On the morning of August 15th (Saturday), the 20th “Run 4 Downtown” event was held in the midtown of Orange County, New York, attracting nearly 900 participants, breaking historical records. Local officials and thousands of residents attended this annual grand event.
The “Run 4 Downtown” race started from North Street in the center of the city, passing by the City Council, the library, and the police station, covering a distance of 4 miles, and finally returning to the front of Datong Supermarket on Main St.
Dave Madden, the director of the organizing committee Run 4 Downtown, said in an interview: “Today is the 20th ‘Run 4 Downtown’. Nearly 900 people have signed up for running and walking. Last year, we set a record with 773 participants, so this year’s increase in numbers is very significant.”
Participants Ashton and Edwin said: “This is our second time participating in this event, but it’s the first time we’ve dressed up in banana costumes.”
The “Run 4 Downtown” started in 2006, and the funds raised from the race will be used for downtown revitalization projects. Over the past 20 years, more than $200,000 has been donated.
Local officials attend the event every year to cheer on the participants.
New York State Assemblywoman Paula Kay said: “This demonstrates the active participation of the community, everyone is excited to be here. Of course, in a few minutes, all the tables will be set up, filled with local delicacies, which is very much anticipated. For the midtown, this is a good day.”
Mayor Joseph M. Destefano of the midtown city said: “This year’s number of participants is the highest. We expect that after the race, about 4,000 people will gather in the downtown area, enjoying food and music together, having a good time.”
Twenty minutes later, the sound of the winner’s footsteps began to approach the finish line. The women’s champion Musa won for the 5th consecutive year.
Women’s champion Skylar Musa said: “Last year, I had just given birth to my first baby when I participated, so my condition wasn’t great at the time. But being able to achieve better results this year feels really great.”
Men’s champion Gavin Rossi said: “I did a lot of training this summer, running about 90 miles per week. Whether you like it or not, you naturally maintain a good competitive state.”
Women’s runner-up Stephaine Gerland said: “I trained in Florida, where the high temperature environment enhanced my physical fitness, allowing me to run faster here.”
After the race, the businesses on North Street set up booths outside their shops, providing local food and drinks for the community for free. The independent video sharing and streaming platform “Clean World” participated in the event and set up a booth. Finally, the organizing committee held the award ceremony at R4DT Park on North Street.