By Brett DeNeve:
Have you ever wondered what the running community is all about? There is no better example than this Monday, September 2nd, at 8 am when approximately 600 runners will partake in the annual Fleet Feet 15k “Run into Buffalo”.
The course stretches from Buffalo’s waterfront up to Delaware Avenue (Millionaire’s Row), then to one of Buffalo’s Frederick Law Olmsted parkways, finally finishing at Canalside. Some may think of anyone participating in a race covering just over 9.3 miles, by no devices other than their own free will and a small entry fee, to be a bit insane, and rightfully so.
Running, partly due to the stereotypical 1980s physical education teachers, has acquired a stigma of sorts. Nothing can better describe this than a t-shirt design I saw for a rival high school during a track and field meet a few years back with the words “Our Sport is your Sport’s Punishment” embroidered on the back in a spectacular array of tie dye. So, if running is, in fact, “your sport’s punishment,” why then will their be roughly 1,200 feet in motion this Monday morning?
Proceeds from the race will go to support Shoes on Students (SOS). Over the last seven years, this movement has provided more than 1,700 pairs of Brooks training shoes to Western New York high school students in need.
Participants, although a hefty amount do come from the immediate area, will travel from all over the country to run this Monday. Last year, for example, there were eight different states represented in just the top twenty finishers, from Georgia to Ohio to California. And the diversity of participants does not stop with hometowns; age ranges as well. Onesmus Serem, 27, won last year with a blistering 4:55 mile pace, coming in at a net time of 45:47. Second and third place overall, Fredric Kieser and Malcolm Campbell respectively, came in a hair shy of a photo finish, and they were both 41. The first female to cross the finish, Molly Watcke, was also 41.
Fleet Feet’s “Run into Buffalo” is definitely an event for everyone, no matter the age, gender, ethnicity, or preference of pace (in respect to the two hours and thirty minute time course cut off). If you haven’t already signed up, come down to the water to watch this charitable event and definitely consider registering for next year. This event has gone on since 2007 with no intentions of stopping any time soon. From the first place finishers to the last place finishers, everyone shares the common goal of getting Western New York high school students the tools they need to succeed.
Who knows, maybe the shoes they get from your contributions could be the reason they end up running right next to you in next year’s “Run into Buffalo”.