Pottsgrove Runners, Others ‘Wing It’ At Airport Race: Heritage Field (KPTW), Pottstown, Pennsylvania

LIMERICK PA – More than 190 runners of all ages arrived Friday evening (June 20, 2014) at the Pottstown-Limerick Airport on Airport Road in Limerick Township to participate in what most considered a unique event: the chance to race on an airport runway.

They did it without competing against planes, too!

The Chester County Running Store, the race sponsor that operates at the Suburbia Square Shopping Center in Pottstown, convinced airport officials to close the runway for what it called The Saucony Mile. That gave virtual wings to registered runners in four different classes: A kids race for ages 1-15, male and female groups for age 16 and older, and a combined elite race.

• Watch a video (here) of the action at Friday’s Saucony Mile races, or see it at The Post’s YouTube channel.

The weather was just what runners might have hoped for, sunny and accompanied by a cooling breeze.

Every runner seemed to prepare for the event in their own special way. Some got help from family members, who made sure their gear fit properly. Some twisted and turned like pretzels to stretch individual muscles. Most took a practice lap or two around the track, or a shorter but suitable substitute.

Of the four races, the largest field by far featured the kids. They proved to be just as fit, if not more so, than the adults. They started at the runway’s east end and thundered down its asphalt, rounded two corners on the airport’s west side, and then headed straight toward twin flags that marked the finish line.

Greater Pottstown communities were well represented on the tarmac. Carl and Sylvia Landis of Pottstown, long-time volunteers for the borough chapter of SCORE, were among top finishers in their age brackets for male and female runners, respectively. Pottsgrove Middle School coach Marilyn Eaton took third place in her age bracket. Also competing in the kids’ race were the children of Chad Camburn of Bursich Associates, the engineering firm for Lower Pottsgrove Township.

Liam Conway was the kids’ race winner, in 4 minutes 50 seconds. Owen Dawson was the overall elite group winner, and also winner of its men’s bracket, at 4 minutes 10 seconds; Callie Hogan was its women’s bracket winner, at 4 minutes 55 seconds. Johnny Carnes was the overall men’s group winner, in 4 minutes 39 seconds; and Abby Deon the overall women’s group winner, at 5 minutes 36 seconds.

• Find all race results at the Chester County Running Store website, here.

Story, photo and video: http://sanatogapost.com