Hundreds Run in Whale of a 5K Race

RYE –
Six hundred and ten runners hit the trails to participate in the Seacoast Science Center’s fourth annual Whale of a 5k Trail Race, held Saturday, April 21, in Odiorne Point State Park. The scenic route brought them through the forest, by the rocky shore, on the sandy beach, and up (and down) the hills over military fortifications of Odiorne Point State Park.
Race winner, Chris Ritchie, 28, of Exeter, crossed the finish line with a time of 17:52. Stephanie Crawford, 34, of Dover, was female overall winner with a time of 20:03. Second place winners were Andrew King, 36, of York, Maine, at 17:54 and Nataliya Tereshchenk, 35, of Nottingham at 20:36.
The Kid’s Fun Run gave the 100 of the youngest of athletes the option to run a 100-yard dash or a 1/2 mile run. In honor of Earth Day, each participant was awarded with a packet of sunflower seeds to plant at home.
The Center combined their Earth Day celebration with the event, which added to the festivities. The crowd enjoyed music, face painting, programs, information stations, and eco-friendly crafts and activities.
According to Race Director, Nichole Rutherford, “We are so pleased with the results of the day. We had more runners than ever, which helped up to raise $11,500 to support our environmental education efforts. Special thanks go to the more than 70 volunteers who put in countless hours to make the event possible.”
Prizes for the top two male and female winners in each age category were awarded for 5k runners and were presented by Councilor Chris Sununu.
Male age group top winners were Eric Degregorio, 23:53 (12 and under); Andrew Verville, 20:29 (13-17); Chris Ritchie, 17:52 (18-29); Andrew King, 17:54 (30-39); Jeff Kelly, 18:21 (40-49); John Webber, 20:47 (50-59); Ron Newbury, 20:13; (60-69); and Gary Reuter, 26:10 (70-99).
Female age group top winners were Michaela Jones, 21:02 (12 and under); Haley Markos, 24:24 (13-17), Margot Popecki, 21:44 (18-29); Stephanie Crawford, 20:03 (30-39); Heather Fabbri, 26:04 (40-49); Geri Clifford, 26:06 (50-59); Janet Parkinson, 26:51 (60-69), and Mary Harada, 36:56 (70-99).

Photo caption: The Kid’s Fun Run included one hundred young athletes. (Photo courtesy of www.seacoastsciencecenter.org)

