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SFoR News
December 8, 2011 USATF Adds Five More U.S. 5K Records to the SFoR Course's Legacy!
Five pending U.S. 5K records produced by athletes competing in the USA Masters 5 km Championships at the 2011 Syracuse Festival of Races have been approved for U.S. 5K record status by USA Track & Field (USATF) at the national governing body's annual convention, held last week in St. Louis, MO.
This year's five additional records bring to 40 the total number of U.S. 5K records surpassed or tied on the SFoR course. The 5K distance (approximately 3.1 miles) is by far the nation's most popular road race distance, with Running USA reporting 4,670,000 finishers in the approximately 11,000 5K road races held in the U.S. in 2010.
Among the 2011 SFoR performances ratified by USATF on Sunday was Kathryn Martin's 2011 SFoR finishing time of 19:04. Kathy, 60, of Northport, NY, improved upon Sabra Harvey's listed U.S. W60-64 age-group record of 19:12, and in so doing also improved upon Sabra's prior U.S. 5K W60 single-age mark.
Also accepted as new U.S. 5K single-age records are the 2011 SFoR performances of Stephanie Herbst-Lucke, 45, of Atlanta, GA; Jan Holmquist, 67, of Burlington, MA; and Henry Sypniewski, 93, of Cheektowaga, NY. Stephanie's 16:37 finish improved upon the previous W45 mark of 16:39, held by three-time Olympian, Colleen DeReuck. Jan's finishing time of 22:10 trimmed fourteen seconds from June Machala's listed U.S. W67 single-age mark of 22:24 that has stood since 1998. Henry's time of 47:38 lopped an amazing 13 minutes and 29 seconds from Max Popper's listed U.S. M93 single-age mark of 1:01:07.
On behalf of our race committee, volunteers, and sponsors: It's both a pleasure and an honor for the Syracuse Festival of Races to host so many truly outstanding athletic achievements!
December 3, 2011 More National Honors for 2011 SFoR Masters Athletes!
Seven of our 2011 finishers have been recognized by the Masters Long Distance Running Committee of USA Track & Field as the nation's cream of the crop in their respective age groups for 2011 . Christine Kennedy, 56, of Los Gatos, CA, and Kathryn Martin, 60, of Northport, NY, were doubly recognized, sharing the Women's Masters LDR Athlete of the Year Award and each being named the nation's female masters LDR athlete of the year in her five-year age group.
SFoR athletes recognized as the top male masters LDR performers in their five-year age groups for 2011 included: Mark Andrews, 40, of Rochester, NY; Brian Pilcher, 55, of Ross, CA; Terry McCluskey, 63, of Vienna, OH; Doug Goodhue, 69, of Milford, MI; and Bill Tribou, 90, of Granby, CT.
The awards were announced at today's Awards Luncheon in conjunction with the USATF Annual Meetings held in St. Louis, MO.
Also of special interest to Syracuse-area runners and Syracuse Chargers Track Club members was the recognition of Mickey Piscitelli as this year's recipient of USATF's Women's Long Distance Running Committee's Marja Bakker Contributor of the Year Award for service to women's long distance running. Mickey, of course, has been a many-time SFoR finisher and key volunteer.
November 21, 2011 Christine Kennedy Named 2011 USATF Masters Athlete of the Year!
This news just released via USATF's communications office:
"Christine
Kennedy (Los Gatos, Calif.) has been named the 2011 Masters Athlete of the
Year by USA Track and Fields Masters Committee. Kennedy will be honored on
Saturday, December 3, at the Jesse Owens Awards and Hall of Fame Induction
Ceremony in St. Louis, Mo. The event is held in conjunction with USA
Track & Fields Annual Meeting.
Kennedy, 56, owned the roads in 2011 by winning the USA
Masters 5 km, 10 km, and 15 km championships this year. Kennedy also won two
events at the 2011 World Masters Athletics Championships. In a span of
nine days, Kennedy won both the 5,000m and the marathon. Her marathon
finish of 3:00:48 was good enough to finish as the third-place female
overall and win gold in her age-group.
Kennedys highest age-graded performance of the year
came from the Boston Marathon where she finished in 2:56:17. Kennedy won her
age-group with time to spare; she finished nearly 12 minutes faster than the
second woman in her age-group." Of course, Christine's 2011 USA Masters 5 km W55-59 Championship performance was here at the Festival, where her time of 18:56 was not only good for the gold, but also an SFoR W56 course record and the fifth highest age- and gender-graded performance (95.60) at the 2011 SFoR.
Congratulations to Chris on her well-deserved selection as USATF's 2011 Masters Athlete of the Year! To see the full release from USATF, click here.
October 26, 2011 We Get Some Mighty Nice Post-Race E-Mail and Mail (Parts 1 - 23)
"Wow--as always you and your whole team of workers and volunteers are #1. Our team had a wonderful time and were treated so well." --Ruth Thelen, 67, St. Johns, MI, Playmakers Racing Team
". . . a big THANK YOU goes out to everyone that has a hand in
putting on this fantastic event. Wish more races could come even close
to what the SFoR gives to a runner."
"Thanks again for putting on a great event. You and your
staff put on the premier race of the East. I'm sure this will be a
regular date on our yearly schedule."
"I want to thank you for the unbelievable race that you put on
yesterday. You and your staff set the standard for organization and
hospitality--and a fantastic course as well. Get some well deserved
rest."
"WOW--what a wonderful event!!! Everything from the initial
registration through to the ride back to the airport on Sunday, the masters
runners were treated like kings and queens! . . . I know there are a million
details and you juggled them so well and with a smile and sense of humor."
"What an amazing event you put together and administer!
Thank you for everything you and your wife must do to make it all happen so
seemingly effortlessly. I know that behind the scenes it is much
tougher to accomplish what you both do and I just want to thank you for your
excellent work. I hope you will always have this race in Syracuse and
that I get a chance to set some records there."
"Our family loves the Festival of Races because it is
family-oriented in addition to the tight organization and professionalism."
"In today's world of running where finishing medals and rock
bands every mile are, unfortunately in my opinion, becoming an expectation
of many runners, it's nice to know that there are still top-notch, highly
competitive races at a low price for runners who could care less about the
medals and the bands . . . who just want to run fast. Your race is
that race! It lacks the headaches and chaos of the so-called "mega"
races. Don't change from that recipe! Thanks again!"
"I just want to congratulate you on your fine organization of the
event last Sunday. I'm sure the weather made your job substantially
more complicated but the whole event went off very smoothly."
"We really had a great time this weekend! It was my first
time there, and it was a great event."
"My wife and I ran our first SFoR this past Sunday and we had a
great time. I turned in my PR (in my adult life) and my wife Daniela
Baban Hurrle turned in her all time PR!"
"I just wanted to compliment you and your team for putting on
such a well run race, with ALL the perks, so well organized, and in such
trying conditions."
"I was a little reluctant about coming this year. It wasn't
an arthritis person's dream day but I told myself I had to be there.
As usual it was an awesome experience. Thank you for all your hard
work that you do for all us."
"Anny and I had a great weekend at the Festival. You folks put on
a grand event. How do you gather such an elite group of masters
runners? So many old people, men and women, are doing phenomenal
things. Many thanks for a great weekend."
". . . wanted to tell you how happy I was to be included in your
extravaganza. . . I was surprised to have seen so many runners I had met
at other races and the fun of meeting many new really great people.
You and your staff, volunteers. . . very impressive. On my schedule
for sure!"
"Just a quick note to tell you how much my Mom and I appreciate
what you and Linda and your team do to make the Festival of Races so
outstanding! . . . and to enable gold medal winners like my Mom to do their
very best! What a trooper everyone was to rally despite the weather
yesterday!! . . . Wow!"
"Sensational race, as always. It is the best-run race in a
great venue. You and your people do a fantastic job."
"Thanks for another Great Festival of Races. The weather
doesn't take away from the fact that this is a race where everything is done
right, and is appreciated by all who run it."
"Just wanted to thank you and your race committee once again for
putting on a first-rate event. Obviously the weather didn't cooperate,
but hey, unless you can work weather miracles, that's out of anyone's
control! As always, the race was organized incredibly well, with the
gun going off right on timevital, especially on a cold, very wet day.
And the field was very deep once again. As I told you Sunday
afternoon, the ATC will be back with its squads next year!"
"Many thanks for a fabulous event once again. No detail
left unattended and with such enthusiasm despite the weather. You did
and awesome job, and from all of the runners--thank you."
"Just wanted to thank you for the great organization and great
race atmosphere at the Festival of Races. Our 60s team stunk up the
place, but that just gives us that much more motivation for next year!
Again, thank you. Your enthusiasm is infectious. I can't wait to
come back in 2012."
"Thanks for all your and your committee's efforts. Your
ability to stay upbeat is amazing."
October 22, 2011 Our Lists of All-Time Top Performances by Age Group Are Now Updated and Posted. AMAZING!
Have a look, but you might want to sit down first. They're breathtaking!
Our Men's Top-Five by Age-Group list is just plain unbelievable. Based on geographic diversity and small spread from first to fifth in the age group, the M50-54 and M55-59 age groups might be the most impressive. But how about the Kenyan performances (and national dominance) in the open (M20-29) age group? Or the guys in their forties (take your pick: M40-44 and M45-49 are both killers). And the guys in their sixties are all-world! And the youngsters! And the Henry age group!
Of course, our Women's Top-Five by Age-Group list is also chock full of jaw-dropping depth of talent. Women 35-59? Phew! The 30-34? Amazing! 40-44? Tremendous! 45-49? Stupendous! Killer depth in both the fifties age groups and both the sixties age groups as well.
Note to self: This would be an excellent winter to age-grade all of these performances and see which age group wins, based on average age-graded percentage for the five times listed.
Anyone care to offer predictions?
October 16, 2011 Yes, We Have Some of the 5K Long-Sleeved Dri-Tek Shirts Remaining
You know an event gave away a terrific shirt when the e-mail requests by participants wanting to buy additional 5K shirts for themselves and their family members start arriving on the afternoon of race day! Thanks to all who have complimented us on the quality and appearance of our 5K shirts again this year.
Courtesy of our rainy weekend weather, we've been able to accommodate requests for additional shirts, and we continue to have some left in a limited selection of sizes--both the navy shirts from the Men's 5K and the acid green shirts from the Women's 5K. If you're looking for affordable stocking stuffers for exercising family members and friends, just send us an e-mail with the size and color you're hoping we have left.
October 12, 2011 SFoR Men's 5K All-Time Top Single-Age Performance List Now Updated and Posted. Twelve Newcomers!
Okay, let's face it: The weather during the Men's 5K was horrendous. And yet the talent in the field was so great that we've seen yet another significant rewriting of our stunning list of men's single-age records on the SFoR course. The updated list is now available on our 5K Results page, so have a look.
And there were more: Kristian Blaich ran the fastest U.S. M45 time ever on the Festival course--just two ticks behind Canadian Jerry Kooymans' killer 15:32 of 2000. David Cannon, 16:14, notched the fastest M52 performance on the course (a nice addition to his prior M52 and M54 course records). Dale Campbell, 17:24, kept his streak going, adding the fastest M58 performance on our course to his M56 and M57 bests of the two prior years.
The M62, M63, and M64 single-age course marks all fell this year, in what some believe to be the deepest and most talented M60-64 field ever assembled at a U.S. road race of any distance. Bob Giambalvo, 18:11, captured our M62 record; Terry McCluskey, 17:57 (net), nabbed our M63 mark; and William Dixon, 17:54 (net), added our course's M64 mark to the M61 mark that he set in 2008.
Doug Goodhue ran his string of SFoR single-age course records to four, running 19:18 (net) at age 69. (Think he'll want to come back in top shape as a newly minted 70-year-old in 2012?)
William Riley, 75, romped through the puddles to a fantastic 21:15 (net) and our M75 course record. Ralph Garfield's M76 net performance of 24:09 challenges Nate White's M76 course record of 24:10 (gun) from 1995. And Willis Moses made it two SFoR single-age course records in as many years with his M85 time of 33:03 (net).
October 10, 2011 Thirteen of Our 2011 Female Finishers Make the SFoR's Top Single-Age Performance List!
If you had taken a pre-race look at our all-time top female single-age performances on our course, you'd probably have thought it would be unlikely for more than two or three of those incredible performances to be improved upon. But--even with the rainy morning on Sunday--there were THIRTEEN performances in the Women's 5K that make the list.
Joining Amanda and Nancy as 2011 editions to this list of VERY accomplished runners are Stephanie Herbst-Lucke, 45, in 16:37 (sometimes it takes a U.S. record to make the Festival's single-age list); Doreen McCoubrie, 49, in 17:48; Carmen Ayala-Troncoso, 52, in 18:20 (and notching a Festival single-age CR for the third consecutive year); Nancy Stewart, 55, in 19:22 (which goes nicely with her W54 CR of a year ago); Christine Kennedy, 56, in 18:56; Kathy Martin, 60, in 19:04 (her third SFoR single-age CR and third U.S. women's single-age 5K record in her three races here); Sabra Harvey, 62, in 20:10; Jan Holmquist, 67, in 22:10; Margie Stoll, 70, in 24:23; Merion Knight, 74, in 29:30; and Anny Stockman, 79, in 32:58.
Congratulations to all, and welcome to a very special club!
October 8, 2011 Age-Group Awards Are In the Mail. Family Team Awards Available for Pickup or Delivery.
Those of you Men's 5K and Women's 5K finishers who placed among the top three in their age groups should be receiving (or already have received) their Dick's Bonus Certificates. As always, the competition was amazing, and we congratulate all of you who placed among the top three in your age group. For your efforts, you'll be enjoying a $50 Dick's Bonus Certificate for first, a $20 Dick's Bonus Certificate for second, and a $10 Dick's Bonus Certificate for third.
We also have some terrific awards for both members of our top three teams in all nine of our family team categories. Unlike the Dick's Bonus Certificates, these can't just be slipped into an envelope for easy mailing. We'll have these available for pickup (just call 446-6285 at your convenience) or local delivery for local winners, and we'll be getting them packaged up and into the mail for those out-of-town winners.
