Sunshine, a Maine retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. This October, a couple of months after undergoing heart surgery to replace a valve, Mike completed his 500th marathon or ultra length race at the Maine Marathon, with Strider Ron Paquette at his side.

In past years, Mike has run the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon, plus another 22 miles to the summit of Mt. Whitney, completed 24-hour races, and competed in the grueling Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence Six-Day (320 miles completed) and 10-Day (491 miles completed) races—all while raising thousands of dollars for Camp Sunshine.

"My only talent as a runner is that I can put one foot in front of the other for long distances," said Mike. "Raising money through biking and running for Multiple Sclerosis, Dempsey Center Healing Tree for Children, and Camp Sunshine has been extremely rewarding to me."

Dave Drew

Given the longevity of his racing career, the quality of his performances, and the variety of events in which he's participated, it can probably be said that long-time Strider, Dave Drew, has been flying under the radar.

This former Maine Track Club "Master of the Year" award winner has many notable achievements including the Maine Rail Trail Half Marathon course record of 1:22:44 set in 2011, third place and first male finisher in 57:07.06 as a 50-year-old at the 2015 Sugarloaf 15K, and many strong showings in open, masters, and now senior competitions.

In addition to his road racing notables at distances from 5K through the half marathon, Dave has competed impressively in triathlons and snowshoe races. Most recently Dave ran the Portland Thanksgiving Day 4-Miler in 26:01.

Ron Peck

After an eight-year break from running, Ron Peck laced up his shoes again in 2013 and ever since has been a consistently competitive racer at distances from the 3K to marathons.

Ron won the Bay of Fundy Marathon in 2014 in 3:01:31, his first marathon since his return to running (he had previously completed several marathons and Ironmans).

He won his age group and was second overall at this summer’s 2016 Quarry Road Summer Race Series, as well as in 2014. "It was a special highlight to win the Quarry Road 8K on my 41st birthday this year," said Ron.

Ron qualified for and ran the Boston Marathon in 2015 (2:59:20) and again in 2016 (3:04:26). At this October’s Mount Desert Island Marathon he won his age group division and was 19th overall (3:02:19).

Ron is also the treasurer for Central Maine Striders.

Join Striders at our Annual Banquet on January 25 at The End Zone

﻿Vote for Central Maine Strider of the Year: Women's Nominees

﻿Vote for Central Maine Strider of the Year: Men's Nominees

Categories

Archives

Vote for Central Maine Strider of the Year: Women's Nominees

Vote for Central Maine Strider of the Year: Men's Nominees