Congrats to our 5 athletes nominated to NENSA’s Elite and Development teams!
Elite Team: Ava Thurston
Devo Team: Hattie Barker, Virginia Cobb, Rose Clayton, Julia Thurston
Read more about these teams at this link.
Author Archive | Adam Terko
Masters running and cycling
Our adult members have been enjoying the (mostly kind) spring weather on bikes and on foot this spring. As we move closer to May, more and more options are popping up for group events and training days! As always, until further notice please arrive with appropriate face coverings that you can keep on-your-person while we embark on these outings.
The best place to keep tuned-in to dryland activities is the MNC Slack channel where members post bike routes, meeting places, running trails, and more.
Katie Hill has organized the first Thursday Night Run of the year, and the gravel riding contingent has been tearing up the backroads for a few weeks now. Head over to Slack to check it all out!
Previous-year biking on a sunny day. Soon to be more days like this!
Legacy of a Pug
We were very saddened to learn of the passing of Tyke the Pug on Thursday. This was a small dog with a big heart and for anyone who has seen or worn our popular “Pugtagonia” hats, followed MNC on social media, or heard us cheer as a group at the beginning or end of races and events, you know that the Pug is our mascot.
Why? Back in 2015 the team entered a new phase and ways were sought to bring connectivity and group spirit to this crew. A pug by the name of Tyke, a member of the Burt family, was often present at training sessions heading out for a walk after Greg, and later Aidan, were dropped-off to ski or run. Although he is not in the online records, Tyke may have summitted the Bolton hillclimb course more times than any other MNC member.
As a mascot for a bunch of teenagers, this pug had a lot going for him: Tyke was friendly, quirky, and as far as mascots go very politically correct.
Pugs are not known for their athleticism, but I hope that through our club’s successes we may have slightly altered that perception. Maybe it’s fitting that our club mission is to support skiing for “all ages and abilities” because a pug does not strike a commanding vision of agility, grace, or speed. Yet with hard work you can achieve anything, whether you walk on two legs or four.
Pugs don’t have any particular connection to skiing in general, but by now plenty of skiers know who “The Pugs” are. Coaches from Maine don’t ask me how the team is doing, they ask how “the Pugs” are doing. Skiers and parents from Massachusetts and New Hampshire shout “go Pugs!” in addition to just “go MNC!” when they see our suits in competition. Our name and presence even spread to Sweden and the head of Swedish World Cup skier Jens Burman:
Tyke’s passing brought out a lot of emotion. As the word spread I received texts and messages from athletes and parents alike. I do not jest, I immediately texted my mom upon hearing the news.
This pug was certainly special. We will continue to be the Pugs, as if that was ever in question. As we continue to push forward as a club we should all keep in mind how simple things like furry pug mascots, iconic pug hats, and team pug cheers can all add up to more than the sum of their cute, chubby, wrinkly parts.
Rest in peace, Tyke.
Go Pugs.
New Balance Williston: Mother’s Day Sale
With many of us beginning to hit our stride with regular running workouts and miles logged, now is the best time to consider both our footwear and our footwork. Our partners at New Balance Williston are having a Mother’s Day promotion, and you can view that information below. Also linked below is a video of some helpful running warmup and skills drills to incorporate into your training!
Skirack Spring Rollerski Order!
It is time to begin thinking about rollerskiing, and preparing for dryland training! Skirack has offered to continue a popular discount to local skiers with the group order below.
Please use the form below to sign up for rollerskis and equipment. You’ll find descriptions within the form about specifics like bindings and pickup.
Right now all Swenors are out-of-stock in the US, but we will be notified when the shipments arrive to distributers and retailers. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with specific rollerski questions!
Rollerski order now closed for Spring 2021
Looking for some MNC recommendations on models and sizes? Check out the info page below.
Rollerski Model Recommendations