As usual, we found everyone's performances mighty impressive, and we're glad we could help!
October 6, 2011 True to the Name, AnyRunner Prize Money Winners Range from 17:19 to 39:19
It's now official, and the $100 checks are in the mail to nine Festival 5K finishers (four men and five women), who were the first to finish in any of the announced AnyRunner Prize Money times for 2011.
Congratulations Jacob Morrida (17:19), Rick Stetson
(21:19), Tracey More (23:19), Gary Cunningham (27:19), Laurel Chiesa
(25:19, Natalie McBane (27:19), Brittany Hains (33:19), Kristin Jones
(37:19), and Michelle Segalini (39:19), each of whom managed to be in the
right place at the right time.
October 5, 2011 Kathy Martin's Syracuse Festival of Races Performance Earns Her USATF's Athlete of the Week Honors
See for yourself by clicking
here. Congratulations to Kathy
not only
for surpassing Sabra Harvey's listed U.S. W60 single-age mark and the W60-64
age-group mark, but also for having the highest
age-graded performance among the 24 world-class performances
recorded at the SFoR on Sunday! Kathy ran 19:04
in conditions that leave room to wonder whether she would have
broken 19:00 on a dry course.
October 4, 2011 More Details Regarding Our 2011 Winners Parade
Feel free to click on "5K Results" to see details of the open competition and the USA Masters 5 km Championship.
In this year's Fitness Forum/SOS Joint Replacement results, Dan Swanson, of Rochester, ran 24:32 to win the men's division, and Rose Ann Napierski, of Camillus, topped the women in 55:07.
In the MVP Health Care 3K Fun & Fitness Run, the Boys & Girls Cup remains with Ed Smith Elementary School, whose 121 participants was an all-time record turnout for Ed Smith. The Festival Cup is also going nowhere, as Fayetteville Elementary once again topped 500 participants and will have the opportunity to design the 2012 3K T-shirt. Congratulations to all of our participating schools and thanks to their dedicated coordinators!
Cory Arnold, of Syracuse, was the fastest of our wheelchair participants, finishing in 18:57.
And don't forget to take a look at the results in all nine categories of two-person family teams.
The SFoR age-group awards (Dick's Bonus Certificates) are in the mail, and we'll be mailing or dropping off family team awards starting Friday.
October 3, 2011 Images? You Say You'd Like to See Some Images?
Thanks to Dustin Angell and other terrific shooters on our photo team, we have that opportunity for you. Just visit www.dustinangell.me and sign-in using the password "syr_races."
One note of caution for anyone planning on reliving Sunday morning on Meadowbrook Drive: It was really wet out there. Better bring a poncho!
October 2, 2011 Congratulations and Thanks to All!
Well, for the second time in 19 years, the weather didn't smile on the SFoR. Nevertheless, hundreds of runners appeared to enjoy the moist 5K romp from Manley to Euclid Avenue and back.
Congratulations to all of our finishers! Today's field included 24 world-class performances (for the third year in a row), and five pending U.S. 5K records (single-age for Stephanie Herbst-Lucke, 45; single-age and age group for Kathryn Martin, 60; single-age for Jan Holmquist, 67; and single-age for Henry Sypniewski, 93).
Special thanks to all the volunteers who braved the unfriendly morning weather and made it possible for all the runners and walkers to enjoy a safe event.
It appears that nine runners earned $100 apiece in the world's first AnyRunner Prize Money.
More details to come once the rental trucks are unloaded and returned.
September 28, 2011 Online Entry Ends Thursday Evening, Sept. 29th; Enter In-Person at Dick's on Saturday
Keep in mind that even after online entry ends at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time on Active.com and USATF.org, it will still be possible to enter any of our events in person. From 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, the Dick's Sporting Goods location in Shoppingtown (DeWitt) will host a late registration and pickup opportunity.
Then at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2nd, we'll open morning of race registration in the large white tent alongside E. Colivn Street (on the south side of Syracuse University's Manley Field House.
September 26, 2011 Did You Know That We Have "Two-Person" 5K Family Teams?
Sure you did, and we've had them for all of our nineteen years. But it wasn't until this week that we got our first-ever entry from a two-"Person" two-person family team. Mark Person and his daughter, Lucy Person, part of Lisa Arbon's group from Holy Cross School are registered as one of many 'two-person" teams. But they can claim to be our first "two-Person" team ever.
Please remember that all family teams must be registered by Friday, in order to appear in the family team results and eligible for family team awards (three-deep in all nine categories).
September 24, 2011 Our Kinney Drugs Wellness Way Page Is Now Linked
Have a look here, and be sure to visit the various exhibitors along Kinney Drugs Wellness Way on race morning!
September 16, 2011 Call the Embassy Suites Syracuse Sales Office A.S.A.P. To Book Some Recent Openings!
The Embassy Suites has a small number of suites available for Saturday night, October 1st, and welcomes calls from runners registered for the Syracuse Festival of Races. They ask that you call the hotel's sales office directly and speak with either Christie (315-703-9108) or Beth (315-703-9100). Don't feel you need to wait until Monday; you may find someone there this weekend!
And again: Anyone who HAS a reservation at the Embassy Suites but will be unable to use it (due to last-minute injury or change in plans) PLEASE don't cancel it without first checking with Dave Oja (315-446-6285). We have a waiting list of runners still hoping to stay at the Embassy Suites, and we'd be happy to switch over any unneeded reservations to someone on the waiting list. Any runners who would like to be added to our waiting list for possible Embassy Suites openings on Festival weekend, please contact Dave a.s.a.p.!
September 14, 2011 We Get Some Mighty Interesting Mail (Part 3)
Not anymore! Today's mail included the entry form of Henry Sypniewski, of Cheektowaga, NY, and the Checkers AC, who will be looking to improve upon the U.S. men's single-age 93 5K record of 1:01:07 set by Max Popper on Henry's birthday (July 7th) in 1996. Henry, as many of you know, is the three-time defending USA Masters 5 km champion in the M90-94 age group, and he has set the current U.S. M90-94, M90, M91, and M92 5K records in the past three years. (Henry Sypniewski photo courtesy of Ben Addonizio)
USATF masters road race national championships include a contested 90-94 age-group competition about as often as Halley's Comet makes a visit, so those fortunate enough to be at this year's SFoR are going to witness a rare and inspiring event.
September 2, 2011 Check Out Page 56 of the September/October Issue of Syracuse Woman Magazine!
The current issue of Syracuse Woman Magazine is out, and it includes a lovely feature on the Women's 5K at the Syracuse Festival of Races. Thanks so much to the story's author, Jill Romano, and to Syracuse Woman editor, Farah Jadran, who will be racing in the event for the third consecutive year.
Special thanks also to Ruth Ripley, who tells readers that the Syracuse Festival of Races is her favorite race. Wow! What a compliment--especially coming from such an accomplished marathoner as Ruth (to the tune of 100 marathons completed, including at least one in every state)! Ruth and her Chargers teammates will be setting their sights on yet another USATF National Championship in the W60+ team division.
Also mentioned in the article in Syracuse Woman Magazine is RoseAnn Napierski, who'll be participating in the Women's 5K at the SFoR for the third consecutive year--with two replaced hips and one replaced knee. RoseAnn is an enthusiastic proponent of the Fitness Forum/SOS Joint Replacement Run & Walk, and she not only "talks the talk," but "walks the walk."
To check our Syracuse Woman online visit: http://issuu.com/syracusewomanmag/docs/swm_septoct_2011?mode=embed
September 1, 2011 The SFoR Room Block at the Embassy Suites has Sold Out! Overflow Hotel Property TBA Soon!
Congratulations to all of you who made your reservations early for our host hotel! You're in, and the SFoR "athlete village" at the Embassy Suites has combined with Rutgers University's traveling football faithful to sell out the hotel on SFoR weekend.
We're currently working with the Syracuse CVB and Embassy Suites staff to arrange an overflow hotel as close to the Embassy Suites as possible. As soon as we confirm the details, we'll post them here and on our Facebook page. Check both frequently for final month updates of all kinds.
Should anyone who HAS a reservation at the Embassy Suites not be able to use it (due to last-minute injury or change in plans) PLEASE don't cancel it without first checking with Dave Oja (315-446-6285). We have a waiting list of runners still hoping to stay at the Embassy Suites, and we'd be happy to switch over any unneeded reservations to someone on the waiting list. Any runners who would like to be added to our waiting list for possible Embassy Suites openings on Festival weekend, please contact Dave a.s.a.p.!
August 31, 2011 Final August Entry Update: 25 States, 26 USATF Associations, and 32 USATF Clubs Now Represented
It's just over a month to Festival Sunday, and our geographic diversity is very gratifying! These totals don't reflect the hometowns of the college students entered from Syracuse University, Cornell University, and several other colleges and universities. Our state count only includes runners traveling to Syracuse on the weekend of October 2nd to race on Meadowbrook Drive.
Current entries in our 5K races now match the number we reached on September 18th last year, so those of you wondering whether we'll reach the 800-runner cap in our 5Ks have a legitimate concern. Unless you're battling an injury, our advice is not to roll the dice on whether there'll be spaces left three weeks from today.
August 30, 2011 We Get the Coolest and Cutest Mail (Part 1)!
One of the founding and guiding principles of the SFoR is that it be designed and operated as a truly full-family road running event. That's a key reason why we've always conducted separate races of the same distance for men and women--it gives BOTH parents the opportunity race on the same morning without leaving the kids at home or unattended while mom and dad are running. It's also why we invite all 5K entrants to jump into the MVP Health Care 3K Fun & Fitness with their kids--without paying an additional fee for the double-dip.
Our full-family commitment is also illustrated by our 19-year commitment to family team competition in so many categories of two-person teams. Our family team protocol has always attracted some interesting "powerhouse" families capable of covering multiple family categories. One such family's entries arrived today, with a mom, dad, son, and daughter (all veterans of the SFoR) eligible to place in SIX of the nine family team categories: the husband-wife masters category; the father-son category; the father-daughter category; the mother-son category; the mother-daughter category; and the brother-sister category. Very cool! Very cute!
The look on the faces of all of the dozens of family team members as they approach and cross the finish line together? Very cool! Very cute!
And the notation written by Laurel (the mom) in the lower left corner of the Chiesa family's check for their entry fees?
"We can't wait!"
Very cool, and very cute!
Neither can those of us on the race committee!
August 24, 2011 The S.U. Students Are Returning, and So Is
South Rumpus--With
a
With campus buzzing with new and returning Syracuse
University students, we're happy to announce that this year's
South Rumpus
spectator location will include complimentary assorted subs served at the
area's first-ever
We'll provide the music, beverages, and people-watching.
August 17, 2011 Mid-August Entry Update: Holy Cow!
With about six and a half weeks to go before race weekend, 5K entries are very gratifying! We don't have a record of our number of 5K entries received by August 17th last year, so it's difficult to make a very precise comparison, but we already have more than double the number of entries we had received by August 23rd last year.
In addition to the sheer number of entrants, our geographic coverage is already tremendous. We have entries in hand from runners in 20 states and Canada, including our first-ever entries from Kansas, Iowa, and Arkansas. As of today's mail, entries have come from members of 20 USATF clubs, and from 23 USATF Associations.
And the quality of the fields in the USA Masters 5 km Championships is beginning to look otherworldly again. Eight of the 2010 USA Masters 5 km Champions crowned here last fall are already entered and planning to defend their titles. Joining them will be a host of masters LDR athletes who've already claimed 2011 USA Masters 5 km Championships at the half-marathon, 8 km, and/or 10 km distances. And also already entered and looking forward to October 2nd are an impressive array of 2011 World Masters Athletics Outdoor T&F Champions--some veterans of the SFoR, and some who'll be racing here for the first time.
What this offers EVERYONE in the field is the prospect of a rare opportunity to race against or run with a truly special mix of runners ranging from world record holders to first-time road race entrants; from runners age six to age 93; from all corners of the U.S. and beyond.
What could be more fun for runners of all ages, levels of ability, and paces?
Oh, yeah: AnyRunner Prize Money.
:-)
August 11, 2011 Have You Seen Page 18 of the September Issue of Running Times Magazine?
If not, have a look!
And if you're not a current subscriber to this TREMENDOUS distance-running publication, we recommend that you become one. Check out the Running Times web site, and see for yourself how interesting, informative, and relevant their content is.
August 4, 2011 We Get Some Mighty Interesting Mail (Part 2)!
So among the entries that arrived via the USPS this afternoon were one from the East Coast (a lady in Northport, NY) and one from the West Coast (a gentleman in South Pasadena, CA).
Both of these athletes will be racing in the USA Masters 5 km Championships at the Syracuse Festival of Races for the third time in our four recent hostings of the National Championships.
Both won age-group national championships in both of their two prior appearances at the Festival.
Both set U.S. 5K single-age records in both of their two previous races here.
And both of these athletes will be racing in a new five-year age group on Sunday, October 2nd.
Oh, the splendor of certain birthdays!
The lady, Kathy Martin, will celebrate her 60th birthday a scant two days prior to this year's SFoR. The U.S. W59 5K record that she set here three days after her birthday in 2010 is 19:02. Sabra Harvey's amazing U.S. W60-64 5K record is 19:12. It should be interesting!
The gentleman, Pete Magill, celebrated his 50th birthday on June 19th. Since turning 40, he's run more sub-15:00 5K races than any other masters runner in history. No human being has ever run under 15:00 for 5K at age 50 or older, and Pete thinks he might be able to do it here. It should be interesting!
Yup, that's some mighty interesting mail to find on the front porch on a quiet August afternoon!
July 26, 2011 2011 Entry Booklets Are Printed and In the Mail!
We're delighted to announce that our 2011 entry booklet is now in print. Those of you who ran either our Men's 5K or Women's 5K in any of the past three years can expect the courtesy of having a hard copy of the booklet appear in your mailbox within a few days.
