Teacher Running Club provides support for each other

Mady Vasbinder, Reporter

A group of teachers have formed a Teacher’s Running Club here at MHS, first founded as a support group for members.

The group began in early December, according to Teacher’s Running Club (TRC) member, Stuart Eastman. The teachers run after school whenever they can, but try to meet at least two times every week.

They run outside at the track when weather permits, and inside when it doesn’t. They do run into the MHS student track team often, but according to group member Alison Drougel, it has never been an issue.

TRC members include, but are not limited to: Eastman, Drougel, Jessie Hieber, Laura Fioritto, Scott McCloskey, and Travis Trombley. The group, however, is always welcoming new runners, and encourage all teachers to join.

“I’m one of the founding members of the club,” Eastman said with a smile.

The club began meeting right after Eastman’s mother passed away in mid-November. She was a coach for Special Olympics bowling.

“One of her goals in life was to get fit enough to do a half marathon for Special Olympics, and now because she is gone, my goal now is to run that half marathon,” Eastman said.

The TRC was born because the original members wanted to help Eastman reach this goal.

“Now, I just feel like we’re a family,” Eastman said.

McCloskey said that the members of the club support each other and keep each other going. He said he has improved his running skills since the start of the club.

“It’s more fun exercising with other people,” McCloskey said, who also said that the closeness of the group is his favorite thing about being a part of it.

“It’s good to encourage other teachers, especially newer ones, to join. You get a chance to talk with teachers of different grades, levels, and backgrounds. You get a lot of different perspectives,” Fioritto said.

As for the future of the club, other than wanting to grow and add more members, Eastman said, “We definitely are getting shirts.”