VILLAGE OF MINOA – Following a mostly flat course that began and ended on South Main Street in Minoa, the Lake Effect Half & Quarter Marathon was hosted for the 12th straight year on Saturday.
True to its name, the annual event took place in roughly 30-degree weather with some runners more bundled up than others.
“It started off a little chilly, but it’s Lake Effect for a reason, so we wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Bert Gallmon, the race director. “Then the sun came out and melted the snow and it was all good.”
Gallmon took over the role this year for Todd Robertson, the originator of the wintertime run who decided to go without the regular back-and-forth from his home in Florida to Minoa to prepare for the event. Gallmon owns Wolfpack Multisport, a company that produces and manages endurance events involving running, cycling and triathlons throughout the Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse areas.
Assisting organizer Joe Woodworth had his team from USA Racing help out with road safety and the setup and management of the course on Feb. 18. His business on Collamer Road in East Syracuse is dedicated to screen printing, embroidery, medal designs and event services.
Gallmon and Woodworth said Robertson still had a hand in the event by answering questions over the phone and checking in to help ease the transition on the logistical end.
As in past years, Make-A-Wish Central New York was the main beneficiary chosen for the combination of Lake Effect runs. Founded in 1985, that local nonprofit chapter seeks to fulfill the wishes of critically ill children.
Gallmon said the chapter on Campuswood Drive in East Syracuse is attempting to carry out a would-be regional record of 92 wishes this year. He said the average benchmark for funding a wish is $10,000.
The title sponsor for the half marathon, the DeWitt Raymour & Flanigan store, pledged to match the amount raised in donations through its website dollar for dollar. Gallmon said the day of the 13.1-mile and 6.5-mile races that the furniture company’s goal was already exceeded by at least $1,300.
The Lake Effect event was partially conceived as a tune-up opportunity that would let people evaluate the progress of their exercise and make adjustments in time for warmer-weather marathons.
“It’s a great training race this time of year,” said Rochester resident Steve Levitsky, who plans to run a 50K in April.
Levitsky said it’s harder to race in cold weather but that he prepared for events like this past weekend’s by running similar distances three times a week.
It was the third consecutive year that the Lake Effect event was hosted in Minoa. It previously took place at Onondaga Lake Park in Liverpool