29 October 2007

Road Runners Club of America

Attention: Jessica Sleight

8965 Guilford Rd., Suite 150

Columbia, MD 21046

Dear Nomination Committee:

The Huntsville Track Club would like to nominate Jeff Kyser for the "Browning Ross Spirit of the RRCA Award."

The Browning Ross Award was created to recognize those people who make a significant contribution to our sport, but who remain largely out of the spotlight. In deciding who from our club would be worthy of this nomination, I researched Browning Ross to see who in our club resembled Browning’s life. Jeff Kyser is that person.

Jeff Kyser is a club volunteer who a lot of people in our club recognize on sight, but not necessarily by name. The reason is because when Jeff volunteers it is not to collect accolades or receive a pat on the back. His motivation lies deeper. It is a desire to simply help those around him fulfills their goals. I read that one reason Browning Ross formed the RRCA was to give recreational runners an opportunity to receive recognition for their contributions to running, in addition to awarding elite competitors and their accomplishments. In that same vein, a number of years ago, Jeff decided to organize a trail run. The reason, our club’s only other trail run, the Mountain Mist 50K, is a tough run, too tough for a lot of people to be able to complete within the time limits. Jeff desired a trail run, of the same 50K distance, but over some gentler terrain to enable more people the opportunity to run a 50K trail run. Not content with that, he added a 40 mile and 50 mile option to the event since all of the longer trail ultras in our area had long since folded. Looking back on this, I don’t even recall Jeff seeking much help from the club, no small thing given that he would be putting on an event that would start at 6:30 in morning and go until 4:30 in the afternoon. Jeff just dove in headfirst. Did I mention he had never directed a race before? Well, each year the race has closed with its maximum number of runners and gone off like a race much older than its fledgling four years.

If that is all Jeff had done for running in Huntsville it would be a big contribution. But Jeff gives even more. For several years Jeff coached a high school cross country team. This was during the same time frame he was beginning and organizing the new trial run. Not only that, but Jeff is a frequent volunteer at club events. Sometimes a race director doesn’t know he was there until after the race because Jeff often doesn’t sign up to help, he just appears, helps where he can, and then disappears… job complete.

Jeff’s selflessness doesn’t end with his running club. Currently Jeff is involved in organizing a mission trip to Mexico to help bring fresh water to those who so desperately need it. Again, this is not something Jeff has ever done before, but he has stepped in to see this to completion because he feels it is important that everyone have access to something as basic as clean water.

I also need to mention that during this time Jeff suffered a serious heart condition, as well as knee surgery that limited his own involvement in running. I’m convinced Jeff just poured his own running energy into making our sport better for those around him.

The Huntsville Track Club feels Jeff Kyser is a worthy nomination for the Browning Ross Spirit of the RRCA Award. Jeff is a person who is not afraid to take on a task, no matter how daunting and regardless of whether he has ever done it before. Sort of like a man who began a running organization unlike no other many years ago.

Sincerely,

David C. Purinton

Huntsville Track Club President