An annual race dedicated to the improvement of downtown Middletown attracted 3,500 people to run, walk, and cheer in the heart of the city on Aug. 17.
William Whelan, a Newburgh native and a legal professional living in Manhattan, was the first runner to finish the four-mile course, in 20 minutes and 29 seconds.
“I’ve been running my whole life, and it is a part of who I am,” Whelan told The Epoch Times. “The people you meet and the values it teaches you—there is nothing like it.”
He continued, “We are all in it, we are all suffering, and we are all getting better, and then we come out here and do something amazing like this.”
Keira Sandfort, a 9-year-old runner from Warwick, said, “I like running because when you cross the finish line, you know you worked hard for it.”
A member of the Orange County-based All American Blazers Track and Field Club, Sandfort traveled to Texas to compete in the 1,500-meter race in the National Junior Olympic Championships about a month ago.
Middletown resident Treinna Thomas, who picked up long-distance walking just two months ago for health benefits, said it was her first time completing a four-mile course.
“My mother is an inspiration for me,” Thomas told The Epoch Times after she walked past the finish line, adding that shortly before her mother’s death in February, she encouraged Thomas to try things beyond her comfort zone to have fewer regrets in life.
“I’ve always wanted to be part of a marathon in New York City,” said the Bronx transplant who moved to Middletown 14 years ago. “This is my first race, and I had a wonderful feeling at the finishing line.”
Over the past 18 years, Run 4 Downtown has grown from about 100 participants to 767 runners and walkers this year and invested $150,000 back into the beautification of downtown, according to Dave Madden, a longtime business owner and resident in the city.
Madden jumpstarted the annual race with his wife in 2006 to give back to the community, with support from the Downtown Middletown Business Improvement District and the city of Middletown.
“I am a lifelong runner, so the one thing I knew that I could bring is a running event that would raise money that we could then pump back into the downtown,” he told The Epoch Times, citing past investments in the Run 4 Downtown Park and the pavilion at the Erie Way Park.
This year’s proceeds will fund the restoration of the “Fireman Joe” statue on North Street.
“Not only did the race welcome the largest number of participants, but the post-party event also saw the largest amount of people; our estimates were about 3,500 people,” Mayor Joseph DeStefano told The Epoch Times.
“It was an exciting day for the city and an exciting day for downtown.”
Northern Academy and Orange Runners Club won the Small and Large Team competitions, respectively.
“Some people came from out of town and stayed at our local hotels, so this event had an effect not just on Middletown but the greater Middletown area,” Maria Bruni, president of Business Improvement District and director of the city’s economic development team, said.
This year also attracted the largest number of sponsors, including small businesses, community organizations, and educational institutions, according to Madden. Middletown-based Marshall & Sterling Insurance was the presenting sponsor.
Major upcoming downtown projects include a new section of Heritage Trail, a new welcome center, the restoration of the former O&W train station on Route 211, an upgraded city court on South Street, and a new garage across the Paramount Theatre, according to DeStefano.
