Inductees

Judy Arlington (2018) Is there anything Judy Arlington hasn’t done in running? Nothing comes to mind. Judy was a superb runner for several years. She took part in three sports at Cortland – cross country, track and swimming. Judy was part of a couple of national champion teams in cross country, and set school records in the 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer run. She was part of a couple of national champions in cross country in 1988 and 1989. Judy was an All-American in 10 different categories during her days in Cortland. After graduation, she kept running – and was still very good at it. More than a decade after graduation, Judy was The Buffalo News’ Female Runner of the Year in 2001. She also has won several age-group honors over the years. But Judy also shared her skills with others. She served as the cross-country coach at Medaille from 2011 to 2015, and was coach of the year in her conference in 2011. From there she moved on to become an assistant coach in cross country and track at Daemen. If you need someone to stage an event, Judy is a good person to call. She started a summer track program in 2016, and that was a popular addition to the running calendar. It’s an impressive résumé – one of a Hall of Famer. Now she’ll have that title forever.

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Mike Beebe (2012)

Thank God for first the typewriter, and then the computer, or I never would have made it into the Western New York Running Hall of Fame. Nor would I have had the chance to run with Grete Waitz, Bill Rodgers, Mark Finucane, and a lot of other runners who would have left me in the dust had I not been writing about them. As anyone knows who saw me run, I am a runner in a linebacker’s body. I ran five marathons: Skylon, NYC, Chicago, Buffalo Marathon (my only DNF, I bonked trying yet again to break three hours), and the Buffalo Niagara Marathon. I always insisted the last one was indeed the last one. My best was a 3:18 in New York. Never did I break three hours. I could break the six-minute mile pace occasionally in the 5K, I broke 70 minutes for the Flint 10-miler, and could sometimes win an age group award when the better runners were off elsewhere. As a runner, I was a better rower, first for the Syracuse University varsity while in college, then as a master’s rower at West Side Rowing Club. And now I’m a better bicyclist than I ever was a runner. As a running columnist, I’m proudest of starting the Buffalo News Runner of the Year series. It gets poked at a lot, but before that, there was no way to recognize local runners’ accomplishments once they left school. I’ll also take credit for reviving fellow Hall of Famer Bob Carroll’s running career. The year I ignored him in the Turkey Trot forecasts, he came blazing first across the finish line and shouted something along the lines of “Take that, Mike Beebe.” I took it. Nice race, nice career Bob. I covered two Olympic Marathon trials from the back of a rickety truck. In the 1984 trials, the biggest story of the day was nearly the entire press corps almost getting thrown off the back of the truck when the rails collapsed. I also got a bird’s eye view of the greatest race finish ever, Peter Pfitzinger outlegging Alberto Salazar. I took great pride in turning out weekly columns, and was often puzzled why people never knew that my day job was being a reporter for The Buffalo News. One day I was interviewing line workers at the Trico plant in Matamoros, Mexico, when a guy said, “Hey you’re the running columnist!” Turns out he was a management guy from the Buffalo plant. When I first approached a former sports editor of The News about writing a running column, he looked at me and laughed, “But what would you write about the second week?” When he was replaced, Howard Smith saw the merit and 21 years later, it was I who got the last laugh.

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John Beishline (2011) John Beishline served with and operated Western New York Finish Line Services for more than 30 years and provided timing for 85+ races per year. As race consultant, he offered free consulting services to new races for 25 years. He was also a certified race official for road races. He helped resurrect the Buffalo Marathon in 2000 and, as race director, saw the race grow in terms of registered participants each year. In 1989, John organized the Bullfeathers/Nickel City Run. He also served as race director for the Engineering Society of Buffalo Scholarship Run. When the World University Games came to Buffalo in 1993, John was there as marathon race director. He was also race director for the World Veterans Games. On top of all this, John found time to serve as president of USATF Niagara Region from 1991 to 1996. In his running days, John participated in local, regional, sectional, national and international races, and once completed the Boston Marathon in 3:20.

