HTC General Meeting – 29 May 2004

Board Members Present: David Purinton (President), Dick Franklin (VP-Races & Equipment), Harold Tinsley (VP-Communications), Anne Park (Secretary), Jim Oaks (Appointed Member—Cotton Row Director).

Board members absent: Ashley Cain (VP-Programs), Kathy Youngren (Treasurer), Malcolm Gillis (Appointed Member—Rocket City Marathon Director), Craig Armstrong (Appointed Member-Past Officer)

An additional 60-65 Huntsville Track Club Members were present along with six members of the 1972 Grissom High School State Cross-Country Championship team, and the speakers for the evening, Stephen Bolt, Craig Virgin and John Tuttle.

The meeting was held at Big Ed's Pizza in the old Heart of Huntsville Mall (Market Square) and began at 6:45 p.m.

David Purinton opened the meeting and gave a brief summary of recent and upcoming Huntsville Track Club races:

· The Scholarship Fund Run (4/3/04) was very successful this year with slightly higher numbers. This is a fundraiser for the Harold and Louise Tinsley Scholarship Fund.

· The Re-Creation Run (4/17/04) also went very well in spite of race-date conflicts which were successfully resolved resulting in numbers similar to last year.

· The Cotton Row Run (5/31/04) - Everything is in place for another great race this year with numbers up from last year. Race volunteers are still welcome.

· The Alabama A&M Road Race is the next race on the HTC schedule and will be held on June 12, 2004 at 7:30 a.m.

Alice Moses invited everyone to the Post-Cotton Row Run party at her home. Location and maps will be available at the packet pickup.

Since there was no new business, the meeting was turned over to Jim Oaks, Cotton Row Run Race Director. Jim welcomed everyone to this meeting in celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Cotton Row Run. He then introduced the speakers for the evening:

Stephen Bolt, winner of inaugural Cotton Row Run race in 1980, who twice won Southeastern Conference Championships and still holds the Alabama High School Mile record set at 4:08; Craig Virgin, 3-time Olympian in the 10,000 meters and 2-time World Cross-Country Champion; and John Tuttle, winner of SEC Championships in the 1500, and indoor in the mile and 1,000 and was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in the marathon. Needless to say, each of these gentlemen also attained numerous other running achievements, awards and honors during his running career.

Jim presented the speakers with three questions which became the springboard for them to share their running experiences, thoughts and insights. The three questions were:

· What were your most exciting races in High School, College, and post-collegiate?

· What memories do you have regarding your first Cotton Row Run experience?

· How is running different now from the early 1980s?

Questions from the floor were then welcomed.

Stephen, Craig, and John shared their passion for running and we caught a glimpse of the heart of a runner. This most interesting, informative and sometimes very humorous meeting was of great benefit and provided excitement and inspiration to those present as they anticipated the upcoming race.

The meeting closed at 8:30 p.m.