Carpet Capital Running Club, Dalton Georgia

history of the club | johnny marcus memorial page | john bruner memorial page

History of the Club

Written in 1997 by Woody Cornwell

The Dalton Track Club was formed in 1982 by a group of Dalton runners who wanted a name to go on their shirts at local races. The name was soon changed to the Carpet Capital Running Club (CCRC) and the club grew to include recreational as well as competitive runners. In 1985 the club was at its low point of less than 20 members when new leadership made the decision to join the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA). This brought new insight into the operation and organization of a running club. A new constitution and by-laws was written and the club set in motion programs and goals for growth in membership, activities, and the improvement of the financial condition of the club.

From 1985 to the present time the club membership has fluctuated from year to year. Currently the club has 93 single and family memberships. This includes 40 family spouse members to bring the clubs total adult membership to 133.

The club has organized a Fun Run Series that includes an activity for the members at least once per month. The Fun Run Series consists of different events such as a Fox and Hound Run at Chickamauga Battlefield Park , a Scavenger Hunt Run, a couples relay on Valentine's Day, a two-mile St. Patrick's Day Run, and a Jingle Bell Run with covered dish dinner. Club activities also include meetings with speakers of interest to the club concerning running, running events, nutrition, health, injuries, etc. Past speakers have been Harold Tinsley, former President of RRCA, Roy Benson, Gary Jenkins , Grace Wilson, twice Olympic trials marathoner, Pat Cross, Olympic trials participant, Lee Fidler, coach and author, local physicians and fitness experts, and various Technical Reps from major shoe companies.

Race management has become a specialty for the club. Members of the club organize and volunteer at races in the surrounding area as well as organizing all the races in Dalton . These races include, Dalton Heart Run 5K and 10K to be held on Jan 25, 1997 for the 19th year and is the oldest race in Dalton, the Carpet Capital 10 Miler which is run on the only ten mile certified course in Georgia and has served as the RRCA Southern Region Championship for several years, the Race Against Cancer 5K in Nov. one of the largest races in Dalton in participation with over 900 runners, and the Easter Seal/Century 21 5K is new to the 1997 calendar but not new to Dalton, since it has been postponed for the last several years. All of the races managed by the CCRC benefit a charity, which include the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, Easter Seals, Georgia Sheriffs Cherokee Estates, and United Way .

Races outside Dalton that the club manages include the Gordon Co. Hospital 5K that attracts over 1000 runners each year, The Calhoun United Way 5K which had a participation of over 1300 runners in the 1996 race, and the Barnsley Gardens Cotton Bolt X-Country 5K in Adairsville one of the most picturesque courses in North Georgia.

Club members also volunteer for other races outside Dalton and lend aid to running clubs in other cities. The Chattanooga Track Club has asked the CCRC to help manage the timing at the finish line for the Chickamauga Marathon and the Chattanooga Dam Triathlon for several years. Club members have also worked the Moonlight 5K in Pigeon Forge Tn., and the Midnight Flight 5K/10K in Anderson SC.

In the summer the club sponsors a series of three track meets at the local high school. This track series is geared mainly toward the younger age groups, but open competition is strong.

This fall the club sponsored the Northwest Georgia Invitational X-Country Meet for the high schools in the North GA area. We had 9 high schools participate this year in a very successful meet in the pouring rain (great cross-country). We hope to increase the number of schools next fall. Every year the club hosts the area High School X-Country teams and provides a guest speaker, which has included Bill Gauiter, the UTC head X-Country coach, Roy Benson, author and coach, Gary Jenkins , Race Director and editor of the Run and See Georgia magazine, plus others. Pizza is provided for the students, which always guarantees a good turn out. This year the club organized work at a concession stand at the Olympics along with the help of the four area high school X-country and track booster clubs. Over $4,000 was raised and was donated to the area high school X-Country teams.

Several years ago the club started an annual awards banquet. Awards are given to the Volunteer of the year and to the Male and Female Runners of the year. Speakers at the banquet have include Jeff Galloway, former Olympian, and Jane Dolley, Past President of the RRCA. The club's "camp director", a new position on the slate of officers held by member Brad Delay, has organized road trips to races each year to include the Cooper River Bridge Run, Maggie Valley Moonlight Run, Peachtree Road Race, and in 1997 to the New York Marathon. There are usually 30-35 members that participate in the club road trips. One week after the 1995 trip to the Cooper River Bridge Run, CCRC member Johnny Marcus was killed in an automobile accident. In 1996 the trip to Charleston was dedicated to the memory of Johnny with a short memorial service before the race and members wearing black arm bands during the race. A popular gathering place in Dalton for runners and walkers is a 4 mile course that loops around Dalton College and Walnut Ave. Locals who use the area regularly call it "The Loop". By a proclamation of the Dalton City Council, at the encouragement and work of CCRC President Larry Meeks, the loop was named the Johnny Marcus Memorial Loop. It was dedicated by the CCRC in the spring of 1996 when a historical marker honoring Johnny was placed at the site.

The club publishes a monthly newsletter which contains information from the national running scene (USATF and RRCA), upcoming races in the area, results of races the members attend, helpful training tips and various articles submitted by the club members. The newsletter has participated in the Journalism Award Program for RRCA.

Once a quarter club members pick up trash on a two mile stretch of city street in conjunction with the Clean and Beautiful Commission of the City of Dalton in the Adopt-A-Mile program. The two mile section the CCRC covers is a popular running/walking area for the citizens of the community.

Over the years the CCRC has evolved and has made many changes. By the end of 2004 the membership has leveled off at around 70 - 75 family and/or single members. Many of the races in the Dalton area have been discontinued due to the lack of sponsorship money. The club continues to be known for its expertise in the technical aspect of conducting races, and even though the number of races are less, the quality is still first class. The Carpet Capital 10 Miler is still a major race for the area and the club takes on all the responsibilities, from raising the sponsorship monies to course set up to the technical aspects.

Keeping in step with the times the communication of the club has also changed. Club member and Webmaster Brad DeLay has developed a web site for the club, ( http://www.carpetcapitalrunningclub.com ) which he updates on a daily basic if necessary. This keeps the site pertinent to our members with the most current news and events. Most of the club information is communicated via e-mail to all members, therefore the newsletter is currently being published once every two months.

The St. Paddy's Day race continues to be a popular club event having become a unique race that features the longest name for any race in the area. In 2005 the race will be named "The Eighteenth Running of the First, and maybe the only, Dalton St. Patrick's Day Road Race".

From the summer track meets, a new Fall Festival, the December Jingle Bell Jog and Blackjack Run, member inspired weekly group runs, the Awards Banquet in Jan., to a redesigned Runner of the Year (ROY) awards program, the CCRC remains an active and growing club.

Updated 1/4/2005

By Woody Cornwell