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Lewis “Deerfoot” Bennett (2019) By at least one standard, Lewis Bennett – also known as Deerfoot – stands alone when compared to all runners who have connections to Western New York over the course of its rich sports history. Bennett is the only runner to have the title of world record-holder. He set marks at 10 miles, 11 miles and an hour during the course of his career. Bennett ran during the 1850s and 1860s, and became something of an international celebrity for his performances. The Seneca Native from the Cattaraugus reservation won his first race at the Erie County Fair in 1856. He may have peaked when he set world records in the same event on April 3, 1863 on his way to covering 11 miles, 970 yards in an hour. It was a mark that lasted 34 years. Bennett is buried in Forest Lawn in Buffalo, where he inspires runners to this day.

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Gloria Brown (2012) This amazing woman didn’t start running until she was 46. Encouraged by Grand Island’s Pat Bessel, her times improved greatly. By the age of 50, she was winning 5Ks, 10Ks, 15Ks, 20Ks, 25Ks, and half marathons. She even won a marathon for good measure. She traveled throughout the country to run. In addition to competing in New York, she ran in Pennsylvania, Virginia Beach, Florida, Alaska, Washington D.C., New Hampshire, Maine, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, Indiana, and Canada. She became one of the nation’s best in her age group. Her greatest accomplishments include:

• the Boilermaker in Utica
• the Detroit Free Press Marathon, which she finished in 3:27 at the age of 53
• the Bobby Crim Festival of Races in Michigan
• and the Gasparilla 15K in Tampa — to name just a few

She set several records along the way, and still has the age 60 to 64 national record for the 25K — 1:58:24 — which she set in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1994. Over the years, she ran 475 races, including 56 events in indoor and outdoor tracks. She piled up awards in bunches over the years, capturing her age group 14 times in the national championships. She also received awards in race-walking. A 2005 USA Track and Field Masters Hall of Fame inductee, she gives a great deal of credit to her husband, Jim, who guided her to the races and who sent in her results to running headquarters. As she likes to say, “Once a runner, always a runner, and I still have hope!”

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Heather Cappello (2024) It was on a brisk fall day that we all first learned about the talents of Heather Cappello. The Section VI cross-country championships of 1993 were held at Elma Meadows, and she shocked everyone by winning the Section C title for Starpoint High School. Eighth-graders aren’t supposed to win Sectional titles, but no one told Heather that. That set the stage for a string of successes at Starpoint. She won Federation championships in state competition, and was the USA Track and Field track athlete of the year in 1998. Heather set some school, league, and sectional records along the way. From there it was on to Providence College, as her dream of competing in a Division I program came true. She raced in four NCAA cross-country championships and was an All-American in 1999. Only some injuries prevented her from doing more. Heather was the Female Athlete of the Year at Providence for the 1999-2000 academic year. From there it was on to a variety of events as a member of the Boston Athletic Association. She ran the Houston Marathon in 2011 in two hours, 40 minutes, and 58 seconds – her personal best. Heather also qualified for the 2012 and 2016 USA Marathon Trials. In 2012, she finished 54th out of 152 in a time of 2:42:07. She has run the half-marathon in 1:13:07 and the mile in 4:46 – and done well at all of the distances in between. It’s been a great run, so to speak. And it all started right here, in Western New York.

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Allison Carr (2022) It became something of a ritual for good women’s runners for more than a decade in Western New York. They’d cross the finish line with a satisfactory time, and then walk over and congratulate the winner of the race, Allison Carr. It didn’t happen every time, but it happened more than enough to get a point across: Allison was a consistently excellent runner. Allison first became noticed as a runner when she was part of the dynasty of great teams that have represented East Aurora High School. From there it was on to Canisius College, where Allison set school records in five different distances. She was part of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s 40th Anniversary all-star team in track. Allison then headed to Penn State, where she was an All-Big Ten selection. But it was after college that she started to build her current reputation for excellence. Allison was a regular on the racing circuit, and she usually was the runner to beat – except that hardly anyone, it seemed, ever beat her. Allison crossed the finish line first more than 150 times, including three times in a single week. She won The Buffalo News’ Runner of the Year trophy not once, but eight times in an 11-year period. Allison has done some coaching along the way, and somehow she’s managed to have a career and raise a family. No matter what Allison has done, she’s done it exceptionally well … and she’s done it in a hurry.

