For the last two years, Jenny Blankenberger has been building That Fast Girl Running Club. WROY/WRUL News sat down with the speedster in an Open Line earlier in the week…find it here
We also learned Blankenberger has found assistance to help launch a similar program for boys, the Dawgs Running Club. She and Ryan Bruder who will head up the boys program presented a program at Kiwanis Thursday. Bruder is originally from Grayslake, Illinois, a town about four times the size of Carmi located north of Chicago and only 15 miles south of the Wisconsin border. He currently works for Allstate and is about 2 months into a fresh marriage to local Paige (Winter) Bruder. He has a connection to Carmi besides his bride however.
The funny this is that my dad John is actually from Carmi originally and lived here into his twenties. He was actually a member of Kiwanis way back when. My grandpa Charlie used to manage the lumber yard here. And then even before that, my great great grandfather was an alderman here in Carmi so I do have some ties, a little dated, but…
Bruder fell in love with running as a 7th grader and he says even as a multi-sport athlete, he counts running as the best.
It’s arguably more mentally straining than physical so it really tests you and in my opinion it’s the best sport to actually measure an individual’s growth and development.
Joining Bruder in the Dawgs Running Club will be Bryce Tucker and Matt Gilpin. The clubs, both boys and girls, will meet throughout July. You can find the flyers with all the pertinent information below.
