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I started my running career in November of 1988. My first race was the Canisius Chilly Challenge in February, 1989.
I placed in my age group (10 year age group). My second race was the Buffalo Police Mary Qualey Memorial 5k in June of 1989, and again I placed in my age group.
I was getting faster with each race I ran and I won this huge trophy. I was hooked from that point on, and I have never looked back.
Since then, running has just been a part of my everyday life. I have run races, directed races and even timed races. My next venture in life would be to learn how to certify race courses.
I have been at the top of the charts for most races run in a single year for many years now and have even completed 200 plus races three years in a row.
I became a Checkers member in 2010. In 2017, I was encouraged to run for a Board member position. I was appointed to the board in April of 2017.
I have recently served as Vice President of the Board and now President since October 2021.
While on the Board, I directed the 'Come in from The Cold' indoor track meet and the 'Checkers Christmas 3K' race.
During COVID times, I helped to keep club members engaged by holding zoom happy hours, a GPS art contest and put together a few running videos.
I also created the Green & White Cup Challenge to spark a little 'fun' inter-rivalry competition within the club. | |
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While I ran as part of Falconer high school's track and soccer teams, I started to take running more seriously in 2016 as a way of getting back in shape after I had my kids.
Why/who got you to join checkers?
At the invite of my friend, Mary Kate Patnode, I joined the Checkers Zero to 5k program. With the help of coaches Megan Nelson and Toby Frederick, I accomplished my goal race, the 2016 John Beishline Memorial 5k. I then graduated to the main Checkers track to continue to improve and challenge myself. I have made many friends through Checkers who have helped me with running so much! My family have recently joined me at track and I'm hopeful for my oldest to join us at a 5k race this year. Last year, I ran in my first XC race with Checkers at Akron Falls for the PGXC series. I also enjoy giving back to both Checkers and the running community by volunteering at many races.
Why you joined the board?
I hope to be a voice for all Checkers Members. I will continue to promote recruitment by showing there is a fit for every runner at Checkers.
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Over 25 years ago, when I was a high school runner, Checkers' running club took me on Sunday long runs and showed me the comradery, joy, and adventure that running can bring to someone's life.
From these early days of running, I have not stopped. I ran at the University at Buffalo where I set four school records and qualified for NCAA D1 Cross Country Nationals.
Post college I have won Buffalo Runner of the Year three times and this past year I was USATF's Masters Runner of the year.
As much as I enjoy running, I also love supporting the community as well. I am on the board for 2 area races and have been coaching high school XC and track for over 17 years.
My coaching philosophy for high school athletes is to try to make them lifelong runners. Every person can find joy in the running community.
Whether it is building a network of friends to run with, accomplishing a distance goal, or running a personal best time, everyone can achieve success at their own level and be proud of themselves and their personal growth.
My goal as a checker's board member is to help runners find a community that will support them to achieve their goals and find a place where they can grow and learn about running.
Being a Checker's member has helped me do this and it is time for me to pay it forward and do the same for others!
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I started running track in junior high. I began running cross country along with track at Kenmore East and actually held the school indoor mile record (5:21) for a while. After graduating, I got into road races; I've run 234 of them to date. In 2005, I went into race directing with the Lindsay's Legacy 5k, which I help organize with my good friend, Bonnie MacIver-Mariani. I am also on the board of directors for the Buffalo Marathon and Western New York Running Hall of Fame. Because I had some free time, I volunteered for the Girls on the Run 5k race committee.
Why you joined Checkers?
I joined Checkers to meet other runners and to glean tips on how to improve my running. Mission accomplished! After that, I eventually saw a notice on the Checkers website in February 2008 that the club was looking for a membership database administrator. I applied, was accepted, and have been serving in that role ever since.
Why did you join the board?
I was asked to. Because I was attending board meetings to provide membership updates, the board felt it would make sense to have me attend the meetings in an 'official capacity.' I volunteered to spell Paul Wandel as club secretary in 2009 and I'm still at it.
What you have done or would like to do while on the board?
