Broadway Ultra Society
PO Box 1239
Long Island City, NY 11101
212-496-3099
October 13, 2003
Dear BUS Member,
The Ted Corbitt 24-Hour Run is ON!!! Hallelujah! The event will take place at the Astoria Park track on Saturday, November 8 starting at 10:00 AM. Enclosed please find a race application. The 24-Hour probably became the hardest event I ever tried to coordinate, even harder in many aspects than the 8-day race across New York State.
You already have heard the saga about not getting Juniper Valley Park because of the Community Board. I subtly complained about David Duke and friends to the Parks Department, and they quietly tried to find us another site. The best choice was the Astoria Park track. But there were some complications in the beginning.
My Special Event contact took vacation, and the District Manager of the Park had a death in the family. I then went on vacation, and the proposed October 11 date was just not happening. I requested for another date, but the event still remained in limbo due to bureaucratic matters. I was not optimistic the event was going to be a reality. I finally received a confirmation a few days ago.
I personally preferred the Juniper Valley loop compared to the Astoria track, but thats past history. Conducting this event will be challenging, especially with the scoring on a track loop. The entry field will have to be limited. The number may be just 40 entries, but that could change. BUS Members will get first chance of acceptance, but I still suggest and request your entry to be submitted promptly. Please note that some nonmembers will be accepted.
My original intention was to organize this event with pomp and circumstance. But that will be impossible now at this late date. Even though event coordination will be a cram job, we will do the best we can to cater your needs. The event will still provide an abundance of refreshments. It will provide more food selections, than the usual snacks. And there will still be some perks, like high quality apparel for starting and choice awards for completing certain distance standards. Also, please excuse the high entry fee for a non-marquee event. Parks Department will be charging us 14 hours of overtime for an attendant to monitor the restrooms and the lights.
I realize the announcement of this event is at the last minute and I realize that you may have already made your ultra plans for the fall. But I thought it would be better to still hold the event than not. My reasons were to still honor Ted and to persevere despite all the obstacles. The success of the event will depend on your participation as an entrant, volunteer or supporter. I hope you will partake in some capacity.
Last week, I received a call from Admas Belilgne confirming the Knickerbocker 60 Kilo will not be held on November 29. I previously did hear a rumor. Admas said New York Road Runners (NYRR) are claiming that BUS canceled the event not the NYRR. I had to kind of laugh. The NYRR has over 30,000 members, a paid staff of 100 employees, annual revenue over 20 million dollars and conducts about 50 events a year, including the most prestigious marathon in the world. BUS has 200 members, one officer, just a score of volunteers and operating budget of $5000. If the Knick is not being held because of BUS, then the NYRR are vastly overrated or BUS is one heck of a super organization.
Obviously, Im being factitious. But to be truthful, I did resign from the NYRR ultra program. The original agreement was gradually just not being complied. I can remember the day (January 8, 1990) of my meeting with Fred Lebow and Allan Steinfeld. The agreement was BUS would do all the work of the Central Park ultra events, the NYRR would pay the expenses and BUS would get the net revenue and the NYRR would get the credit. The relationship was a sound one and it worked. I had to temporarily sever that relationship for 2 years, when there was a death in my family. But I still helped at the NYRR ultras during that time period. The BUS/NYRR relationship returned in 1996 but there were some changes.
One objective of the original relationship was for the NYRR to have a minimal involvement. The NYRR were greatly occupied with all their other events, and BUS would free the NYRR of the ultra responsibility. But during recent years, NYRR wanted more hands on with the operations of the ultra events, e.g. awards, entry blanks, supplies, tee shirts, etc. Their involvement became more difficult for me. I was expending a great amount of time at my job to coordinate and monitor these operations, but without any control. There also was a growth in revenue, because the number of the ultra entries increased over the course of time. BUS arbitrarily would assume some of the expenses, totaling to several hundred dollars per event. We even increased the entry fees by $5.00 to offset some of the NYRR cost, and there was still some grumbling about the lost revenue factor. I got the impression the NYRR wanted to conduct these events on their own. I thought it might be the right time for a change, hence my resignation. I realize BUS would take a financial hit, but the price was becoming too high.