If you don't receive one, feel free to print your own by clicking here, or send us an e-mail request and we can e-mail you one as a PDF attachment (very handy for printing your own copies or for forwarding along to the e-mail addresses of your friends and family).
Or, if you don't like the paperless option, e-mail us your mailing address and the number of entry booklets you'd like, and we'll mail hard copies to you.
We're coming up on nine weeks and counting!
July 20 2011 Here Are the World's First AnyRunner Prize Money Times!
Here are our twenty-four AnyRunner Prize Money times for the 2011 Men's 5K and Women's 5K at the Syracuse Festival of Races. The first official finisher in each of these twenty-four times will win $100 in the world's first performance-based prize money to middle-of-the-pack and back-of-the-pack runners.
For the Men's 5K, our AnyRunner Prize Money times are 15:19; 17:19; 19:19; 21:19; 23:19; 25:19; 27:19; 29:19; 31:19; 33:19; 35:19; and 37:19.
For the Women's 5K, our AnyRunner Prize Money times are 17:19; 19:19; 21:19; 23:19; 25:19; 27:19; 29:19; 31:19; 33:19; 35:19; 37:19; and 39:19.
We hope they'll give you a bit of boost in training motivation as we head into the hottest, most humid weeks of the year. Pick one that will help you stretch to a slightly faster time than you normally run, and start practicing the pace you'll need to achieve it.
Enjoy!
July 19, 2011 Got AnyRunner Prize Money Questions?
We have some answers for you!
You can find answers to a host of questions about AnyRunner Prize Money at our new Questions & Answers page.
And if you have a question relating to AnyRunner Prize Money that isn't answered on the page, we invite you to e-mail us your question. We'll answer it and very likely add it to the Q&A page for the benefit of others.
July 12, 2011 2011 Entries Already in Hand From Thirteen States!
Still eleven weeks to race weekend, and we've already received entries from runners in thirteen states--including our first-ever entrant from Arkansas. As usual, the USA Masters 5 km Championship will be a very special opportunity for many of the top age-group athletes from throughout the U.S. to enjoy head-to-head competition with their most talented peers.
For upstate New York runners, it means a once-a-year opportunity to run with many of the masters national champions and national record holders who'll be in town on Festival weekend.
We've been averaging 28 states represented for the past couple of years, so we're probably not yet at the halfway point in this year's geographic scavenger hunt. We'll keep you posted as many others firm-up their travel plans and the entries continue to come in.
July 8, 2011 AnyRunner Prize Money Times To Be Announced On Wednesday, July 20th!
Our twenty-four AnyRunner Prize Money times (twelve for the Men's 5K and twelve for the Women's 5K) have been selected, and we'll announce them here on Wednesday, July 20th. The times have been selected to make the competition for AnyRunner Prize Money true to its name; we've spread them over a wide range of 5K finish times to give as many runners as possible the opportunity to realistically target one or more of the times. All twenty-four of them will end in ":19"--as a reminder that this is the 19th annual Syracuse Festival of Races.
Once we've announced the times, everyone planning to run either of our 5Ks on October 2nd can begin strategizing and training in earnest whichever of the times he or she will be aiming for. Remember: race officials will disqualify anyone who stops or kills time in the finishing stretch, crosses the finish line more than once, or interferes with the progress of any other runner.
To win, you need only to be the first finisher officially timed in one of the twenty-four AnyRunner Prize Money times.
June 8, 2011 Free, Guaranteed Entries to Our Excellent Guessers: Coreen Steinbach, Chip O'Reilly, and Ruth Thelen
The forms are in the mail. That is, the FREE ones earned by early and correct guessers Coreen Steinbach, of Pompey; NY; Chip O'Reilly, of DeWitt, NY; and Ruth Thelen, of St. Johns, MI.
They analyzed, they pondered, they guessed (multiple times, in a couple of cases), and they got their complimentary entries. Two apiece. Now we invite the rest of you to call each of our winners and ask if they'll share with you.
Just kidding! Don't really do that! (Unless you're already acquainted with them.)
And I hear that one of the AnyRunner times for our Women's 5K has been posted on our Facebook page. Have a look (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Syracuse-Festival-of-Races), and leave a comment letting us know whether you (or a running friend or family member) will "like" winning $100 for being the first official finisher in that AnyRunner time.
June 7, 2011 Alright Already! Enough With the Waiting. The Answer Is . . .
AnyRunner Prize Money/span>. In navy blue Haettenschweiler font. Note that "any" and "runner" spent so much time together in all those March, April, and May clues that they've made it legal and gotten hitched.
It'll work like this: In a few weeks, we'll announce twelve AnyRunner times for each of our 5K races. Those times--gun times, by the way--have been selected to give LOTS of runners the opportunity to experience the excitement, motivation, and just plain fun of racing for prize money that they're all actually fast enough to win. That will include men who cross the line in fifteen and change, and women whose official finish times are seventeen and change. It'll also include men who run 37 and change and women who take 39 and change to reach the finish line. And it'll include everyone in between.
In fact, VERY few of our 5K finishers will be incapable of finishing in one or more of the AnyRunner times. Thus, VERY few of our 5K finishers will be incapable of winning prize money at the Festival this year. You can do this. Almost ALL of you can do this.
But--just as is the case with the traditional prize money for elite runners--not everybody who CAN win AnyRunner Prize Money WILL win AnyRunner Prize Money. That's because others who can do so will be trying to beat you to your chosen AnyRunner time, and we're offering the twenty-four $100 prizes to each of the runners who is the FIRST official finisher in each of our twenty-four AnyRunner times. Just finishing in an AnyRunner time isn't sufficient. You've got to be the FIRST to finish in that time. You've got to WIN one of those two dozen AnyRunner Prize Money races that'll be taking place within our two 5Ks.
There's additional information on our new AnyRunner Prize Money page, which you can access via the new AnyRunner Prize Money button on our home page. Have a look, and then get going on your preparations for beating everyone else to whatever AnyRunner time you want next to your name in the SFoR 2011 results.
We think that capping each of our 5Ks at about 800 will keep it fun, fast, and safe. As well as rewarding.
Isn't It Time YOU Turn Pro?
June 6, 2011 While the Seconds Tick By, I Thought Tonight Would Be a Good Time to Announce Our Winners
As we wait for tomorrow morning's revelation.
But that would spoil the surprise for at least three of you.
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.
It's amazing how fast those little buggers go when you're closing in on the finish line.
Particularly when there's something desirable hanging in the balance.
May 24, 2011 Cluesday Is Upon Us!
Okay, today is the long-awaited day of the final official clues! Here we go:
But first, the ceremonial DDDDRRRRUUUUUUMMMMMMM RRROOOLLLLLLLLL.
Okay. Good drum roll. Here we go: If I were a lawn, and you were a lawnmower, how many pancakes would it take to shingle a roof?
(Imagine the Jeopardy music playing in the background.)
JUST KIDDING!!! That's not really a clue, and I hope that none of you found our clues to be quite that impenetrable or frustrating.
This, on the other hand, should help: Today might be a good day for you to take another look at our March 29th hint, making sure that you pay special attention to its final two sentences.
Seriously.
Oh, and by the way:
Isn't It Time YOU Turn Pro?
Go ahead and e-mail your best guess. Or e-mail several of your best guesses. The first three correct answers to reach the daveoja@festivalofraces.com inbox will be the winners. Winners' names will be announced no sooner than the formal announcement of our new feature on June 7th. No confirmations of which answers are correct will be given prior to June 7th.
May 20, 2011 We Get Some Mighty Interesting Mail (Part 1)!
We know darn well that this is the sort of inspirational walk back from the mailbox that's going to be repeated many times in the coming months. Still, it's difficult not to get an especially big kick out of some of our mail.
Today we received entry forms from SFoR Women's 5K veterans Ellen and Nancy Auster. They're not just one of our returning mother-daughter teams; they're our ONLY international mother-daughter team. They're also our mother-daughter team whose ages total, well, let's just say quite a bit more than most mother-daughter distance-running teams.
Nancy, of Canton, NY, deserves credit for a pretty significant chunk of that age total, since her new age group at this year's SFoR will be the 85-89 age group. She'll be eyeing her fourth consecutive gold or silver medal in the USA Masters 5 km Championship. That's remarkable, but not as remarkable as one other little tidbit of Nancy Auster achievement.
Nancy won her age group--the W65-69 age group--at the inaugural SFoR in 1993. Since then, she's run every edition of our event. That's eighteen annual trips (and counting) out and back on Meadowbrook Drive on the Sunday prior to Columbus Day Weekend. In what is about to become five different five-year age groups! And she didn't start the streak until age 67--well past a whole bunch of ages at which most streaks of athletic achievement end rather than begin.
Whoa! We get some of the most interesting mail!
May 17, 2011 No Official Clues This Week, But Answers? Oh, Do We Have Answers!
Keeping in mind that the final official clues will be provided here on Cluesday, May 24th, here are some answers to questions that we've received from guessers all over the country.
First, you're not limited to just one guess. Any runner is welcome to e-mail as many official guesses as he or she wishes. They're all fun for us to see, and the more guesses you send in, the more likely you are to be on the money. Since the first three correct guessers will be determined by the date and time each guess reaches the inbox at daveoja@festivalofraces.com, the sooner your correct guess arrives, the better your chances of winning the prize.
Second, yes, there is still a chance for someone who hasn't yet submitted a guess to be a winner of free, guaranteed entries to the Men's 5K or Women's 5K at the 2011 SFoR. We're not saying that no one has yet submitted a correct guess, and we're not saying that we already have a winner or two. We're saying that we haven't yet had three or more correct guesses.
Third, we're not spilling the beans until June 7th--even though two of our most dedicated guessers in the states of Michigan and Indiana have threatened to waterboard me in order to get the answer sooner than June 7th. That noted, we're not going confirm any correct answers prior to June 7th. As Krissie Oja has sagely noted: "This easiest way for two people to keep a secret is for one of them to be dead."
Fourth, the May 24th clues will be the last clues we provide. From there on out everyone will have to go on what's out there. But our May 24th post is sure to do the trick for a bunch of you. They're a couple of real meatballs. Then you'll have two weeks to ruminate, compare answers via comments on our Facebook page, and make your final guesses.
Finally, whatever's in the water out there in California has apparently spread to Massachusetts as well. No, no, a thousand times no: Our exciting innovation is NOT naked women at the water stops. (Those who know the SFoR know that we're focused on helping people to run faster 5K times--not stop dead in their tracks for a little sightseeing.)
Happy training, racing, and guessing!
May 10, 2011 Time For Two Final Clues; What Are the Four Words that Will Change Road Running?
One clue for today:
By this time, any runner who's been paying careful attention to our past clues probably has spotted the first two words of the four-word "phrase that pays." But what about the third and fourth words?
Prizes await, and we're offering a pair of guaranteed, complimentary 5K entries to the first three whose guesses are on the money.
And one remains for Cluesday, May 24th.
May 2, 2011 We Get Some Mighty Interesting E-Mail (Part 1)!
Stan More's entry confirmation arrived by e-mail recently. Stan, of Syracuse, has been running the SFoR Men's 5K for years and years, often on a brother-brother team with his twin, Tracey, from Alfred Station. In some years Stan and Tracey have run as the middle generation members of the More family's three-generation participation, with his dad, Russ, and Tracey's s on, Dave, also in the field. Pretty cool!
Last year, Stan and Tracey raced the Festival on what coincidentally was their 59th birthday, October 3rd. This year, the calendar nudges SFoR Sunday up to October 2nd, but--of course--Stan's and Tracey's birthday remains the 3rd.
As a result, Stan and Tracey More get to run the Men's 5K at the Syracuse Festival of Races TWICE at age 59!
We can't wait to see if either of them can run faster at age 59 than they ran a year ago--also at age 59!
April 26, 2011 You Need To Think Outside the Box To Guess the Next Big Thing in Road Racing
If your "thinking cap" didn't work on the March 15th clue, this time try your "thinking outside the box cap"--especially if you've never thought a fraction of a second can be a big deal in a road race. Any runner at this year's Men's 5K and Women's 5K at the SFoR can get excited about a fraction of a second--or even several different fractions of a second.
Prize those fractions of seconds!
April 15, 2011 Tops Friendly Markets Delivers Great News for 2011 SFoR Participants!
 Tops
Friendly Markets has confirmed that they'll be continuing in 2011 as title
sponsor of the Tops Community Walk at the SFoR--and as provider of a variety
of post-race refreshments for all of our participants! That's
doubly great news, because the Tops Community Walk is the focal point of our
diverse non-profit involvement, and because the SFoR is proud of its
tradition of offering a selection of post-race goodies that runners and
walkers don't see at many other events.
Keep in mind that the Syracuse Festival of Races welcomes any non-profit organization to use our event as the focus of its pledge-centered fundraising. Participating non-profits keep 100% of the pledge money they raise, and we welcome all of our participating non-profits to have a presence at the SFoR on race morning.
Click on the " Beneficiaries" button on our home page for a look at some of the non-profits that have benefited from the 2010 SFoR and are planning on doing so again in 2011.
April 12, 2011 No Foolin' Around with Our First April Hint, Including (Yet Another) Appearance of the Phrase That Pays!
It has often been noted that when it comes to sports, sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.
We think that on October 2nd, any runner in the SFoR Men's 5K or Women's 5K can consider himself or herself to be lucky.
Or good.
Or both.
April 7, 2011 Don't Forget To Keep Up With the Syracuse Festival of Races on Facebook! For event photos, breaking information, and clues and comments regarding our big surprise, be sure to check the Syracuse Festival of Races page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Syracuse-Festival-of-Races/149914215029646Oh, and when you're there, we hope you'll "like" us and refer your Facebook friends!
