The Roman Runners running club is based in Rome, New York. The club was started by Carl Eilenberg and Al Stringham in 1971 as an informal running group who met Saturday and Sunday mornings at the former Gillette’s grocery store for a run. We have since grown into a official running club that still meets Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. (6:00pm during winter) During the months of June to August, we meet at the Rome Catholic School parking lot located at 800 Cypress Street. Run starts at 6:30 but signups begin 6:00pm. During the summer months, we have timed development runs. The fee is 25 cents. September through the following May we meet at the YMCA lobby at 6:00 p.m. The YMCA is located at 301 West Bloomfield Street. These runs are untimed, no-fee group fun runs. Fifteen years after that first Saturday morning run, a group of us met and decided we wanted the name Roman Runners to mean more than just people from Rome who ran. Our first step was to buy t-shirts and charge everyone who wanted one $10. A year later in 1986, with the help of our friends the Utica Roadrunners, we joined the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA). We started having monthly meetings and bought hooded sweatshirts to go with our shirts and hats. We also became a charitable organization pursuant to Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code and now devote a considerable portion of our resources to worthy causes such as the Rome Historical Society, Rome Sports Hall of Fame, the YMCA, and Academic scholarships. Some of our major events during the year include the annual Fort to Fort Race, the summer Tuesday night development runs at the former Rome Catholic School, the Honor America Days Races (the region’s oldest race!), the last development party, the Gail Vernold Trail Run, the Thanksgiving Day Run for the Rome Sports Hall of Fame, and our annual awards banquet. During the year, we have many informal “get togethers” after local races. Members also participate in many non-running activities together, such as attending local hockey games and organizing cross-country skiing outings. We have runners who run 5 minute miles and others who run 12 minute miles, so there is always someone to run with. Just fill out and sign our simple membership application, bring to your next Roman Runners event along with your payment and begin logging those miles for your 1000 mile jacket.