CTC Newsletter Ep. VII
- Kyle Klingler
- Jul 3
- 7 min read
Quote:
"Good things come slow - especially in distance running" - Bill Dellinger
Rest in peace to the legendary Bill Dellinger, who passed away last week at the age of 91. A three-time Olympian, Olympic bronze medalist, multiple American record holder, and longtime head coach at the University of Oregon, Dellinger led teams to numerous NCAA championships and mentored icons like Steve Prefontaine and many others. He was truly one of the all-time greats in U.S. distance running.
His quote above still resonates. A reminder that greatness—whether his own or that of any runner chasing their goals—comes only through time, patience, and relentless consistency. Thank you, Bill, for shaping the sport and inspiring generations of runners!
Intro:
What a month June was! The humidity has given us no breaks recently, but man, this city still gets after it! The mornings that I do convince myself to not snooze the alarm, there are countless runners out and about in the early hours of the day. We are now reaching the typical 16 weeks out from some key fall marathons and the training plans are starting up! Always an exciting time with new goals on the horizon.
A big thank you to everyone who was was a part of the Hyde Park Blast in any way! Jack and I had an incredible time being on the board this year and helping put on this incredible event. Everyone who ran, walked, biked, or partied at the block party all made a difference and helped raise money for a great cause! We hope to see you all next year!
As usual, summer is full of lots of shorter races and super fun events. The area is especially loaded with races for the 4th of July, including the Madeira Mile tonight! Nothing better than crushing a race before the holiday weekend. Check out what's ahead for the month of July below.
Cincinnati Running News:
Cincinnatus Track Fest is on Saturday, July 26th at Madeira High School! Open, elite, kids, and JH/HS events. There is something for everyone! Fleet Feet and New Balance will be in attendance. You won't want to miss it! (Limited spots so register to secure yours!) https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/Cincinnati/CincinnatusTrackFest
Fifty West X Fleet Feet Drink N' Dash Beer Mile is happening on Friday, July 11th! Come out and take on 4 beers and 4 laps around the designated beer garden course! Follow the link for more info: https://fiftywestbrew.com/event/drinkndash25/
Can't make it to this one? They have a second Drink N' Dash the following weekend at their Deerfield location as well. Find info on that one here: https://fiftywestbrew.com/event/drinkndashdeerfield25/
Fleet Feet's Loveland Summer Race Series continues! Come test out some awesome shoes in a free, fun 5k.
Summer/Fall training groups are starting up! Fleet Feet, Performance Project, Queen City, Tri-State, etc. Find the group that suits you and get started towards your goals!
Run United has two runs this month. July 11th at Esoteric Brewery and July 26th at Friendship Park. Both runs start at 6PM! Check them out!
Cincy Run Club has expanded their schedule to Wednesdays at 6:30PM at Covington Yard and Saturdays at 9AM at Urbana Coffee on Broadway. A social club that likes to run!
Wasson Way has two summer gardening events this month! One on 7/25 from 8-10AM at Paxton and Wasson. The other on 7/26 from 8-10AM at Madison and Wasson. If you are into gardening or want to learn something new. No experience needed, just show up with gloves, hat and some water. Help make our trail even more beautiful!
Shout out to the Hyde Park Blast winners!
4 Mile: Neil Letellier (20:48) and Madeline Trevisan (23:12)
Elite 5k: Nickson Kogei (14:18 - 4th fastest HPB all-time) and Kylee Mastin (17:05 - 9th fastest HPB all-time)
Nickson Kogei 
Kylee Mastin
Runner Spotlight: Kerry Lee
This month, I’d like to spotlight longtime Anderson High School coach Kerry Lee. Her influence on the Cincinnati running community—and the countless athletes she’s inspired—is truly immeasurable. I asked her to share a few reflections on her journey so far, which you’ll find below.
"I started running when I was 13 because of my dad—he was an avid runner. I ran throughout middle school and high school, and then continued with the Miami Striders, a club team at Miami University. After graduating from college, I moved to Cincinnati, where I began my career teaching high school math and coaching cross country and track.
During that time, I also fully immersed myself in the Cincinnati running community, starting with the OG running group—Bob Roncker’s Running Spot. My husband and I spent many years involved with Roncker’s (Dan was one of their running coaches), and as we got older, the running community continued to grow and branch out into dozens of running and training groups. I eventually coached marathon runners at Studio S, where I forged some truly incredible friendships. I’ve also coached with Tri-State, run with Fleet Feet, Queen City, and ECHO, and of course, coached my own team at Anderson High School for nearly 30 years.