Since joining, I've been able to contribute some ideas that have taken hold. Working with Herman, we began posting member contact information on the website. We also instituted credit card processing for memberships. I had a blast email tool that I began using to send messages to the club. I conceived the Checkers Challenge track meet and the Race to Savings program. I got the online board election and online club surveys going. But I feel my biggest contribution may be proposing we have a Western New York Running Hall of Fame. Tom Donnelly thought this was a good idea and together we made it happen.
Moving forward, I hope to continue contributing and supporting useful ideas to bring value to our members and maintain Checkers' status as the best and largest running club in Western New York.
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I am a former collegiate softball player who felt 'lost' after post college athletics. After moving back home and developing a somewhat sedentary lifestyle, I was encouraged by a coworker to run my first 5k in May of 2014. I still remember every second of that first 5k (NCCC 5k). I hated every second during it and how sore I was after. However, right after the race, I started to see how awesome running could be. I ran 3 5ks that year. The next year I ran my first half marathon and never looked back!
Why/who got you to join checkers?
I had always seen those wearing Checkers gear at various races and thought they looked pretty cool. I wanted to join that club, but admittedly I wasn't sure how to. Through getting to know other runners in the community, my good friend Ann More encouraged me to join and here I am!
Why you joined the board?
I joined the board because I have a passion to bring my financial knowledge to various not-for-profit groups. I am involved with a couple of different boards, but when you mix numbers & running (my two passions), I thought it was a perfect fit!
What you have done or would like to do while on the board?
I would like to continue to help Checkers grow through recruitment and showing that even an 'average' runner like myself can be a part of this club; there truly is a fit for everyone in Checkers and I look forward to spreading the word!
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I am originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and relocated to the Buffalo area at the end of 2010.
I joined Checkers AC shortly after moving to the area to help me get connected to the local running scene.
I was not athletic as a child. It wasn't until my late 30s that I got into running purely on a whim.
My initial goal was to run 6 minutes without stopping (which was one of the requirements for the now-ancient Presidential Fitness test we had to do in school).
I eventually worked my way up to running 3 miles and one day decided to do a local 5K.
It didn't take long to get hooked on that feeling of accomplishment that comes from crossing the finish line.
Since then I have done 22 full marathons, a handful of 50K races, and more half marathons and 5Ks than I can remember.
I am on the slow end of the running spectrum; however I am also persistent and usually finish what I set out to do
A big part of the reason I decided to join USATF to represent Checkers is to show there is a place for everyone in our sport.
I have a B.S. in Business Administration (Accounting concentration) from San Francisco State University, and more recently received a Masters Economic Crime Management from Utica College.
Most of my work experience has been in banking (anti-money laundering compliance), but nowadays I help run my husband Bob's promotional products distributorship.
When I'm not working or running I enjoy reading, bowling, golf, and bar trivia. And traveling!
I have found one of the best ways to see a new place is on foot. I like to find a race in an area I want to visit so I have an excuse to travel AND put in a few miles.
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I always enjoyed running but never competed in HS or college. I started running on a business trip in the early 1990's and never stopped.
I trained and qualified for the Boston marathon which I ran in 2010. I ran marathons in Poland and Ireland as a tribute to my father and mother's ancestral countries. I am also running half marathons in all 50 states. To date I have run in 47 states plus DC and hope to finish within the next year.
Why/who got you to join Checkers?
I joined Checkers in 1994 at the invitation of Checkers member Ted Paget. I joined to work out at new Crosby Field
Track. Which was the only rubber track in the area at that time.
How you got involved in the special task you perform for our club?
I stepped up to do the newsletter when Diane Sardes retired from doing it in 2014.
Club president Tom Donnelly had just passed away and I wanted to do a memorial issue in his honor. So I learned how to work Microsoft Publisher which I had never used before. I have been doing a quarterly newsletter for the club ever since.
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I am entering my 30th year of racing and am glad to be part of the Checkers team.
