LSRC kicked off cross country season at the Coach Villeneuve Community 5K. Hosted annually by the Redmond High School Cross Country team, the event gives community members a chance to experience cross country running alongside RHS athletes while raising funds to support the school’s program.

The course, set around Redmond’s Hartman Park, featured plenty of cross country variety. Each lap included a mix of pavement, gravel, grass, forested dirt trails, sharp turns, and a few hilly stretches. We even had variety in weather as the first proper rain in months started coming down just as the race began, but cleared up as the race went on.

LSRC had 10 runners on the course, including several members trying cross country for the first time. Congratulations to everyone who participated! Although this was not an officially scored cross country event, it provided a great early-season opportunity to test fitness and practice racing on varied terrain.

Interested in joining LSRC for an upcoming cross country race? We’d love to have you out there! View the full list of events here: LSRC Cross Country Season

Lake Sammamish Run Club was well represented at Carnation’s Run for the Pies and Pints 5K, a festive summer tradition that features a scenic course, post-race pie and beer, and an abundance of raffle prizes. The event is most famous for its top prize: a full-size pie for the top three finishers in each age group. Although the sun stayed hidden behind the clouds this year, the cooler weather created ideal conditions for a fun and fast race. 

With more than 600 finishers, competition for the coveted pies was strong, but LSRC once again had an impressive presence among the age-group winners. Congratulations to the club members who brought home a pie: 

Zach Fung, Joy Chan, Ren Gianforte, Chris Cadotte, John Kim, Jason Hect, John Nguyen, Paula Murray, Peter Averill 

This year LSRC had a booth in the finishing area where members promoted the club’s weekly runs as well as the upcoming Redmond Harvest Half Marathon, LSRC’s flagship race. Two lucky raffle winners even received complimentary race entries!

Congratulations to everyone who raced, volunteered, and helped make the event such a memorable start to the holiday weekend. Thank you to the Carnation community and Remlinger Farms for hosting. LSRC looks forward to returning next year!

Congratulations to the 16-member LSRC team for finishing the 2026 Chilly Yeti Challenge! Every day in January, we walked, ran, or hiked at least 1 mile outside, regardless of temperature or weather conditions. It was another strong showing for an LSRC team in its sixth year, with every year seeing both new and returning participants; whether it was to get outside a little bit more every day, going through training, or working towards health and fitness goals, each person on our team showed exactly how tenacious they were!

Thanks to everyone's efforts, we were the 2nd overall team in total team miles with 2,831.71 miles, with each person averaging almost 177 miles across the month! As we pledged, LSRC donated $283.17 ($0.10 per mile) to KidVantage in support of their services towards families in need. KidVantage does much needed good work in our communities, and we are happy to support them year after year. 

Take a look below at some of our busiest people on the team and overall leaderboards! Special shoutouts goes to:

• Paula Murray (7th) was in the top 10 overall females with the highest total individual miles
• Adam Schroeder (3rd), Jordan Andersen (6th), and Zachary Fung (7th) were in the top 10 overall males with the highest total individual miles

Thanks again for taking part this year, and hopefully everyone is continuing to stay active through February!

Written by: Daniel Bannon

On January 31, 2026, Lake Sammamish Run Club hosted an outstanding multi‑hour workshop with physical therapist and fellow runner Matthew Wines, DPT, CSCS.

The session delivered exactly what our community hoped for: clear, practical insight into how runners can stay healthy, move efficiently, and keep running for life. 

Matthew opened with a 30-ish minute presentation covering the fundamentals of running biomechanics, the most common injury patterns he sees in runners, and how form choices can either reduce or amplify stress on the body. His explanations were accessible, evidence‑informed, and immediately relevant for runners of all experience levels. Participants consistently described this portion as eye‑opening and highly valuable.

After the presentation, each attendee received a brief individualized running analysis—Matthew and his helpers took as much time as needed with each runner—where Matthew offered targeted observations and simple, actionable adjustments. Even in this short format, runners walked away with specific cues and a clearer understanding of their own movement patterns. An optional guided workout followed for those who wanted to put ideas into practice. After, each participant received emailed notes and a summary of the individual findings.

