You Distance Classicers, thanks for coming

Posted Mar 1, 2010 by Tom McEwen

Updated Mar 1, 2010 at 04:18 AM

We have a lot of trophies like plaques, medals, and all manner of reminders of sports events we have held in this city of Tampa - and they have been successful. Most notably is the Running Shoe Award, presented to me on behalf of the Distance Classic for long support from the Tribune’s vast reaches. It is big and it is heavy and it is strong, for it represents those who have made this grand event through the Tampa streets a premier running event internationally and a genuinely fine representation of that which you all out there have made successful.

I remember years ago when Max Mitchell, the first coordinator of this event, called me and asked if we could meet those of the Tribune who would be making decisions about sponsoring future sports events. The Classic people, through Mitchell, wanted the Tribune to become an original sponsor of the Classic and we did after a meeting the next day involving the late Bob Hudson, Managing Editor, who had hired me as Sports Editor from the old Tampa Times and Paul Hogan, who would become the Managing Editor in time.

In any case, both Hogan and Hudson let it be known to me and Mitchell that they wanted to be major sponsors of the Classic and that is what it became, one of Tampa’s premier sports events, virtually open to the world, able and infirm, who could run with help from wheels and by foot. This Classic would become a boom to this community; the Tribune has not undertaken a more far reaching sponsorship than the long distance Classic that rolled through the streets of our city this weekend past.

It was impossible to cover the Classic and not find participants or those who would be participants. If you could walk, run, trot, move along with the help of wheels, you could be in it. The Gasparilla Distance Classic not only became a landmark for this city but spoke volumes for the running sports. And so it was this weekend again in this great city in which we live. The city of Tampa early on, as well as Anhueser Busch and Publix, realized what a valuable asset the Classic could be and it has been that since.

Race Chairman Susan Harmeling staged another productive competition through the streets of Tampa this past weekend. When those who founded the Classic began it — I was there - they had no idea they had such a jewel in the rough. Many other cities, large and small, have followed suit in the running sports, open to all. 

This running shoe trophy in my home presented to me by the Classic people is admired, revered, saluted and always asked about. Once more, thousands of your friends and mine came to Tampa to run through the streets for our personal joy and ours as well. They paid a minimal fee and race reminders in return, plus the opportunity to mix if they chose with co-runners whatever their reason who flooded through our streets. The coursewent out Bayshore Boulevard and back and won’t be forgotten by participants. Thousands participated, thousands ran with others with good intentions.

I did not run or walk in this event, but I did go down to mix with these fine people. It was too cold, it rained but no one complained. They came and got their souvenirs and went back home to spread the word of this superior event. None of us in those original readings thought we had such an opportunity when we started the Classic. In many ways, it became a model and in all cases it became a showcase of Tampa.

Now, it has become a reminder of what it costs to stage such an event, manpower more than anything else. More and more people want to be paid for what they do. That sort of talk was not begun in the original meeting and I think its sponsors now can find ways to solve these arriving possible interruptions. Some now are wondering if it is worth the costs and staff.

Yes, it is. Susan Hanneling and her associates, with help from her sponsors can surely find the support, financial and otherwise to continue this new American phenomena, running and walking and pushing, and enjoying the outdoors for a day in this wondrous city in which we live.

We have come too far too fast not to stick with it as we encourage those who run or walk in this race.