My PR's as a masters runner are: Mile 4:44 5K 16:09 8K 26:26 half marathon 1:15 Marathon 2:46.
I am most proud of everything running has given me including many friendships, team championships and meeting my wife Amy.
Together we have made each other better and have won numerous titles in our 50's including 1 Mile titles in Pittsburgh, Cleveland Canandaigua and Buffalo, Brooklyn and the Fifth Avenue Mile.
Recently we have started doing national races and we have won national Grand Prix titles as well as USATF Niagara Masters Runner of the Year.
My hope is to continue to stay healthy, train well and compete well into my 80's.
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Hi, my name is Katie Orlowski-Williams. I am on the Checkers board, and I love it! My passion for
running began during my six years of service in the U.S. Air Force where I taught survival skills. After the
military I finished college in Omaha Nebraska and taught there for 6 years. I was surprised on how much
I loved living in Nebraska. I missed home though and decided to move back to Buffalo to be closer to my
large family. I taught in North Tonawanda Public Schools for a few years before deciding to change
careers. I now work for the Social Security Administration in Niagara Falls and have worked there for
over 10 years. I joined checkers many years ago and am so glad I did! It wasn't long before I noticed
Checkers was way more than just a running club. I have met some of my best friends here. I enjoy
recruiting new members and am always available to answer any questions you may have.
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I started running with my dad around the age of 5. My sister was born that summer and I think my mom wanted a break and sent me to join my dad at the track. Little did she know she was helping to ignite my passion for running. I also enjoyed spending the time with my dad who was an avid runner. As I got better, he allowed me to join him on the bike path as well.
In 5th grade I was introduced to cross country, which I love even more than track. In middle school I participated in track and some field events, but my body was built for distance running.
My first road race, the Canal Fest, was the summer before my freshman year of high school. After that I remember looking forward to reading Michael Bebe's column in the Buffalo News on Sundays so that I could plan what road race I was going to participate in that month.
In high school I ran cross country and track at Williamsville North before they had a rubberized track. My junior and senior year, I participated in steeplechase after they allow high school girls to compete in the event. I even held my schools record for a while. My senior year of high school we had to do an inquiry project and I chose to answer the question: What does it take to run a marathon? As part of my research my dad drove me to Canada to interview Bill Rodgers who we found out would be at the Convention Center at the end of the Niagara Falls International Marathon.
For my first year of college I attended and ran cross country at Canisius College. After that I transferred to UB and was lucky enough to be coached by Vicki Mitchell. I do not think I realized how lucky I was until recently when I listened to a podcast entitled D3 The Glory Days. I was sure to thank her for the positive ways she affected my running and life in general.
While at UB I took classes to get my coaching certification. I even went back to my high school to do an internship with my coach. Right around the same time I had decided to sign up for the Buffalo Marathon but was training by myself. It was one of my students parents, Chuck Fried, who encouraged me to join Checkers. I attended track practice at Crosby Field and went on long runs with a Checkers group on the weekends. My favorite part was going out to breakfast afterwards and getting to know everyone.
After completing my first marathon I moved to NYC for about 6 years. While there I oversaw a running club that accommodated people of all abilities. At the height of our membership, we had about 300 runners in Central Park on a weeknight. In addition to coordinating runs I was also in charge of our volunteer work: NYC half marathon water station, Girls on the Run, Police Athletic League, NYRR, etc.
When I returned home, I immediately rejoined Checkers. I was warmly invited back in by Kathy Reynolds to the Thursday morning group and Ray Ernst to the Saturday morning group at Bond Lake. Sometime after that Tom Droz was looking for a volunteer coordinator. I shared my experience and interest in the position with him and the rest is history. I loved the volunteer coordinator position and naturally became more involved in helping Checkers.
After my continued involvement with the club and all that I had learned from Tom over the years I decided to run for the board last year. Since joining I have helped with the virtual awards banquet, our new scholarship and anything anyone needed a hand with. This year I will be partnering with Mary to see what happy hour/social events we can create. I look forward to continuing to serve the club!
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