Running group seeking new members for its "crew"

A recent Saturday morning gathering of the Manchester Area Running Crew (MARC).

A new local running group called the "Manchester Area Running Crew" has been meeting weekly since mid-winter and wants to get the word out to the community that the crew would love to have more joining their ranks.

The Manchester Area Running Crew (MARC) was started by a small group of local residents, spearheaded by Jodie Lewis, Brooke Gale and Nick Weidmayer. Over the months it has grown to include people of all ages (spanning decades!) and running abilities.

The goal is to build a community of support, encouragement, and accountability for runners in our area, while also providing a welcoming community for those looking to take their first steps in running.

MARC meets Saturday mornings at 8 am at the corner of Main and Clinton Streets (near the post office and Andrews Family Chiropractic), and runs/walks a three-mile loop in town.

"The group size typically varies from 4-10 people; we take off at the same time but run or run/walk at different paces, then meet up at the end to stretch and chat," says Sara Weidmayer, one of the runners. "Many people come every Saturday, but some just pop in and out as their schedule allows."

Starting an outdoor running group in the winter might seem like an ambitious project, but it helped everyone to appreciate the warmer weather. Now, runners are more likely to be concerned about extreme heat, as posts on their Facebook page attest!

Nona Iott, one member of the running crew, says, "Sara, Nick, Jodie and the rest of the running crew are very welcoming and supportive. Tasha was new to running when we first joined and we walked a good portion of the three miles. We are gradually walking less and running a little faster. The group welcomes any sort of participants that want to get out and move — walkers, runners, and stroller pushers."

The sense of encouragement and support is important to Nona.

"It’s so nice to have a group of people waiting for you to show up and begin the run and then they are there to congratulate you at the end of the run," she says.

"We are so happy that we belong to this group!"

Search Manchester Area Running Crew to check out the crew's Facebook page. Or just show up to join them this Saturday morning, July 17, at 8 am! It will be a great way to proactively run off your Chicken Broil dinner calories.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.