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Last Updated: 26 July 2014 26 July 2014

[Enjoy pictures taken by Cheryl Capone of 10K and 10 Mile racers as they headed across the IST Bridge, and then as returned for the final mile and a quarter of their respective races. There are also some pictures on the 10K and 5K race results pages.]

The weather on July 13 for the 39^th Annual Sue Crowe Memorial Arts Festival Races was only warm, not hot, and although humid, a few breezes were felt out on the courses. For the second year, the 10 miler was run together with the 5K and 10K. The 5K was different from the past few years because of construction of the gas line on the western portion of Curtin Road. The temporary course was, in essence, the 10K course without the parts west of Shortlidge Plaza.

There were 675 total registrations. Finishers in each race: 311 in the 5K, 173 in the 10K, and 142 in the 10 miler. The number of 10 miler entrants continues to surprise me, although if you ran the race back when I did it, that was the only race offered. Overall winners in the 5K were Matt Groves and Megan Marshall; Matt’s dad Harry Groves, the legendary Penn State track and field and cross country coach, was on hand to see Matt finish. Harry started this race 39 years ago for the then-Nittany Valley Track Club because their other events, like the marathon/half marathon, were in the winter. That first course, never used again, began near Bellefonte, at the bottom of a very long hill, and ended up on College Avenue. Overall winners in the 10K were Alex Monroe and Lauren Philbrook, who actually finished right behind Alex. Among the 10K finishers was George Etzweiler, the Dean of State College running, still doing at it at age 94. Winners for the 10 miler were Dan Craighead and Samantha Snead. You can see all the results at the race webpage:
     http://www.nvrun.com/index.php/racing/club-sponsored/arts-festival-races

The Daily Collegian had a story on the race:
     http://www.collegian.psu.edu/news/borough/article_bf7f693e-0b5a-11e4-a6ce-0017a43b2370.html

This race would not happen without the efforts of many volunteers. Saturday packet stuffing: John Iceland and daughter, Lance and Carol Bland, Carl and Nancy Miller, Mike Casper. Sitting at the registration table on Saturday: Meira Minard, Bob Shafer, Paul Lammert, Nina Safran, Mark Bergstrom. Scott Gest helped me pack up at 5 p.m. and then distribute tables and hoses for the water stations. Scott was also there at 6 a.m. on Saturday to unpack and then to do whatever needed doing. Sunday registration: Teresa Timmerman, Kim Faulds, Lyn Gerace, Sally Assman, Steve Maczuga, Susan Holderman, and Amy Mensch. Stephen Ast picked up the food and then arranged food and awards. Out on corners on the courses: Kim Nelson and kids on the BJC “loop,” Jeff Welsh at the “Five Points,” Cheryl and Brian Capone on Burrowes at the IST Bridge, Andrew Maguire at the Shortlidge water stop, and Kim Gasper at the 10K/10 mile split near Corl Street. Water stations: Nittany Track and Field parents and athletes took over the Shortlidge Plaza water stop that services all the races, with Mark Linderberg (head), Ryan Lindenberg, Jennifer Stahl, Auja Stahl-Smith, Lucy, Kapri, and Jahmir Urie, and Jim, Emma, and Victoria Maras. IST Bridge: John and Lisa Pringle and Todd, Tara, and Maddy Baney. The 10miler water station at Radio Park: Vicky Mazur, Caitlin Quinn, and Ben Barben. Hauling and cooling water bottles at the finish line: Judd and Davis Michael and Nate Korn.

Shadowing me throughout packet stuffing on Saturday and then from 4 a.m. on Sunday, when we put up directional signs and mile markers on all three courses, until sometime on Sunday afternoon when we took them all down, was next year’s Race Director, Dana Gingerich. If you look at the 5K finish photos, that’s Dana holding the finish banner. Being RD of this race is not easy: three courses, lots of moving parts, and various entities to secure permission from: State College Borough, College Township, Ferguson Township, PSU, and Penn DOT. I wish Dana well, and I expect to be around next year doing some of the things I’ve been listing.

Thanks to Rick Bryant and Carol Baney from our partner, the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. Thanks to our principal sponsor, University Orthopedics (UOC). Thanks also to Roaring Spring Water for all the bottled water, Rapid Transit for the stuffing bags, State College Spikes for use of Medlar Field, Appalachian Outdoors for award gift certificates, and the Central PA Convention and Visitors Bureau for use of their building for Saturday registration.

Meira Minard was everywhere both days and directed the ever-popular kids races. Her writeup appears elsewhere on the race webpage.

If you volunteered and I forgot you, let me know. If you ran, and we messed up your place or name, I can fix that. Let me know. And send along any comments and suggestions.

David Eggler, Race Director
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