The Staten Island Runner

3 Mile Fun Run

September 18, 2004

By Dave Panza

Just when you thought we could never top the blizzard race of 2000, when four runners (myself included) ran in eight inches of snow, we have a story to top that one. Three hardy (or perhaps foolhardy) runners battled horribly rainy conditions to complete the fabled SIAC Run for Fun at Noah's Ark, I mean Clove Lakes Park.

Scott LaMorte covered the three mile oasis in 17:26, then went out to find his two other rivals through wet and foggy spectacles: President Mark Vogt and Fred Rigolini, who slogged through the finish line in 24:35 together. Mind you, the six hour race was occurring simultaneously, with several amazing runners battling these conditions for hours before it let up mercifully.

Rocks cascaded from Cardiac Hill to congregate precipitously at the finish line area. Floods rendered the starting straightaway useless, so our Three Musketeers ran on the grass instead to assure the completion of three miles. Every six-hour runner from outside our borough asked me the meaning of the clock I was guarding. I guess they couldn't believe two races could occur under such conditions, let alone one.

Congrats to the Three Musketeers for wading through water like I and my three cohorts (John Wowk, Alex Liberatore and Keith Gill) waded through snow nearly four years ago. They are the wind beneath my wings!!