He Had Passion

Every year this week’s Toro Talk is always dedicated to the Critz Tybee Run Fest and how unique the event is to Savannah and to the sport of running. And it is, not only unique to all of the running events in Savannah but it’s also a one of a kind event in the country. I won’t call it the ultimate test of endurance, but will say if you’re a running or fitness nut, then this weekend is for you and it has everything for you. First, on Friday evening is the Basil’s Kiddie run, which is then followed by the North Beach Grill 5K on Friday night. The Sundae Cafe 10K kicks off first on Saturday morning, followed by the Chu’s Half Marathon, and then for you beach lovers the Lighthouse Pizza 2.8 Mile Beach Run. To finish it off an hour after the beach run, it’s a dash to the finish with the YMCA 1 Mile Run. So it’s your choice; you can run one, or you can run them all, any combination. And if you do all 5, you just ran 26.2 miles broken up - the perfect training weekend. And for those of you doing the Chu’s Half Marathon you will get a finisher’s medal when you’re done, and for those doing all 5, an ALL 5 finisher’s medal awaits your accomplishment. It’s a weekend of running, a festival like no other. Get signed up today for the Critz Tybee Run Fest. Friday is the taste, Saturday is the test! 

What a season we are in, a sad season for me. As I mentioned a few Toro talks back, we recently lost two very important people to the sport of running and fitness in Savannah - Richard Chambless of HostSouth, and David Glave of Event-Tech, both young men with passion. Now going into the Critz Tybee Run I have to again bow my head, shake my head, and swallow hard, because I have to tell you that again we have lost a young man, that was not only special to the City of Savannah, and the Island of Tybee, but to the Critz Tybee Run Fest.  A few days back Kevin Carpenter, the owner of Sundae Café passed away unexpectedly at the age of 39. Kevin was sometimes a runner, sometimes not, but he was all the time a great person to me and to the staff of the Critz Tybee Run Fest. I always adore people who are not in the running scene but love the running scene nevertheless. They get it, they see the attraction and they want to add to it because they know that fitness equals fun. They understand that the outcome of all of it equals better people, a better city, and a better place to live. Kevin understood that, and we talked about it a few times. I didn’t know Kevin very well, but I enjoyed his enthusiasm for anything running, fitness, or making Tybee a fun place to be. I am going to miss his face at the restaurant, I am going to miss his saying, “the chili is ready to go!!!”, and I will most definitely miss his face on race day. I love the Critz Tybee Run Fest, but it’s going to be a tough weekend for me and for lots of people, but we will run and watch the sun come up over Tybee for Kevin. In the movie Serendipity, there is a line from one of the characters named Dean: “You know the Greeks didn’t write obituaries. They only asked one question after a man dies: ‘did he have passion?’” These men did. Kevin did. Thank you Kevin.  

Robert Espinoza 
Fleet Feet Sports Savannah
Critz Tybee Run Fest Race Director