Peace Race comes a long way

Ted Rupe helped revive the Peace Race after the collapse of Phar-Mor.

By John Bassetti

YOUNGSTOWN — Ted Rupe will provide the timing service for today’s 35th Peace Race — a seemingly mid-stress-level assignment.

But not too many years ago, Rupe was part of an exceptionally disruptive time in the Peace Race’s existence.

It was 1992, when Rupe came on board as the Peace Race’s co-director with S. Mark Courtney.

The directors were counting on $70,000 from the race’s major sponsor — Phar-Mor — when the power-buying retail chain was having internal financial problems.

“With that, we could attract a heck of a field,” Rupe said of the incentive for elite and world-class runners as plans for the fall race were being made in the spring of 1992.

But, as Phar-Mor’s collapse unfolded over the summer, the outlook for the Peace Race looked bleak.

“We lost our funding in the middle of that year and had nothing for the next year,” Rupe said of a drop in operating funds from $70,000 to about $5,000 in one year.

“It took a lot of effort by the board partners to pull that race off,” Rupe said of surmounting difficulties those years.

“Just being able to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, financially, was a hard thing in the mid-90s because we had become so reliant on Phar-Mor.”

By enlisting the support of local business people and other sponsors, the Peace Race survived.

“Now, there’s $7,500 in prize money,” said Rupe, who continued to serve as director through 2008. “So, it’s back to a good, respectable race on a national scale.”

Rupe’s involvement as a runner in the race began in the late 1970s, after his college days.

“The 25k was a great race, and a lot of people would like to see it back,” said Rupe, who expressed doubts about enough solid entries.

“I don’t know if it would get that many participants [as back in the ’70s and ’80s].”

The 25k distance (roughly 15.5 miles) now has a home in the Youngstown Roadrunners Club’s half-marathon spring classic.

“That kind of serves the purpose of the old 25k because it tours the entire Mill Creek Park,” said Rupe. “So, for the Peace Race to settle on a 10k seems sensible. It’s pretty competitive and seems like it has worked out pretty well.”

The 10k was added in 1979 as an additional race, and the 25k was eliminated in 1989. There’s also an additional 2-mile fun run/walk.

The 10k’s Mill Creek course has been touted as one of the fastest in Ohio.

“It’s one of the top few 10k’s for times in the state,” Rupe said of the course that has a 250-plus foot drop in elevation over its distance. “That helps contribute to the speed as does the road maintenance. But just the park’s wonderful scenery is a bonus. It’s known nationwide and internationally.”

The first Peace Races were in early November, then gradually got pushed up to its earliest date ever: Oct. 4.

Other events in northeastern Ohio have a bearing on the changes.

The 54-year-old Rupe agreed that last Sunday’s Akron Marathon probably will take some athletes away from the Youngstown run as will next weekend’s Towpath.

However, the Peace Race has its own niche and a slot that isn’t disadvantageous.

“It’s hard to find a date not competing with something, but the Peace Race offers something entirely different than a marathon,” Rupe said of races that are designed for die-hards who live for the 26.2-mile grind.

“We offer a 10k where runners don’t have to put that much training in and a 2-mile fun race. Our market’s a lot broader than what a marathon can offer.”

Weather was a concern for the November Peace Races, but having it follow a cluster of marathons, such as Chicago, New York City and Twin Cities hurt Youngstown’s numbers.

“Once you run a marathon in the fall, they [runners] take off, so having the Peace Race before can serve as a good tune-up.

“We’re not going to shoot ourselves in the foot by having it after the series of marathons.”

bassetti@vindy.com

Youngstown Peace Race Results 2005-2008

Oct. 12, 2008

2008 results

Open Men

1. Abdelaziz Atmani, Indianapolis, Ind.29:33.0

2. Matt Folk, Oregon, Ohio29:37.0

3. Ryan Kienzle, Canton, Ohio29:40.0

4. Aaron Rowe, Powell, Ohio30:11.0

5. Timon Biwott, Elkhart, Ind.30:18.0

Open Women

1. (14th) Leigh Daniel, Ashland, Ohio34:23.0

2. (16th) Bouchra Sahli, Indianapolis, Ind.34:37.0

3. (17th) Jessica Kuhr Odorcic, Kirtland, Ohio34:51.0

4. (18th) Melissa Converse, Blacklick, Ohio35:11.0

5. (20th) Julie Nemergut, Youngstown35:15.0

2007

Oct. 14, 2007

Open Men

1. Matt Folk, Youngstown29:33

2. David Gramlich, 29:55

3. Jim Jurrevich, Columbus30:26

4. Nick Kruse, Austintown30:50

5. Fred Kieser, Cleveland31:31

Open Women

1. (9th) Lyndsay Benedict, Columbus33:07

2. (21st) Erin Nehus, Gallopolis35:03

3. (24th) Melissa Converse, Blacklick35:34

4. (33rd) Anjanette Arabian, Boardman36:41

5. (36th) Debbie Kilpatrick 37:14

Oct. 22, 2006

Open Men

1. Nicodemus Malakwen, Chapel Hill, N.C.29:29

2. Wilson Chebet, Chapel Hill29:30

3. Albert Okemwa, Chapel Hill30:23

4. Aaron Rowe, Powell, Ohio30:46

5. Timothy Budic, Cleveland31:39

6. Pat Mcguire, Presto, Pa.31:42

7. Joe Eby, Meadville, Pa.32:02

8. Dave Mealy, New Middletown32:03

Open Women

1. Magdalene Mukunzi, Chapel Hill32:30

2. Joyce Chematui, Chapel Hill33:36

3. Mercy Cheburet, Chapel Hill33:57

4. Erin Nehus, 33:59

5. Ann Alyanak, Dayton34:00

6. Claudia Colita, Romania34:27

7. Julie Nemergut, Edinboro, Pa.35:10

8. Becki Michael, Akron36:05

Oct. 23, 2005

Open Men

1. Matt Folk, Canfield29:44.0

2. Aaron Rowe, Powell, Ohio29:56.6

3. Leo Kormanik, Canton30:12.7

4. Nick Stanko, Ann Arbor, Mich.30:17.1

5. Dave Gramlich, Beaver Falls, Pa.30:19.8

Open Women

1. Jessica Kuhr, Madison, Ohio.35:21.3

2. Anjanette Arabian, Rocky River, Ohio.35:32.8

3. Shannon McConville, Westlake, Ohio.36:44.5

4. Melissa Rittenhouse, Wadsworth.36:47.9

5. Jeannette Boyd, Union City, Pa.38:52.8