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'Moo'-ving right along: Cow Harbor Day and 10K Run
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| | | Cow Harbor Day parade kicks off at noon. Photo by Alan Pearlman (click for larger version) | |
September 23, 2009 | 02:58 PM
As it has for more than 30 years, Northport will honor its former renown as Great Cow Harbor this weekend with two major events which will draw thousands of visitors to the village. The Great Cow Harbor 10K Run and Cow Harbor Day take place on September 26 and 27, respectively.
The Great Cow Harbor 10K Run
The 10K Run, known for its circuitous and hilly course, is sponsored by Capital One Bank and sanctioned by the Road Runners Club of America. As many as 5,200 runners can participate, said Richard Boziwick, a longtime member of the Racing Committee whose directors include Bill Fleming, Harvey Sussman, Ron Matuza, Fritzi Gros-Daillon, William Fodor and outside consultant Jerry Wood. Volunteers from the Northport Running Club, Northport American Legion Post 694, the Boy Scouts and the Visiting Nurse Service will play a key role. The racing committee is grateful for their support, Boziwick said.
The race kicks off at 8:30 am at the William Brosnan Administration Building on Laurel Avenue, crisscrosses some of the village's most charming streets and finishes up on Main Street. Runners, fitted with chip timers, are assigned to waves based on predicted finish times. A 2K Fun Run/Walk begins three to four minutes after the last 10K wave departs.
While the Long Island's Special Olympics is the major recipient of the proceeds from this nonprofit event, other community causes also benefit, Boziwick said.
The race draws elite runners from across the country and with good reason. "It's a world class event. Ten plus Olympians have run the race. We attract the best of the best," said Fodor, who coordinates the star athletes who flock to Northport from states including California, Arizona, New Mexico, Michigan, New Hampshire, Virginia, Ohio, Wisconsin, Connecticut, New Jersey, Minnesota and Pennsylvania.
"This is the deepest field that we have had in 32 years," Fodor said, adding that he expects to see the fastest times in the race's history, with several runners finishing in the 28 to 29 minute range.
Male runners to watch out for include Arizonian Mohammed Trafeh (#6), defending champion Simon Sawe (#1) of New Mexico and Jason Lehmkuhle (#3) from Minnesota, Fodor said.
Fodor said that one woman favorite will be Katie McGregor (# 20) who recently represented the United States in Berlin, completing the 10,000 meter with a time of 32.18. "Katie will be eying the women's course record of 32.32 set back in 1994 by Jane Omoro of Kenya," Fodor said.
Those on the sidelines should also keep their eyes peeled for Mary Akor (#21) of California, Heidi Westerling (#28) of New Hampshire and Lindsey Scherf (#26) of Michigan.
Two new twists will draw attention to environmental awareness and the plight of those in need, Boziwick said.
Given the number of people expected at the race, Boziwick looks upon it as a quintessential opportunity to communicate about the need for recycling. There will be a well-designated dumpster set up in the North parking lot adjacent to the Village Park for glass, plastic and metal recyclables, he said.
The Great Cow Harbor Day Run is also partnering with Soles4Souls, Inc., thanks to the efforts of Boziwick's son, Matthew. Soles4Souls is a nonprofit organization which is making its mark on the world by collecting gently-used footwear and distributing it to the poor and victims of natural disasters. Gently-used running shoes can be dropped off between 6:30 and 9 pm at the Brosnan Administration building on Laurel Ave. on Friday, Sept. 25, or at the start and finish lines on the day of the race.
Interested runners will have their last opportunity to register for the race on Friday night, if spots are still open, Boziwick said.
Cow Harbor Day
The Cow Harbor Day Parade, featuring bovine-related floats and marching bands, kicks off at noon and will once again include the trolley, said Parade Chairwoman Mary English, who added that the Marine Corps League will participate for the first time.
The hometown parade, considered by many to be the day's highlight, continues to evolve because "people are taking an increased amount of pride in their entries," English observed. The Grand Marshal will be Mayor George Doll.
Cow Harbor Chairman Ken Savin said that there will be fun galore for families, both before and after the parade, including rides, food and entertainment, and plenty of surprises.
In addition to merchant sidewalk sales, vendors will be displaying arts and crafts, handmade jewelry, birdhouses, photographs and Northport calendars in the Village Park. The Kiwanis will be in the parking lot by the dock, serving up food for hungry day-trippers.
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter, Chinook, will be docked at Northport on Saturday, giving the public the chance to view the 87-foot-long ship in all its glory. There will be other boats of interest docked in Northport on Sunday, Savin said.
The Kayak and Crazy Boat Races will provide wacky waterfront entertainment at 2 pm. The theme for this year's Best Decorated Boat Contest is the 1960s and the Beatles.
In keeping with this theme, there'll be a concert in the Robert Krueger Bandstand from 7 to 9 pm on Saturday night.
It will be a Beatles tribute, and the Liverpool Shuffle will perform, Savin said.
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