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Bob Carroll (2012) Runner. Coach. Motivator. Consultant. He was an All-American at Fredonia State College, where his records in the 1500 and 3000 meters still stand. He also holds the State University of New York Athletic Conference indoor 1500-meter record – 3:49.8 in 1979. He’s a two-time SUNY cross-country champion and the winner of the 1988 Delaware YMCA Turkey Trot. He mentored many an appreciative runner during his tenure as track coach for Checkers Athletic Club.

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John Chew (2013) John Chew has been one of the strongest advocates for the sport of running for the past 30 years in the Buffalo, NY region. John was the 1980 race director for the Men’s Olympic Marathon Trials. This was so successful that Buffalo/Niagara Falls was awarded the 1984 Olympic Trials. In the 1960s, John coached Russ Pate; the Pfiel brothers (All-Americans at Buffalo State); Don Howieson (2:12 marathoner for the Canadian Olympic team); Jennifer Colgrove-Martin (three-time 2:34 marathoner, represented USA World Cup Marathon and World Cup 15K Stavanger, Norway); and Dr. David O’Keeffe (USA World Cup Marathon San Sebastian, Spain and World Cross Country Championships In New Zealand). John formed the Lockport Track Club in 1966 as a registered AAU Club to develop distance running. A difficult thing to do in days when anyone outside the school system was restricted from working with runners outside the school year. In 1968, he put a team of eight high school runners together to make a record attempt on the 100 mile relay. Their record of 7:27:55.6 still stands. John put together the first canal relay in 1974 to commemorate Erie Barge Canal’s 150th anniversary, and involved organizing track clubs from Tonawanda to Albany running all along the towpath. John’s first International assignment was being appointed coach of the USA Junior team for the World Cross Country Championships in Paris, France 1980. Then, the 1984 World cross country team in New Jersey. He served as assistant coach to the track and field hall of famer Dr, Joe Vigil. He then served as head coach at the Men and Juniors World Cross Country Championships in 1985 in Lisbon, Portugal, and was also responsible for managing the women’s team. After Lisbon, John took the teams to Italy for the famous cross country Cinque Mulini in Milan. John also managed the USA team for the 10K de La Sante in Montreal, Canada and managed Matt Hellerer, the sole representative in the Tokyo marathon 1985. Also in 1985, John organized the Torch Run from New York City to Buffalo to signal the start of the Empire State Games. Mayor Jimmy Griffin presented John the Community Services Award and the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce awarded him the Outstanding Leadership Award.

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Tom Courtney (2025) Tom Courtney probably had little choice than to take up running. Genealogy almost dictated it. Tom’s father was an outstanding coach of track and field and cross country at Father Baker High School and St. Francis High School. He had several unbeaten seasons to his credit there. Meanwhile, brothers Terry, Pat, and Kerry also were very good. Pat was an All-Conference choice at Western Kentucky, while Terry and Kerry won multiple all-Catholic honors in high school. While there’s room for argument on the subject, it was brother Tom who had the most outstanding career in running. Part of the reason was that his life touched on so many areas of the sport. He was an All-Catholic runner at Father Baker in 1961 and 1962 and then headed south. Tom was the top freshman runner at the Mississippi State University. He left that school and served in Vietnam for the military. After finishing that stint, he turned his talents to coaching at St. Francis. Along the way, he was a top Masters runner in the middle distances in the 1980s. And in whatever spare time he had, he served as the race director for the YMCA Turkey Trot, and the Checkers High School Cross-Country Championships at Elma Meadows. If you don’t take our word for it, listen to the words of the late Bob Ivory. He once called Tom the best Catholic prep runner in Western New York history. That’s an iron-clad case for his induction into the Western New York Running Hall of Fame..

