By Steve Rowbury
Over the last 18 months, despite a global pandemic and all the lockdown and social distancing restrictions that went with it, DPMR has hosted and supported a wide range of events and activities, both virtually and in-person.
Group runs for Newbies, advanced speedwork sessions, and a wide variety in between. Competitive events like the Racing Gnome snowshoe race, all the way up to the iconic Castle Peak 100K. Webinars on race nutrition, first aid on the trail, and many more. We’ve supported local races like TRT100 and Broken Arrow with aid stations and more. We’ve made donations to local, aligned organizations like the Truckee Donner Land Trust and the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, and we’ve built partnerships with the Truckee Trails Foundation, sponsoring several local trails.
You could say that we’ve truly done our very best to live up to our Mission:
“To inform, inspire and connect mountain runners in Truckee-Tahoe”
And we couldn’t have done any of this without the tremendous support of you – our members – who’ve volunteered time and again to help us make sure all this was a success. And of course our partner organizations, sister clubs, and last but not least…our Board members. Many of the ideas for these events, the strategy behind them, and ultimately their execution, is driven by the Board.
With that in mind, and with 2022 fast approaching, a couple of weeks ago the DPMR Board gathered for the day to conduct a Strategic Planning workshop. Our aim was to determine our strategy and goals for the next 2-3 years, and to identify the underlying values and principles that will guide us in our decisions and activities. We spent the day talking about how we see DPMR evolving over the coming years, and what we would like to achieve. What events and races do we want to host? What organizations should we be partnering with, or making donations to? How are we going to continue to grow and even improve the amazing Castle Peak 100K race?
Coming out of the meetings we identified our 2-year goals, and the specific programs that we’ll be running to help us deliver on those goals. We also started to identify specific owners for each program… which is where you, our members, come in. As we approach the end of the year, we are looking for potential new recruits to join the Board – to help take us forward into 2022 and beyond. Minimum requirements are that you are a member of DPMR, that you are willing and able to get actively involved in the running of the club and the many activities associated with it, and lastly – of course – that you have a strong passion for trail and mountain running! (If you are interested please reach out to diane@donnerpartymountainrunners.com).
And lastly, back to those incredible social and running events that we were just talking about. At 8am sharp the day after our planning workshop, the Board and more than 30 other DPMR members were at Alibi Ale Works in Incline Village ready to head out on the trail. Despite the early hour, we toasted the seven members of the Donner Party who perished, by downing 7oz of ale before heading off on our annual ‘Pub to Pub’ Beer Run. A quick stop after 2 miles at Diamond Peak to knock back a shot of bourbon, and then up into the mountains. Designed by our longest standing Board member, Chris Cloyd, there were three routes – a 20K, 30K and 50K – taking in the Tyrolean downhill (uphill) and the Incline and Marlette flume trails, before heading up on to the TRT above Marlette Lake. A quick out-and-back to enjoy the view high above Sand Harbor, before a final descent down Tunnel Creek to finish back at Alibi for pizza and more beer. Needless to say, a brilliant day mixing fun, social times surrounded by friends, with some hard yards on the trail!
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