The final act of our 2019 season brought us to Seneca Falls, New York, home of the Women’s Rights National Historical Park and the inspiration for Bedford Falls of Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life. Fittingly, the race race starts on the steel bridge upon which the movie’s span was modeled.
Or it would be more accurate to say that the head of the race starts on there bridge, with thousands more crossing it as they head for the streets of the idyllic village. The race’s leaders will be over halfway through the course before the last of the runners and walkers cross the start line.
The race was the last one for most of us in 2019, though it really didn’t mark the end of the calendar as Upstate New York boasts a number of winter races. That, the close association between the race and the annual It’s a Wonderful Life festival, and the proximity to Christmas draw runners from all over the state and country. As is my habit, I studied previous years’ results to figure out where I should position myself at the start. Over 5,000 runners and walkers had preregistered, and while I didn’t wish to impede anyone, I didn’t relish the though of working my way through such a large field.
December is a capricious month in Central New York. One year the race ran in 50 degree weather. Other editions saw drizzle or heavy snow. This year, the forecast called for temperatures in the mid thirties—and a drenching rain.
Traci and I drove to Seneca Falls several hours before the race began for packet pickup in anticipation of long lines. By the time the busses shuttled us to Community Center . . . the crowds hadn’t materialized. One organizer sardonically reminded participants that they wouldn’t melt in the rain.
The organizers understandably didn’t want participants filling the center’s gym as the crowds finally started to materialize, but we found shelter in another room which featured a live band.
I was well-equipped for the rain, though I didn’t relish the thought of running in near-freezing temperatures for the duration of the race. The storm kept over a thousand walkers and runners away.
During my last warmup, the skies started to spit; like a meteorological cliche, the rain transitioned to snow as we began to line up for the race.
I’ll take snow and cold over freezing rain anytime.
Past difficulties with the starts inspired organizers to place pace markers on the the bridge, with walkers at the back of the field. I positioned myself at the 8 minute mark, but I moved forward; based on last year’s results, a runner finishing in the mid 25 minute range would finish in the top 300 or so, and this is where I aimed to start.
The snow made for an etherial scene on the bridge; a bagpipe band played for us before marching off. The crowd on the bridge afforded some shelter from the winds. Many of the runners sported lights or costumes. The scene was festive, and for a moment my mind wandered away from the scene.
The horn blew, the race started—and as I descended the bridge, I saw a sea of runners in from of me. I wasn’t as far up as I’d thought. Runners bumped and pushed against each other; many of those at the head of the race took off at a gentle pace, and a few even walked.
I can’t fault the organizers, who did their best to have runners and walkers line up by pace. I really can’t fault some of the participants for lining up where they did. The bridge gave us an expansive, if windy view of the riverfront. But the mix of paces made for a sloppy start. I’ll have to remember this in future editions.
The sheer number of runners made it difficult to advance through the field. At times, echelons of runners would extend across the entire width of the road. There was no way for me to set a tempo in the first mile; I would rush forward, only to be held up by another group.
Locals cheered us on, sang, and provided libations to “thirsty” runners; once again, Fireball appeared to be the beverage of choice.
I never took a shot, but I’d gotten a bit more into the spirit of the season in the second mile. The snow was lovely, the locals friendly, and I settled into a bit of a groove.
It helped to have waterproof shoes. Puddles formed on corners, and I passed a fair number of runners by running through the water, which forced other participants wide.
The snow flying past the lights strung across Cayuga Street made for a scene worthy of Bedford Falls. “Mr Potter” and some of his cronies booed us as we ran past. It was gorgeous, but by now, the snow made the course slick; I had a bit of a scare when I slipped on on road paint. I didn’t fall or pull a muscle, but I eased my pace slightly and scanned the roads ahead with more diligence.
The course ended with a final descent to the finish, and I finished tentatively but without mishap. My clock time was 27:39, 20 seconds slower than my net time and well off my pace from the previous week, but given the size of the field and the deteriorating conditions. I had no reason to complain.
The race featured an expo with a number of food and vendors. Traci and I also registered for the “Taste of Before Falls”; for a nominal fee, registrants could choose from dozens of samples from local restaurants. We headed back to the shuttle bus with full stomachs.
This is a fun, festive event with a unique atmosphere and a strong community buy-in. Be prepared for crowds—and weather, but parking and registration are handled with efficiency, and the final mile of the course is something to behold.
Location: Seneca Falls, NY
Cost: $30
Swag: Shirt, expo, post race food. Food samples and medals at additional cost.
Events: 5K
Field: 3923
Result: 437/3923@27:39; 8:54; 19/168
Shoe: On Cloud Waterproof