April 4, 2011 Dick's Sporting Goods Makes It Fourteen Consecutive Years as an SFoR Sponsor! Dick's Sporting Goods has been a staunch supporter of participants at the Syracuse Festival of Races since last century, and that won't be changing in 2011.We're delighted to report that Dick's has confirmed their continued support for this year's SFoR, once again providing overall awards for the winners of our Men's 5K and Women's 5K; age group awards in both 5K races; and $5.00 Dick's Bonus Certificates for the first 1,000 5K entrants to pick up their bib numbers and Festival race shirts. Most of those complimentary $5.00 Bonus Certificates will be picked up by entrants at the Dick's Sporting Goods Shoppingtown location, where we'll once again conduct packet pickup and late registration (if space remains in the field) from 10:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 1st. The overall champions of the Men's 5K and Women's 5K will each receive a $100 Dick's Bonus Certificate, which is worth about two pairs of brand-name training shoes at Dick's sale prices. Of course, the Certificates may be used for the purchase of any item--running or otherwise--at any Dick's Sporting Goods location, so they're just as valuable to out-of-town runners as they are to local runners. Our 5K age group awards will once again go to the top three finishers in each of 29 age and gender groups. First-place age-group award winners will receive a $50 Dick's Bonus Certificate; runners-up in the age groups will receive $20 Dick's Bonus Certificates; and the third-place finisher in each age and gender group will receive a $10 Dick's Bonus Certificate. And everyone entering any of the events of the 2011 Syracuse Festival of Races will receive a Dick's coupon card good for $10 off any purchase of $50 or more at any Dick's Sporting Goods store.
March 31, 2011 Our 2011 Entry Panel Is Now Available We won't have our entry booklet ready for distribution until early June, but--thanks to the Art Department at Eagle Newspapers--our 2011 Entry Panel is now available to download, print, complete, and mail.Please feel free to have at it! March 29, 2011 Got a Hunch Regarding Our Exciting Innovation? Have Another Hint and Some Prizes for Good Guessers! We're still a couple months away from announcing our big surprise, but it's not too early to announce that the first three people who correctly guess our new 5K feature will win complimentary, guaranteed 2011 SFoR entry for themselves and a friend. The "guaranteed" part of this is important, because we'll be instituting a cap on entries (800) in each of our 5K races this year, and we expect the influx of new 5K entrants to be very significant. The first three correct guessers will be guaranteed not to be closed out of 2011 SFoR 5K entry.
That said, let the hinting resume: Running with your friends and neighbors is fun. Having no long lines at a race is fun. Running with interesting people from so many different states is fun. Having no parking hassles at a race is fun. Personal bests are fun. Season bests are fun. Winning national championship medals is fun. Setting national records is fun. Witnessing national records is fun. Joyful exercise in the sun is fun. Outstanding post-race refreshments are fun. Music and spectators are fun. Great race shirts are fun. Family team and age-group awards are fun. Prize money for the fleetest in the field is fun. What could any runner find more fun than that?
The prizes come with the correct answer to that question.
March 22, 2011 Congratulations to the Incredible Ed Whitlock on His Latest Mind-Boggling World Records!
April 11th update: Ed Whitlock ran 3:25:43
(3:25:40 net) at the Rotterdam Marathon, which smashes the listed
M80-84
world record of 3:39:18 set by Australia's Robert
Horman at Brisbane in 1998.
March 15, 2011 How About an "It's the Ides of March and Spring Is in the Air" Hint? Got your thinking caps on?
If you're under 30 you may have aspired to do this someday. If you're over 30, it's likely that you've never even dreamed about the possibility. On October 2, 2011 any runner in our 5Ks will have the chance to do it.
March 4, 2011 Congratulations to the 2010 Running Times Masters Road Racers of the Year! The March issue of Running Times magazine is out, featuring it's annual recognition of the finest masters road racers of the past year. Congratulations from the Syracuse Festival of Races to all of the men and women ranked among the top three in their age groups, as well as to all those who received RT's prestigious honorable mentions.
The SFoR has had the pleasure and privilege of hosting many of these masters athletes in past years, so we want to give a special nod to the Festival veterans recognized in the 2010 rankings.
Among the men, Sean Wade, TX, (SFoR '09 Masters Champion) ranked third among men 40-44 in 2010, with honorable mentions in that age group going to our 2010 masters men's champion, Christian Cushing-Murra y, CA, (SFoR '09, '10), as well as to Kent Lemme, MA, (SFoR '08, '09, and '10), and Matt Sandercock, PA, (SFoR '09).
Dan A rsenault, CA, (SFoR '09), Francis Burdett, MA, (SFoR '08, '09, '10), and Pete Magill, CA, (SFoR '09, '10) all received honorable mentions among men 45-49.
The top three M50-54 runners of 2010 were all plucked from our 2010 field, as John Tuttle, GA, (SFoR '00, '01, '10), Norm Larson, VT, (SFoR '09, '10), and Ken Youngers, GA, (SFoR '10) topped the nation in their age group. SFoR veterans who received M50-54 honorable mentions for 2010 included Dave Bussard, IN, (SFoR '10) and Craig Fram, MA, (SFoR '10).
Recent SFoR regulars Dale Campbell, CA, (SFoR '09, '10) and Reno Stirrat, MA, (SFoR '09, '10) were RT's top-ranked and second-ranked M55-59 roadies for 2010, with Terry Permar, PA, (SFor '08, '09, '10) and Sam Torres, OH, (SFoR '08, '09) earning honorable mentions.
Doug Winn, OR, (SFoR '10) was named the nation's most outstanding among men 60-64, with Bill Dixon, MA, (SFoR '08), Jerry Learned, GA, (SFoR '10), Roger Price, NJ, (SFOR '08, '09, '10), and John Yamagata, CA, (SFoR '10) receiving honorable mentions. The amazing Doug Goodhue, MI, (SFoR M65-69 champion in '08, '09, '10) made it three straight years atop RT's listings of men 65-69, and J.L. Seymore, NJ, received an honorable mention.
Thom Weddle, MN, (SFor '09, '10--and winner of his age group here in both years) received Masters of the Year honorable mention among men 70-74. Bill Tribou, CT, (SFoR '09) was ranked second nationally among men 85 to 98.
And Henry Sypniewski, NY, (SFoR '08, '09, '10--with an age-group win and a new U.S. record in each of the three years) made it three straight years ranked as the nation's top road runner among men 90-94.
In the annual women's rankings for 2010, Lori Kingsley, PA, (SFoR '08) made the top three among 40-44 year-olds, with Emily Bryans, NY, (SFoR '08, '09, '10) and Paula Wiltse, ON, receiving honorable mentions.
Marisa Hanson, NY, (SFoR '08, '09, '10) and Laurel Park, MI, (SFoR '09) received honorable mentions in the W45-49 age group.
Carmen Ayala Troncoso, TX, (SFoR '09, '10) was runnerup to Joan Benoit Samuelson among women 50-54 in the 2010 rankings, with Sarah Tabbutt, CA, (SFoR '09) receiving honorable mention.
Kathryn Martin, NY, (SFoR '08, '10) topped the W55-59 age group with her Festival performance noted as her best race of the year, with Victoria Crisp, TN, (SFoR '09) tied for second in the age group and Linda Jennings, MA, (SFoR '10) right behind Victoria. Coreen Steinbach, NY, (SFoR '08, '09) receiving honorable mention again this year.
Sabra Harvey, TX, (SFoR '09) ranked first among the women 60-64.
Sharon Dolan, MI, (SFoR '08, '09) ranked topped the W65-69 rankings again in 2010, with Margie Stoll, TN, (SFoR '10) the runnerup, and Marie Louise Michelsohn, NY, (SFoR '03, '05) receiving honorable mention.
And among women 75-79, Mary Harada, MA, (SFoR '10) received honorable mention.
February 28, 2011 Have a Hint for the Final Day of February! For those of you as anxiously awaiting additional hints as you are some decent spring running weather, ponder this:
This new feature will involve both of our 5K races, where any runner can look forward to having a special time.
That's it for now. I've already said too much.
February 21, 2011 The Fun Has Begun: Entries Have Already Arrived from Florida, Georgia, Brooklyn, and CNY! Frankly, we're glad that it's not only sponsors and those of us on the race committee who are already thinking about what we'll be doing on Sunday morning, October 2nd. So, apparently, are Garland Day, of Brooklyn, NY; Ken Youngers, of Decatur, GA; and Lisa Buohler, of Lehigh Acres, FL--the three of whom comprise our gold, silver, and bronze medalists in the race to be among the first enter the 2011 USA Masters 5 km Championships.
On the non-Championship side of 5K registration, Holly Lee, of LaFayette and the non-profit From The Ground Up Therapeutic Horsemanship, is the first to register on Active.com. Holly says of her early entry: "I had such a great experience at the race last year that I was very excited to register for it again!" As someone forecasting a finishing time of 30:00, Holly has yet to realize just how much MORE fun it's going to be this year. (Yes, that's a hint about our big secret.) So the veteran-newcomer ratio stands at 50-50 as we wind down February. Like Holly, Ken Youngers (of the Atlanta Track Club) has been here before, having run 17:06 at age 54 last fall. It'll be a new age group for Ken this year, which helps to explain his mid-winter thoughts of heading north. Lisa and Garland will be enjoying the Festival for the first time, and we're delighted to have them in our field!
February 14, 2011 Did You Say You Were Hoping for a Valentine's Day Hint? Well, we're quite serious about not announcing this new addition to the 19th annual SFoR for at least the next couple of months, but--since so many of you are asking for at least a hint--maybe a hint every couple of weeks would be fun.
What we're going to do on Sunday, October 2, 2011, will be something that has never been done by a road race. Not in Upstate New York; not anywhere else in the Northeast; and not anywhere else in the country. And--in keeping with the theme of Valentine's Day--you're going to LOVE it!
If you think you know what's in the works, feel free to e-mail us your hunch. If you still haven't a clue but want to be informed the minute we make the announcement, send us your name and e-mail address and we'll add you to the list of folks who want to hear via the same e-mail blast that we use to break the news to the media.
February 7, 2011
That's not likely to change anytime soon, as the New Times and Family Times have confirmed their continued support in 2011. We'll keep you posted here regarding special SFoR coverage that you'll not want to miss in various editions of the New Times.
February 1, 2011
That's not going to be changing this year, and makes good sense to us!
January 27, 2011
Here's how the giveaway will work: Each of the ten most successful (based on pledges handled and recorded by Dermody, Burke & Brown, CPAs by October 15, 2011) will receive a $100 gift certificate for vehicle service courtesy of Driver's Village. Winning non-profits may use the gift certificates as they wish: to pay for service or repair of the organization's vehicles; as a thank-you gift to their most successful individual fundraisers; as an in-house auction or raffle item to generate additional funds; etc.
We'll be updating our list of participating beneficiaries as we count down the months toward the big event on Sunday, October 2nd. If your favorite non-profit organization would like to raise funds and visibility through its participation in the 2011 Syracuse Festival of Races, please let us know and we'll add you to the list!
January 25, 2011
And when the time comes to announce our exciting new addition for 2011, you can bet that YNN and our entire team of 2011 media sponsors will be there to fill you in on all the details!
January 24, 2011 Registration for the 2011 USA Masters 5 km Championships Now Open at www.USATF.org Thanks to "ahead of the field" support from the USATF National Office, registration for the 2011 USA Masters 5 km Championships is now open on the National Championships page of the USATF web site. The 19th annual SFoR will be held on Sunday, October 2nd, 2011, with online entry into the Masters Championship running from now through noon on Friday, September 30th.
This will mark the fourth consecutive year that the Men's 5K and Women's 5K races at the Syracuse Festival of Races have included our country's Masters 5 km Championships, and we're once again looking forward to hosting many of the top masters distance runners and club teams from throughout the United States. In both 2009 and 2010, the USA Masters 5 km Championships at the Syracuse Festival of Races attracted runners from 22 or more states, and each of those fields produced two dozen world-class performances and multiple U.S. single-age records for the 5K distance.
Entry fees for the 5K races (including the USA Masters 5 km Championship) will remain at their very affordable 2010 level: $20 prior to September 1st, and $25 from September 1st through September 30th.
January 19, 2011 MVP Health Care Returns as 3K Fun & Fitness Run Title Sponsor
January 12, 2011 Something Big Is Up In SFoR Land, and Our 2011 5K Runners Are Going to LOVE It! There's big news regarding a major new feature that we'll be introducing at the 2011 Syracuse Festival of Races. We can't spill the beans quite yet, but we'd be happy to let you know before the rest of the world reads it here. If you'd like to receive an e-mail from us detailing this "first-ever" happening, send us an e-mail request and we'll start building the list of runners who'll hear it first.
In the m eantime, happy training and racing!
December 1, 2010 It's Official: The Embassy Suites Hotel-Syracuse Will Continue as Our Race Headquarters Hotel in 2011
Even better, the same outstanding rates that we were able to offer last year still apply to both queen (4-person) and king (6-person) suites: $129 per night (plus tax) for a one-night stay; $109 per night (plus tax) for a two-night stay; and $99 per night (plus tax) for a three-night stay.
All room rates include a complimentary full cooked-to-order breakfast each morning, and a complimentary managers reception each evening from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Guests at the Embassy Suites on SFoR Weekend will also have convenient access to the Chargers Hospitality Suite (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), the Athletes Technical Meeting (Saturday evening), and the post-race National Championship Awards Presentation & Brunch (Sunday).
Additional amenities at the Embassy Suites include: state-of-the-art business center; fitness center; indoor pool and whirlpool; complimentary wireless internet; and large indoor atrium.
To reserve suites for yourself, your team, or your family
at the discounted Syracuse Festival of Races group rates, please make your
reservations early!
September 1st Update: Our 2011
room block at the Embassy Suites is completely sold out! We are
currently arranging an overflow block with another hotel and will post
details here, on the SFoR News page, and on the SFoR Facebook page as soon
as the details are available. Congratulations to all of you who booked
early!
October 8, 2010
You wouldn't believe it if someone had forecast it. As eye-popping as
our list of men's
single-age course records was prior to last Sunday, there's no
way you'd predict that the field could possibly eclipse fourteen of those
already crazy-fast performances.