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Mike Diggins (2014) Mike Diggins starred at Bishop Timon High School in the late 1950s, where he ran both track and cross country all four years. He would move on to Mississippi State helping to lead the Bulldogs to two Southern Conference championships in 1961 and 1962. He was also a part of Mississippi State’s only track team to win a SEC title, which came in 1962. In 1965, Mike was honored with the Outstanding Senior Award for his contributions to the cross country and track programs at Mississippi State. After college, he returned to Buffalo where he began the next chapter of his life, coaching. His focus changed from that of a competitive runner to sharing his knowledge, love, and discipline for the sport with young athletes. He began his coaching career at Bishop Fallon before beginning a 14-year stay at Bishop Turner in 1969. In 1972, Turner defeated St. Joe’s, breaking Bob Ivory’s 56-meet winning streak. He took over as coach of St. Joe’s cross country in 1982. His teams won 16 regular season titles, had 16 undefeated seasons, earned 16 All-Catholic crowns, and won 108 meets during his tenure. As an assistant track coach at St. Joe’s, he helped guide the teams to 13 regular season titles, with 12 undefeated seasons and 15 All-Catholic championships. His St. Joe’s track teams won 107 meets and lost only 15. He received two community service awards, the Judge Hillary Award and Jack’s 5K, a former South Buffalo road race. In 2009, he was the honorary starter for the Bishop Timon-St. Jude road race and was inducted into the St. Joe’s Hall of Fame. The Shamrock Run Committee honored him in 2014, where his family served as honorary starters, in memory of his accomplishments and contributions to the running community. Mike’s greatest legacy is the life lessons that he taught the young men he coached through his genuine character, conduct, and humility.

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Lanny Doan (2023) The running boom was moving ahead at great speed in the late 1970s, and – as usual – Lanny Doan’s timing was perfect. He had graduated from Amherst High School in 1974 and attended the SUNY-Oswego and the University at Buffalo, and was ready to take part in the growing number of races in Western New York by 1977. When Lanny did participate, he usually won. Indeed, he dominated the local running scene in a way that was almost unmatched in Buffalo history. Has there been anyone else who ever won more than 30 straight races? Doan wasn’t fussy about distances, either. If someone put up a finish line, he’d beat the rest of the field to it. The only way to stop Lanny from winning turned out to be a change of venue. In 1983, he took a job in Virginia Beach, Virginia, as an earth science teacher. But he still returned home quite often to see his parents, run a race, and pick up a medal. Meanwhile, he turned his attention to coaching along the way. He ranks as one of the great high school coaches in the history in that part of the world, guiding more than 100 athletes to all-state status. One of his best pupils was Charles Clark, who finished second at 2009 USA championships and also competed in the that year’s World Championships for Team USA to qualify for the 2012 Olympics. They may love Lanny in Virginia, but we still remember him in Western New York. That’s why he was chosen for the Western New York Running Hall of Fame.

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Tom Donnelly (2015) He was born the day after Christmas in 1952, and was the seventh of nine children. His father was a former miler and cross country runner at Notre Dame in the late 1930s. His mother was a star tennis player in Queens, New York. Surprisingly, Tom Donnelly never did a lick of physical or athletic activity until he was 25 years old. That’s when, during the summer of 1976, he took up running in order to lose weight and to get some focus in his life. Tom ran his first marathon in 1977, finishing the Skylon Marathon in 2:59:45, thus qualifying for the Boston Marathon by a mere 15 seconds. He never looked back, eventually running more than 30 marathons, including Boston a dozen or more times. Although Tom would be the first to tell you that back in the day he considered himself a middle of the pack runner, his PR of 2:35:10 on a windy Skylon course, and his being a consistent 32-minute 10k runner, belies his claim. He was good enough to win the Run For Your Life 20K in 1981 with a time of 1:09, beating more than 400 runners in the process—or more than 600 if you count the 50-plus relay teams he also beat. From 1987 until 1999, Tom was president of the Greater Buffalo Track Club. He soon discovered he had the ability to be quite an organizer and leader in the local running community. His unique sense of humor and his ready laughter, combined with his completely unselfish encouragement that he gave to any runner no matter their ability, endeared him to all who got to know him. Throughout his running career, which spanned nearly 40 years, he always took the time to listen to and offer advice to anyone who sought him out. In 2004, Tom became race director for Buffalo’s Turkey Trot, the oldest continuously run road race in North America. Being the tireless promoter of Buffalo, and with his innovative ideas, Tom quickly grew the race from 5,000 participants. The race is now a “must-do event” to start Thanksgiving for many runners and non-runners alike, so much so that the race has to be capped at 14,000. In 2009, Tom became the much loved president of Checkers Athletic Club, the largest running club in Western New York. In 2010, he led the way in forming the Western New York Running Hall of Fame, of which he became president and the race director of its annual 5k race. Still, apparently with time on his hands, Tom became Hall of Fame member John Beishline’s right hand man in handling the Buffalo Marathon. After John’s death in December 2013, Tom took over as race director and the race prospered under his leadership. Tom was a man who truly loved his four children; Paul, Alison, Patrick, and Rebecca, as well as his wife, Julie, his brothers and sisters, his friends, and all things Buffalo. After Tom died so unexpectedly on November 15, 2014, most who knew him cried when they learned of his untimely passing. They had all lost a beautiful friend.

