The Miami Valley Track Club may be one of the best kept secrets in the Dayton area.  The club has been active on various levels since the early 80's.  Primarily it services the Dayton-Springfield area as the premier club for youth interested in the Junior Olympic sports of Cross Country in the fall and winter, and Track & Field in the summer. 

The Miami Valley Track Club has claimed 2 National Club titles in Cross Country and has had numerous athletes win National Championships in Track & Field.  One local oldie, but goodie, still running the roads of the Miami Valley, is Kenn Dailey.  As a runner from Beavercreek HS, Dailey bought into Head coach Vince Peters training program and over a 2 year period developed the stamina through the club's summer track program to break the 15 minute barrier for 5,000 meters, winning the National Championship for Junior Olympics and signing a scholarship to the University of Kansas shortly afterwards.

But the club is not just for kids 8-18 years of age.  It has many elite and masters athletes that enjoy the comradery of working out together. Currently led by the Daves (Dave Johnston, Dave Lapalombara, and Dave Bailey) elite runners from the club are making waves in the Dayton road racing ranks.  Johnston has placed first in many of the local races, including the 2001 Halloween run and 2002 St Patrick's Day 5K at Armco Steel.  Lapalombara recently won the ORRRC Marathon in Xenia with a 2 minute lifetime best performance at age 44.  As many as 110 HS & JH athletes participating in its winter cross country programs.  Club coaches have included John Agnew, Dave Johnston, Tom Stocker, Derek Griffis, and Vince Peters.  During the summer of 2002, the MVTC will be taking full teams to the USATF Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships in July, at Steve Prefontaine's home, The University of Oregon, in Eugene, Oregon, and to the biggest Cross Country Meet in the USA for High school and Junior High athletes, the USATF  Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships in beautiful southern Georgia this December.

It is also active on the National and international levels as a competitive club.  Two athletes Ed Fitch, and Cheryl Rellinger participated in Australia at the World Masters T&F Championships in 2001.  And Jill Zenner, who recently signed a big contract with New Balance Shoes, represented the Miami Valley Track Club and the USA at the World Championships of Track & Field in Edmonton, Canada, the Good Will Games in Brisbane, Australia, and led the USA Team to a runner-up finish at the Pan American Cup competition in Cuenca, Ecuador.  Peters, head HS Coach at Yellow Springs HS since 1983, was picked as coach for that USA Squad last October (2001).  Peters had 3 athletes from the MVTC in the 2000 Olympic Trials for track and field.  Two lived in Fairborn and one in Yellow Springs.

That is what the club has done.  What is it currently doing?  Practices for long distance runners and race walkers are at 5:30pm Monday thru Friday.  Meet at the Yellow Springs HS Track.  If it is your first time itis best to call ahead as a track meet, or another activity may effect this general schedule.  From mid May till the end of July the Summer sessions are at 6pm Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  The club will be hosting 3 summer track & field meets at Yellow Springs HS Saturday, June 15th, Wednesday, July 3rd, and Thursday, July 19th.

The Miami Valley Track Club is a member organization of USA Track & Field, the governing body for T&F, Road Racing, Cross Country, and Race Walking in the United States.

For more information contact head coach This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at (937) 767-7424.