And yet they did, which means that the men and women combined to improve
upon 25 SFoR single-age course records. Somewhat--but not
entirely--coincidentally, our 5K fields combined to produce 24
world-class performances (the 23 age-graded 90.0+ performances listed in the
USA Masters 5 km Championship results, plus the scintillating 21:16 net time
run by the incredible Ed Whitlock). After all, we've long since passed
the point at which it takes a world-class performance to improve upon the
majority of our single-age course marks.
Congratulations to these additions to our amazing list of
men's single-age course records:
Josh Aitken, 6, of Jamesville, NY; Patrick McCarthy, 47, of Pelham,
NY; Pete Magill, 48, of South Pasadena, CA; John Tuttle, 51, of Villa Rica,
GA; David Cannon, 54, of Seattle, WA; Dale Campbell, 57, of Huntington
Beach, CA; Doug Winn, 60, of Portland, OR; Jerry Learned, 62, of
Gainesville, GA; Patrick Glover, 64, of Clifton Park, NY; J.L. Seymore, 65,
of Somerset, NJ; Doug Goodhue, 68, of Milford, MI; Ed Whitlock, 79, of
Milton, ON; Willis Moses, 84, of Vestal, NY; and Henry Sypniewski, 92, of
Cheektowaga, NY.
Whoa, Nellie! It's going to take until the first snowfall for the
pavement on Meadowbrook Drive to cool down after these performances!
October 7, 2010
When you take a look at
the list of SFoR women's course records by single-age, you can
appreciate how special a performance has to be in order to make the list.
After all, eighteen years into these fall gatherings, the SFoR has been
blessed with a lot of great athletes and a lot of wonderful race-day
weather. So the number of new single-age records set on the course may
be one of the best indicators of just how special each year's field is.
Our 2010 Women's 5K field was clearly VERY special, with last Sunday's
finishers having improved upon eleven single-age bests for our course!
Hats off to this year's additions to
our amazing list:
Kate Leugers, 21, of Ithaca, NY; Karen Simmonds-Brady, 36, of Auburn, NY;
Emily Bryans, 43, of Schenectady, NY; Marisa Hanson, 47, of Pleasant Valley,
NY; Carmen Ayala-Troncoso, 51, of Austin, TX; Karen Provencher, 55, of Glens
Falls, NY; Kathryn Martin, 59, of Northport, NY; Linda Eberly, 70, of
Cortland, NY; Mary Harada, 75, of W. Newbury, MA; Anny Stockman, 78, of
Rensselaer, NY; and Nancy Auster, 84, of Canton, NY.
We'll post the updates on the corresponding SFoR men's course records by
single-age tomorrow. But first, take the rest of today and savor
these. Wow, that's an amazing and inspiring batch of performances!
October 6, 2010
Okay, it took a couple of days. But I've looked through various boxes
that came off the trucks, so I now have a sense of what sizes remain in
those long-sleeved tech shirts that we gave our 5K entrants. For all
of you who've called and e-mailed to ask whether we have any leftovers to
sell, the answer is "yes."
In the ladies shirts, we have sizes small and medium, and the smalls are
available in both the white shirt with the pink side panels and the solid
white shirt with a slightly roomier cut. Both styles have the pink and
blue SFoR logo on the left chest.
In the men's shirts, we have a few remaining in sizes large and extra large.
All of these are the white shirts with the navy side panels. These
have the orange and blue SFoR logo on the left chest.
All sizes and styles are available for $10 each. Add $3 for us to
package and mail them to you, or call first and drop by to pick them up at
the flat $10 price. And yes, John, we have enough that you can get a
half dozen of them to use as stocking stuffers for your nieces and nephews
who run for modified and high school teams and couldn't run the Festival.
(Actually, that's a darn good idea for the parents of kids who don't run
many road races and have to pay store prices for nice tech running shirts.)
Just call
446-6285 or e-mail (daveoja@festivalofraces.com) to
arrange pickup and payment while they last. October 5, 2010
Thanks very much to the 2010 Festival participants from coast to coast
who've been kind enough to e-mail some lovely sentiments regarding Sunday
morning's "Woodstock in running shoes." As the comments below
indicate, it was a morning of peace, love, happiness, and aerobic fitness.
". . . thank you for another terrific Syracuse
experience! Christian (Cushing-Murray) and I both had a blast, and I
can't tell you how much we appreciate the great treatment we get from you
and the race (Greg Tuttle is just a star as far as we're concerned!)." "First of all I want to say how much my club mate
Carrie Parsi and I enjoyed the 5 km National Masters Road Race.
Both of us are long time race competitors - road, track, and XC -
and have experienced the highs and lows of competition. Your
race and its organization go to the top of the list of well-run
races." "This was my first time
competing in your event as I just aged into the masters category
this year. I was excited about it from the time I registered,
but I must admit that I thought on Friday that there must be
something wrong with me for deciding to drive 9 hours to run a 5k!
I was not disappointed. Your event is great. It was
probably the most competitive and runner-friendly race that I have
competed in . . . Your team and the Chargers were great in
seeing to it that the runners had everything that they needed.
Although I didnt get my fastest time of the year, I came very close
and was quite pleased with the way I ran. Im excited to do it
again next year. Thanks for everything!
"I want to congratulate both you and your staff
on a terrific race Sunday. Everything from on line race
registration to the finish area was first class. As both an
athlete and the assistant director for the Freihofers Run for the
last 31 years I certainly appreciate all that goes on behind the
scenes. You pulled off a first-class event and assembled
probably the deepest field of masters talent I've ever seen.
Thanks again and I plan on toeing the line in 2011!"
"Thank you very much for all your efforts for us
master runners. I loved my short stay in Syracuse . . . Since
fellow Nashvillian Vickie Crisp had to drop out, I was a little
hesitant about coming by myself. Your enthusiasm and your
wife's friendliness and helpfulness, though, soon made me feel
comfortable."
"THANK YOU so much for a wonderful experience. I want you
to know the event has inspired me . . ."
"Another wonderful Festival of Races! My husband, kids and
I always love this race because it's in OUR neighborhood and we can
all have our turn to run."
"Wanted to thank you for putting on such a great
race once again! Last year's experience was enough to motivate
lots of additional guys on the team to go to Syracuse this year, and
I'm sure our numbers will multiply for next year's race."
"Wow what an impressive day you put on!!!!
Our whole school truly appreciated the day and sucked it all in. The
families were so happy they came and joined in all of the on-goings
. . ."
"I just wanted to let you know that I thought the race was amazing, so
well organized and informative. You did a great job and my husband was so
impressed that he wants to run in it next year because he said it was so
inspiring (and he's never wanted to run in any race I've ever done)!"
"Thanks again for all your efforts
to make the Syracuse Festival and Masters Championships a success. We
brought up 6 guys who had not raced there before, and they were blown away
with the reception and attention that the Masters were given. It is a
first-class operation down to every little detail. I'm glad that our
club's first National title (M50) happened at this event; it makes it even
that much more meaningful. I certainly hope to have 2 or 3 full teams
in 2011!"
"Those shirts were fantastic . . ."
"This is such a great event. I came in 10th in my age group; even
so, I am happy with my time. The field is so strong in the 50s.
It was so much fun to get together with so many runners I have not seen in
years. This is an event Kerry and I look forward to every year.
I really appreciate all the hard work you and your colleagues put into this
great event."
"Congratulations on another excellent race . .
. I forgot what a thrill it is to run with that field and I'll definitely be
back next year."
"It was quite amazing to be among the starting
crowd of top-shelf, national-class runners. Other than Festival of
Races, only the Boilermaker (locally) can really compare to such field depth
. . . The Festival of Races gave me a feeling of running a down-home race
combined with national class talent. Sort of like having gourmet food
prepared and served in your own kitchen!"
"We are amazed at the quality of runners that you
attract to the race. The venue is ideal, and you handle the
runners with grace and ease. It was great mixing with such a
large field of older runners. Your work is greatly
appreciated."
"Just
want to thank you for a perfect race! Everything was good: the
course, the weather, the organization. I can't think of one thing that
could be improved on. Job well done!"
"I just wanted to let you know that I thought the race was amazing, so well organized and informative. You did a great job and my husband was so impressed that he wants to run in it next year because he said it was so inspiring (and he's never wanted to run in any race I've ever done)!" --Connie Miranda, 42, Baldwinsville, NY
"Just
I've been meaning to come out and race SFoR for the past couple of years,
but could not make it. I'm so glad I was able to make it this year.
I brought with me three of my sisters, my mom, and two nieces . . We
had a great time and are hoping we can do it again! The race was
awesome, and so was the hospitality! You do a fantastic job! I
love this race!"
October 4, 2010 Same beautiful weather on race morning. Same inspiring gathering of runners from throughout the U.S. And same two schools taking home the Festival Cup and the Boys & Girls Cup.
Congratulations to Fayetteville Elementary School, principal Nancy Smith, and physical education teacher (and Pied Piper) Laurie Valentine! Fay-El showed up at Sunday's MVP Health Care 3K Fun & Fitness Run with over 550 members of their school community and ran (and walked) off with Festival Cup once again this year. What a remarkable display of youth and community fitness!
Similar kudos to Ed Smith Elementary School, the Syracuse City School District with the largest number of participants in the 3K. With the encouragement of principal Daryl Hall and parent Stephanie Fay, Ed Smith once again dominated SCSD participation in the event.
First runner-up in the 2010 listing of largest participating school groups was once again Mott Road Elementary School, led by Tom Winiecki.
And the second runner-up for 2010 was Chittenango's Bolivar Elementary School, with Melissa Biviano coordinating the group.
Congratulations to all of our 2010 school groups and their coordinators! We had several who participated for the first time, and several others with their biggest groups yet!
October 3, 2010 In a reprise of our 2009 race, in which runners from throughout the U.S. produced an amazing 24 world-class (90.0 or higher age-graded) performances, this morning's Men's 5K and Women's 5K yielded another 24 world-class times (23 in the USA Masters 5 km Championships, plus the 21:16 run by Canadian Ed Whitlock). The U.S. performances were led by Kathryn Martin's 19:02, which age-graded at 99.19 and appears to be a pending U.S. W59 single-age 5K record. Pete Magill's 15:20 age-grades as a 95.50, and it is a pending U.S. M49 5K record--improving by 17 seconds Bill Rodgers' listed M49 mark of 15:37.
Doug Goodhue, 68, of Milton, MI, ran 18:16, which is a pending U.S. M68 5K record--and a 22-second improvement on Warren Utes' M68 record that has stood since 1988. Henry Sypniewski, 92, of Cheektowaga, NY, ran 41:00, which is a pending U.S. M92 single-age record.
Ryley Miller, 24, of Syracuse, won the Men's 5K in 14:38 (PR!), with Tully's Dominic Luka placing second in 14:44 (PR!). Emily LaSala, 25, of Jamesville, ran a very evenly paced 17:01 (PR!), with Auburn's Karen Simmonds-Brady the runner-up in 17:13 (PR!).
The USA Masters 5 km Men's Championship saw Christian Cushing-Murray, 42, of Santa Ana, CA, narrowly hold off Chad Newton, 40, of Pisgah, NC, for the national title. Both runners were timed in 15:08. In the women's Championship race, Emily Bryans, 43, of Schenectady, NY ran within three seconds of her lifetime best and captured the women's national title in 17:17.
You can view complete results on the Leone Timing web site.
Many thanks to all who enjoyed the day as a participant, volunteer, or spectator! You were all part of what was once again one of the premier gatherings of masters distance running talent anywhere this year.
October 1, 2010 Online registration is now closed, but we still have long-sleeved technical shirts for all of our 5K entrants. Please register before race morning! We'll be open for in-person registration at Dick's Sporting Goods in Shoppingtown Mall from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 2nd!
We'll see you there! And you'll see the USATF Mobile Marketing Tour there!
September 29, 2010 The incredible running realtor from Northport, NY, is now entered, and tomorrow is her birthday. That means that Kathryn Martin has a good shot at running the first sub-19:00 5K road race ever by a U.S. woman age 59 or older--which would also give her the U.S. W59 5K record currently held by Sabra Harvey. Pretty cool, huh? (Unless you're Sabra, of course.)
That makes Kathryn one of nine current entrants in this year's SFoR who have a shot at a national 5K road racing record.
Jerry Kooymans, of Markham, Ontario, will have his sights set on the Canadian M55-59 5K mark. U.S. 5K records are also within reach of Pete Magill (Bill Rodgers' M49 mark); Carmen Ayala-Troncoso (Joan Benoit Samuelson's W50-54 mark; Doug Winn (M60-64); Henry Sypniewski (M92); Doug Goodhue (M68); Mary Harada (W75); and Helen Botti (W73).
The temperature is going to be GREAT for fast times. If we wake up to a calm morning on Sunday, everyone in the field will understand why the Syracuse Festival of Races is the event "Where Ordinary People Do Extraordinary Things."
September 28, 2010
September 26, 2010
If you're' looking for a couple extra miles, it fills the bill. If you're looking for the opportunity to jog with your children, there's no more exhilarating environment in which to do so. If you just get caught up in the joy of running, well, it happens to a lot of people of all ages on the Sunday before Columbus Day weekend in Syracuse.
The MVP Health Care 3K Fun & Fitness Run and Tops Friendly Markets Community Walk pack is a pretty cool crowd to hang with, so go ahead and indulge yourself. Your 5K bib number has you covered!
September 24, 2010 So many people have been asking whether it's too late for 5K entrants to get one of the fantastic DRI-TEK long-sleeved shirts that we've promised to the first 1,000 5K entrants that it warrants a formal announcement in SFoR News: Yes, there are still plenty of shirts still to be had.
The shirts are tremendous! Women will receive a long-sleeved V-neck shirt with a women's cut. Men will receive a long-sleeved crew neck shirt in a men's cut. If, after wearing one of these, you think you've ever gotten a more attractive or higher quality shirt for free with a road race entry, please let us know. We'll go looking for the one you think is better one and try to offer it in 2011. We think that most of you will be blown away by the quality of this race shirt.
