President’s Message

The Frederick Steeplechasers Running Club is wrapping up another exciting year. I’d like to take a moment to thank our members for their support and enthusiasm. Congratulations on your running accomplishments! Whether it was running your first race, achieving a PR or completing a new distance, I am in awe of you. If you faced a setback this year, I hope your past running achievements reminded you of your strength and resilience. Thank you to all the volunteers who make our not-so-little running club possible. It’s amazing how much we can offer because of our volunteer coaches, race directors, finish line helpers, committee chairs and team members who make our Club hum behind the scenes. 

Our 50th year was one of our most active and fast-paced yet! There are too many races, programs and activities to mention, but I’d like to point out one that continues to make a big difference yet is lesser known. 

Lincoln Panthers Running Club

At our November 2025 Board meeting, we welcomed Chad Ahalt and Aaron Vetter. Chad is an FRSC member and head coach of the Lincoln Panther Running Club;  Aaron is a staff member at Lincoln Elementary, the founder and executive director of City Youth Matrix and a co-lead Panthers’ coach.

The Panthers is a free after-school program at Lincoln Elementary School. It’s open to all students in grades 2 through 5, and is managed and primarily funded by FSRC in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Carroll Creek and Lincoln Elementary school volunteers. The goal is “to provide a safe after school environment that teaches integrity, respect, sportsmanship and team spirit within the framework of the joy of running and fitness.” The Panthers concluded their fall season with an awards celebration on November 18th. Forty five students participated and completed the entire season. As Chad shared, many students showed progressive improvement over the ten-week program. On behalf of FSRC, I am so happy that these students got to experience the joy of running through participation in the Panthers Running Club. Way to go!

Our sincere thank you to Chad Ahalt for his dedication to the Panthers since 2014. Chad has served as the head coach since 2019 and is ready to take a step back from the lead role. We are in need of a new head coach to partner with Aaron to continue offering this important program. Who among you will answer the call?

I am so proud that the Steeps, through the proceeds of the Market Street Mile, help remove a financial barrier and make this opportunity possible for these children. Thank you to our friends at Charm City for their support of the Panthers, and to these wonderful volunteers from the fall 2025 season: 

  • Aaron Vetter
  • Ed DiGiovanna, Caren Clark and Crystal Tressler (assistant coaches, FSRC)
  • Eric Fairbanks and Ron McCurdy (coaching support, Carroll Creek Rotary).
  • Fiza and Zoha Saleem (LPRC alumni who developed their leadership skills and served as assistant coaches while still in high school).

FSRC Signature Races Make a Difference 

When considering what races to sign up for in 2026, know that our Signature Races positively benefit the Frederick Community. Let’s make 2026 our most impactful yet and break some registration records! If you are a member of the Steeplechasers, I challenge you to register and/or volunteer for our 2026 Signature Races: 

  1. Summer Solstice 8k – June13, benefits Blessings in a Backpack)
  2. Women’s Distance Festival 5k, August 1, benefits The Women’s Giving Circle
  3. Market Street Mile – Sept. 12, benefits the Panthers Running Club and City Youth Matrix
  4. Rick’s Run, October 11, benefits the FSRC Memorial Scholarship 

Things to be Excited About in 2026:

  • Lewis Memorial 10 Miler on January 10, first low-key race of 2026, 
  • Annual FSRC Awards Banquet, Saturday, January 31 at the Arc of Frederick.
    • This is a special event where we will recognize the outstanding running achievements of our members and honor our volunteers. Registration is open!
  • RRCA Club Challenge 10 Mile, Sunday, February 22
    • You must be a current FSRC member to sign up for this race! The Club is funding the full registration fee for members of our Racing Team, and 50% of the registration fee for FSRC members. In addition, the new Howard County Community College Rec Center is finally open and will be available for runners before and after the race (including the locker room and showers).. No more waiting around in the cold!
    • Registration is open! Discount codes for the Racing Team and FSRC membership are in the Steeps-only webpage and the newsletter.
  • The return of breakfast runs!
    • Starting the first Saturday of January, Steeplechasers’ members will host a breakfast run from their home. You have to sign up in advance, and bring a breakfast item to share. Stay tuned for details from our new Social Committee Chair, Carlos Meija, including how to sign up to host and attend. 
  • Spring training programs
    • Our lead coaches are already preparing for the spring training season. Once again, we will offer a 5k and a Half Marathon Training Program. You may also see some new faces joining our volunteer coaching team,

In closing, I just want to give a big thank you to Billy Clem for coordinating the weekly pub runs each Wednesday. For many new members, the pub runs are their first opportunity to engage with the Club, and Billy makes everyone feel so welcome. On December 10th, we had our much loved holiday lights pub run, and it was so much fun! And thank you to Vice President and Membership Committee Chair, Barbara Cosgrove, for organizing our 50th anniversary pub run and the 50th Anniversary celebration banquet. Thanks to everyone for your dedication to our running community. 

Happy holidays!

Michele Newton

President

FSRC

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