40 Years of Running Over Hills

By Ed Griffin

The 40th Annual Dunn Tire Mountain Goat Run is less than two weeks away and there is a great buzz around the event this year. By the numbers:

• The 10 Mile Mountain Goat Run is up 10% in participants over 2017
• The 2 Person Relay is up 39% in participants over 2017

The good news is there are 9 full days of online registration left and race weekend registration available. The race ordered 2500 premium price packages for those in the 10 Mile Mountain Goat or 2 person relay and total registration is over 2,430, so only 70 spots left to be guaranteed premium items at packet pick up. The event will do a second run of the premium items, for those registering after the 2500 spots are filled.

Last year was the first class inducted into the Mountain Goat Hall of Fame. The names of Kevin Collins, Jerry Lawson, Michele LaFluer, Mary Beth Roach, William Nurk, Walt Price and Charlene Lyford were etched on the 12 -foot high brass and granite monument in Onondaga Park.

This year Jerry Smith, David Beach and Randy Clark will see their names added in a ceremony that is open to the public on Friday May 4th at 5:15 PM.

Jerry Smith has been with the Mountain Goat since day one as a participant and later volunteered to coordinate traffic and was instrumental in working with the City of Syracuse to get the streets closed for the race. Jerry also designed the current 10 Mile Mountain Goat Course with the stunning views in Onondaga Park.

Davis Beach was also with the race since day one and one of the earliest Race Directors. He was also instrumental in starting the training runs that are held each spring to prepare runners for the race. David could be found cheering runners on at the finish line every year as a volunteer, until his untimely death nearly five years ago.

Randy Clark is the Chief Executive Officer of Dunn Tire and was instrumental in preserving the Mountain Goat Run over 14 years ago. At the time, the Syracuse YMCA owned the Mountain Goat but wished to give the race to the volunteers who worked on the event. The Mountain Goat Run Foundation was created and Fayetteville resident Randy Clark offered financial support through Dunn Tire to get the new foundation going. It was this support that allowed the race to move to Clinton Square and fueled the growth of the race.

Please join the Mountain Goat Run Hall of Fame Committee in celebrating 40 Years of Running Over Hills and the people who made it happen.