POST RACE NEWSLETTER • 20th Running of the Leatherman’s Loop
So I am setting up for Sunday and decide to have lunch with Judy at home. She greets me at the door and walks me to the kitchen window to “meet her friend”.
There he is; a perfectly healthy looking male wild turkey with a problem. A hunter’s arrow is protruding through his body with the arrow feathers dragging on the ground beneath his wing. He had visited for most of the morning and had looked into most of the windows of our home.
We were powerless to assist this beautiful bird as he carried his burden off into our back woods. This is where I bring all of you into this story. Each of us collects burdens as we move through life. Each of these burdens can and will separate us from the “flock” and leave us feeling alone and wounded.
On Sunday, in the rain and the mud and the cold, runners and organizers alike were able to reconnect with their extended family of brothers and sisters. The only burden was the task at hand and everyone was up to the challenge. The spirit of the “Loop” is soaring and we thank each of you for giving it lift.
Many of the plans for the day had to be changed or scrapped as Mother Nature asserted herself. You didn’t get to hear the Mariachi band out near the water stop and the Leatherman had to send out a substitute. The first pitch by Craig Swan was rained out and pre-race ceremony and announcements were dropped.
Some Key Race Day Players
PEPSICO Runners • PEPSICO in Purchase N.Y. sponsored nearly thirty company employees to run. Fitness director John Monroe coordinated the effort and both he and PEPSICO deserve a lot of credit. Do you think they had a hot shower on that bus?
Joe Stanley and Rick Hubbell • What can you say about two guys who have run all twenty “Loops”. A talented artist named Karen Sherwood Created engraved bowls for each of them. The words read LEATHERMAN’S 1987-2006 LOOP.
Tommy Nohilly • A remarkable runner and a world-class performance. Tommy is the first three time Loop winner for men and the only runner under forty minutes on Sunday.
Kerry Arsenault • Kerry finished second to Monika Schnee and was denied win number six. She competed in a 50 kilometer race the day before the “Loop”.
Roger Borsett and Bob Goldblatt • These two young veterans ran Loop number eighteen.
Carol Kane • Carol competed in the 60-69 age category for the first time this year and finished in 1:07. She ran The Boston Marathon on Monday before the race.
Doug Goldblatt and John Krasniewicz • Doug ran number 17 and John has run nearly that many. They crossed paths at about the 15 mile mark of Boston on Monday and took the opportunity to talk about the “Loop”.
Tim Parshall • Tim came in under 50 minutes again this year. He also drew the frog Mandela for the race shirts. Everyone who got a shirt should know that there are 20 frogs and 10 Ks in the design. The art for all but four of the race shirts has been created by Tim.
Running Angels • A contingent of female distance runners along with coach John Downey from The Academy of the Holy Angels joined in the fun this year.
John Lawrence • It’s not easy to find a yodeler who is willing to work in the rain. John was the right guy. His voice has been recorded at a distance of seven miles. He once finished second in a national hog calling contest and there is a mountain range named in his honor in Antarctica.
Leah Rosenfeld • We invited Leah to the race so that we could acknowledge her amazing running achievements. She captained the Ridgefield Ct. H.S. girls cross country team to two state championships. She was named all American in the 4×800 and the distance medley events and is ranked 18th. in the nation for the mile. She is headed off to run for Penn State in the Fall. She helped with the Kid’s Loop on Sunday.
Kevin O’Rork • Kevin played his bagpipes they filled with water. What a trooper.
Danny Martin • More than anyone, Danny has set the spiritual tone at the “Loop” and filled the event with substance through his words and his presence. His blessing will conclude this newsletter.
Veteran Runners Geoff Steadman, Gary Esposito, and George (the Cannonball) Buchanan • These grizzled veteran runners have added a special flavor to an already special race. Checking the race results through the years, these names just keep on appearing.
Some Thoughts on Scoring & Posting Your Finishing Times • Your race organizers are aware that some of you who ran did not get posted on the list of finishers. We are also aware that some of the posted running times are incorrect.
The scoring service from last year was not available to score this year’s race. Volunteers stepped up to get the job done. Given the conditions (torrential rains that caused the scoring slips to stick together, a limited power supply for the computer equipment, and over 300 same day runners that had to be entered into the database while you ran) a difficult job became nearly impossible. Please understand that our volunteers did their best given the conditions.
Please e-mail us at leathermansloop@gmail.com with any omissions and/or errors in the scoring and they will be corrected to the best of our abilities.
LEATHERMAN BLESSING
To help enhance your experience, today – to appreciate the beauty all around you – here is a simple meditation/mantra adapted from the Navajo and Irish traditions. Say it as you run, it will give strength to your legs and courage to your heart.
Beauty before me as I run
Beauty behind me as I run
Beauty below me as I run
Beauty above me as I run
Beauty beside me as I run
Beauty within me as I run.
I see beauty all around.
In beauty may we walk.
In beauty may we see.
In beauty may we all be.
-Tony