Maine Savings New Sponsor of Sub 5 Race Series

The Sub5 Track Club is pleased to announce Maine Savings Federal Credit Union as the new race series partner for the 2024 season.
 
“We are excited to begin this partnership with Maine Savings,” said Joe Roberts, President of the Sub5 Track Club. “Sponsorship support from Maine Savings helps promote our series and club, further growing our running community and promoting wellness here in Eastern Maine. Thank you Maine Savings for making the community a priority.”
 
The 2024 Maine Savings Sub5 Race Series schedule started with the Finale 5K in Bangor December 31. The next event of the 12-race season is the Flat Top 5K March 30, followed by Bridge the Gap May 4 in Bucksport. A tentative race schedule is located on Sub5.com. Community members are invited to compete in five or more road races to qualify for end of season age-group standings. Awards for the 2023 season will be presented Feb. 10 at the Annual Awards reception.
 
Sponsorship support assists with RRCA membership, as well as annual scholarships. Last year Sub5 awarded two college scholarships, as well as a summer camp scholarship.The club also hosts weekly group runs on Monday nights at 5:30 starting from the parking lot beside the Sea Dog restaurant.
 

About Sub5 Track Club:

Sub5 Track Club is a vibrant community of passionate runners and fitness enthusiasts committed to promoting a healthy and active lifestyle in our local community. Our annual race series, consisting of 12 races, attracts participants from diverse backgrounds and provides an excellent platform for businesses to connect with a wide audience. Races take place in the Bangor-Brewer area, as well as Ellsworth and as far east as Cobscook Bay.

The Sub5 Track Club is based in the Bangor/Brewer area. Established in 1982, the club currently has a membership of about 150 individuals and families. The club sponsors local road races as well as the Sub5 Road Race Series, organizes group runs, and awards scholarships for local high school students. Our executive committee meets monthly throughout the year and our annual meeting is in March. The club is a member of the Road Runners Club of America.

2023 Sub 5 Annual Membership Meeting

Please join us for the Sub5 Track Club group run and Annual Meeting Saturday, March 25 at the Haley Ward Offices at One Merchant Plaza in Bangor.

The group run will begin at 9:00 AM from West Market Square in Bangor. Run distance and pace will be determined depending upon participants. All are welcome.

The Annual Meeting is scheduled for 11:00 AM. Bring your favorite dish to share as the event will start with a potluck. Programming and agenda for the gathering are still being determined.

Per Sub5 Track Club bylaws an annual meeting is required. Additionally, prior advance notice for bylaw changes is also required. There are two bylaw changes to be approved:

1) A motion to update the bylaws to allow for the “annual meeting to take place between January and April.” Current bylaws stipulate March. This will provide more flexibility for the board and planning.

2) A motion to “expand the board membership up to 15 members.” Current board membership is limited to 11 members, including the executive board. Yes we’re looking for new board members to join us so that we may extend our offerings with more volunteers.

Thank you to members who have renewed their Sub5 memberships. Your support is appreciated. Congratulations to 2022 series award winners. It was great to see so many fellow runners at the Awards Reception in January.

An RSVP for the group run and/or meeting is not required but if you’d like more information, including learning more about board participation, you can email me at joseph.roberts9765@gmail.com.

President’s Message – March 2022

Dear Running Friends,

Please join us Saturday, March 12 as we celebrate running with a number of activities on behalf of the Sub5 Track Club.

First, join us for a group run at 10:30 AM. Meet other runners near the Sea Dog Brewing in Bangor and we’ll split into different groups as necessary for a run around Bangor. All paces are welcome. 

The Sub5 Track Club Race Series Awards Reception and Annual Meeting will take place March 12 at 1-4PM at the Sea Dog Brewing in Bangor.

The Awards reception is scheduled for 1:00-2:00 PM, with announcement of awards at 1:30. Light refreshments are available as well as a cash bar. There is no admission fee. Please RSVP by March 4 via this Google link. We understand that you may have previously RSVP’d but we know that schedules change and we’re planning based on our head count and space limitations.

Are you a Tradewinds Supermarkets Sub5 Race Series award winner? Overall leaders and eligible runners in the top 3 spots of each male or female age group will receive prizes at the reception. The final 2021 standings for can be found on the sub5.com website.

At 2:00 PM you’re invited to stay for our annual meeting. We’ll review the previous year, provide membership and treasurer reports and elect our executive board. If you are interested in learning more about what the board does, this is a great way to see how the group operates and become aware of how to get involved. We’re not only looking for board members but other volunteers to be involved in new ideas for the community as well as coordinating the Annual Walter Hunt 4th of July race. If you are interested please plan to attend or email me at joseph.roberts9765@gmail.com

Masks are encouraged for these events.

Thank you to Sub5 Track Club members who have already renewed their annual membership this year! If you’d like to become a member or renew you may do so via the Sub5 runsignup page or download and mail a form through sub5.com. Hope to see you on March 12!

Joe Roberts
Sub5 President

Message From the Sub 5 President

Dear Sub5 Club Members:

In the midst of the fall running season we that you are enjoying some of the best running weather of the year.

The Sub 5 Track Club would like to announce the Veterans Benefit Virtual 5k Nov. 4-18. Proceeds from the race benefit the Bangor Veterans’ Home. We’ve created a basic event for our first virtual race and kept it inexpensive (under $15) in hopes of lots of participation to support a good cause.

While we haven’t been able to gather for races, weekly group runs have continued this pokies online payid summer after a brief hiatus. Thank you to Dave Farrar who has promoted the gatherings via the Facebook page while also encouraging social distancing and other CDC guidelines during the runs. The runs will continue as CDC guidelines allow, meeting weekly in Bangor at 5:30 on the waterfront near the Seadog. Kudos also to Deedra Dapice for her “On-Your-Own” track workouts posted this summer on the Facebook page.

