Photos and article from the Register-Guard newspaper:

On Wednesday and Thursday nights during the month of July, you’ll find Jill and Rick Mestler and their three kids at Hayward Field.

For well over a decade, the Mestler family has joined about 60 volunteers a week, spending summer evenings at the historic track. They start the races, help kids participate in the softball throw, and give local residents the chance to run in the footsteps of elite athletes.

They’re there for the Oregon Track Club’s All Comers Meets , which feature a variety of races and other track and field events. The meets were started by Bill Bowerman and have been offered consistently every summer since the mid-1950s. On Wednesday nights, kids age 12 and younger participate. On Thursdays, anyone age 13 and older can compete.

As they are for many local families, the All Comers Meets are a tradition for the Mestlers, though their experience with them is a little different than for many others.

Jill Mestler is the meet director, so instead of running in the meets, she’s running around working to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Meanwhile, her husband and kids are part of the team of volunteers that keeps the meets moving forward.

“I’m the catch-all volunteer,” Rick said.

“They’re a really big help and they’re pretty much there from set up to tear down,” Jill said about her family.

From their all comers participation to their family basketball games in front of their house to regular runs, the Mestler family focuses on fitness and has a lot of fun with it.

“What better way to spend time with your kids,” Jill said. “I think a balance of everything is good. Spend time reading and being quiet. Spend time socializing. Spend time exercising, for sure. Definitely go play, just go play.”

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