Name: January Club Meeting: 2026 Kick-off and Training Group Discussion — DATE CHANGED TO JAN 20
Start: 2026-01-20T19:00:00-06:00
Location: Oak Park Public Library Main Branch

$January Club Meeting: 2026 Kick-off and Training Group Discussion \u2014 DATE CHANGED TO JAN 20$

This mtg. has moved from Jan 6 to Jan 20.
At the January OPRC meeting, Tony Bleull will lead a workshop to help set our 2026 season goals. The session starts with a video highlighting North Central College's track and cross-country teams, coached by Al Carius, who passed away this year after a long battle with cancer. His teams earned 31 National Championships and finished second 16 times, guided by his inclusive "Run for Fun and Personal Bests" philosophy—applicable to every member of our team, regardless of speed.
Tony will also launch the 2026 OPRC Training Program, starting with a brief review of athlete criteria. Speed is not required; commitment to improvement and openness to new methods are essential. As before, there is no cap on participants, just a request for genuine dedication and regular communication. The 2025 team excelled, with many athletes achieving Personal Records by sticking to their plans and staying in contact with me.
The OPRC Training Program develops customized workout plans for athletes, aligned with their season goals. Each plan will contain many of the same workouts to foster group training and are linked with the standard OPRC runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Beginning in 2026, demonstration sessions for Fartlek, Tempo, and Hill workouts will be incorporated into the program. Participation is complimentary; however, athletes are required to represent OPRC in the CARA circuit and commit to the designed plan. Please call or text Tony Bleull (309) 208-4808 with any questions.