WRWM History
MRTC WOMEN RUN/WALK MEMPHIS
A SHORT HISTORY
The Memphis Runner's Track Club is proud to announce that the Women Run/Walk Memphis program was named the RRCA's 2010 Outstanding Beginning Running Program.
From Mark Higginbotham:
The Women's Distance Festival 5k may have been held two years in the 1980's. In 1993 I found a comment that Bill Butler helped out with awards and that "he had directed the race the first 2 back in the 80's". It was Ellen Murphy's passion that resurrected an MRTC women's running program from the dust of the 80's and early 90's.
I did not research that whole decade to try to find them. It was Clare Sample's organizational skills and work ethic that kept it going when we only had 40 to 50 ladies each year. Every successful organization needs a dynamic leader. Not just an organizational leader... a passionate, vocal, enthusiastic "let's go, you can do this--follow me," leader! That leader showed up in (year?), when Paula Townsend (Luton) teamed up with Clare. Paula really got the ladies excited, and Cindy Wolf and The Commercial Appeal began promoting the program, and the rest is history!
We built it. Ladies, by the hundreds, came out to run and walk and socialize on-the-move, and they got more fit in the process!
When Clare and Paula passed the torch, Rachel and DJ took it to an even higher, more organized, more enthusiastic level. And the passion and leadership is still there (in them and in all the coaches). In the wings, new leaders are growing. One day, the torch will be passed again, and this awesome MRTC training program will keep going forever and ever and ever.
PAST WOMEN RUN MEMPHIS RACES and DIRECTORS:
1991 Carol Chambers
1992 Rachel Ragan
1993 Becky Brown & Mary Humphreys
1994 Becky Brown
1995 Becky Brown
1996 & 1997 not held
1998 Ellen Murphy
1999 Clare Sample
2000 Clare Sample
2001 & 2002 not held
2003 Clare Sample & Paula Townsend
2004 Clare Sample & Paula Townsend
2005 Clare Sample & Paula Townsend
2006 Rachel Ragan & Lane Purser
2007 Rachel Ragan & DJ Watson
2008 - 2015 DJ Watson & Terri Clarke
2016 - present Allison Andrassy & Anne Forbus
