Adirondack Sports June 2023

JUNE 2023 3
RUNNING & WALKING
■ START OF THE
FIRECRACKER 4
ON BROADWAY.
THE
Summer
Place to Be
■ FINAL PUSH FOR
FIRECRACKER 4 RUNNERS.
■ CHEERING ON
THE FINISHERS AT
FIRECRACKER 4.
■ START OF THE SILKS
AND SATINS 5K RUN.
By Laura Clark
Many of our favorite summer activities – paddling
a lazy river, hiking mountain peaks,
biking roads and trails, patio restaurant dining,
and window shopping downtown – are all within
an easy radius of Saratoga Springs. Adding to the
mix, Saratoga proudly hosts two of the area’s largest
July running attractions, the Firecracker 4 and Silks
& Satins 5K road races, both produced by the experienced
FC4 Event team.
The 17th annual Firecracker 4 always occurs on the
same date, July 4, so this year it’s on a Tuesday. And
what better place to celebrate our nation’s birthday
than in Saratoga Springs, a few miles from the Saratoga
Battlefield, the turning point of the Revolutionary War.
This race serves as the opener for city-wide festivities
stretching throughout the day and culminating in a
breathtaking fireworks display.
Created in 2006 by Peter Goutos and Bob
Vanderminden, as a fundraiser for the award-winning
Saratoga Springs High School running teams and
Kinetic Running Club. The event is a prime example of
out-of-the box thinking, with the rejection of the ubiquitous
5K distance in favor of a four-miler, an acknowledgement
of the historic significance of this day. Now
ranked as the longest-running and largest 4th of July
race in the Northeast, it fields an average of 2,000+ runners,
which is a huge increase from the 200 runners in
the inaugural event. During the Covid-19 pandemic,
it boasted a strong virtual presence. In fact, one of my
favorite memories was my virtual Firecracker trail run
on the four-mile Saratoga Battlefield route, where I
chatted with several individuals who also chose to trace
the footsteps of our forefathers.
The anticipation mounts in June with the Fleet
Feet and ASICS twice-weekly prep series. Meet every
Saturday beginning June 3 at 9am at Saratoga High
School for a quality workout, as well as Thursday evenings
at 6pm at various local downtown businesses.
For the schedule, see the Calendar and visit: fleetfeetalbany.com.
Race day traditionally begins at 8:15am with a
Sparkler Kid’s Fun Run, while the main event launches
from Broadway shortly before 9am with a heartfelt
rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner after the
formation run arrives, which is coordinated by the
Veterans Business Council of the Saratoga County
Chamber of Commerce. The start of the race sends
runners down a half-mile stretch of Broadway, with
the majority of the course passing through older
residential areas. Serving as a kick-off to Saratoga’s
All-American Celebration, this is a true community
event, with residents lining the streets prepared with
sprinklers, hoses and refreshing ices. Consider the
route a four-mile version of those Rock ‘n’ Roll marathons,
with musicians, bands and boom boxes quickening
your step.
For this journey is not an easy flat-and-fast giveaway,
but requires effort, especially during the final
section heading uphill on unshaded pavement. But
look up and you will be inspired by the sight of Saratoga
hook and ladder fire engine, proudly masting a giant
American flag. Afterwards, enjoy the party with food,
drinks and informational vendors. Cash prizes are
awarded to the top three male and female individual
overall, masters and age-graded winners. Cash prizes
are also awarded to the largest Run Your Colors and
High School Alumni teams, along with medals for age
groups in five-year intervals. Be on the lookout for club
teams, veteran’s and first responders, and pink clad
Ainsley’s Angels pushing their wheel-chaired riders.
■ SILKS AND SATINS
5K ON SARATOGA’S
EAST SIDE.
While the weather is warmer and there are no turkeys
in the crowd, Firecracker 4 conveys the community
atmosphere of a turkey trot, where all are welcome
and are honoring a significant moment in our history,
with former residents and students returning every year
to celebrate with their family and friends. To register,
visit: firecracker4.com.
The other “summer place to be” race is the Silks
& Satins 5K: Jeff Clark Memorial Race, traditionally
held on the first Saturday of track season, this year on
July 15. Originally called the Satins, Silks & Stars, the
silks are the jockey’s uniform, representing the horse
owner’s colors and logo, and satins, a material that was
traditionally used in their construction. The Stars portion
of the title is a bit less obvious, but referred to the
celebrity galas that socialite and philanthropist Mary
Lou Whitney hosted to inaugurate each track season.
Mary Lou was an ardent supporter of Special Olympics,
which this race previously benefited, and traditionally
hosted a dinner and dance that weekend to which local
Special Olympians were invited.
Bill and Cathy Taylor originally partnered with
Special Olympics to direct the first few events and then
my husband, Jeff Clark, took over, backed by Price
Chopper’s Golub Foundation. The wonderful Saratoga
Stryders Running Club supplied a huge number of
course marshals needed to man all 23 intersections.
One of our favorite activities was packet night, where
we filled over 1,000 goodie bags with sponsor donations.
It was rather like the I Love Lucy show’ assembly
line factory episode and quite a challenging race in its
own right.
Jeff fully embraced the extracurricular duties
incumbent on race directors: from driving a box truck
fully loaded with race supplies through downtown’s
pre-race Hat’s Off celebration; to nearly getting arrested
for defacing public property while trying to mark the
course at 2am; to making a toilet paper run to address a
crucial deficiency. He did it all. After he succumbed to
Agent Orange-related cancer in 2014, the event he had
cared about so much was renamed in his honor.
Beginning and ending at the Fasig-Tipton pavilion,
home of the thoroughbred horse sales where millions
of dollars change hands, runners trace a flat and fast
route around the East Side track neighborhoods. Plan
on arriving early and enjoying a camera-worthy view of
the thoroughbreds as they circle the Oklahoma Training
Track. Often, both runners and horses contend with a
warm and humid day, which can add a challenge to
an otherwise pancake-flat route. Afterwards, join the
visitors at the Saratoga Race Course and cheer for your
favorite four-legged racers as they circle the flat track.
Feel good about your experience by knowing that
a portion of your Silks & Satins race fee supports the
Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, a national
nonprofit with main headquarters in Saratoga Springs.
More info: trfinc.org. Through their auspices, retired
race horses are offered sanctuary and the peace they
deserve in their final years. Others are introduced to
forever families and still others become partners in the
TRF Second Chances program where intimates care for
and bond with the animals. To register, go to: silksandsatins5k.com.
Jeff frequently said, “It’s a privilege to live in
Saratoga Springs.’ Come and join us this summer and
experience the magic!
Laura Clark (snowshoegal133@gmail.com) of Saratoga
Springs is an avid trail runner, ultramarathoner,
snowshoer and cross-country skier. She is a children’s
librarian at the Saratoga Springs Public Library.