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Peace Race prepares for 39th
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
Like MVR wedding soup, Cene Park baseball games and Handel’s milkshakes, there are certain things the Mahoning Valley has perfected.
The Peace Race is another one.
In its 39th year, the 10K race annually draws more than 1,100 runners, with another 700 in the two-mile race.
Thanks to its downhill-heavy course that winds through the best parts of Mill Creek Park, the race appeals to casual runners.
And thanks to $10,000 in prize money — spread over 14 different categories — it appeals to serious runners, too.
“The first thing that makes the Peace Race so special is its history,” said Gary Sexton, president of the Youngstown Peace Race Foundation. “It’s remarkable how many great runners have been here in the past and how important it has been to the running community, from the beginning of the running boom until now.
“The race is almost 40 years old and it stands the test of time.”
Area running guru Ted Rupe, who has been either the race director or a board member every year since 1992, said the race undergoes some cosmetic changes each year (i.e. new sponsors, a new starting point for the two-mile race this year).
But the board mostly follows a “It’s not broke, so let’s not fix it” philosophy.
“It’s just a nice, festive atmosphere,” Rupe said. “It’s a celebration. A lot of the best runners in the world have run this course and think the world of it.
“That’s why I stay involved.”
This year’s race is on Oct. 13 — there’s still plenty of time to train — and starts with a free 400-meter run for kids at 9 a.m.
The two-mile race begins at 9:30, followed by the feature race, a point-to-point 10K that begins just east of the intersection of Kirk Road and South Schenley Avenue. The race then winds through Mill Creek Park and finishes in downtown Youngstown on Federal Plaza at the monument.
Pre-registration costs $25 in advance and $30 on race day. For more details, visit peacerace.org or gopherarun.com.