Feedback from the group was overwhelmingly positive. Members appreciated Matthew’s expertise, clarity, and supportive coaching style, together with his volunteers/helpers, and many expressed interest in future sessions! If we can do this again, we'll gather a new evaluation group for those who couldn't arrive this time.

For LSRC, it was a meaningful afternoon of learning, community, and practical takeaways that will help our runners stay strong and injury‑resilient for years to come. As always, please reach out to the LSRC Board for more information and feedback. Thanks for continuing to make this community great!

Photo Credits: Daniel Bannon

Last Saturday we sent two relay teams to the Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival. For the first time in event history, there was no running in the dark! A different vibe for sure.

We've done this event since the club was founded in 2020, and just try and have fun across the 50K relay! (We don't send competitive teams.) Most runners opt for 1 or 2 of the 5M loops. Although we tried to balance the teams to finish around the same time, a wrong turn gave one team almost 4 extra miles (yikes!). Still, we were glad the runner was okay and were eventually able to get back on track. Good running and strong finishes from both teams!

For individuals: Skye Pazuchanics ran her first 50K, crushing it as 2nd place overall female. Randi Huo was close behind also in the 50K, taking 3rd place overall female. Peter Averill ran a very strong 15-miler and placed 14th overall. Taryn Hynek also completed a strong relay leg run-walking, less than 3 months after foot surgery.

It was great to spend the morning with everyone, and I enjoyed chatting with those stopping by our tent. We hope to do more of these relays this year!

Results: https://register.pacificmultisports.com/Events/Results/1347?fbclid=IwY2xjawQBtWJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETJ6VDM2YkowYncyQ0lsYUQzc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHjky13EPAWNUBzhh-RpcgIjwi9cLA_zHpJBJmNIUP4xI2lnefaXMgtMkfQ9T_aem_nQE_31RBD65dxHMWDgoJWg#0_3EF1B7

LSRC runners and supporters at the Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival (PC: Taryn Hynek)

Teams LSR Diamonds and LSR Hearts both put in a solid effort!

Photo Credit: Rochelle Cox

The club celebrated the Holidays with its third Annual Meeting & Holiday Party on December 12, 2025 at Heritage Hall in Kirkland. Due to the availability of the hall, the party was held on a Friday evening, kicking off weekend Holiday festivities early (and a welcome way to end the workweek)! 

We had about 40 attendees for the night, with pasta catering provided by Due Cucina (so fitting for a runner crowd!). Attendees were encouraged to bring an appetizer, side, drinks, or dessert to share (and there was no shortage of dessert!). Ambient Holiday music and a slideshow of highlights from the past year quietly played in the background. We had available club apparel for sale, and each attendee also received a small party favor from the club. New this year was the club raffle, with various prizes from cozy socks and beanies, to nutrition/snack packs, to water bottles and running accessories. The grand prize of the night - a $100 REI gift card - was almost left unclaimed, as the winning ticket was hidden in a special party favor bag that somehow became lost during the evening.

For the meeting portion of the night, we kicked off with thanking the membership for their continued support of the club and the 2025 Board for their time and leadership. Three members of the current 2025 Board are departing at the end of this year:

• Jordan Andersen (Secretary) - stepping down after many years in various board positions with the club
• Steven Dion (At-Large Member) - term limit end, did not re-run for another position
• Steven Hammond (At-Large Member) - term limit end, did not re-run for another position

The results of the 2026 Board Election were then announced. For the first time in club history, there were more candidates (four) running than was available for the At-Large Member positions (three). The results of the 2026 Board Election are as follows:

• President (Incumbent): Joy Chan 

• Vice-President (Incumbent): Daniel Bannon 

• Treasurer (Incumbent): Peter Averill 

• Secretary (from At-Large Member): Paula Murray 

• At-Large Members: Nidhi Hooda, Michael Williamson, and Yasaman Mostafavi

We recapped the major events of 2025, then gave a preview of what was in store for 2026. There were plenty of things to look forward to throughout the Holiday season and new year, both old and new: various Holiday lights runs, January's Chilly Yeti Challenge, the Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival (now during the daytime!), and a new Wednesday 6 AM club run (to officially kick off January 7). We also announced a new educational event to be hosted in late January by club member and physical therapist Matthew Wines, DPT, with more details to be provided in late December/early January. 

