Run for a Cause

SCHUYLERVILLE — Approximately three hundred sixty runners were registered for Saturday’s 5th Annual Revolutionary Run for Veterans in Fort Hardy Park in Schuylerville. This year the race had a new location and racecourse. Compared to previous years, this year’s course was relatively flat and fast. The race began at Fort Hardy Park in Schuylerville, and navigated the historic towpath north and across the canal to the Hudson Crossing park. Following a shallow loop around the Hudson Crossing Park field, the course entered the nature path along the Hudson River. The race returned on the towpath, and ended at the Fort Hardy Park. A section of the 5K race course has deep historical roots. This section took runners past the Champlain Canal Lock C5 in Hudson Crossing Park. In 1777, British General John Burgoyne led several thousand British and German soldiers across the Champlain Channel Lock to engage American militaries as part of Burgoyne’s journey south to conquer Albany. In an effort to cross the river, soldiers made several flat-bottomed wooden vessels to form what is now known as the “Bridge of Boats.” This resulted in the Battles of Saratoga, and is referred to as the turning point in the Revolutionary War. This in turn would lead to an eventual victory for the American forces. The race awarded the top three race finishers in age categories ranging from ages 1-14 all the way through ages 70-99. The youngest runner to place in the race was seven-year-old Madison Mailloux of Latham with a final time of 36:25. The oldest runner to place in the race was eighty-three year-old Richard Schumacher of Hoosick Falls, who finished the race with a time of 47:42. Twenty-year-old runner Jason Linendoll from Hudson Falls was the men’s overall race winner and the race’s overall winner, crossing the finish line at 16:50. Twenty-year-old Olivia Jaquith from Schenectady was the race’s female overall winner with a final time of 21:16. Proceeds from the race benefitted the Saratoga County Veterans Trust Fun. The funds received from the race will be used to help veterans with training, education, healthcare, housing, and services. Each of these projects is dedicated to the Welfare and Support of our Veterans. This year the race raised approximately $7,000. For Frank McClement, Director of the Veterans’ Service Agency, this event meant more than the amount of money raised. “It goes beyond the money for us. We typically don’t like to compare funds raised and runner participants year to year. As long as we keep raising money for our Veterans, then everyone involved in the race is happy.”