To the editor:
Regarding the Thursday, Feb. 2, front-page story headlined, "City tries to keep up with races; Salem considers number, scheduling":
Since 2004 Salem has been home to the Wicked Running Club with a membership that reaches beyond the North Shore.
This organization, by hosting its many races throughout the year, provides comradeship for its members and entertainment for spectators while raising money for different charities such as Toys for Tots.
Just like the first Olympic Games, which are believed to have existed since 776 BCE, running has since grown to become a major sport today with roots in the days of the ancient Greeks.
Running is a form of aerobic exercise that does improve most body functions and joint health. According to James Fries, M.D., a professor of medicine at Stanford University's School of Medicine, running draws in oxygen, flushing out waste products and nourishing and keeping cartilage healthy, which strengthens ligaments that help support joints. Not to mention that running is known to be an effective calorie-burner.
The benefits of a running club for its members, the agencies that receive financial help with the races, and the families that gather to watch the races, are some reasons not to deter the races hosted by the Wicked Running Club. Our local politicians should meet with their constituents to work together making changes to the program and route changes, instead of just stopping something that is rich in our city's heritage — a richness once enjoyed by the ancient Greeks and a richness enjoyed to this day by the runners, the locals and visitors to our city.
Ruth Brennan
Salem
No Limits for Disabled Hunters at Mich. Base
Victim Identified in Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Radioactive Bluefin Tuna Crossed the Pacific
90 Guns Seized, Dozens Arrested in Oakland
Raw Video: Hail Storm Batters Oklahoma City
6-Year-Old Going to National Spelling Bee
California's Foie Gras Ban About to Begin
Video Essay: Funky Winkerbean Comic Turns 40
Hurricane Andrew Remembered, 20 Years Later
Judge's Ruling Halts Tenn. Mosque Construction
Romney in Las Vegas on Texas Primary Day
Sister Says She Reported Brother in Patz Killing
Even Fla. Police Shocked by Face-Mauling Attack
Angry Birds Spreading Their Wings
Witness Describes Fla. Face-chewing Attack