As much as we all enjoy running, I really look forward to our club's more social events - for the opportunity to show up in non-workout attire, to talk with people while not putting in physical exertion, and to mingle with those on different life schedules. We hope everyone who attended had a fun and wonderful evening! Happy Holidays!

Photo Credit (all images above): Jordan Andersen

The LSRC Women's Team (L to R): Nina Tang, Jen Rozler, Zhenya Ross, Amy Rapin, Paula Murray, Pamela Hect, Joy Chan, and Mary Blake

Authored by: Joy Chan

Event Date/Location: November 9, 2025

With the USATF championship races being held out of state this year, the Pacific Northwest Track and Field (PNTF) Open and Masters XC Championships was the final club-sponsored cross-country race of the year. Held at Lincoln Park in West Seattle, it is personally my favorite local cross-country course, with fast trails and solid footing, Puget Sound and Olympic Mountain views, and the bonus of spending a half day so close to the water (and the quirky neighborhoods of West Seattle).

We had a perfect day for racing – sunny, mild conditions with barely a breeze. For four hours, team members rotated in and out of the two club tents (as the Women's, Master's Men, and Open Men's races were all occurring at different times). Excited chatter was abound during the warmups and cooldowns, and team members were loud and vocal in their cheers during the three races. 

For the women's team, eight members toed the start line: Women’s 50: Pamela Hect, Paula Murray, and Jen Rozler; Women’s 40: Mary Blake, Zhenya Ross, and Nina Tang; and Open: Joy Chan and Amy Rapin. The Open women did not have enough members to count in the team scoring, but the other two women’s teams did (five needed for Open, three needed for Master’s).

A full Master's Men team competed in the Men’s 40 due to four men being in their 50s with the last in his 40s (per USATF rules, a team can compete in a younger division, but not an older one): Michael Arlt, Daniel Bannon, Jason Hect, Mike Nakles, and Mike Williamson. Lastly, Zachary Fung, Clay Koppi, Arthur Lovekin, Mike Rossi, and Adam Stephenson rounded out the Open Men.

One difference this year was an unexpected last-minute change to the course. Due to a windstorm earlier in the week, there was a fallen tree which the parks department had failed to clear in time for the race. This led to a re-routing, which shortened each lap of the course by about 125 meters. In total, the women ran 5.6k instead of the standard 6k, the Master’s Men ran 7.5k instead of the standard 8k, and the Open Men ran 9.4k instead of the standard 10k. Needless to say, there were a ton of course PRs!

With some of the best local clubs in contention, it was a hard-fought battle for placement for all our teams. Everyone gave it their all! Notable achievements include:

• Women’s 50: 2^nd place team
• • 3^rd place W55: Jen Rozler
• Men’s 40: 2^nd place team
• • 3^rd place M55: Jason Hect

All in all, it was a glorious day to cap off the local XC racing season, with newcomers and veterans alike representing the LSRC blue. We hope this season has given people an opportunity to experience the camaraderie of a team running event, while also having fun on courses specific to cross country. It is truly something every runner should try at least once. Until next year!

Full Team Results: https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/269112/info

More Photos: PNTF Club XC Championship - 11-09-2025

The LSRC Master's Men Team (L to R): Mike Nakles, Daniel Bannon, Mike Williamson, Jason Hect, and Michael Arlt

The LSRC Open Men Team (L to R): Adam Stephenson, Arthur Lovekin, Clay Koppi, Zach Fung, and Mike Rossi

There were perfect fall conditions at the Emerald City Classic, our second scored club xc event of the season! The women ran 5k (3 loops of a hilly, offroad course) while the men ran 8k. Highlights:

• Kalli Haverkamp led the LSRC women with a very strong performance in her first post-partum xc race!