I’ve raced competitively for 30 solid years—and that might be what I’m most proud of. I raced hard and often, taking advantage of every single opportunity, and I have zero regrets. I ran 5Ks almost every weekend in the summers, completed at least 50 half marathons, and ran 28 full marathons. Racing brought me immense joy, and I’m honestly a little bummed that Cincinnatus Elite wasn’t around back then—I would have LOVED to train and race with you all!
The pinnacle of my racing career was my mission to win the Flying Pig Marathon. I ran it eight years in a row—placing 2nd or 3rd the first six times. Finally, in 2017, I won it. I returned in 2018 to defend my title and finished 2nd. Sadly, that was my last marathon, as I faced five major surgeries and multiple health issues from 2019 to 2022.
I still love to run, and I haven’t given up hope of racing again—though it may be in a different, older body. My message to everyone is this: embrace this sport, take full advantage of the incredible community we’re lucky to be part of, and race every day that you can—before you can’t."
Her advice truly resonates. Reflecting on the quote at the beginning of this article—'Good things come slow, especially in distance running'—I can’t think of a better example than her relentless pursuit of winning the Pig, year after year, before finally achieving it. And I imagine that even if she hadn’t reached that milestone, she would have had no regrets about chasing it with everything she had.
Running is special. Racing is special. There’s something powerful about testing your limits—physically and mentally—and discovering what you’re really capable of. Kerry has fully embraced that unique experience, and I have no doubt she’ll find her way back to it again. So next time you’re at a cross country or track meet and see Anderson on the roster, be sure to say hello!
Cincy Running Historical Moment: Remembering the Reggae Run
For 20 years, the Reggae Run stood as one of Cincinnati’s signature races. In 2014, the event was placed on hiatus and has not returned since. Yet its two-decade legacy left a lasting impact—raising over $1 million for local nonprofits and honoring the memory of Maria Olberding, who had her life taken from her on a run in 1994. Her family organized this event to remember her.
Most stories I’ve heard describe it as a super fun event with a pretty hilly course! It was traditionally held in the beautiful Ault Park before moving to Eden Park in its final year. I do wonder if it’ll ever make a comeback—but with Doug Olberding, the former organizer of the Reggae Run, now serving as CEO of the Flying Pig, he might have his hands a bit full!
Strava Segment Highlight: Mt. Adams Arch Stairs
In college, we called this the secret staircase. Not sure how much of a secret it actually is, but it's a cool shortcut from downtown to Mt. Adams. Plus, the view at the top is awesome!
Training Tip:
Never feel guilty about adjusting your workouts or runs, especially in the summer heat. Sometimes the smartest move is to skip a rep, take longer rest, or dial back the pace. While we often focus on hitting specific paces or distances, the most important metric is often your effort level for the day.
Not every session needs to be a grind. If you're feeling drained early on and the heat is wearing you down, it's okay—wise, even—to make adjustments. There are definitely times when pushing through discomfort builds fitness, but there are also moments when digging too deep can set you back. Listening to your body is part of training smart.
June Local Races:
7/3 - Madeira Mile - Madeira
7/4 - Beechmont Bolt - Anderson
7/4 - Firecracker 5k - Fort Thomas, KY
7/4 - Conquer the Hill 10k - Evendale
7/4 - Edgewood Independence Day 5k - Edgewood, KY
7/4 - Pray Hope Believe 5k - Colerain
7/12 - All American 4 & 8 Mile - Hamilton
7/12 - Fairfield Avenue Mile - Bellevue, KY
7/ 19 - Cincinnati Black Men's Wellness Day 5k - Forest Park
7/19 - Kids Outdoor Adventure Expo 5k, 10k, and Kids Adventure Dash - Winton Woods
7/19 - Red Fox Trail Run 5k/10k - French Park
7/26 - Cincinnatus Track Fest - Madeira
7/26 - Queen City 5k - Downtown Cincy
7/26 - WEBN Frog Fest 5k - Florence, KY
7/27 - Dirt Days Trail Series - East Fork State Park
Outro:
Looking forward to a great, albeit hot, month with you all. And especially looking forward to our big event with Cincinnatus Track Fest at the end of the month. We want to make it big! So we hope to see you there. Thanks for reading!
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