The End…But it Never Really Ends!

Thirty six years ago, I ran my first race. It was the Massapequa Mini Marathon (a 10K finished in 47 minutes). I had only been running since February but I had gotten the bug. It was a point to point race that tied up traffic for hours. My dad was there at the finish and took my picture.

The race was June 16, 1979 and my dad passed on June 24, 2015. The day after his funeral, I ran 10 miles on the Massapequa Preserve/Bethpage Parkway Trail. My dad ran and biked that trail for many years. After this race, I started training for my first marathon (the Marine Corps Marathon) . And, I haven’t  stopped since.

In 1980, I joined my first running club, the Massapequa Road Runners. My running improved and I participated in team events and the Ocean to Sound Relay. I made a lot of friends and volunteered at our premier event, the Firecracker 5K. I organized teams, served on the board and as vice president.
I competed many years with the CBS Running Team in the Corporate Challenge. Truly, my life revolved around my running & racing. Running and racing are really two separate things. After several injuries, I realized that running and the people you meet are far more important than the racing.

Skip a few years, I meet a really cool girl in Atlantic City. She likes my legs. Two years plus later, I’m living with  Jennifer in Bucks County. I’m lost…I can find races but I have nothing like my running club on Long Island.

Along comes Greg Grace and Bill Schaffling who recruit me to join the club. Their ulterior motive was to get me to replace Bill as Treasurer. And as you know, whatever the officers and board don’t do, Bill is responsible for everything else. Greg is a great ambassador for the club and I am so glad that we met.

Four years as Treasurer and five as President…It is amazing how quickly time passes and how much slower I have become. I am thankful for age group awards and age grading. The club has grown tremendously in the last few years. As we are getting older, we are also seeing younger members joining our club. We have had incredible success with our Winter Series, Track workouts, monthly socials and racing teams.

There are so many people that I am grateful to have met and have been such a big part of the past nine years. In no particular order, I must thank Greg Grace, Bill Schaffling, Melanie Schranz, Eric Stern, Bob Curci, Chris Mortensen, Gregg Holst, Anthony Accardo,  Lori Merrill, Maggie& Rich Kanak, Monica Baxter, Renee Harnishfeger, Bob Huey, Marty McMahon, Phil & Debbie Miele, Pat McCloskey, Johnny King-Marino, Joe Boyce, Steve Cickay, Mike Gross, Debbie Burns, Sue Graf,  Paul Leetsma, Jill Case-Leetsma, Rob Hoy, Steve Price, Glenn Cohen, Jim Clark, Barb & Art Burger, Joe Suder, Terry Territo, Frank Rubino, Bruce & Sheryl Kuo, Joe Silva, Linda Lederer, George McClellan, Andrea & Brian Minster, Breandan Nemec,  and the members of the Mighty, Mighty Bucktones: Mark Zacharias, Carmine Sesa, George Lazarides, John Gorgol, Scott Craig, Tom Beerbower, Peter Lederer, Dave Noa and Joe Haughey, If I have left anyone out and I’m sure I did, I am thankful for knowing you and being your friend. There are some great people in the club. Get to know them. Get involved. This club is for everyone. There is a place for every pace.

I’m not done. Thank you, Janet Lewis. You are amazing and have gone far beyond duty with our club. Thank you for all you have done. I am proud and glad that you are my friend. Thanks to Mason for the laughs.

Finally, my wife Jennifer…not a runner, but she has made an enormous contribution to our website, registration site and our club logo. I am lucky to be loved by such a wonderful woman who puts up with my eccentricities. And, thank you Zoey for being such a good doggie.

You have some great new officers with new, fresh ideas. Please support them as they take the BCRR to next level.

I look forward to many years running around with the Bucks County Roadrunners.

It’s been a blast!!!!!!