Kingston controls its destiny after victory
Kingston’s bid to be the top seed in the sectional tourney took a big step with the Tigers’ 59-47 win over Middletown.
The 37th Kiwanis Kingston Classic is 11 weeks away and there are plenty of key changes to this year’s event.
The iconic 10-kilometer road race will have a slight adjustment to its course, and the day has been pushed up to become a morning spectacular. The biggest news is the inclusion of a 5K race.
These changes for the event, set for April 28 downtown at the Rondout Creek Waterfront, were the result of a post-race survey sent to runners after the 2018 race.
Registration began in early January. To register, visit www.kiwaniskingstonclassic.com Fees are $25 per person for the 10K and 5K and $15 for a new 1.5-mile run.
“We had a question about everything, said Ron Swart, who is co-race director of the Classic with Carlos Perez, about the survey. “There was like only like three or four things that came back with any kind of comments. The biggest decision was that we wanted to add the 5K,”
The 5K was offered from 2014-16 when HITS Running ran the event. With the addition of the 5K, the 2.1mile walk/run has been dropped for a 1.5-mile run.
“Now that you got a 5K, why do you need a 2.1?” Swart said. “You’re only talking a distance of one mile and, in the meantime, by shortening the 2.1 to 1.5, we’re hoping to attract more families.”
“It’s more of a fun run,” Perez noted. “It’s more about participation.”
Added Swart, “It’s the Kiwanis Club. It’s community oriented. We’re looking to get families.” He
said there will be no awards handed out for the shorter run. “We’re going to time it. They’ll get bibs and they’ll have their times, but we’re not doing any major awards for them.
“I’m hoping that the 1.5 really starts drawing senior citizens, young people and really highlighting that it is a walk, run and fun,” he said.
The time was moved up, with the 10K switched from its standard 1 p.m. start to 10 a.m. The 5K and 1.5 mile both begin at 10:30 a.m.
“That was one of the things that came back in the survey,” Swart said.
“Particularly from hardcore runners,” Perez added. “I think we had, informally, gotten some feedback like runners from the running clubs, who would say, ‘Hey, why do we always do it at that time?”
The time switch will benefit runners and downtown businesses.
“We really do affect the downtown by not opening up the roads until 3 o’clock,” Swart said. “We’ll have most of them back open this year by 12, 12:30 at the latest, Abeel Street by 11.
“The EMS are the ones who came to us and suggested it, because they’re always concerned that if you do get a warm day it’s going to affect the runners.”
The event is taking place one week later to avoid Palm Sunday and Easter.
After receiving input from runners, organizers shortened a stretch of the course on the rail trail.
“We’re coming off the trail at North Street, back out to the Strand, so we’ve eliminated that section from North Street down to where Berardi Fuel use to be,” Swart said. “Actually, we had more positive comments overall about using the trail than negative, because they loved the scenery.”
This will be the third year the race has taken place downtown.
The addition of the 5K should boost turnout. The 10K drew 403 participants in 2018 and 171 for the 2.1mile.
“I’ll be curious for two things,” Perez said. “One is how the 5K is going to affect everything. I think it’s going to have a positive effect as far as the total number, and, two, the time. I’m curious how that is going to affect it. I think it will be a positive. I’m hoping that it will lead to increased numbers.”
“I think we’ll lose some of our 10K people down to the 5K and that’s fine,” Swart remarked. “If we can put 300 people out there on the 10K and we get 200 or 300 people on the 5K eventually and another hundred on the 1.5-mile, I would like to see us up to 650-700 this year. We didn’t make 600 last year and, hopefully, by adding the 5K, we can bump it up close to a 700 number, I’d love that.”
Said Perez, “I also think there’s a lot of people who thought 10K was too long and 2.1 miles was too short. There’s a group of runners that all they love to do is run a 5K, so I’m hopeful.”