Historically, well over half of our 5K entries come in the six days prior to the Festival. We're running well ahead of our previous record pace for 5K entries, so it's likely that we'll hit 1,000 before race weekend. If you want to guarantee that you'll be wearing one of the DRI-TEK beauties this year, better not sit on that entry form!
September 22, 2010 In an effort to engage S.U.'s South Campus residents in the fun of Festival of Races morning, we're teaming up with S.U.'s ORL Healthy Living Committee and S.C.O.R.E. to throw a spectator party along the E. Colvin Street stretch that begins and ends our 3K and 5K courses. Students, neighborhood residents, north campus students, and the general public are invited to make the two blocks between Skytop Road and Buckingham Avenue their spectator location of choice on Festival morning. We'll be providing a variety of free food and beverage items, free Festival of Races T-shirts, giveaways, music, and "the best seat in the house" for watching all of the race morning participants do their thing. For more information, contact the SFoR, or visit the South Rumpus page.
September 20, 2010
Pete Bottomly's entry arrived from Cape Elizabeth, ME. Pete Magill's entry arrived from South Pasadena, CA. Dominic Luka's entry arrived from Tully, and Christina El Bayadi's arrived from Fayetteville.
Pete Bottomly is another of the excellent pool of masters runners in Maine. We've had the previous pleasure of hosting a bunch of Pete's Dirigo Running Club teammates, but Pete will be racing here for the first time.
Pete Magill, of Compex Racing (captured in red by Ben Addonizio at the 2009 SFoR), is our defending M45-49 USA Masters National Champion--and a guy who's run more sub-15:00 5K races than any other masters runner in history.
Dominic, of Stotan Racing, will be one of the local favorites to win the John Trowse Award in the Men's 5K. Unlike the two Petes, Dominic, 25, is a long way from being a masters runner. Like the two Petes, he'd be happy with a time under 15:00. It's his first time running the SFoR, and we're delighted that he'll be in the field.
Ditto for Christina, 25, who has her sights set on breaking 27:00 in the Women's 5K. She says she loved the Festival when she last entered in 2006, which makes us pretty confident that she's going to be blown away by the experience this year!
From Maine and Southern California, from Florida and Washington, from two to ninety-two, and from first-time race entrants to Olympians. Oh, yeah, this fun is for everyone!
September 14, 2010
Doug's entry brings us to 20 states currently represented in the USA Masters 5 km Championships at the Festival, and with entries already in hand from WA and CA, it completes our 2010 sweep of West Coast states. Along with runners from those 20 states and Canada, our field currently includes entrants from 19 USATF Associations representing over 30 USATF clubs.
We're delighted to be hosting such remarkable gathering of runners from all across the U.S., and we're thrilled to give Upstate New York runners the opportunity to experience firsthand such an inspirational event. Happy training and racing to all as we count down the final three weeks!
September 10, 2010 We're delighted to announce that the USA Track & Field Mobile Marketing Tour will be making Central New York its destination for SFoR Weekend, October 1st - 3rd. This is the third year that Tour vehicles have been traveling the country to promote the sport and showcase its best and brightest events and competitors. Along with information about our national governing body, tour vehicles will be carrying USATF-branded apparel and gear that will be available for purchase at three different venues on Festival Weekend.
On Friday afternoon, October 1st, the Tour will stop at our race headquarters hotel, the Embassy Suites. On Saturday morning and afternoon, it'll be in DeWitt, as part of our number pickup and late registration event at the Dick's Sporting Goods Shoppingtown store. The van will be back at the Embassy Suites throughout the late afternoon and early evening on Saturday, before spending Sunday morning, October 3rd, in the start/finish area outside Manley Field House.
The Festival of Races will be the Tour's first stop ever in Upstate New York, making this a rare opportunity for area runners to check it out in person. In the meantime, you can "track the truck" as it makes its way to CNY for Festival Weekend.
September 6, 2010 Thanks to our race committee's new (and first ever) Social Media Coordinator, Katie Frontino, you can now find the Syracuse Festival of Races on Facebook. For a look at our Facebook page, click here. You can browse through our photo album and enjoy images from the 2009 SFoR. Or you can write on our wall about your positive experiences at the SFoR. Or you can add yourself to the list of people who like the Festival. Or tell us how your training is going as you prepare to run your fastest 5K of the year on Sunday, October 3rd. We'll be adding more images to the photo album soon, so check back often to see whether our ace photographers captured you last year!
September 1, 2010 With the early entry fee only available through August 31st, 5K entries were pouring in this week, and they included more than a handful of very talented athletes sporting impressive SFoR credentials from past editions.
For starters, we received a 2010 entry form from John Tuttle, 1984 U.S. Olympian in the marathon--and owner of the SFoR course record for masters men (14:31 in 2000). Now 51, John will be a key member of the powerful Atlanta Track Club's M50+ team competing here, and he'll be shooting for Ray Kneer's venerable M51 SFoR mark of 16:34 (which has lasted since the very first edition of the Festival in 1993).
Also entered is Markham, Ontario's Jerry Kooymans, owner of the fastest SFoR M45 and M46 performances (15:32 in 2000 and 15:29 in 2001). Now 55, Jerry will be coming to the Festival in search of a new Canadian national record for M55-59. In addition, he just might rewrite Reno Stirrat's M55 Festival mark of 16:43 (set last year). And Reno is entered again as well, bringing a formidable Whirlaway Racing Team M50+ team, and eyeing Dale Campbell's M56 SFoR course record of 16:46.
Dale Campbell, in turn, will be back and shooting for Sam Torres' SFoR M57 mark of 17:18. Dale will once again be making the journey from Huntington Beach, CA, and he'll be one of the favorites for USA Masters 5 km Championship in the M55-59 division.
With David Cannon, of Seattle, WA, and Steve Chantry, of Williamsburg, VA, now entered, our early entrants include four of our top eight men's age-graded performers of 2009.
Victoria Crisp's entry form also arrived a few days ago, so we look forward to her defense of her 2009 USA Masters 5 km national title in the W55-59 division--and her attempt to improve on her #4 age-graded performance in our Women's 5K.
Nancy Auster, of Canton, NY, is now entered and preparing for her 18th consecutive finish at the Festival. She'll be aiming for a successful defense of her 2009 USA Masters 5 km national title in the women's 80-84 division, and she'll be looking to establish the W84 single-age record for our course.
For up-to-the minute information on all current entries in the USA Masters 5 km Championships, visit the National Championships page at the USATF web site.
August 27, 2010
The front design is once again thanks to the talents of Eileen Millert, of Fayetteville Elementary School, which last year continued its reign as the largest school group participating in our 3K--thereby earning the opportunity to design this year's shirt. Eileen has once again come up with a winner, and in about five weeks there'll be thousands of these on proud 3K participants.
With "back-to-school" season in full swing, there's still plenty of time to organize a group from your or your child's school. Contact us anytime for more information on how to get your school involved!
August 20, 2010 Among the various hospitality perks awaiting runners visiting Syracuse for the 2010 USA Masters 5 km Championships is a complimentary guided tour of the Carmelo Anthony Basketball Center on the Syracuse University campus. The front entrance to the "Melo" Center is about one long stride-out away from the SFoR finish line, making it easy for us to combine course tours with cook's tours of the headquarters for S.U.'s men's and women's basketball programs. If you're registered for a suite in the SFoR room block at the Embassy Suites on Festival of Races weekend and would like to reserve a time on Saturday afternoon, October 2nd, to take a complimentary guided tour of the Carmello Anthony Center, please e-mail Greg Tuttle by September 24th.
August 13, 2010
What a pleasure to have Henry coming back to continue to serve as a shining example for all of us! In 2008, Henry's SFoR performance was an eye-popping 33:46, subsequently ratified and still standing as the fastest 5K ever by a U.S. male age 90 or older. Last year, Henry set the U.S. mark for 91-year-old males, finishing in 38:47.
That makes Henry illustrative of a third Syracuse Festival of Races hallmark: If you're looking for a record-eligible course on which you're likely to run every bit as fast as your current level of fitness allows, that course is waiting for you in Syracuse on the Sunday before Columbus Day weekend.
August 3, 2010 The bulk mailing to our list of recent past participants is at the post office, so many of you will be finding a copy of our 2010 entry booklet in your mailbox by the end of the week. If you don't receive a copy of the form, it may be due to a typographical error on you mailing label, a recent change of address, or incomplete information in your data record. Fear not, because we have plenty of hard copies of the form remaining, and we'd be happy to send them to anyone who requests them. We recommend calling (315-446-6285) to request forms because the phone usually gets you an instant response and next-day delivery.
Of course, you can also follow the "Register Now" link from our home page either to the USATF site (if you'd like to register for the USA Masters 5 km Championships), or to the Festival registration page at Active.com (if you'd like to register online as a non-championship participant).
July 23, 2010
From its inception, the SFoR has been a dedicated supporter of USATF club team competition, and we're happy to be able to support it with prize money and super-affordable rates on our block of suites at Embassy Suites.
For a look at the breakdown of the USA Masters 5 km Championships prize structure, click here.
July 16, 2010 In yet another demonstration of the company's commitment to the communities that it serves, P&C/TOPS this week confirmed its commitment to sponsoring the P&C/TOPS Community Walk at the 2010 Syracuse Festival of Races. The Community Walk, which was established in 2000, offers any non-profit organization the opportunity to raise funds and visibility for itself, its programs, and its services through pledge-centered participation in the Syracuse Festival of Races. Historically, the majority of non-profit beneficiaries participate in the Community Walk, though supporters of the beneficiaries are welcome to enter any of the events of race morning.
With many non-profit organizations feeling the pinch of recent economic conditions, the SFoR has seen increase in the number of groups looking for a "latch-key" opportunity to benefit from event-focused fundraising. Seventeen organizations are already registered as participating beneficiaries for 2010, and the door is wide open for others to join them.
P&C/TOPS is no stranger to the Syracuse Festival of Races, of course, with P&C Foods having provided strong support for our post-race refreshments area for several years. All of our 2010 participants will be happy to know that with the continued support of P&C/TOPS, the array of post-race refreshments at the SFoR will be truly outstanding!
July 9, 2010 Our redesigned 2010 entry booklet is now printed and ready for distribution. Thanks to Eagle Newspapers, we've gone full-color in a new, larger format. You can find a pdf of both the complete entry booklet and just the entry panel page right here on the SFoR site. Feel free to print out as many as you need.
Whether you'd like a single hard copy or a batch of our pre-printed entry booklets for your school or non-profit group, your best bet is to call Dave at 315-446-6285.
As a courtesy to last year's 5K participants, we'll be mailing a hard copy of the entry form to each of them later this month.
Of course, online entry has been going on for months, and you can register for the USA Masters 5 km Championships on the Championships page at USATF.org, or for any other SFoR events at Active.com.
June 25, 2010
Congratulations to Carmen on a super month of racing! We're looking forward to your return to the Festival 5K course on October 3rd!
June 18, 2010 With the public school year winding down, administrators, teachers, and parents are already busy planning for their schools' group participation in the MVP Health Care 3K Fun & Fitness Run at the Festival of Races. It's a wonderful reminder to us about the dedication and willingness that our school group coordinators have to spend their time and energy in order to give their students and school communities what several of them refer to as "the Festival of Races experience."
Schools interested in bringing a group can request entry forms now, and we'll deliver them to schools once they're available early this summer. If you'd like to learn more about how to get a group organized from your school, call Dave Oja anytime at 446-6285.
May 28, 2010 We're delighted to welcome back all of the non-profit groups who gained visibility and donations from their participation in the 2009 SFoR. In addition, we're delighted that the number of participating non-profit groups continues to grow. You can check our Beneficiaries page for the list of participating non-profits and their contact information.
If you're involved with a group that would like to benefit from pledge-centered participation in the Syracuse Festival of Races, let us know and we'd be happy to add your group to the list. If you're a walker or runner who'd like to solicit pledges on behalf of any of our listing beneficiaries, call or e-mail their listed contact. I'm sure they'd be happy to hear from you!
May 14, 2010 We're delighted to announce that Embassy Suites Hotel, Syracuse (Carrier Circle at NYS Thurway Exit 35) will be our Race Headquarters Hotel for 2010! And what an amazing weekend of benefits they're offering SFoR participants, families, and teammates!
The all-suite facility is offering great single-night stays in either their king suite (sleeps up to four) or their double suite (sleeps up to six) for $129 (plus tax). The rate per night drops to $109 (plus tax) per suite if you stay two nights on race weekend. And if you make it a three-night mini-vacation on Festival Weekend, your rate per night for either a king suite or double suite is an incredible $99 (plus tax)! To book your suite, call 315-703-9100 and ask for the special Syracuse Festival of Races group rates "1SF," "2SF," or "3SF."
For open and masters club teams coming from out of town, this is the race-lodging bargain of the year! For training buddies and running friends who'd like to come to see just how fast they can run a USATF certified and validated course, it's an opportunity to enjoy a weekend in Central New York at a great discount. And for mom and dad runners who'd like to bring the kids (or grand-kids) along for a special fall getaway in conjunction with a great road running experience, there's not likely to be a better bargain out there--not to mention a bigger or more exciting opportunity for the kids to walk or run with mom and dad in the MVP Health Care 3K Fun & Fitness Run!
Even better, the phenomenal rates for a weekend of "suite living" include all of the following: complimentary hot and cold breakfast cooked to order each morning; complimentary in-house reception each evening from 5:30 to 7:30; complimentary access to the indoor pool, whirlpool, and fitness center; complimentary wireless internet throughout the facility; and the luxury of enjoying a road race weekend with friends and family you seldom can afford to bring along for a special weekend.
To see and learn more about this opportunity for an affordable and different weekend getaway, you can take an online tour of the Embassy Suites Hotel, Syracuse by clicking here.
