Syracuse Festival of Races promotes healthy habits, aids charities
After the Freihofer’s Run for Women, a local high-speed street race, went belly up, Dave Oja took the initiative and reinvented the competition, making it bigger and more inclusive.
The result: the Syracuse Festival of Races, set to kick off its 18th run on Sunday, Oct. 2. Created by Oja, a Syracuse University alumnus, the festival features a 5K for both men and women with a special viewing area for spectators. The racers will start at E. Colvin Street down through Buckingham Avenue, Meadowbrook Drive, Euclid Avenue and make their way to the Manley bus lane.
Anybody can participate in the races, said Oja, race director of the festival since it began in 1993.
‘We wanted to have it appeal to runners of every level of experience, from first-time racers to world champions,’ Oja said.
Oja said there are many benefits the festival brings to the area, namely the many nonprofit causes its proceeds go toward. This year, more than two dozen charitable causes are taking part in the festival, including the Central New York chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Supported by local nonprofit organizations, the annual event begins at 8:50 a.m. with the men’s 5K race at Syracuse University’s Lampe Athletics Complex. The women’s race follows at 9:50 a.m.
The accessibility of the event is what distinguishes it from other road races, Oja said. Having the races characterized by cheap entrance fees is something he is proud of, he said.
Both 5Ks have an entrance fee of $25. The 3K Fun and Fitness Runs and the Community Walk are $10 for those 18 years old and older, and $5 for those under 18. The fees are subject to change if people sign up after Thursday.
A special feature this year will be the addition of a subway station, Oja said. Starting at 8:40 a.m. along Colvin Street, South Rumpus — the ‘Subway Station’ event — will be offer refreshments for free, according to the website. Oja said the event, sponsored by Subway, will offer complimentary subs to spectators at the south side of campus.
The Syracuse Police Department will close the entire course to traffic.
For student-athletes like Jon Peres, a graduate student studying at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, the annual event is a good test to measure himself against his competitors, he said. Peres, who has been a participant of the festival since 2006, said that his best race record was a 16:17 in the 5K race in 2009.
Peres and his team are getting into shape for the races by having regular 4 p.m. practices Monday through Friday at the Physics Building on campus, he said. There are 15 boys and four girls on the squad, Peres said.
Oja’s objective is to make people aware of the festival’s initiative: encourage them to set and keep personal fitness goals and maintain healthy lifestyles, he said.
‘It enhances Syracuse’s reputation of valuing lifetime fitness in the community,’ he said.
Peres, who will be participating in the 5K race, said that while road races are more community oriented, performances are still measured.
‘It’s about pushing yourself in relation to others,’ he said. ‘To see the level of competition of running makes performance essential.’
Oja said his intentions for the festival include making it family-oriented. His aim is for it to be a true family event and not a competitively geared atmosphere, he said.
‘Any race makes running that much more fun to do,’ he said. ‘You have other people alongside you, and so many words of encouragement as you go. That’s my favorite part of any race, and I’m excited for it this year.’
Published on September 28, 2011 at 12:00 pm
