Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Cross Country Course Renewed

There has been a big push to rejuvenate the Cross Country courses at Fairmount Park's Belmont Plateau.  They have been in use by high schools and colleges since at least the 1960s.


I had the pleasure of running there in 1977 (I think? Help me out Larry and Kelly??).  It was an OK course and more challenging than most courses.  We were up against Villanova and we, of course, beat them if I remember correctly???  My claim to fame (!) was beating both Mark Belger and Don Paige in the race, the only one I ever ran against them.  I met Don last year with Greg Fredericks when he was inspecting the Ashenfelter Indoor Track.  Don's company was in charge of the design and installation of the track, and certainly did a remarkable job.  I pointed out to Don that I was undefeated in my races against him.  It landed with one of the largest thuds ever!  I didn't mean to offend him, but it certainly ended our conversation then and there.  Oh well.....

They are bringing the course back to its glory and looking to attract some big meets to the Philadelphia area.  They recently started a Hall of Fame and had the first annual Hall of Fame Classic.


If you are interested in helping out, join the Belmont Plateau Trails Alliance!


 
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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 2, 2015 at 9:28 PM

    '77. we won 19-40 - 1,3,4,5,6. Probably Baden, Ziggy, Rapp, Cooper (?), Lovett (?).

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 3, 2015 at 8:50 AM

    Felice (?) Skwilli was 7th (?) Clelland (?)

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  3. TruthbetoldSeptember 4, 2015 at 8:38 AM

    I will be lugging my just-getting-back-to-running-body up parachute hill this 50th year of Belmont races. A substantial number of Belmont alumni are very upset because the commemorative race was poorly advertised and only to a select group (not including perennial competitors from the Big Five, Ivy, and other college leagues, ass well as, the Public and Catholic Leagues, Inter-Ac, and PIAA schools). That race is planned as an annual race to raise funds, but this year's turnout only amounted to a very poor 170 runners AND walkers. Here's hooping they get some people who really know how to administer a special race. Thus, to celebrate in their own way, there is a huge contingent of alumni planning on running one of the several other open races available this year.
    KKOB80

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  4. TruthbetoldSeptember 4, 2015 at 8:46 AM

    The Villanova meet found us winning by a score of 19-44.
    Dave, Belger may have been upset at your comment because he got injured during that race and dropped out.
    Felice and Baden tied for first.
    Maree 2nd.
    Ziggy and Rapp 4-5.
    Larry and Frit 7-8.
    And to close out the 7 in top 10 PSU harriers was a guy who seems to be always forgotten as a 4-year varsity-letter guy in XC, ummm, me!
    KKOB80

    ReplyDelete

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