A Message from our Executive Director

In my opinion, one of the coolest things about the Knoxville Track Club is its history. Other meets and races have come and gone, shorts and shoes change lengths and stack heights, but KTC has remained a fixture. Longevity is something that every runner hopes for, running/walking their way to the finish line until they physically can’t do it any longer. Longevity is something that KTC takes pride in, consistently offering training programs and group runs, road and trail races, and, most importantly, a sense of community among those who place value on their health and wellness.

I’ve always enjoyed history, in general. Hearing stories about World War II from my grandfather, learning about our family lineage from others, heck, I could binge watch the old History Channel documentaries for days. The history of running is told in mostly black and white videos of big track meets through the years, showcasing the likes of Jesse Owens, Roger Bannister, Steve Prefontaine, Frank Shorter, Lasse Viren, Kathrine Switzer, Abebe Bikila, among so many others. The history of the Knoxville Track Club is told similarly, through the pages of old editions of Footnotes and in old race programs. Race recaps and results, running and related health tips, highlights on former club members. For this version of the Executive Director report, I want to share an article I found in the 1981 Expo Program, written by Thomas O’Toole, titled “The Track Center of the South.” As you read through, think about the similarities between then and now… a growing community of runners, lots of races, a wildly successful Tennessee Track & Field and Cross-Country program under Coach Ross… It’s a bit of a read, but it’s a great reminder of where KTC came from and where we’re working to get back to!

“When the first Expo 10,000 exploded down Gay Street three years ago, this ambitious little project created a chain reaction throughout Knoxville and the surrounding area.

Already known as a hub for runners, Knoxville and its running community suddenly grew bigger and bigger, much like the mushrooming effect of an atom bomb. Fun runs, 10ks, 5ks, mini-marathons… you name it. Races of all shapes and forms sprung up; so many, in fact, there is hardly an event-free weekend from February through July.

In addition to these informal road races, Knoxville also plays host to a variety of national collegiate and open track meets on the University of Tennessee campus. The Dogwood Relays and Tom Black Track Classic are fixtures on the spring circuit. The Volunteer Track Classic is one of the major high school meets in the nation.

This June, The Athletics Congress men’s junior championships will be held at Tom Black Track, and in 1982, the senior nationals are scheduled.

What all this means, is that Knoxville, mainly with the help of the Knoxville Track Club and the Expo 10,000, has become what some people like to call the track center of the south.

“There’s a lot of diversity now, and I think the thing that kicked it off was the first Expo run. So many people found out then that this a whole lot of fun,” says Charlie Durham, a KTC official.

The running world does not revolve around Knoxville. Houston, Eugene, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and some others are bigger track towns. But Knoxville has moved into the upper echelon of running cities.

Part of this has to do with the Knoxville Track Club, which since 1961 has been the moving force behind track in this area. When Chuck Rohe became head track coach at Ten­nessee, he pumped new ideas into the fledgling club.

And perhaps the biggest boost to the club has come from the Tennessee programs. The men, under Stan Huntsman, have won two national titles, one in outdoor track, one in cross-country. This winter they finished third in the NCAA Indoors.

In a relatively short time Coach Terry Crawford has taken a nonexistent women’s team (she was the first and only member in 1969) and turned it into a national power.

Crawford, who was helped by the KTC as much as anyone, has a soft spot in her heart for the club.

“I owe everything to them,” she says. “They helped me do a lot of things I might not have been able to do. It was unique then because there weren’t that many running clubs in the south then.”

Besides her program, Crawford is optimistic about the future of running in Knoxville.

“Running hasn’t peaked at all,” she says. “Enthusiasm for running is here to stay. The awareness level for staying in good shape is at an all-time high.

“I think Expo ’82 will add a big boost, but the Expo run has really gotten the community involved. It has given them something they can relate to.”

Huntsman has also given people something they can relate to – winners. His teams are a fixture in the NCAA’s upper echelon.

Part of the reason is quality athletes. Another is community involvement, in the form of officials, fans, and boosters.

“We’ve been real fortunate to have the Knoxville track club, which was here before the University of Tennessee emphasized track,” said Huntsman. “Also (Athletic Director Bob) Woodruff has been a real entrepreneur in the South. We were the original leaders in the South in track and field.”