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Jim Dunlop Jr. (2012) Jim Dunlop is a three-time Buffalo News Runner of the Year. He won the award in 1993, 1996, and 1999. He’s a six-time Buffalo Corporate Challenge champion. He won that race every year between 1997 and 2002. While attending the University of Rochester, he earned NCAA All-American honors in cross country and track nine times. He was a member of 1989 United States Junior National Track and Field Team and competed in the 10,000 meters. He was a gold medalist in the 1989 United States vs. Canada Track and Field Meet in St. John, New Brunswick.

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Amy Fakterowitz (2021) Some people are considered for the Western New York Running Hall of Fame for their running accomplishments. Others put up noteworthy achievements as coaches. Still others did their work behind the scenes, and are considered contributors. Amy Fakterowitz checks all of those boxes at the same time. Not too many of our inductees over the years can say that. Most people know about some of her running accomplishments. She ran for the SUNY Buffalo track team, and then moved smoothly into road racing. There she was a two-time overall winner of the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge, and has been part of winning teams as well. She’s won three national age group championships (6k cross country, 5k cross country, and 8k roads), and the USATF Masters Grand Prix in the 50-54 age group in 2019. She’s also been a Buffalo News Runner of the Year age-group champion multiple times. Amy also has run more than 500 races since the age of 19, and recorded more than 200 wins. She probably has won more races than any other runner in Western New York history. In six of those victories, she has defeated all of the female contestants … and all of the male runners too. Amy has somehow made time to do some coaching over the years. She created a summer track program for Amherst youth, paced Buffalo Marathon runners to goal times, and worked the Amherst modified cross-country team. Then there’s the contributor part of the story. Amy has served on committees for races and running clubs on a local and regional basis. In 2021, she was elected president of Checkers, the area’s largest running club. That makes Amy a runner-coach-contributor. Now we can add a new hyphen to describe her career: runner-coach-contributor-Hall of Famer.

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Mark Finucane (2011) St. Francis of Athol Springs High School served as the starting line of Mark Finucane’s extraordinary running career, where he consistently earned All-Catholic honors in cross-country and track. After he graduated high school, he became a three-time All-American at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN. Mark bested some of the area’s top runners while winning four consecutive Turkey Trots down Buffalo’s Delaware Avenue between 1980 and 1983. He ran 23:40 in 1980 to shatter the course record held by Jeff Kumm (24:45). In 1981, he beat Mike Franklin and lowered the course record to 23:34. The following year he ran 23:49 and in 1983 ran 24:03 to beat Bernie Pabrucki by 27 seconds. Mark frequented the winner’s circle at the Conners-Kait-Harrity Four Mile Race too, as he took first place in 1980, 1981, and 1983. His 1983 time of 18:19 is the course record. He has been equally as successful running marathons, finishing third in the 1984 Houston Marathon with a time of 2:11:55. He finished 74th in the 1984 Olympic Trials in Niagara Falls with a time of 2:28:39. He was member of two USA Cross Country teams in the early 1980s and a member of the U.S. World Cup Marathon Team in 1985. Mark has run professionally for the New Balance and Roos shoe companies. Today, Mark is a member of four Halls of Fame: the St. Francis High School Hall of Fame, the East Tennessee State University Hall of Fame, the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame, and now the Western New York Running Hall of Fame. Mark and his wife, Mary, live in Johnson City, TN, where he is an assistant chief with the Johnson City Fire Department. U.S. International Teams:

