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Peace Race shines on 1,600 runners
By matthew peaslee
2011 Youngstown Peace Race 2 mile
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Race Results: 2011 Youngstown Peace Race - 2 mile
Youngstown
The 37th edition of the Peace Race invited more than 1,000 runners to Youngstown’s West Side.
Every one of them left with a personal reward.
So did the 545 runners who finished the Peace Race’s 2-mile sprint through downtown.
The 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) course showcases beautiful Mill Creek Park complete with full autumnal foliage.
“It was a simply beautiful day,” said race director Ted Rupe. “The runners were really treated to a special course.”
Even though Morocco native, and Hebron, Ky., resident, Abdelaziz Atmani was the first to finish the race, everyone involved was a winner.
“It’s great to see Youngstown pulling together,” Rupe said. “This is one of the biggest and most pleasant events in downtown, and it gets people excited.”
Since the inaugural race took place in 1975 as a 25-K run, many of the world’s most talented runners have descended upon the area for a training grounds against the best.
Two former competitors went on to become Olympic champions, while a handful of others have prepared in Youngstown for the world-renowned Boston and New York City Marathons.
This includes Atmani, 30, who will run in New York City on Nov. 6 for the ING Marathon.