Welcome to the Quicksilver Running Club of San Jose (QRC)

The Quicksilver Running Club is a nonprofit organization that was formed in the early 1980s promoting physical well-being and friendships through running. Additionally, it has a purpose that reaches beyond the club, into our community, to promote Healthy Kids through trail running, and Trail Advocacy by expanding the accessibility of trails.  Over the years we have contributed over $100,000 to charity as well as maintaining trails within the Quicksilver County Park.  In recent years our club has made it’s mark on the competitive landscape, specially in the ultra running distances, but we also have many members running shorter distances on both road and trail… so there is an opportunity for all to get out there and have fun. The Quicksilver Running Club does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, sex or age in admission into membership, services, treatment, or participation in its programs, race events or activities. 

Don't let the word "running" in our name scare you. We invite runners and joggers of all levels, as well as walkers, to join and participate in club events. Bring the family, well-behaved pets and baby joggers out to club runs or events.  In the history of our club posted here on the web site you will find that the QRC has been around since the early 1980s and is steeped in a rich history of running, for all levels, abilities and interests.  Ask any of our club members, and they will say the support and camaraderie along the way is as important as the results and successes.

For more information about the Quicksilver Running Club please feel free to contact any of our Board of Directors by email, Facebook, or our "contact us" page.

QRC, was established to promote physical well-being and friendships through running.

  • How it started

    The Quicksilver Running Club of San Jose (QRC), as it is known today, was initially the Fleet Feet Running Club formed in the late 1970s by Ted Schmidt, the owner of Fleet Feet Running store in the Princeton Plaza. Jim Thiering, the founder of the Almaden Valley Athletic Club that started in 1976, worked with Ted, “and the Quicksilver club started to take off…” Some of the original members were Greg Larkins, Steve Lorenz, Judi Shade, Cathy Casey, Gary Covell, Bill Eilers, Ron Grizwald, Greg Martin, Chris Morella, Ephraim Romesberg, Ed Richards, Ron Wallace, John Peabody, Jackie Zeller, Mike Popolizio, Ted Schmidt, and Jim Thiering along with many others. The first QSRC 50 mile race was directed by Ted Schmidt in 1983. It started in Calero and finished in Quicksilver County Park with four finishers. In 1984 the race started and finished in Quicksilver, doubling in size, with 9 finishers including Bob Dalton in first place followed by Ephraim Romesberg.. In the 1980s the QRC was a very active group that met Saturday and Sundays at Quicksilver with two regular running groups; one that went shorter distances of 5-6 miles while another group headed up Mount Umunhum for 18-21 miles. On one of the runs up Mount Umunhum Bob Dalton suggested the Christmas Eve Run that has been held every year since. The first Christmas Eve run started, as it still does, at Castillero School and Judy Shade with 21 other people headed to the top of Mt Umumhum with ornaments in hand. A few years after that, it was decided to only go to the top of Mine Hill, in order to leave more time for beer… the tradition continues. Pizza Nights where monthly occurrences, as well as an annual Christmas dance that was held in New Almaden.

  • Western States Involvement

    The Quicksilver running club has been associated with the Western States (WS) 100 mile endurance run since 1978, becoming responsible for the Duncan Canyon Aid Station at mile 22 in 1985, and continues today with about 40 people helping out annually. Steve Lorenz, who joined the QRC club in 1980, was the Duncan Canyon aid Station Captain for twenty years, was awarded the “WS Friend of the Trail Award” for his volunteering. Every year the Quicksilver Running Club has runners competing in the WS 100, the first being Jim Thiering in 1980, and in 1981 Gary Covell, along with three others, completed the course. Today we have three QRC members who have their 1000 mile buckles, ten finishes, Jim Magill, Kristina Irvin, and Tom O’Connell. Through the association with WS over the years, the QSRC is allocated a coveted entry slot for one of our members. In the past the WS slot is chosen at a drawing from up to 20 qualified runners, who missed out on the WS lottery, and have supported our club with volunteer work. The WS drawing has traditionally been held at our annual Christmas Eve run/ornament making/pot luck/drinking session.

  • Ultra Racing Team

    In 2008 Adam Blum formed a Quicksilver Ultra Racing team (QURT) with the focus of winning the USA Track and Field Grand Prix, Pacific Association (PA/USATF) – this rallied many our club members, and what a success it has been. Several QRC members have won their individual age divisions and in 2009 and 2010 we won the Men’s Team Award. In 2011 Adam handed the reigns of the race team over to Greg Lanctot, our present team captain, with about 40 people in our team. In 2011 the Quicksilver Running Club made a clean sweep, winning the Men’s, Women, Mixed and Overall team events – a landmark for the QRC, and one that everyone should be proud of. We are on the competitive landscape. Apart from our PA-USATF achievements it is worthy to note that many of our members have claimed other individual achievements such as: USATF National Age Division Champion, RRCA National Champion, Last Great Race (6x100s), Grand Slam (4x100s) etc. Ephraim Romesberg completed the Grand Slam at the ripe age of 66, running Old Dominion, Western States, Leadville and Wasatch 100 milers. – An inspiration to all!

    However, QRC is not only an Ultra centric club, and every weekend many of our members compete in shorter distance road and trail runs, again bring home lots of hardware. Today, in addition to the 50 miler that started in 1983, 25K and 50K options were added over the years. For those in our club that prefer the shorter distance trail races we put on a 10K and a half marathon, and recently added a one mile event for Kids. Ask any of our club members, and it is not about the results and our successes, it is about the support and camaraderie along the way that they appreciate.