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But on the other hand, I also want to praise the NYRR. They were supportive on many occasions with ultra events, even the non-NYRR editions. They paid for the indoor facilities at the Ted Corbitt 80th Birthday Run and the Joe Kleinerman 90th Birthday Run. They also were a principal sponsor of the Ted Corbitt 24-Hour Run in 1993. The NYRR would frequently lend BUS race equipment, and donate race supplies. The NYRR also provided my race education. And the NYRR tradition will always remain part of ultra lore.
I realize many local ultra runners were disappointed with the Knick cancellation, and some wanted to wage a protest. I cannot condone it. The NYRR personnel are overworked, and the NYRR probably needed to free a weekend for their staff. The Turkey Trot at Prospect Park on Thanksgiving has also been canceled. There are also some other mitigating circumstances (which I will mention later in this mailing), that are having a toll on the NYRR. My suggestion is to contact Mary Wittenberg and/or Allan Steinfeld by mail or e-mail and AFTER the NYC Marathon, and encourage the NYRR to keep ultras on their 2004 schedule. They might just not be aware that there is an ultra interest in the area. I think the best ways to get results are with constructive inquiries. Good luck.
In the meantime, Deanna & Paul Davis would like the Knick tradition to continue, and suggested to hold a low key event at Westport, CT as a replacement. Its a great idea. Unfortunately, I personally cannot commit to such an event, because I might be going out of town for the holidays. As mentioned, the core of my family lives in Richmond, VA and they need someone to drive my mother there. I will keep you posted if this event does occur. Deanna & Paul do realize time may not be on their side, but their efforts are still greatly appreciated.
I promised in the last mailing the 2003 summer Milestones of our members. Here are some of them:
Ellen McCurtin won the Vermont 100 Mile again, but with a lights out time of 16:51. She also was 6th overall. Other Vermont finishers were Nick Palazzo 21:55, Lee Dickey 21:57, Bruce Boyd 22:05, Charlie Dermody 22:06, Barbara Sorrell 22:23, Bob Schulz 22:46, Grant McKeown 23:34, Spencer Ellis & Juan Oliveras 24:23, Admas Belilgne 25:38, Hanna Ben-Shoan 25:44, Jozsef Kozma 27:26, Bruce Kacen 28:22, Ojars Stikis 28:26 and Greg Taylor 29:18.In other isolated trail100-mile runs, Charlie Dermony ran Massanutten in 34:05. Bob Schulz and Bob Oberkehr represented BUS at Western States with times of 25:17 and 28:32 respectively. Bob Schulz was at it again at Wasatch, finishing in 34:07 and closely behind was Nick Palazzo at 34:48.Trishul Cherns showed tremendous metal, finishing the grueling Sri Chinmoy 3100-Miler in 55 days 2 hours. Trishul also placed 3rd in the Sri 6-Day Run with 408 miles, while Roman Dzierlatka completed 255 miles. In the 10-day competition, Luis Rios totaled 525 miles.
There will be more Milestones in the next mailing. Please keep me informed with any new or previously missed information.
The next event on the calendar will be the 6 Hour-60th Birthday Run at Sunken Meadow State Park on Sunday, October 19. Post entries will be accepted. You can access an application and information on the newyorkultrarunning.org web site or call 516-349-7646. The objective of the event is to honor runners born in 1943, commemorating their 60th birthday. The founder and race director of the event, Vinny Croce will also be one of the honorees. Come and join the festivities.
Please keep sending material to Larry Katz and the above web site. Al Toths recent story in the last BUS mailing received positive feedback, and thats the type of stuff the web site is looking for. Each one of us has a story. Your ultra neighbors would like to share your ultra adventures.
And on a sad note, Joe Kleinerman has been transferred to Calvary Hospital in the Bronx. His health has been failing since March. If you have the opportunity, stop by and say Hi to Joe. Joe is in Room 519. Visiting hours are all day long, but a good time is usually during the meal hours. The NYRR has provided a 24-hour aide for Joe, and several staff members visit Joe on a regular basis to assist with feeding him. The NYRR has greatly extended to make Joes current residence a comfortable and dignified one.
I will be at the 6-Hour on the 19th. And please be involved with the 24-Hour Run on November 8. I would like to close out our season in fine fashion. I hope to see you there. In the meantime, take good care and stay well.
cheers,
Richard Innamorato
Executive Director