At Healthy Kidney 10K, Many Reasons to Race
Third annual event unites runners, benefits National Kidney Foundation
New York City, May 19—Thousands of runners of all ages and abilities warmed up a chilly Central Park this morning at the third annual Healthy Kidney 10K.
Even as overcast skies threatened with a sprinkling of rain, the participants streamed across the starting line to begin their loop of the park, cheered on by family, friends, and fans. Though Dathan Ritzenhein’s record-breaking finish, unseating two-time defending champion Craig Mottram, was the story of the day, all the 5,413 finishers had their day in the sun (which eventually emerged).
From the sub-five-minute-per-mile front runners to those at the back of the pack, participants pushed hard in this race to benefit the National Kidney Foundation. It was fitting that Ritzenhein received the loudest cheers at the awards ceremony when he announced his plans to donate his $7,500 first-place prize money to the National Kidney Foundation. “This is an amazing race,” he said to long applause.
“It’s really fabulous to have this event,” said Ellen Yoshiuchi, program director of the National Kidney Foundation of Greater New York. “For our organization it means a lot. It makes so many people aware of the diseases.”
Yoshiuchi added that many runners had visited the NKF booth at registration to tell her they were running on behalf of a friend or family member with kidney or urinary tract diseases. “They kept telling me how meaningful the race was for them,” she said.
Lynne Davis, a Brooklyn resident, said she was running because her father died of kidney cancer in November. “I’m out here to honor him,” said Davis, who finished in 1:00:42, “and while I’m running today I’m going to be focused on thinking about him.” Davis has applied to run the ING New York City Marathon in November.
“I’m running because of my dad, who passed away,” said Bikens Pierre, who is from Haiti by way of Brooklyn and finished in 45:55. “It has great atmosphere and ambiance, and it’s amazing to be able to be part of such a big event that is finding a faster way toward curing [these] diseases.”
The delegation from the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, which sponsored the event and had dozens of runners in the race, also had a personal connection to kidney diseases. The country’s late president, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, underwent a kidney transplant in 2000 and made a point of supporting kidney-related charities until his death in 2004.
“This is to honor him, on behalf of our country, and to support people of all nations, especially those who cannot afford to get this kind of treatment,” said Mohamed S. Al-Kendi, the country’s assistant military attaché. He also said that, as an Arabic country, it was important for the UAE that the race took place in New York. “It helps our nations have closer relations, and helps to bury some wounds and close the gap between us, which is so wide these days,” he said.
Other runners had less of a personal connection to kidney disease, but still took part with enthusiasm.
“I just love NYRR races,” said Darren Goldman, who ran the race wearing a large Styrofoam structure on his shoulders in the shape of a lighthouse. “There’s just so much camaraderie, it feels great to run in Central Park, and it’s beautiful to see so many people for such a good cause.”
Because the race was an NYRR qualifying event toward eligibility for guaranteed entry in the ING New York City Marathon 2008, some local runners – like Arnulfo Flores and Nick Rosello from Brooklyn, the Bronx’s Mary Rogan, and Manhattanite Andrea Masters – said they were simply tuning up for the big day.
Then there were first-time racers like Manhattanite Tessa Peng, who was running with two friends. “I’m expecting to finish,” she said (she did, in 56:50), “but it’s really more just the experience of being out here with all these people in such a large race.”
NYRR president and CEO Mary Wittenberg said she was proud of all the athletes who competed, noting how the event was indicative of what NYRR wants to accomplish: “We’re here to change the world for the better through running.”
The Healthy Kidney 10K, which is sponsored by the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, helps raise money for kidney cancer research.
