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YSU’s Rupe in Peace Race field
By Brian Dzenis
YOUNGSTOWN
An Olympian, a former Youngstown State standout and a returning champion are among the estimated 1,500 runners expected to participate in the 42nd Youngstown Peace Race on Sunday. The 10-kilometer course runs through Mill Creek Park and ends in downtown Youngstown at Market and Federal streets.
“In the last 10 years or so, we’ve contributed $100,000 to local charities, such as the Rescue Mission, the St. Vincent De Paul Society, the Special Olympics, the Beatitude House, the YMCA and Akron Children’s Hospital,” Peace Race president Al George said. “We try to give our money to local and Ohio causes.”
The headliner on the elites list for this year’s Peace Race is Olympian marathoner Makorobondo “Dee” Salukombo. At Rio, he finished in 113th place racing for his native Democratic Republic of Congo.
In 2000, Salukombo’s family was forced to flee to Uganda as refugees. They stayed there for four years before moving to the United States. He graduated from Denison in 2012. The 28-year-old now runs his own charity, Project Kirotshe, named for the town he grew up in his native country. It helps kids in the Congo pay for school and forms competitive running teams. His story has been told by Sports Illustrated and NPR.
Other international elites on the men’s side include Kenyans James Kibet, Robert Gititu and Kennedy Kemei. Kibert was one place short of making his country’s 5000-meter Olympic team and Gititu won the Toledo Marathon in April. Kemei won the Tallahassee Marathon in February.
Former Youngstown State distance runner Eric Rupe returns to defend his title as best Ohio runner. The Maplewood product finished in fourth place in overall competition. He now serves as a volunteer assistant coach with his alma mater’s track and field team. Canton native Ryan Kienzle is a previous winner in the Peace race, taking the best U.S. men’s runner honor in 2013.
On the women’s side, Kenyan Joan Ayabei is coming off a record-setting performance earlier this month at the Octoberfest 10K in Minster. She ran a 32:43 to break the course record. She’ll be joined by fellow Kenyans Veronicah Maina, Daisy Kimeli and Gladys Cheboi, who have traveled together to various 10Ks and other marathons.
Ellie Hess, a 2005 John Carroll graduate, competed in the Olympic Trials this summer at age 33. Another trials runner in town will be Kent State geology professor Elizabeth Herdon. In 2014, she set the world record in the “Beer Mile.” A beer mile is when a racer chugs a can of beer before four laps. She chugged a Fat Tire before completing the mile in 6:17.
The Peace Race will have a two-mile kids fun run at 9 a.m. and a two-mile walk/run at 9:30 a.m. before the 10K starts at 10 a.m.
“It’s our 42nd year,” George said. “Everything is going strong and it’s all good.”