With nearly every Tradewinds Sub 5 Race Series canceled we will be unable to generate standings and awards this year. We hope to return to series races soon.

We will soon be setting up membership renewals this winter. Don’t forget your club discounts still work during the pandemic, and a discount on a pair of new shoes covers the cost of your membership!

For Sub5,
Joe Roberts

Ralph K. Thomas 8K Canceled

12th Annual Ralph K. Thomas 8K Run / 2.5 Mile Walk

(CANCELED)

INDIAN ISLAND, ME – Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the 2020 Ralph K Thomas Race/Walk has been canceled. This was a very tough decision to arrive at, however it was made based on the health and safety of not only the Penobscot Nation community but also the participants of the event.

The RKT race committee appreciates the support that the race has experienced over the past decade or more and look forward to many more years of racing ahead.

Stay Healthy and Safe and together we will get through this.

Gilmore Awarded Sub 5 Scholarship

The Sub 5 Track Club is pleased to announce that Lydia Gilmore, a 2020 graduate of Bangor High School, has been chosen as the recipient of the club’s annual college scholarship in the amount of $1500. Lydia was a standout distance runner for the Ram’s cross country and track programs and will take her talents to the University of Maine where she will run for the Black Bears. Gilmore’s senior cross country season was outstanding as she was the individual champion in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference and Northern Maine Regional championship meets. She went on to run a strong Class A State Meet where she finished a career best 5th and then competed in the New England Interscholastic Championship Meet at Manchester, CT where she finished 38th (5th Maine finisher).

Gilmore also had success on the oval during the indoor track season. This past winter, Lydia set personal best marks of 5:26.74 for the mile run and 11:32.24 for the 2 mile run. Her season ended in exciting fashion as her points in the 3200m relay and the individual 2 mile run helped the Ram girls win the Class A State Championship by 1 point over Gorham High School.

In her scholarship application, Lydia wrote the following: “Running is a simple sport: traversing a distance in the quickest possible time. What’s surprising is how complicated it becomes the better you try to do it. There’s no shortcut, no special trick, or easy way out of a race besides straight ahead and, resultantly, it trains more than just your muscles, but also your discipline, willpower, and patience. Thanks to my running coach, Roger Huber, I’ve come to realise just what a powerful teaching tool running is. Running has given me the most difficult physical and mental challenges of my life and, in return, it’s been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. Throughout my high school runnng career, I have overcome mental and physical obstacles, developed impenetrable willpower and determination, and grown in depth as a person. Furthermore, being a part of the running community means sharing pride in this great sport. This passion and enthusiasm drives me to continue running.”

Gilmore will study mechanical engineering at the University of Maine. She is the daughter of Virginia and Michael Gilmore of Bangor.

The Sub 5 Track Club of Brewer/Bangor is one of the largest and most active running clubs in Maine. The club’s college scholarship aims to recognize the area’s most talented student-athletes and to encourage them to continue their competitive careers at the collegiate level and beyond.

Sub 5 Banquet – January 18, 2020

The Sub 5 Annual Awards banquet is on Saturday, January 18, 2020 at the Bangor Conference Center on Hogan Road in Bangor.  The doors open at 5:30.  Join your friends for a fun night that celebrates running and racing in central Maine, with the Sub5 Series winners and special awards as well as chances to win entrance into future races with Sub5 raffles! Cost of the banquet is $25 for adults, and $15 for those 12 years and under. The cost increases to $30 after Jan. 7. Reservations can be mailed to the Sub5 Track Club PO Box 63, Brewer, Maine 04412 or completed online at: https://runsignup.com/Club/Store/ME/Brewer/Sub5TrackClub.

Renew Your Membership for 2020!

Sub5 membership renewal for 2020 is now open online. Membership applications can still be downloaded from Sub5.com. Remember membership benefits include discounts to local businesses, track workouts, and free entry into the Walter Hunt 3K.

Sub 5 Track Workouts Begin May 29

Sub 5 Summer Track Workouts will be held every Wednesday at 6 PM and will begin on May 29 at the Brewer Track behind the Brewer Community School. Sub 5 Track Club membership is required. Membership forms are available at Sub5.com, and if you so choose, you may register for membership online. Paper membership forms will also be available at the track Wednesday evening.  Workouts will continue through the last week of August.

Welcome From The President

Welcome to the Sub5.com webpage! As the new club president, I’m pleased to join a hard-working volunteer organization with an experienced and tireless board. We hope to continue to nurture the running community in Eastern Maine.
The club sponsors local road races as well as the Sub 5/Tradewinds MarketPlace Road Race Series, organizes group runs, and awards scholarships for local high school students. Please join us for a group run on Monday nights at 5:30 starting by the Sea Dog Restaurant in downtown Bangor. 
Follow the club on this website as well as Facebook for information about local races or local high school results. 
While many Sub 5 “services” are free, please consider joining the club with a membership.  Membership benefits include discounts to local businesses as well as free entry into the Walter Hunt July 4 race sponsored by Sub 5. Proceeds from memberships help pay for the scholarships and the annual awards banquet.
Perhaps the greatest feature of Sub 5 is the network it provides. Be it encouragement for your next run or receiving all the friendly tips from runners who have been there before. We love celebrating everyone’s weekend run on Monday nights or asking when your next race is. There’s also conversation about workout plans, injuries and equipment. Joining a Monday night run, or attending a summer track workout are great places to not only have fun running, but also hear what everyone is doing to maintain their fitness. Better yet, a group activity is perfect for staying motivated. Thanks for checking out Sub 5 and see you on the run.
 
Joe Roberts
Sub 5 President