Record-Setting Writer to Speak at Music Hall

PORTSMOUTH –
The Music Hall’s Writers in the Loft series welcomes author Susan Cain with her bestselling book, “QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking,” on Tuesday, May 1. The 7 p.m. event will be held at the Music Hall in Portsmouth.
A former Wall Street lawyer, Cain has captured the attention of critics, business and opinion leaders, and introverts and extroverts worldwide with her sudden bestseller. Her recent presentation at TED2012 drew a record 1.6 million viewers in its first month online. Cain’s eye-opening research and game-changing conclusion:
“Did you know that nearly half of Americans are introverts? If you’re not an introvert yourself, you are surely raising, managing, married to, or related to one. Cerebral, quiet, perceptive to nuance, and emotionally complex, introverts are often discounted or undervalued. Yet many of the greatest achievers of the 20th century have been introverts: Eleanor Roosevelt, George Orwell, Rosa Parks, Marcel Proust, Warren Buffett, Larry Page, and Mahatma Gandhi, to name just a few. Without introverts, the world would have missed out on the Apple computer, the theory of relativity, van Gogh’s sunflowers, and The Cat in the Hat,” according to Cain.
A self-proclaimed introvert, Cain challenges what she calls the Extrovert Ideal. Our culture, she argues, overvalues the alpha personality—gregarious and highly verbal—while ignoring the subtler strengths of the introvert, such as reflectiveness, persistence, and sensitivity. Based on five years of research, Cain explores the physiological aspects and psychological advantages of being an introvert.
In Part One of “QUIET,” Cain charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal, illustrating how it permeates our culture—taking the reader on a journey from Dale Carnegie’s birthplace to Harvard Business School to a Tony Robbins seminar to an evangelical megachurch. She questions the dominant values of American business culture, where forced collaboration can stand in the way of innovation, and where the leadership potential of introverts is often overlooked.
In Part Two, Cain explores the neurobiology and psychology of temperament. She looks at hereditary traits, examining the nature-vs-nurture debate and the role of free will in personality.
In Part Three, she examines whether all cultures have an Extrovert Ideal, specifically looking at the differences between Western culture, where the individual is paramount, and Eastern culture, where the success of the group is often valued above that of the self. She speaks with Asian-American students who feel alienated from the brash, backslapping atmosphere of American schools.
In Part Four, Cain offers practical advice about everything from networking if you hate small talk, to being a “pretend extrovert” when it’s advantageous, to better negotiating introvert-extrovert relationships, to helping an introverted child navigate school and friendships.
Most inspiringly, Cain introduces the reader to successful introverts—from a high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who taps into his “soft power.” Passionately argued and superbly researched, “QUIET” shows how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose in doing so.
Susan Cain will be in dialogue with Margaret Talcott, associate producer of the Writers in the Loft series. “I worked for ten years in the land of extroverts, at the brokerage and investment firm Merrill Lynch in New York City, and, like so many others, have experienced the extrovert trend firsthand. I look forward to hearing more about Ms. Cain’s research and taking questions from her readers, who are coming out in force. Her Writers in the Loft event is one of most popular ever – the topic has struck a chord with so many.”
For more information, call 603-436-2400 or visit www.themusichall.org. The Music Hall is located on Congress Street in Portsmouth.

Photo caption: Susan Cain, author of “QUIET: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking” (Courtesy photo)

Dover Adds Session to Visioning Process

DOVER –
What will Dover be like in the year 2023? More importantly, what do Dover residents want it to be? These questions have been the central focus of a community-wide public engagement process that began on March 10. The “Dover 2023 – Building our Tomorrow” effort is designed to get the community thinking about where it is now, where it has come from in the past few decades and where it wants to get to in the future.
Christopher Parker, the director of Planning and Community Development, feels strongly that “developing a vision for our City is the key first step to building the community that we want to become.” This longer term perspective is particularly appropriate since Dover will be celebrating its 400th anniversary in 2023, and serves as the cornerstone to the city’s master planning efforts.
A series of neighborhood meetings were held in March to get the community’s ideas about what Dover should be like in the year 2023. A second series of neighborhood workshops are being held in April in order to refine and prioritize the long-term vision for the City. Kirt Schuman, Planning Board member and chair of the Master Plan Steering Committee, remarked on the importance of the community’s role in developing the vision “The Planning Board recognizes that the city’s vision must, at its core, reflect the community’s values and concerns, not just those of the Planning Board and staff.”
Recognizing that the March and April workshops were held in the evening, an additional Dover 2023 workshop has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 1, from 8 to 10 a.m. in the Lecture Hall at the Dover Public Library.
“We want to ensure that as many residents, business owners and property owners are able to participate,” said Tim Corwin, assistant city planner. “Having a weekday morning session is a great way to provide an opportunity for those people who want to participate but who are not available in the evenings.”
The May 1 workshop will provide those who have not yet had an opportunity to participate in Dover 2023 with a chance to hear about the city’s long-term vision and to provide their insights and perspective on where Dover should be headed in the next 10 years.
The Dover 2023 visioning process will wrap up with a final community-wide event to be held on Saturday, May 5, at 9 a.m., at the Dover Middle School cafeteria.
“Everyone is encouraged to attend,” said Corwin. “Even if you weren’t able to make to any of the previous meetings, the May 5 meeting is the perfect opportunity for you to participate in the process and tell us what you want Dover to be.”
For more information, visit www.dover2023.com or contact the Planning Department at (603) 516-6008.