34 Years and Counting

View of Downtown Cumberland from the Finish Line

The 34th Annual Great Allegany Run began at 8:00am at the Kemp Lodge in Mount Savage and wound down route 36 to the Narrows, past the CSX rail line and in the shadow of the Great Allegany Passage, steadily declining 475 ft over the first 10k before finishing in Downtown Cumberland where finishers were greeted with fresh-brewed local coffee from Café Mark, and donuts from M + M Bake Shop, whose storefront sits just 30 yards from the finish line. This year's race featured a smaller field than in previous years, primarily due to the threat of inclement weather if Hurricane Joaquin made landfall during the race, but those who came out enjoyed the same no-frill classic PR road race that those privileged to know about the Great Allegany Run have come to expect.

Lucas Young (20) of Ridgeley, West Virginia won the 15k in 53:47, finishing a minute and a half before Mark Neff (53), coming in at 55:25. Heather Parks (40) another West Virginian, hailing from Bruceton Mills, won the Women's Division, coming in 3rd overall in 1:00:19 kicking it in at the finish to come in 12 seconds before Tim Yoder of Philadelphia (1:00:31) and a full 6 minutes before the second-place female, Jackie Horvath (51, Liognier, PA, 1:06:30). Tim was the first of the Yoder clan to finish, followed by Rachel (27, 1:12:39), Wendell (63, 1:13:45), Jennifer (29, 1:14:52) and Lauren in the 5k (26:51). View past winning times on the RacePacket Extras page.

The 5k, an out-and-back through Downtown Cumberland also began at 8:00am and was won by a father-son duo. Shane May (41) of Bedford, PA was the first finisher to cross the finish line in 17:55, followed by his son, Van May (12) in 20:48. The first Cumberland resident to finish was third-place male, Neil Alexander (30) in 23:52. Lauren Yoder was the first place Female 5k finisher, in 26:51, edging out Megan Krum of Lavale, MD, who finished in 26:59.

The 34th Annual Great Allegany Run remained true to its roots, featuring a tight-knit local crowd, and runners travelling from further away in pursuit of a PR that they could only dream of on another course. Those who stuck around for the Queen City Film Festival, also hosted at the Ramada Inn Downtown Cumberland on October 2nd and 3rd got the chance to meet Cumberland Native Eddie Deezen (Eugene from the 1978 film Grease) and check out his short film "I Love You, Eddie Deezen" as well as a host of other independent films. The festival typifies the cultural fare unique to the Historic Arts and Culture District of Cumberland that adds that special destination element to an already exciting race. Of course, this race would not be possible without the commitment of the community. Special thanks to the City of Cumberland, the Allegany County Sheriff's Office, Cumberland Police Department and Maryland State Troopers who aided as Course Marshals and provided the lead motorcycles for the 15k and 5k. The YMCA donated buses to transport runners from the Ramada Inn in Downtown Cumberland to Mt. Savage, and several volunteers from Frostburg State University served to man water stations, set out over 6 miles of cones along route 36/40 and provide support at the finish line. With the renewed efforts and new partnership between the QCS and RacePacket, we look an even better 35th annual Great Allegany Run in 2016.