April 15, 2010
March 29, 2010
Well, they're still with us, which is continued great news for the top three finishers in each of our 5K age-groups. Those speediest of the speedy on Sunday, October 3rd, will once again be awarded a total of $2,320.00 in Dick's Bonus Certificates ($50 for 1st in each age-group; $20 for 2nd; and $10 for 3rd).
In addition, the overall first-place finishers in both the Men's 5K and the Women's 5K will each receive a $100 Dick's Bonus Certificate.
And everyone entered in either the Men's 5K or the Women's 5K will receive a $5.00 Dick's Bonus Certificate at the point of bib number pickup--effectively rebating $5.00 of the 5K entry fee if one uses it with the purchase of any item at any Dick's Sporting Goods store prior to the end of the year.
For superior store savings on running shoes all year long, visit the Dick's Sporting Goods store nearest you!
March 15, 2010 Is it mere coincidence that on the Ides of March, the Atlanta Track Club has three athletes already entered in the 2010 USA Masters 5 km Championships at the Syracuse Festival of Races? Or might a road-racing soothsayer be justified in adapting the famous line from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (Act 1, Scene 2) to give the nation's top masters teams advance notice that the ATC is plotting to knock off some big names on October 3rd?
If you check the 2009 USA Masters 5 km Championships men's team results, you'll note that the ATC M40+ team took home silver medals last fall, besting the likes of the Westchester Track Club, Genesee Valley Harriers, Greater Springfield Harriers, Houston Masters Alliance, Greater Philadelphia Track Club, and Colonial Road Runners. The runaway winner in the category was Pete Magill's Compex Racing Team, with an average finishing time of 15:33 for their five scoring members. (Oh my!)
But here it is, well over six months prior to the next big masters tussle on the Festival's lightning-fast, record-eligible course, and Gary Droze (49), Ken Youngers (54), and Sam Norman (57) already are listed on the 2010 USA Masters 5 km Championship web site. Three individual age groups represented; two team age groups represented; one strong club from a thousand miles away represented. Hmmmm.
Obviously, there are lots of entries yet to be submitted--and lots of prognostication yet to be offered. But there's no doubt that on Sunday, October 3rd, 2010, Syracuse, NY is going to host a real happening for masters distance runners.
February 26, 2010 The March issue of Running Times is out, and the magazine once again has done a splendid job with its annual "Masters of the Year" issue!
As was the case last year, the Syracuse Festival of Races helped to produce more of the best road race performances by the nation's best masters distance runners than any other race (of any distance, anywhere on the planet). When you grab a copy of this issue, you'll see the Festival cited in conjunction with "Masters of the Year" accolades for Tom Ryan (Cape Elizabeth, ME), Reno Stirrat (Dorchester, MA), Dale Campbell (Huntington Beach, CA), Doug Goodhue (Milford, MI), Bill Tribou (Granby, CT), and Victoria Crisp (Nashville, TN).
In addition, Syracuse Festival of Races veterans who received either top three or honorable mention recognition for 2009 included: Sean Wade, Jim Derrick, Andrew Duncan, El Arbi Khattabi, Paul Mwangi, Pete Magill, Mike Platt, Brian Pilcher, Stephen Chantry, Pete Gibson, John Tuttle, Wayne Chick, Sam Torres, William Dixon, George Luke, Bill Spencer, Thom Weddle, Robert Ealy, Henry Sypniewski, Patty Murray-Albo, Michelle Simonaitis, Lori Kingsley, Laurel Park, Zofia Wierciorkowska, Carmen Ayala Troncoso, Kathryn Martin, Sabra Harvey, Sharon Dolan, and Helen Botti. It's no wonder that some people think of the SFoR as being akin to the Olympics of masters road racing.
Pete Magill (yup, the same Peter Magill who ran the fastest 5 km ever by a 48-year-old at this year's SFoR) has penned (see page 32 of the March issue) a very nice piece on the current culture of masters LDR athletes, complete with a couple of nice photos by the Festival's own Shannon Weaver. And the magazine includes an additional seven color photos shot at the 2009 SFoR by Festival volunteers Dustin Angell, Ben Addonizio, Patricia Grosjean, and Shannon Weaver.
And Running Times culls from our 2009 event a couple of eye-popping statistics that lead off their the magazine's regular "By the Numbers" section: Five masters women ran 7:35 or faster, and sixty-eight masters men ran 17:35 or faster.
Congratulations to all the masters athletes on their 2009 MOY selections, and many thanks to Running Times for another outstanding issue!
February 19, 2010 We're delighted to report that all of our 2009 media sponsors will be continuing as key members of our sponsorship team again in 2010!
News 10 Now will be our official television sponsor, and your place to tune in for pre-race news stories and event coverage.
All four of Citadel Broadcasting's Syracuse-market radio stations WNTQ (93Q), WAQX (95X), WLTI (Lite 105.9), and WSKO (The Score 1260) will be with us again.
The Syracuse News Times and Family Times Magazine will continue as key media sponsors, as will the Eagle Newspapers, whom we were delighted to have join the team in 2009.
February 12, 2010 Here's a heart-warming thought as we approach Valentine's Day: In recent weeks we've had three new non-profit groups express their interest in raising funds and visibility for the programs and services via their participation in the 2010 Festival.
The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, the Syracuse University and SUNY ESF Chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and From the Ground Up Therapeutic Horsemanship, Inc. are now on our list of 2010 beneficiaries.
If you'd like to combine your walking or running in any of the events of the SFoR with a personal donation for any or our participating non-profits, please contact the group's representatives on our beneficiaries list.
Or, if you'd like to add your favorite non-profit organization to our list of 2010 beneficiaries, feel free to give us a call anytime at 315-446-6285. When it comes to worthy beneficiaries of our event, the Festival's philosophy is: "The more the merrier."
February 5, 2010
Perhaps the first road running and walking event of its kind, last year's Joint Replacement Run was very warmly received by area exercisers as well as participants from New Jersey and Illinois. With that initial success, the event's founding title sponsors are eager to "run it again in 2010."
We'll be announcing additional details as the year goes along. In the meantime, spread the word that the Syracuse Festival of Races is an event for exercisers of all abilities. (Photo credit: Dustin Angell)
January 29, 2010
This will mark the third consecutive year of MVP Health Care's enthusiastic support of the thousands of school-aged children, their families, and their school staff who run, jog, and walk at the Festival in one of the nation's largest 3K road running events.
If you're a parent or educator who would like to get your school involved in the big event on Sunday, October 3, 2010, please let us know and we'll send you helpful information to help you organize your school's group.
Many thanks to MVP Health Care for their foresight in proactively encouraging everyone in our community to engage in regular aerobic activities! (Photo credit: Dustin Angell)
January 18, 2010 When runners think of the SFoR, many of them think of personal records and event records, and Mary Van Camp, of Syracuse, set a new Festival record today--when she became our first official entrant for 2010.
Mary's online entry via Active.com makes her the earliest "early-bird" registrant in our 18-year history (257 days, 22 hours and 32 minutes in advance of the starting gun for our 2010 Women's 5K, which sure beats waiting in line at the last minute on race morning).
Way to plan ahead, Mary! We wish you months of enjoyable training as you look forward to Sunday, October 3, 2010! And to recognize your record-early entry, we'll send you an embroidered Syracuse Festival of Races hat.
January 1, 2010 In keeping with the spirit of resolutions and goals for the new year and the new decade, online entry for the 18th annual Syracuse Festival of Races is now open.
Those of you who wish to compete in the 2010 USA Masters 5 km Championships can register on the National Championships page of the USATF web site.
Those of you who won't be competing in the Masters National Championship may register on Active.com. We're still a few months away from printing our paper entry form, so save the paper and register online today!
December 22, 2009 Andy Carr, LDR Record-keeper for USA Track & Field (USATF), has confirmed ratification of one additional U.S. single-age 5K record run at our 2009 event.
Wade is a former Olympic marathoner (1996, New Zealand) and resident of Houston, TX. The ratification of his M43 record brings to thirty-one (31) the number of U.S. 5K records tied or surpassed on the SFoR course.
December 9, 2009 The Masters Long Distance Running Committee of USA Track & Field (USATF) has voted to extend through 2012 its selection of the Syracuse Festival of Races to host the USA Masters 5 km Championships. The unanimous vote in favor of a two-year extension of the prior Championship designation through 2010 was conducted at the 2009 USATF Annual Meetings, held from December 26, in Indianapolis, IN.
"USATF is extremely selective in its award of championships; we strive to pick the best of the best, and our bottom line is the reaction of the runners themselves," said Donald Lein, Chair of USATFs Masters LDR Committee. "The runners have universally praised the race in 2008 and 2009. Dave Oja and his team have done an outstanding job and have justified the confidence we have in them in awarding them these future championships."
The current five-year run of the Festival of Races hosting of the USA Masters 5 km Championship is the only multi-year hosting of a USATF long distance running (LDR) national championship ever by a Syracuse-area event. The host Syracuse Chargers Track Club also conducted the 1994 USA Masters 5 km Championships at the Syracuse Festival of Races; the 1991 USA Womens 5 km Championships at the Syracuse Freihofer's Run for Women; and the 1990 USA Masters 5 km Cross Country Championships at Green Lakes State Park.
The 2009 USA Masters 5 km Championships at the Syracuse Festival of Races attracted top age-group distance runners from 29 states. Those athletes produced an astonishing twenty-four world-class performances and four U.S. 5K records, bringing to thirty the number of U.S. 5 km (3.1-mile) records that have been tied or surpassed on the SFoR course.
"The Chargers and the Festival of Races are delighted to have the opportunity to build on our past successes hosting the USA Masters 5 km Championships," said Syracuse Festival of Races director, Dave Oja. "The phenomenal performances, the athlete feedback, and the national media exposure for Syracuse have been tremendously gratifying in 2008 and 2009."
In addition to its separate 5 km races for men and women, the Syracuse Festival of Races includes the enormously popular MVP Health Care 3K Fun & Fitness Run, the Fitness Forum/SOS Joint Replacement Run and Walk, and the non-profit-centered Community Walk. The various events of race morning, Sunday, October 3, 2010 are expected to attract well over 3,000 participants and raise thousands of dollars for multiple area non-profit organizations.
"Syracuse truly is a fantastic sporting event destination and we're thrilled that the USA Masters 5 km Championships will be in Syracuse for the next two years," said Syracuse Convention & Visitors Bureau President David Holder. "Congratulations to the Festival of Races organizers for securing this event; the runners and their families are sure to have a great experience in our community."
December 7, 2009 WWe're delighted to announce that the extensive list of U.S. 5K road racing records set on the Syracuse Festival of Races course is alive and growing. Last week's USATF Annual Meetings in Indianapolis included the formal ratification of three more age-group marks. Margret Betz, of Conklin, NY, is now officially the owner of the fastest 5K ever run by a U.S. woman age 70-74. She ran her 24:02 at age 71 at the 2007 SFoR. Henry Sypniewski's pending men's 90-94 U.S. 5K record of 33:46, set at the 2008 SFoR also received formal ratification, as did Sabra Harvey's, U.S. women's 60-64 mark of 19:31, set at the 2009 SFoR. Sabra ran two other faster times in 5K races in 2009, but those times have not yet met the ratification criteria.
As logic would have it, each of those three five-year age-group records is accompanied by a new U.S. single-age mark as well. Thus, chalk up a U.S. W71 5K mark for Margret, a U.S. M90 5K record for Henry, and a U.S. W 60 mark for Sabra. Also now on our list is Pete Magill's U.S. M48 5K record of 15:00, set this past October, making Pete the first U.S. runner to run 15:00 at age 48 or older.
For a look at the entire list of U.S. 5K records surpassed or tied on the SFoR course since its first use in the 1992 (and final) Syracuse Freihofer's Run for Women, click here.
October 23, 2009 On behalf of the SFoR organizing committee and the
Syracuse Chargers Track Club, thanks very much to everyone who took the time
to pass along a kind remark about this year year's edition of the Festival.
Here is a sampling of the comments we've received:
"This race and your operation, in every detail, is world-class.
I suspect every master has returned home with the same review and
the talk-up will make next year an even bigger pool of mind-boggling
talent. When I look at the age-graded roster I'm left shaking
my head."
"Just wanted to say thank you for a great Syracuse Festival of
Races!!! You did such a great job and I could tell you were enjoying
the day very much!!!! The big push now a days is for a more
fit nation. You have been ahead of your time with this race
for years, encouraging not only elite runners but all runners,
joggers, walkers, families and kids as well! I enjoyed the
race very much as did Pat!!! Thanks for bringing this great
event to Syracuse!! It is one of the many reasons I wanted to come
back here!"
"Congratulations on an epic event. The wild intensity and
shoulder to shoulder racing of the top male masters runners in the
United States was one for the ages. The first kilometer was
like surfing a twenty-foot wave of energy and adrenaline. This
was a celebration of racing on the highest level. SFoR does it
right!"
"My wife, Kerry Monahan, and I want to thank you and your wife
again for putting on a great race. The Masters race was one
for the ages where we really got the top runners from all over the
country to come to Syracuse to battle it out. This race surpassed
last years race by a good bit--and last years race was super!"
"Just wanted to let you know what a tremendous day this was!
Families were so supportive and excited to participate, and the kids
just loved every minute of the festivities! Thank you for
creating such a wonderful and positive experience for the community
at large."
"I just wanted to let you know how much I
thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the Festival of Races. It
was well worth the trip from FL. Everything was great from the
moment I stepped off the plane. All of the volunteers were
extremely welcoming and friendly. The field was great. It was
deep enough to have good competition, but small enough so that it
was not overcrowded. AND . . . I got the fitness representative PR I
was looking for of 17:59!"
"Thanks
for once again putting on a truly spectacular Masters 5K National
Championship! Wow, what a weekend of racing. You run a great show!! Thanks for everything. The
Masters 5k was the best ever and I look forward to next year."
