From a giddy Race Director…
Jay Silvanima, 2007 Tallahassee Marathon Race Director
It’s hard to know where to start…. I’ll start with thanks to Jack McDermott, Gary Griffin, Fred Deckert, Felton Wright, and Mae Cleveland for insider information on what is necessary to have a successful Marathon. Next, it is thanks to the Gulf Winds Track Club Board for entertaining my budget which was presented initially with $3K in the black, then secondarily, after deciding to add prize money and house athletes, $3 in the red. Next, it is thanks to Philip Munoz for stepping up and taking complete control of the aid stations. Next, who can top Mark Priddy for his dutiful job of coordinating traffic control? Next, David Yon and Gordon Cherr (the two Lawyers!) for trying to keep me out of trouble; I hate to admit it but both of you have failed miserably! Next to Martha Haynes for doing such a great job with the web site in general and updating from scratch, with little warning, the new web pages for the www.tallahasseemarathon.com site. Next, to Peg Griffin for dutifully coordinating registration and packet pickup at the Hampton and the Mall, and for downloading and then entering mail entries for all 500 of the registrants into a spreadsheet! Next, to Robert McNeal for transporting hundreds of pounds of “stuff”, including about a hundred pounds of beer, to the Hampton Inn, the Mall, and the FSU track. Next, to Carlos Zapata for his sponsorship and for coordinating the sale of mile markers, and for hauling hundreds of pounds of “stuff” in his van from the mall to the Hampton and then back to my house. Next, to Linda Johnson for coordinating the packet stuffing and hosting the effort at her home. Next, to Kathy Lindsey for coordinating the hundreds pounds of food which were mostly consumed and to Cristin Burns of the New Leaf Market for donating lots of the food which was all consumed! Next to Brian Skene of the Hampton Inn for giving our invited athletes at least four complimentary rooms. Next, to Brian Hickey of the Tallahassee Sports Council for giving us not one, but two $1K grants from the Tallahassee Sports Council. I hope you felt rewarded by all the out of town visitors who made the race. Next to the Core Institute for donating many masseurs and to the masseuses for the hours they put into bringing runners back to life. Next to Competitive EDGE Multi-sports for their Massage contributions. Next, to Stuart Pearce for access and facilities management for the FSU track. Next to Rick Halverson, Florida Dept. Environmental Protection, Regional Trail Manager, for access to the St. Marks Trail. Next, Ken Bendy, RRCA Southern Director, and Michael Bowen, RRCA North Florida Representative. And least I not forget, Mr. Exacto himself, Bill McGuire, for helping me remark every single mile marker on the course. To everyone else I may have forgotten, AND TO ALL OF YOU RUNNERS WHO RAN THE HALF AND FULL MARATHON ON SUNDAY, thanks from the bottom of my heart! By the responses I received yesterday and today from all of you, THE VOLUNTEERS, did a fabulous job. It is truly amazing how many individuals helped with the event. And to end, my thanks to my ex-wife, Lora Silvanima, her Parents, Wallace and Patricia Kennedy, and my daughter Cassie Silvanima, and my Parents, James and Mary Capogreco for supporting me for months of preparation for this past Sunday.
Thank You, All of You! Jay