Tupelo Running Club, Core team up to benefit cross-country teams
TUPELO – The Tupelo Running Club and Core Cycle & Outdoors recently teamed up to raise money for the cross-country teams at Tupelo High School, Tupelo Christian Preparatory School and Mooreville High School. TRC sponsors many local running events, including this year’s 50th Anniversary of the Gumtree 10k, which was first run in 1976. The club seeks to promote running and its life-enhancing and community uniting benefits in North Mississippi.
Core, which has stores in Tupelo and Oxford, also has been a sponsor and supporter of the North Mississippi running community. Recently, Core sponsored a TRC-hosted event featuring Dave Wottle, who – wearing his trademark golf cap – came back to win the 800-meter gold medal in the 1972 Olympic games. He is the last American to have won a gold medal at this distance.
As a result of his performance in Munich, Wottle was awarded the prestigious U. S. Olympic Spirit Award, given to the athlete who demonstrates the special spirit of Olympism, courage and achievement at the Olympic Games.
At the TRC event, Wottle brought his gold medal and let people hold and wear it. For the fundraiser, Core designed and donated replica Wottle white caps, bearing the same victor’s laurel wreath that his golf cap displayed. Wottle signed the caps donated by Core, and all proceeds from the sale of the caps were donated directly to the cross country programs at the three schools.
From the sale of the Wottle-signed caps, the TRC donated $650 to each of the teams.