• Rochelle Cox ran a solid race to almost tie her course PR from last year!

• Zhenya Ross debuted in her first xc 6k and absolutely crushed the hilly course!

• Joy Chan was just glad to be able to run after feeling unwell (vaccination side effects) the day before!

• Paula Murray had recently recovered from an illness and battled hard to overcome the course, never giving up!

• Mike Rossi led the LSRC men with a superb performance, placing in the top third of the men's race!

• Eric Edmond made a strong comeback over injury with his first xc race in 7 years, placing in the top half!

• Zach Fung ran a focused, consistent race to secure a massive course PR!

• Mike Nakles ran a solid first xc race this season after dealing with an injury earlier this summer!

• Andrew Ruchames joined for his first LSRC xc season and absolutely crushed it!

• Peter Averill ran a controlled race with his first time on this xc course! Great job!

Well done everyone! Full results can be found here: https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/265591/info

L to R: Rochelle, Zhenya, Joy, Paula (missing Kalli)

L to R: Peter, Andrew, Eric, Zach, Mike N., Mike R.

By Jeff Chen

Eight of us made the trek up to Ferndale recently to run in the Bill Roe Classic XC Race. Though this race is mainly a collegiate race, it is open to other runners. Both women’s and men’s races started off with a bang, with over eight teams of young collegiate runners streaming toward the horizon at high speed. Mixed in with all of that were the runners from the Lake Sammamish Run Club. 

In his second running of the race, Zach knew exactly what to expect from the course. Though keeping up with the college kids was still a challenge, he was able to run 10 seconds faster than last year. 

Joy met her goal of running even splits with only a 9 second differential between her slowest and fastest miles (fastest = Mile 1, slowest = Mile 3). Joy gets bonus points for not getting passed by anyone else after the first 200m sprint!

Even though I was lapped by energetic, young collegiate runners, I succeeded in my goal of maintaining an even pace through the race and building up my endurance for longer XC races.

Link to Results: https://pntfo.trackscoreboard.com/meets/9272025/events

L to R: Jeff, Joy, Louis, Matt, Sal, Amy (missing: Zach & Paul)

Joy and Amy relaxing after their race :)

BY DANIEL BANNON (Photo/Elena Smentkowski)

Fourth formal marathon completed. I’ll start off by saying that was hard AF! Miles 21-26.2 were a struggle-fest for sure. Hello, cramps – I hadn’t encountered those before to the point of slowing or stopping me. Warning shots from my right calf came early, by mile 15, and I correctly deduced that nothing good awaited. It almost shut me down in both legs by the last few miles.

Finishing at 3:53-something was definitely not the race that I expected to run. I trained to 3:35, and I held that pace for 19ish miles. My cardio was fine, confirmed via post-action analysis, but the body betrayed me on this day. Why, I’m not sure yet…and may never know. And that’s okay too.

After a brief pause during the cool down, I shrugged and enjoyed the rest of my day and embraced the experience. Everyone I met wanted to talk about their experience. I wasn’t even that tired, never had a chance to push my cardio to the limit those last few miles. I had a vastly better time pacing 4:00 at Tunnel Light the other month, versus striving valiantly for 3:35 at Chicago. Light Bulb Moment, perhaps?

Sometimes you don’t run the race you think you will that day. I had to grind this MF out. No lingering physical problems a few days later fortunately.  Grit is what was required on this day. Not a fast finish. And I can live with that, with a big grin since the event itself was quite well run.

Run. Assess. Adjust. Run better. I’m enjoying LSRC club runs, volunteering, and pacing more than running for glory in ‘25. That might be it for formal marathons for a while. Getting into the remaining Abbott Majors appears to be a combo of luck, skill, and work I don’t currently feel motivated to do. Doing stupid distances with no particular objective? Seems more appealing!

Onward!