I'm not Jaron or any of our fast runners...would love to hear their stories.
For now, reflections on October 4th's GAR will come from me.
The 27th running of the Great Allegany Run, Saturday, October 4, 2008, remained a successful event, thanks to many people and organizations:
Lee Fiedler and the City of Cumberland, with both financial and human resources to make this event go well.
All of the crews of police, VFDs and EMTS who served all along the course.
Mountaineer Radio Club for communications, including getting that exact second of the start up in Mount Savage while we are on the downtown mall.
George Nolan, the best deputy director an event could have.
Belt Construction for providing 232 safety cones.
Ed Mullaney and all the Downtown Cumberland Business Association made the event shine on the Mall. The doughnuts from M&M Bakery and coffee from Mark's Daily Grind are very popular with our runners.
BSA Troop 42 in Frostburg worked a water stop.
Paul Yockus was our official starter in Mount Savage.
Dave Teter and the Masonic Temple in Mount Savage allowed runners access before the 15K.
Robert Hall and George Nolan wore many, many hats in volunteer support. George was up at 1 am getting the mile boards, tables, and water in place, and then set up all the cones.
Darrell Cavey, Kevin Spradlin and team from Tri-State Runnur for their great articles of the race, as well as GAR pictures on line at
www.tristaterunnur.com.
The YMCA is our designated charity, and they also stepped forward in transporting the 15K runners to Mount Savage and directed the two-mile walk. We couldn't have done it without Shelley Minnigh and all the crew at the YMCA. A special treat race day was that Brian Held, who I’d worked with on this race in years past, came back from Kentucky where he is now a Y director, to run this race.
Vance Ishler and the Allegany County Commissioners authorized official use of the Allegheny Highlands Trail in the walk.
Gene and Chris DeHaven at Arts-n-Letters champion the GAR amongst downtown sponsors, as well as design the shirts, mugs and awards for all the entrants.
Future rock stars John and Sam Treber loaned their sound system for the awards ceremony.
Chap Richardson stood at the 5K turnaround to make sure every runner knew exactly where.
Mike Kamauff helps us at the registration tables each year, and is organized and ready to serve, both Friday night and early Saturday morning, and then throughout the race. Sylvia McCort, Randy Lowe, Amy Kiddy, Amy Patton, Will Brodie, Glenn and Anita Robinette, and Karen Treber are among the volunteers who help the GAR run smoothly.
Randy Buckle and McDonald's, for cups, cookies, orange drink and an eagerness to help out any way they could.
James Moreland and Lainey Bernstein covered our race for Washington Running Report and there is a nice article at
www.runwashington.com.
Holiday Inn was gracious in their place being invaded by a swarm of runners.
Julie and Bob Courtney donate and set up the Shaklee Energy Drink for runners post-race, always the first stop for the runners after their endurance was tested on the roads.
All of the citizens who adjust their schedule to cheer on runners or wait for them to clear toward driving between Mount Savage and Cumberland, especially in the Narrows.
The following companies in our area supported the GAR – Trozzo, Lowery, Weston & Rock; Joe’s Viaduct Restaurant; First People’s Community Federal Credit Union; AES Warrior Run; Carl Belt, Inc.; McDonald’s; Western Maryland Health System; Hartley's Pizza; CBIZ; Phenix Technologies; Manhattan/Banana Leaf; Egle Nursing Home; The Law Office of Glenn Robinette, LLC; State Farm Insurance/Denny Delaney; Downtown Dollar; Manhattan Golf Gallery; Walsh, McCagh & Kellogg; Pyzano’s; Foxcraft Home Improvement; Braddock Medical Group; Standard Bank.
Thank you for your support of the Great Allegany Run. Proceeds from the GAR benefit social service programs of the YMCA.
Many others could be cited who put the “Great” in the Great Allegany Run. We want to make it better next year, among the details I am thinking about now are more volunteers out on the course, especially for traffic control at the start, and to incorporate any feedback I hear from the runners. Thank you, and see you at the 28th running of the Great Allegany Run, Saturday, October 3, 2009!
Dave Treber
Executive Director
dtreber@frostburg.edu