Welcome to Club Northwest
Club Northwest was founded in 1972 from a number of smaller
running clubs in the Seattle area. We began competing in the
spring of 1973, and had our first national champions -- Patty
Van Wolvelaere in the women's hurdles and Cary Feldmann in the
javelin -- that year. CNW sent its first team to the cross
country nationals in the fall of 1974, and has been represented
every year since then by at least one individual. Don Kardong
was the Club's first Olympian, finishing fourth in the marathon
in Montreal '76.
Right from the start, CNW was active in staging events in the
area. The Club has been instrumental in forming many of the
running "staples" in the Seattle area including the Seafair
Torchlight Run, the Shore Run, the Seattle Marathon, the Super
Jock 'n' Jill Half Marathon, the Terry Fox Run, the Firecracker
5000, the Jingle Bell Run, and Nordstrom's Beat the Bridge.
Right from the very first year, CNW has been staging all-comers
track & field meets, taking over the series started in 1969 and
operating it to this day.
CNW took over a floundering local long distance publication in
1975, and created the award-winning
Northwest
Runner magazine. For many years,
it operated the local Junior Olympics youth program, as well as
the old State High School Indoor. It has sent many members as
both team and staff on USA international trips.
Club Northwest continues to be heavily involved in the Pacific
Northwest running community, and nationally with USA Track &
Field. Don Kardong, a former CNW president, was USATF men's long
distance running chair for six years in the 1990's. Former
president Dr. Dean Ingram was USATF's first national secretary,
a post later occupied by current USATF president and Club
founder Bill Roe. Life member Kenny Emerick recently retired
after nearly 20 years as PNTF youth chair. Many other members
have been active on both the local and national scene.
We hope these pages are a good resource for Club Northwest
members and non-members a like. Let us know if you'd like to see
something added!
