The staff of RUNOHIO wishes you and your family a Happy and Safe New Year! Hopefully this winter you will be able to continue your running.

As another year ends and a New Year begins, one can always look back to numerous positive happenings as well as the sad ones we experienced. I am sure we all know people who had a tough 2011 either with their health or work situation. If you know someone having a tough time, maybe you can do something to make their life better.

When you are making your New Year's Resolutions, we hope you will consider volunteering at a local road race. If possible, help to sponsor a local race, help a new runner to understand proper training, and help your neighbor who might need some assistance. If we all do a few kind acts to help others nearby, I am sure 2012 will be a great year.

I got a press pass and will be going to Houston for my fifth US Marathon Olympic Trials as well as a National meeting with The Running Network. A number of Ohio athletes will be competing in the Trials. They are spotlighted in this issue. http://www.runohio.com Three of the women ran on the RUNOHIO Racing Team which won the 2007 USATF National Club Cross Country Championships and two more were part of the team which finished fifth twice. I would like to wish them and the rest of the Ohio runners the best of luck. Also, good luck to everyone racing or going to the Trials.

This coming summer I also plan to go to Eugene making my sixth trip to the US Olympic - Track & Field Trials.

http://www.runohio.com

Send RUNOHIO your votes for the 2011 RUNOHIO Runners of the Year. Feel free to email your votes to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or mail them to RUNOHIO Runners of the Year, PO Box 238, Granville, OH 43023.

Congratulations to everyone who ran in their National Cross Country Championships and to all of the high school athletes who competed in their State Cross Country Championships. Results from those events are in this issue.

I will be helping to direct the Arnold 5K Pump and Run and the Arnold 5K on March 4th. The Arnold 5K Pump and Run is the largest event of its kind in the country. (I can’t find a pump and run which does the lifting and running on the same day with more than 200 athletes) Registration for the event started November 1st and the limit of 850 athletes has been reached. Athletes from 31 States, Washington D.C, and Canada have entered this twelfth annual event. The race has a limit of 850 to allow for athletes to weigh in and lift before the race, which starts at 10:30am. If you would like to run the Arnold 5K, (run/walk only) registration is still open. http://www.runohio.com/index.php/features/181-arnold-5k

http://www.runohio.com/index.php/events/featured-events

If you are directing a race in 2012 please send RUNOHIO your race information and/or an entry form as soon as you have the information available. Also, list your races on The Running Network -RUNOHIO Searchable Calendar. http://runohio.com/index.php/news/33-list-upcoming-events-free RUNOHIO covers primarily Ohio but also covers West Virginia, Indiana, northern Kentucky, southern Michigan, and western Pennsylvania events.

If you want to reach the runners of Ohio and surrounding States, contact RUNOHIO – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for advertising information. Advertising is available in the print RUNOHIO, on the RUNOHIO web site or in the RUNOHIO E-Newsletter.

Don't forget to renew your subscription to the printed RUNOHIO in 2012. http://runohio.com/index.php/news/188-subscribe-to-the-print-runohio If you are not a subscriber, I hope you will be one in 2012. March will start our twenty fourth year of serving the runners in Ohio and neighboring states. Also, get a new RUNOHIO t-shirt or ball cap for yourself and/or your favorite running friends.

The next issue will be a mid March – mid May issue and the deadline is February 15th for results and calendar information and February 21st for advertising.

I hope you had a great 2011 and wish you a happy, healthy and safe 2012!

Matt McGowan
www.runohio.com