በመጪው እሁድ ለመጀመሪያ ጊዜ በሃዋሳ ከተማ በምካሄደው የኃይሌ ገብረ ስላሌ ማራቶን ውድድር ላይ በርካታ ዓለም ኣቀፍ ታዋቂ ኣትሌቶች እንደምሳተፉ ተነገረ

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Foot Power: York Countians head to Ethiopia for milestone race

York's first family of running, the duo of Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell, wear so many different hats in our local racing community that they are impossible to pigeonhole. They are runners, race directors, photographers and, perhaps most importantly, well-connected veteran gurus who enjoy dispensing advice to the younger generation.
On top of that, they are almost legendary in the world of marathon running.
Between the two of them, they have completed nearly 300 marathons in their running careers. Both have finished marathons in all 50 states, and Shaw is at it again for a second circuit. They have raced in different countries all around the world, and now the pair of 60-somethings are heading all the way to Ethiopia for their next adventure.
Shaw and Mitchell will be traveling to Hawassa, Ethiopia, where they will take place in the first-ever Haile Gebrselassie Marathon on Sunday. This race will be the first to bear the name of arguably the greatest distance runner in world history.
Gebrselassie, who has set 27 world track and road records and won four World Championship titles and two Olympic gold medals in the 10,000 meters, is a legend in Ethiopia. He owns a hotel in Hawassa and was instrumental in bringing this event to his homeland. Gebrselassie will also be a full participant in the event.
This event will be the first peoples' marathon to ever be held in Ethiopia, the birthplace of some
of the greatest marathoners in history. Elite runners from around the world will be there to compete for the gold - literally. The men's and women's overall winners will each receive 12 ounces of gold (current value: around $1400 an ounce).
According to race organizers, Hawassa is a city of approximately 250,000 in south central Ethiopia, about 170 miles south of the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. Hawassa sits at about 5,600 feet above sea level and has a dry, pleasant climate. The city is on the shores of Lake Hawassa in the great Rift Valley, ancestral home of the world's greatest distance runners.
The races will be held entirely within the city limits of Hawassa and be contested on a flat, two-loop course. There is a short stretch on a hard-packed dirt road, but the bulk of the race will be on pavement. One cool feature is that there will be native musicians performing along the course.
The name of the organizing company is Moray Mountain Sports, run by Tim Murphy, the man who created such prestigious events as the Carlsbad 5000, the Arturo Barrios 10K, and the Rock 'n' Roll series of marathons and half marathons. Murphy sold the Rock 'n' Roll franchise five years ago and has been inactive in the running business ever since.
"I always knew I'd put on another marathon, but I never wanted to put on just another 'me-too' race," says Murphy. "That's why a marathon in Ethiopia is so intriguing. Runners today have done all the big races and are looking for something different, something distinctive, something to add to their bucket list. That's what the Haile Gebrselassie Marathon is all about. It will be a unique event in an area of the world few Westerners have ever run."
For more information on the race, check out the official Website at hailemarathon.com.
Marathon Melcher >> Dallastown's amazing marathon man Bob Melcher, who is attempting to follow the Shaw's example by running a marathon in all 50 states, was at it again on Oct. 6. Melcher completed his 29th career marathon, and racked up his 22nd state, by racing in the Maine Marathon.
Melcher, who runs marathons despite using a pacemaker, finished the race in Portland, Maine, in 3 hours, 40 minutes.
"I felt strong throughout the whole race," he said. "Since I have been working in York City for the past four months, my stamina and strength have improved. Running and throwing trash for hours with very little breaks can do that for a guy."
Newcomer unfazed >> Scott Newcomer planned to run the Grindstone 100 this past week, a 100-mile ultra run in Virginia. However, the race was a casualty of the government shutdown, and it was canceled.