"I just wanted to thank you for the great
experience. I had a great time, and would love to come back to
tackle the course again. The race was perfect for me, with all the
girls running together, almost felt like a track race (elbows and
everything). At 4K it looked like anybody's race. I was going
probably 99.99% effort so I knew it was going to be hard, but I
needed to hold on. Was able to pass one masters and one
youngster in the last 200 meters."
"Top-notch today...great job! Everyone had a super time!
"Thank you and all of the volunteers from the Syracuse Chargers
Track Club. I stayed at the Maplewood Inn where the masters runners
were very well attended to at the hospitality suite by Greg, Bob, and others
whom I can't name. The course was as advertised and I set an
age-graded PR. The race itself was very well organized, and was equal
to or better than other races I have attended over the years."
"Great race; we had a lot of fun! I was there representing both
Applebees and Manlius Pebble Hill School, and I know it was the
first time for them to do such an event and they all said they had a
blast!"
"You put on a great race! The kids and I enjoyed ourselves!
I was hoping to break 18 minutes, but it was just good to get back
out there, and we had a great time."
"Thanks again for a great race yesterday! Everyone on
Compex Racing had a great time, and we're absolutely thrilled to
have taken part in this championship."
"Congratulations on an excellent race! Starting out, I did not
have an appreciation of how good the field was and started out way
too fast. I paid the price coming back on Meadowbrook.
Speaking as a "middle of the packer" (other than getting a slower
field--just kidding), I cannot think of any ways to improve on the
race experience."
"Thank you so much for putting on a great event for the Masters!
It was one of the best masters experiences I've had to date. You all
did a great job!"
"I hope by today you and all of the volunteers from the Syracuse
Festival of Races are well rested. I have to say that you sure know
how to put on a spectacular race! All I can say is . .
.WOW!!!"
"Just wanted to compliment you on the fabulous race this morning!
Great weather (not sure how you made it stop raining right before
the start), great course, fabulous volunteers and post-race
goodies--just all good! Had a wonderful time!"
"Congratulations on an excellent event! The Atlanta Track Club is
already planning on returning in 2010."
"Thanks, Dave, for organizing and hosting such a wonderful,
successful, and enjoyable event!! It was soooooo very impressive !!
And it was such an honor to participate !!
"I participated in this year's Festival of Races for the first
time, and wanted to let you know that I thought it was an extremely
well run and very organized event. Kudos to you and all the
volunteers who made it such a success. I look forward to running
again next year. Keep up the good work!"
"Thank you for a great 2009 Festival of Races! We're
looking forward to the 2010 race!"
"Please thank all your volunteers. With the help of both
Bob and Greg, the three of us never had a problem getting around
town. I believe you put on a very well organized event. I ran
my fastest time as a master thanks to all the fast runners sucking
me through a quick pace. I'm glad I went. I think you guys did
a fine job, and I loved the K splits vs. the mile ones!"
October 9, 2009 Here are a couple of performances that qualify for tops in the category of "good news and bad news":
First, Charlie Shields, 50, of
the Greater Philadelphia Track Club, ran a terrific 17:02 last Sunday.
In the vast majority of 5K road races, that would likely leave him well in
front of all other competitors in the men's 50-54 age group. In the
men's 50-54 field at this year's SFoR, Charlie's 17:02 left him the
11th-place finisher in his age group (83rd overall). Central New York
standout, Mark Rybinski, 54, of Minoa, ran a terrific 17:14, leaving him
eleven places farther back in his age group than he customarily places in
local races. Whoa! No wonder Steve Chantry and other experts on
men's 50-54 distance running think this may have been the deepest field of
men's 50-54 distance running talent ever at a road race.
And in the category of "so what's new?": Fayetteville Elementary School and Ed Smith Elementary School both retained their hold on the trophies that reside in the non-Syracuse City School District, and Syracuse City School District with the largest number of Festival of Races participants. That's about nine straight years for Fay-El, and about five for Ed Smith. What's not so ho-hum is the way they defended their titles. Fay-El became the largest participating school group of all time at the Festival with a whopping 625, and Ed Smith doubled their number of participants from 2008. Those are some fitness-minded elementary school communities!
Fun with family teams. It doesn't seem like too many years ago that Mike Tucker suggested we add the "masters husband-wife" team category to our original eight categories of two-person family team categories. Great idea, Mike, so we did it. These days Mike and Paula are still running great in their fifties, and the going is getting REALLY tough in the masters H-W category, where Jay Owens and Lisa Veneziano (both in their forties) combined to run 35:23. Mike and Betsy Pfohl, of Fayetteville, ran a terrific combined 40:52--and finished only fifth in the category. We're considering going with Paula Tucker's (light-hearted) suggestion that we institute a "50+ husband-wife" team category, but one can't help noticing that Carmen Ayala-Troncoso's and Ricardo Troncoso's 2009 runner-up masters H-W team performance of 37:32 was a 50+ H-W time. Yikes! Good thing we go three deep with family team awards!
And how about those team performances! Compex Racing traveled all the way from Southern California and more than lived up to their billing as the top M40+ LDR club team in the country--averaging 15:33 per each of their five scorers. The Atlanta Track Club, Westchester Track Club, Genesee Valley Harriers, and Greater Springfield Harriers waged a terrific battle for the silver and bronze medals for M40+ teams.
Green Mountain Athletic Association held off tough teams from the Colonial Road Runners, the Genesee Valley Harriers, and California's Team Runners High to win the M50+ competition with an average of 17:07 per scorer (scoring five). The Raritan Valley Road Runners brought a full team this year, and they rocked the M60+ team division, averaging 19:41 for each of their three scorers. Green Mountain AA, the Finger Lakes Runners Club (led by Rick Hoebeke's individual M60-64 national title), and GVH waged a great battle for the other two sets of medals.
And the New England 65 Plus Running Club was simply magnificent in winning the M70+ division with an average 22:21 per scorer (scoring three). Hooray for the host Chargers for capturing the silver and bronze medals in the age group!
For the women's teams (which score three runners in all team age divisions), the Athena Track Club rode Patty Murray-Albo's individual masters championship to another W40+ team victory. The Willow Street Athletic Club was outstanding in nabbing the silver, and the Greater Philadelphia TC's women took the bronze.
Willow Street got the gold in the W50+ division, with Greater Philly taking silver and the Finger Lakes Runners Club getting the bronze.
And the Chargers Women made it two consecutive years as champions in the W60+ team division.
Great teams; great times; and it was a real pleasure hosting so many excellent runners from so many of the top running clubs in the United States!
October 5, 2009 What a morning we had at yesterday's 17th annual Syracuse Festival of Races! The weather was conducive to fast 5K times and pleasant post-race socializing. The turn-out was terrific; the performances were inspiring; and it appeared that everyone on hand thoroughly enjoyed the morning.
When Jim McCaul fired the starting gun for the MVP Health Care 3K Fun & Fitness Run, over 2,300 people headed east under the banner. They came in all ages, sizes, shapes, abilities, and histories of road race participation. They followed (literally) in the footsteps of 799 5K runners (themselves ranging from Olympians and world-record holders to first-time road race participants). They were joined by walkers supporting at least a dozen area non-profits, and they were also joined by Fitness Forum/SOS Joint Replacement Run participants--one of whom covered the course on two artificial hips and one artificial knee.
The performances were nothing short of amazing. Along with another outstanding collection of season and personal bests by runners from every part of CNY, the Festival hosted twenty-four world-class performances, three more pending U.S. 5K records, and nearly TEN TIMES the number of sub-20:00 finishers that you'll see in the average Syracuse-area 5K road race.
The 2009 Festival was a true destination event, drawing visitors from 29 states, DC, Canada, Mexico, and the UK. They flew into Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo; they purchased scores of room-nights in area hotels; and we look forward to their returning with additional friends and teammates in 2010 to race again on what many consider to be one of the fastest record-eligible 5K road courses anywhere. Taking some of the individual results in roughly chronological order: Congratulations to former Syracuse University All-American Kyle Heath, 23, of Farmington, NY, who led a merry chase in the Men's 5K his way to his first SFoR victory, in 14:21. Ditto for Amanda LoPiccolo, 26, the former Ithaca College star and current Syracuse Charger, who topped the women for her first Women's 5K victory at the Festival, in 17:02. Along with the victory, Kyle's top performance by a male CNYer earned him the 2009 John Trowse Award, sponsored by Allied Sign Company in memory of John.
The men's race in the USA Masters 5 km Championship was spectacular, with Sean Wade, 43, of Houston, TX, the fleetest of a VERY fleet bunch. Sean's 14:52 ranks as the third fastest masters performance on the Festival course. Pete Magill, 48, of S. Pasadena, CA, ran 15:00--which is a pending single-age record for men age 48. And Christian Cushing-Murray, 41, one of Magill's Compex Racing teammates, from Santa Ana, CA, crossed the line in 15:08 to place third overall in the Masters Championship. Our top three were among seventeen male athletes whose 2009 SFoR performances age graded as world-class (90.0% or higher).
The women's race in the USA Masters 5 km Championships, defending women's champion, Patti-Murray-Albo, 44, of Boulder, CO, repeated with a beautifully paced 17:23. Michelle Simonaitis, 43, of Draper, UT, was the runner-up in 17:28, with Laurel Park, 46, of Ann Arbor, MI, third in 17:33. Six masters women ran 17:50 or faster, and seven women turned in performances that age-graded as world class.
Speaking of the age-graded performances, Pete Magill's 96.88% topped the men. Sabra Harvey, 60, of Houston, TX, ran a pending U. S. women's 60-64 5K age group record of 19:31, which age graded at 99.12. Carmen Ayala-Troncoso, 50, of Austin, TX, came within ten seconds of Joan Benoit Samuelson's U.S. women's 50-54 5K record, earning an age-graded mark of 96.37.p>
There were dozens more fantastic performances--including outstanding team performances, many of which we'll highlight in upcoming items of Festival News. Suffice it to say that this year's SFoR very likely unseats the 2002 Festival as the finest collection of road race performances ever at a Syracuse-area road race. For that, we thank our runners, our volunteers, and our sponsors--all of whom helped to make the Festival an event "where ordinary people do extraordinary things"! |
Two of them are our first-ever age-5 and age-85 female
finishers, Amanda Aitken, and Nancy Auster. Amanda crossed the
Festival 5K finish line for the first time, looking as fresh as a daisy with
a time of 37:44. Nancy followed in a net time of 45:31, making her
the only person to have finished all nineteen editions of the Syracuse
Festival of Races. Nancy also has the fastest SFoR finishes ever by a
woman age 81, 82, and 84. 
The
truth is that we get A LOT more mighty interesting mail than we have the
time to note in SFoR News, but a pair of entries that arrived yesterday and
today that are positively inspiring. Yesterday's mail included the
entry form of Bill Tribou, of Granby, CT, and the Hartford Track Club, who
raced to the USA Masters 5 km gold medal in the M85-89 division here in
2009. This year Bill is a spring chicken in the M90-94 age
group, and as of yesterday he was the only entrant in the age group--looking
like he might be able to count his chickens before Jim McCaul or Jack Hosp
even loads the starting gun on Festival morning. ,%20by%20Ben%20Addonizio%20(2).jpg)
Station!
Two-time SFoR finisher Ed Whitlock, of Milton, Ontario, turned 80
on March 6th, and he wasted little time before laying waste to
another pair of world records. Already holder of dozens of world
records--and the owner of the SFoR M72 (19:06) and M79 (21:16) course records--Ed obliterated the M80-84 world records for the 1,500m and 3,000m
runs at the Canadian Masters Indoor T&F Championships on March 19th
and 20th. 
Like YNN and Citadel Broadcasting's Syracuse-area radio stations, the
Syracuse New Times has been a key part of our media sponsorship team since
before many of the school-group participants in the SFoR were born. For
the New Times, it was in the year 2000 that they came on board, with
their sister publication Family Times Magazine joining the fun a couple
of years later. 
When
you have a good thing going, why make a change? The SFoR, 93Q, 95X, 105.9
The Big Talker, and The Score 1260, don't have a compelling answer to that
question, so we're sticking with a good thing for 2011. Since the fifth
edition of the Syracuse Festival of Races--way back in 1997--we've received
great support form Citadel's Syracuse-area stations, and they've been happy to
support our endeavors to bring everyone a really special road running and
walking experience.
We're
very pleased to welcome Driver's Village as a new Associate Sponsor of the SFoR
for 2011! DV's support will come as great news to participating non-profit
organizations, because it includes support bonuses for ten of our 2011
charitable beneficiaries.
We're
delighted to announce that YNN has confirmed the station's ongoing
commitment to the Syracuse Festival of Races as our exclusive television
sponsor. This will be the eighth consecutive year of YNN's media
support for our event, and you can look to YNN as your first television
source for SFoR news leading up to race weekend as well as for SFoR event
coverage on Sunday, October 2nd, and Monday, October 3rd.
We're
delighted to announce that MVP Health Care is returning for a third consecutive
year as sponsor of the MVP Health Care 3K Fun & Fitness Run at the SFoR!
In each of their previous two years of support, the folks at MVP have been a
pleasure to work with, and their commitment to encouraging personal and
community wellness is obvious.
t
goes without saying that a great title sponsor is essential to our goal of
keeping the MVP Health Care 3K Fun & Fitness Run affordable for all
families, and our 3K participants can once again look forward to the
ridiculously low entry fees that have been a hallmark of the 3K Fun &
Fitness Run since its inception.
Christmas
has come early for all the runners and family members who raved about the
accommodations and amenities in our 2010 race headquarters hotel. We're
delighted to announce to visiting athletes, their friends, and their family
members that we'll be returning to the Embassy Suites in 2011.
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Now
celebrating its 30th Anniversary,
One
has to go all the way back to 1996 to pre-date the long run of 
Here's
great news for those walkers and runners who are past recipients of
either hip or knee replacements:
We're
delighted to announce that
Sean
Wade's 2009 overall USA Masters 5 km Championship performance of 14:52 is
the new U.S. M43 5K record. Sean's performance knocks five seconds
from the previous 5K mark of 14:57, which had been shared by Steve Scott and
Craig Young.