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Penn Relays: What Else Is There? Well, Some Things

Club Members and Guests --

It is not road racing -- except for the 20K Race which kicked off the festivities this past Sunday -- and it an event that few of us have had, or will have, the pleasure of competing in. But for anyone involved in the sport of running, the annual Penn Relays -- 2007 being the 113th iteration -- deserves note.

ESPN will provide two hours of coverage on Saturday, from 1-3 p.m. For over a dozen years, I've had the privilege of assisting as a spotter/statistician for these broadcasts, working under the tutelage of Walter Murphy, head statistician (I call him the "Content Producer") of virtually all U.S track and field broadcasts -- including the Olympic Games, World Championships, etc. The broadcast venue has shifted from year to year, but I'm personally happy for it to be on ESPN again, as we get to work with the expert broadcast "talent" of Larry Rawson and Dwight Stones. Hope you can catch the broadcast live or on TiVo/DVR.

Most of the broadcast will cover the "USA v. The World" events -- a series of races added about 10 years ago to the Relays program in order to showcase professional, world-class athletes. Aside from the up-to-the-starting-gun line-up changes, these events are fun (Jamaica does beat the U.S. sprint teams occasionally, much to the delight of the heavily Jamaican contingent in the north stands of Franklin Field.). But even those involved in the the broadcast, and in bringing these fine athletes to Philadelphia, will admit that these elite contests are not the "heart" of the Penn Relays.

To view that heart, you've got to be there in person. Over 10,000 athletes compete across three very long days of competition, ranging in age from middle-school shuttle relayers to octogenarian 100M sprinters. But the main focus is on the two dozen "Championship of America" relay events for collegiate and high school athletes -- and the brutal competition to even make the finals in many of these races. In years past, the championship moniker was a bit of a misnomer, as East Coast and a few Midwest schools took virtually all the titles. But for the past 25 years or so, schools from all over the country, and even from overseas, now compete. The hometown fans used to love it when Villanova was dominant, but the Relays are a far better event now, as even Wildcat coach and miling legend Marcus O'Sullivan stated this week.

Add to the drama of this many high-stakes races the sheer logistics -- 4 x 400M relay heats starting at 4-minute intervals gives you some idea. Franklin Field has a large seating capacity, but is hardly commodious. Crowding in the legendary "paddock," where teams check in and somehow manage to finish their warm-ups in the atmosphere of a jam-packed elevator is an experience unique to the Relays. By whatever miraculous formula, the 36-hour meet ends almost precisely at its appointed finish of 6:00 pm Saturday afternoon.

This weekend will be the 40th anniversary of my first trip to the Relays, which were the first time the event was held on an all-weather track. As a result, records fell that year by the cartload, most notably, the national record in the high school boys' distance medley. Essex Catholic of Newark, NJ, anchored by Marty Liquori's 4:04.4 mile, ran 10:05.6. While the record has since been broken (national record is now held by the Alan Webb-anchored South Lakes team), it is doubtful that Essex's time will be bettered by any team this year.

Our server is not big enough to chronicle the memories of that 40-year span. (This will actually be my 34th in attendance). I ran twice in the Relays, first in the 1976 Marathon, run on Tuesday of Relays week under a 90-degree sun. When I greeted my father in the press box three days later, it was as if I had anchored the college distance medley champions. I'll never forget that moment. Second was years later, in the now-defunct "media" 4 x 100M. I led off, and managed not to drop the baton. No more need be said.

My favorite Relay memory? Surprisingly, it was from a year I did not attend. On the last Friday of April in 1982, I was working at a law office in Chicago. Villanova at that point had a 16-year streak of titles in the men's distance medley. (My beloved Hoyas had nearly knocked them off in 1980, but were nipped at the tape.) A call came through to the office in Chicago, and a colleague told me it was my father. I looked at my watch. 2:15, meaning 3:15 Eastern time. The call could mean only one thing.

Georgetown, anchored by John Gregorek, had upset the 'Cats and broken the streak. An era had come to an end. Villanova would never again regain its dominance.

I have always thought that by some machinations in the great Cosmos of Sport, another, more famous, Villanova-Georgetown contest, played just prior to the third anniversary of that classic race, ended as it did in order to "even the score." But only a track guy, only a Penn Relays guy, would think like that.

And now, onto those other things . . .

1. Boston Marathon 2007: NEWLY UPDATED 4/20/07: THANKS TO THOSE WHO REPLIED TO THIS -- SEE EDITED LIST BELOW! I KNOW THERE ARE STILL SOME NAMES MISSING -- THEY WILL BE ADDED SHORTLY!

Congratulations to the DCRRC members who braved the elements to perform superbly at the 2007 Boston Marathon. Special mention must go to Toni Marie Diegoli, who placed as the 100th woman finisher overall, in a time of 3:09:31. Special mention as well to Karen Dickerson for her fine performance of 3:24:58.(Here's the complete list (please contact me if I have missed you!!)

Our teams also did very well:

Women's Open: Diegoli, Welch, Dahling, Dragovich: 21st Place

Men's Masters: D'Amanda, Anderson, Walters, Richter, Wind 24th Place.

2. Saturday Long Run: This week's run is on the 13-Mile Southeast DC Loop, which incorporates the DC Waterfront (don't miss the Titanic Memorial), a jant across the Douglas Bridge, and a vist near the site of the new Nationals stadium. Kerry O'Brien is still looking for water stop volunteers for coming months.