"As you might have already guessed, that is not stopping him," said spouse Stephanie Newcomer. "He is running 115 miles to Washington D.C. instead. We even had shirts made that say 'Still Running When Our Government Isn't.'"
You have to love that never-say-die attitude.
Winter Series >> Registration for the York Road Runners Club's Winter Series is now open. The first race in the series is the Dover 10-Miler, which is scheduled for Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. Doug Barnett will direct the race, so for details about this specific race, contact Barnett at 891-5016.
There will be plenty of details about this series in the upcoming weeks. For now, head to the YRRC Website at yorkroadrunners.com to register and to see this season's complete schedule and more details. Contact series director Margaret Moore at winterseries@verizon.net for more information.
WellSpan Running Series >> Due to an earlier deadline this week, results were not available yet from the David Tome Memorial 5K, the seventh and final event in this seven-race series. The race took place Saturday in Spring Grove. Results from this race and the final points standings of the season will be unveiled as soon as they are posted.
Partners in the Park >> For the same reason listed above, results were not delivered in time for the 29th annual running of this event, which took place Sunday at Rocky Ridge County Park. Results will be posted next week.
Race postponed >> The Susquehannock Alumni Association 5K was a victim of the flooding over the weekend, as the race was postponed. No word yet on whether or not it will be rescheduled.
Run For Their Lives>> This event is slated for Saturday, and it will take place at Dallastown High School. There will be a 1K, 5K, and 10K race for runners to choose from. Race time is 8:30 a.m. Go to r4tl.com for more details.
Beat the Chicken 5K >> This race also takes place Saturday at John Rudy Park. Race time is 9 a.m. Go to www.rapha-christian-ministries.org for the scoop.*
Lori's Loop >> This new 5K will take place in Haines Acres on Saturday. Contact race director Lori Rhinehart at lrhinehart1@comcast.net, or check out yorkroadrunners.com for more details.
PA Breast Cancer Coalition Think Pink 5K >> This event with the lengthy title will take place on Oct. 26 at Sunset Lane Park in York. Race time is 9:30 a.m., and there will also be a walk. Check out the official Website at http://sites.google.com/site/thinkpink5krun/home for more info.
Boo Run Run 5K >> If you feel like doing two runs in one day, dress up for this event, which also takes place on Oct. 26 in York. The big difference is that is gets underway at 9 p.m. Go to http://www.zionjnp.org/2013-boo-run-run-5k-fun-run/ for all the details.
KD Rams 5K Halloween Fun Run >> Still in a scary mood? Head south to Kennard Dale High School on Oct. 27 for this afternoon event. This race kicks off at 2 p.m. Contact Karen Graham at 382-4843 (ext. 6850) for more information.
York Academy 5K >> This one takes us into November, and will also include a run/walk option. Race day is Nov. 2 at York Academy, and the start time is TBA. Contact Donna Grove at dchampsoccer@gmail.com for the scoop.
CerebRun returns >> This unique event is slated for Nov. 30 at Rexroth Farms. It is a Thanksgiving Challenge called "The Turkey Hunt." Runners can sign up as a Turkey or a Hunter. Turkeys get two turkey flags (flag football belts), and after two minutes, the Hunters will be unleashed, with the intent of chasing down the Turkeys.
Anyone finishing with a Turkey flag can win a year supply of free burritos, an iPod Touch, and other prizes. Check out this link for more info: cerebrun.com/cerebrun-turkeyhunt. When you register, type in this code, FootPower2013, which is good for $10 off registration. Contact Jeff Neal at jeffkneal@gmail.com for more details.
NCR Marathon >> Brian Flowers of the Baltimore Road Runners Club, who works in York, wants local runners to know about this event, which he called the "mirror of the Bob Potts Marathon." The 24th annual race is scheduled for Nov. 30. It begins at Sparks Elementary School in Sparks, Md., and heads north on the Maryland version of the Rail Trail. Check out the Web site at BRRC.com, or contact Flowers at nose1@comcast.net.
M.C. Besecker covers local running and biking. Email him at mcbesecker@comcast.net.

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