A Happy Day of Remembrance BY JACK HEATH MT. EPHRAIM, NJ--As the second annual Browning Ross Bob Kupcha 5K race and mile walk was about to start, Bonnie Ross, Browning’s daughter took a quick look at the field of over 100 runners, walkers, and eager kids’ racers and remarked, “Dad would have liked this.” Indeed the looks on the faces of the finishers reminded many of the races, sorely missed, that Browning put on, on a regular basis. Mike McGowan, a Rutgers graduate, set the pace covering the hilly 5K in a time of 17:38. Sister Shannon, a sophomore at Gloucester Catholic, where Browning had coached for many years, was the women’s champion in 22:35. This year’s race featured a field triple the size of the inaugural but the stars might have been the 25 kids in the free kids’ race. Browning would have smiled to see one small boy, nose and chin covered with yogurt exclaim, “Wow, I didn’t know we had spoons.” Some of the other notable performances turned in were Rutgers senior Chris McGowan’s 20:47 for the first Gloucester Catholic graduate finisher. (Chris, Mike, and Shannon are all siblings and I was lucky enough to coach all three.) Lou Sariego, 61, ran an impressive 22:21 on the hilly course which featured four steep hills including one at the finish that Browning would have loved. Bob Kupcha was an outstanding wrestler and football player at Gloucester Catholic, who came out for Browning Ross’s track team his senior year. Bob pole-vaulted and threw the javelin on the first winning track team in the school’s history. Bob was also an orthopedic surgeon and army medic who passed away in 2001. Browning and Bob shared a humility and quick wit that belied their significant accomplishments. Bob once told me that after one good throw his javelin had landed with the wrong end. Browning came up and told him, “Nice throw, maybe you should hold on to the other end next time!” Then they both laughed. Browning conveyed the message that it should always be fun. Bob started to run distance races while at Georgetown Medical School and had run three marathons. Browning, the Olympian, had shown us that it is a lifetime sport. Hopefully his influence will be felt by many of the children crossing the finish line with smiles on their faces at the finish of the kids’ run.
This year’s race featured plenty of refreshments, some provided by Gloucester Catholic alum and a great setting for the one-mile walk--around Haddon Lake Park. For prizes, Bonnie Ross provided pristine copies of the Long Distance Logs, the first running magazine in the country written by Browning Ross. Race notes: The Camden County Freeholders helped support the race and also helped provide medals for the kids’ race along with Paul’s Trophies. In the spirit of Browning, we contacted all four major Philadelphia teams looking for unique prizes for the kids’ run. The Flyers responded immediately with a nice signed print and a letter thanking us for letting them be part of the event. The Phillies sent us an e-mail that they would “add us to the list of people requesting things” while the 76ers and Eagles ignored the requests. When one of the race directors (who also works part-time for the Phillies) contacted the Phillies organization they quickly made good on the request with a generous contribution. MALE Overall 1. Michael McGowan 17:38 19 & Under 1. Steve Rendall 21:38 20-29 1. Chris McGowan 20:47 30-39 1. William Daisey 24:50 40-49 1. Stan Cooper 19:25
1. Tom Campo 21:36 60 & Over 1. Lou Sariego 22:21 FEMALE Overall 1. Shannon McGowan 22:35 19 & Under 1. Erika Page 26:41 20-29 1. Maureen Coghlan 26:56 30-39 1. Jennifer Polidoro 29:03 40-49 1. Sandra Feranda 26:39 50-59 1. Marge Morris 29:13 60 & Over 1. Ann Warsing 29:58 |
