Judith Tripp joined the Striders in 1978 and was the club’s first official Secretary. In the early years of the club, she also did publicity of the club’s races, typing results on an old Royal and delivering news stories by hand to the local papers. She was the first editor of the club’s quarterly newsletter, and hosted virtually all of the club’s monthly Board meetings for five years. She began running in 1978, mostly to keep track of her five-year-old son, Jason, who wanted to run, but needed supervision. In 1979, she ran a “PR” of 49:57 in The Lady Equitable 10K in Baltimore. She was the “mother” of 24 Junior Striders who flew to, and competed in, the Junior Olympics in cross country in San Antonio, Texas in 1986.
A decade-long judge of the RRCA Annual Newsletter Competition, Judy was a recipient of an RRCA National Volunteer Award in 1989, the first year of the Award’s existence. She has continued her volunteering as co-Race Director of the Turkey Trot and Resolution Run and serving “in the chutes” at many club and high school races every year.