PEACE RACE Hubbard banker prepares for 15th

Bill Richardson's goal is to run a marathon on seven continents.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HUBBARD -- Bill Richardson, 62, will be running in about his 15th Peace Race Sunday when he competes in the 10-kilometer (6-mile) run in the 28th annual event in Youngstown.
The retired banker for Home Savings & amp; Loan Co., who placed 470th last year in 1:06.18, is looking forward to another enjoyable run through Mill Creek Park.
"[I like] just running through Mill Creek Park. It's the biggest race in the Youngstown area and it has the support of the YMCA. It's just a good, local, well-organized local race," said Richardson, who is a member of the YMCA and Community Cup Board of Directors.
But although Richardson, a South High (1957) and Youngstown University graduate and U.S, Army veteran, likes the Peace Race, his main interest right now is marathon running.
Seven Continent Club
In fact, Richardson's main objective is to become a member of the Seven Continent Club, which is a special group of persons who have run marathons on seven continents.
"So far there are 43 men and 19 women who are members of the Seven Continent Club throughout the world," said Richardson, who already has run marathons on three continents -- North America, Antarctica and Europe.
Africa is on the near horizon for him, and South America, Asia and New Zealand (for the continent of Oceania) are looming in the future.
"[I like] the adventure and travel part of it. You run marathons in exotic places," said Richardson, who is optimistic of reaching his goal. "They [the continental marathons] exist, and if I stay healthy I'll be able to do it. My wife, Louise, travels with me and she enjoys the travel and adventure."
Richardson already has done the Columbus and Philadelphia Marathons, and is planning to run the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 13.
He did the Jungfrau Marathon through the Jungfrau Mountains in the Alps in Switzerland last year on Sept. 2 --
"It's the highest peak in the Alps in Switzerland," he said.
Richardson ran in the Antarctic Marathon last March by running up a glacier in 10-20-degree temperatures and cold wind.
"We physically ran up the glacier and it was lot of sticky mud in their summertime. You can't get near it in winter. It is an ice pack. It was the coldest marathon I ever ran. About 67 [people] ran," he said.
Next year, Richardson will travel to Kenya to run in the Safari Marathon June 29 -- through a game park.
"So I [already] have three continents, and then next June, I will have Africa which will be four," said Richardson, who also is planning for more.
Easter Island and China
"For South America, I would like to do the one on Easter Island, and for Asia I'd like to do the Great Wall of China. The traveling and the adventure is what really make it interesting."
"Then I'll have one in New Zealand."
Richardson said he found out about the Seven Continent Club in more detail while traveling by ship to Antarctica.
"When I signed up for the Antarctica Marathon, going by ship to Antarctica [is] where I really found out a lot about it. There were three [people] on the ship who, when they ran the Antarctica, they became members of the Seven Continent Club," he said.
Although now into marathons, Richardson (6-0, 180) previously had competed in triathlons -- a combination of running, swimming and bicycling.
"I have been a runner all my life. Before I did marathons, I was a pretty heavily into triathlons. I really came from a triathlon background," Richardson said.
However, he has put triathlons on the back-burner for now while he pursues the Seven Continent Club.
But for this Sunday, the Peace Race is his main agenda.
Schedule
The 10-kilometer run will begin at 10:15 a.m. at West Indianola Avenue near Glenwood Avenue, proceed through Mill Creek Park and end downtown near the YMCA. The 2-mile Fun Run/Walk will start at 9:30 a.m. downtown near the YMCA where it also will end.
Registration will be held at Second Sole in Boardman today from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Entry forms are available at Second Sole. Registration also can be made Sunday until 9:15 a.m. at the YMCA.
Bill Rodgers, a four-time winner of both the Boston and New York Marathons, will be a guest runner in Sunday's Peace Race. He also will appear at Second Sole today from 2-5 p.m.