If I had to take a guess on the place that has seen the majority of my miles as a runner, other than the treadmill, it would have to be the graveyard track behind my house.
Union Cemetery, established in 1900, was named in honor of the two dozen veterans of the Civil War who now rest there. It’s a place that means quite a bit to me, both personally and as a runner.
I’ve spent hours on this fifth-mile loop training with my daughter and even more time pushing my son around in his jogging stroller more than a decade ago. I can remember the runs through the dense morning fog and the spooky night adventures with only my headlamp to guide the way. I’ve done countless sprints here and left my (sweaty) mark on the track with hundreds of pushups and situps. This track is a place that has seen every one of my peaks and valleys as a runner.
So when a storm knocked down a tree that fell on the track and subsequently toppled a few of the graves, I knew exactly how I wanted to spend the back half of my Fourth of July: Giving back.
I dusted off the saws in my garage and limb by limb, I deconstructed the smaller parts of the tree and slowly cleared the area. Every time I burned through a battery on my saw, I carried it back home to be replaced, along with a few logs under each arm. After a few hours, the charging batteries lit up my garage like a Christmas tree and a knee-high stack of wood now resided next to my fire pit. It was a hot evening, but I pressed on until I had reached my first goal: Fully clearing the path on the track.
It was too early to send fireworks into the sky, but that didn’t stop my neighbors from trying, anyway. It was a sign for me to call it a day and get back to the holiday celebration, but my mind never stopped wandering back to the work that was still left undone on the track.
For the rest of the weekend, I chipped away at the tree in my spare time until my wife began to wonder out loud whether there were better ways to devote my hours. She had a point, but what I gave back to the track that weekend paled in comparison to everything that the track has given to me.
When the work week started, the professional landscapers had arrived, pulling their truck right into the spot I had cleared. With about a half dozen men all wielding chainsaws, the fallen tree never stood a chance. After they pulled away I came to the job site for an inspection.
They did an excellent job, but I don’t think they noticed the fallen graves. It was my turn to tag back in. The stones were much heavier than I anticipated, but I lifted them back to their rightful places. The final grave I repaired belonged to George W. Frazier, his wife Magdelina, and his son James. I took a moment to appreciate the service of George and then looked back to the track, satisfied.
Once again all is right in the universe, or at least in my backyard. There’s only one way to celebrate and I think you all know how I’m going to do it: By going for a run.
1 STEP BACK, 3 STEPS FORWARD
Before the fireworks went off on Fourth of July, runners set the streets of Waynesboro on fire with the Firecracker 5K.
The race drew 403 runners and was conquered by Hagerstown’s Ryan Rasco, who topped the field in 15:41, and Waynesboro’s Bella Ruefle, who finished as top female in 20:04. Six area runners — Waynesboro’s Luke Manning (2nd in 15:56), Kyle Phillips (5th in 17:02), Nate Snyder (7th in 17:06), Devin Barger (8th in 17:08), and Isaac Moats (10th in 17:38), and Smithsburg’s Dylan Herbst (4th in 16:48) — landed in the Top 10. Other top times were recorded by Waynesboro’s Jayden Rooney (18:48), Clay Foreman (19:32), James Smith (19:40), and Jude Martin (19:41), Smithsburg’s Gavin Gross (19:22), Chambersburg’s Derek Book (19:35), and Greencastle’s William Davis (20:36).
Another Fourth of July race, the Greg Shank Memorial 5K in Williamsport, Md., featured a blazing-hot finish from Hagerstown’s Zane Chalker, who crossed the finish line in 15:18 to defeat the field of 138 runners. Chalker was chased by Smithsburg’s Tony Clement (2nd in 16:13), Jonah Smith (3rd in 16:26), and Corey Centofonti (19:26), Greencastle’s Kyle Baker (4th in 16:45), Jarrett Gelsinger (6th in 18:16), Logan Bohrer (9th in 18:40), and Abric Coy (19:02), and Hagerstown’s Greyson Wynkoop (17:56) and Allie Isaacs (3rd female in 20:56).
In Chambersburg, runners challenged themselves with the Tim & Susan Cook Memorial Mile. The men’s race featured Top 10 finishes from Chambersburg’s Aden Goshorn (3rd in 5:04), Aaron Goshorn (5th in 5:12), and Liam Coy (10th in 5:27), while local Top 10 finishers in the women’s event included Chambersburg’s Natalie Quinn (2nd in 5:27), Amanda Seibert (3rd in 5:44), Sarah Boward (4th in 5:47), Taliyah Raber (8th in 6:24), and Olivia Colli (10th in 6:32).
The Hagerstown Sprint Triathlon saw three area athletes earn AG awards: Hagerstown’s Ethan Downie (1:00:05), Maria Kramer (1:04:10), and Maddie Dawson (1:15:58).
A number of others were active in races across the region and beyond, including Chambersburg’s Reganne Engstler (34:58 at Quiet Valley Rooster Run 5K), Brent Rockwell (1:06:29 at US 10K), and Deb Stuard (2:24:57 at Blobfest Half Marathon), Fairfield’s Ronald Black (7:07 at Midsummer Night’s Mile), Kylen Rhoads (30:16 at Hagerstown Youth Triathlon), Kyle Schoen (4:06:22 at XTERRA EX2), and Ryan Bieber (2:06:39 at US Half Marathon), Hagerstown’s Travis Isaacs (24:22 at FSRC Independence 5000), Nathan Lushbaugh (27:18 at Firecracker 4K), Thomas Williams (26:18 at Moonlight 5K), Charles Tarpley (30:59 at Autism Speaks 5K), Mark Smith (1:19:01 at Ellwood City Arts & Crafts Food Festival 10K), and Mike Spinnler (1:06:56 at Tour de Brockway).
And finally, a shoutout to three members of Chambersburg’s Dymond family who all brought home hardware from the Seashore 5 Miler in Rehoboth Beach, Del. Laurie Dymond won the Masters Division in 38:44, David Dymond posted a 40:00 to take second in the 60-64 AG, and Isabella Dymond recorded a 45:10 to win the 20-24 AG.
And now, a look ahead:
Great Appalachian Valley Half Marathon: Saturday, 8 a.m., in Shippensburg. Aim for a PR with this flat and fast event, which also includes 5K and 10K options. Look up the race on runsignup.com.
Chuck Lesher 5K: Saturday, July 26, 8:30 a.m., in Shippensburg. Preface those deep-fried Oreos at the Shippensburg Fair with this long-running race. Find the event on timberhilltiming.com.
Christmas in July 5K: Saturday, July 26, 9 a.m., in Spring Grove. Enjoy an out-and-back on the Hanover Trolley Trail in this event, organized by the Spring Grove Borough Events Committee. Register for the race on runsignup.com.
Also: Let Your Light Shine 5K (Saturday, in Elizabethtown); Summerfest 5K (Saturday, in East Berlin); US 5K/10K (Saturday, in Akron); Presque Isle Half Marathon (Sunday, in Presque Isle); Quadzilla 15K Trail Race (Sunday, in Schnecksville); Conquer the Canyon Race Festival (Saturday, July 26, in Wellsboro); Cougar Prowl Ultra 24 Hour (Saturday, July 26, in Beaver Falls); Kinzua Half Marathon (Saturday, July 26, in Mount Jewett); Lost Turkey Trail Races 13.1M/50K (Saturday, July 26, in Imler); US 1M/5K/10K (Saturday, July 26, in Manheim); US 5K/10K/Half Marathon (Saturday, July 26, in Hughesville); Wings of Kindness Wildcat 5K (Saturday, July 26, in Millerstown); Double Trouble 15K/30K (Sunday, July 27, in Elverson); Run for the Elk Marathon Festival (Sunday, July 27, in Emporium); Run with the Deer Flies 15K/25K (Sunday, July 27, in Penn Run).