• 1975 USA Junior Track and Field Team Alternate, 10k
• 1979 USA World Cross-Country Team, Ireland
• 1981 USA International Cross-Country Team, France
• 1986 USA World Cup Marathon Team, Japan

U.S. National Individual and Team Championships:

• The Athletics Congress (TAC) National 10km Individual Road Race Champion, Buffalo, NY – 1984
• United States Track and Field Federation (USTAFF) National 10k Cross-Country Team Championship (East Tennessee State University), Charleston, WV – 1975
• AAU National 10k Cross-Country Team Championship (Mason-Dixon Track Club), Seattle, WA – 1978
• TAC National 12k Cross-Country Team Championship (Victory Athletic Club), Louisville, KY – 1982

World Rankings:

• 3 miles, 7th World Junior List (T&F News), 13:39 (Dogwood Relays) – 1975
• 10k, 6th World Junior List (T&F News), 29:23 (National U.S. Jr. T&F Champs) – 1975
• Marathon Top 50 (T&F News) 2:11:55 (Houston Marathon) – 1984

U.S. National Rankings:

• 3 miles, 14th High School (T&F News) 14:22 – 1974
• 3 miles, 6th USA Junior List (T&F News) 13:38 – 1975
• 10k, 3rd USA Junior List (T&F News) 29:23 – 1975
• 10k, 1st 19 and under Age Group Best Road Racing (Runners World) 30:19 – 1976
• Marathon, 6th USA List (T&F News and Running Times) 2:11:55 – 1984

St. Francis High School Cross-Country, 1970-1974:

• Monsignor Martin Athletic Association (MMAA) Smith League All-Catholic Cross-Country Champion – 1971, 1972, 1973
• All-Western New York – 1972 and 1973
• All-New York State – 1973

St. Francis High School Track and Field, 1970-1974:

• MMAA Smith League All-Catholic Champion – 1972 (two-mile) and 1973-74 (one-mile)

East Tennessee State University Cross Country, 1974-1979:

• All-Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) – 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977
• OVC Individual Cross-Country Champion – 1977
• OVC Cross-Country Runner of the Year – 1977
• OVC Team Champions (East Tennessee State University) – 1977
• All-State (Tennessee Intercollegiate) – 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977
• Tennessee State Intercollegiate Individual Cross-Country Champion – 1975
• All-NCAA Region III – 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977
• NCAA Region III Team Champions (ETSU) – 1977 (ETSU set an NCAA Region III record for the lowest team score in 1977 with 29 points)
• Track and Field News ranked ETSU as the fourth-best Division I Cross-Country program in the nation of the 1970s
• NCAA All-American – 1975
• AAU All-American – 1976
• USTFF All-American – 1975
• USTFF National Cross-Country Team Champions (ETSU) – 1975
• Cross-Country Team Selected as Athletic Team of the Decade at ETSU (1970-1979)

East Tennessee State University Track and Field, 1974-1979:

• All-OVC – 1975 (indoor 3 mile), 1976 (indoor/outdoor 3 mile), 1977 (indoor/outdoor 3 mile, 1978 (indoor 3 mile)
• Indiana Invitational Champion 3 mile – 1975
• Illinois Invitational Champion 3 mile – 1976
• NCAA Championship Qualifier – 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979 – 6 mile/10k

AAU/TAC and Niagara District Track and Field/Cross-Country/LDR:

• AAU National Junior 10k Cross Country Championships – 8th, Buffalo, NY – 1972
• AAU National Junior 10k Cross Country Championships – 5th, Buffalo, NY – 1973
• AAU Eastern Regional Track and Field Meet Most Outstanding Performer – 1974
• AAU National Junior Track and Field Championships 10k – 3rd, Knoxville, TN – 1975
• AAU National Cross-Country Championships – 6th, Philadelphia, PA – 1976
• Niagara District AAU (All-Sports) Male Athlete of the Year – 1976
• AAU National 10km Cross-Country Team Champion – Mason-Dixon Athletic Club, Seattle, WA – 1978
• AAU National 12km Cross-Country Championship – 3rd, Atlanta, GA – 1979
• TAC National 12km Cross-Country Team Champion – Member Victory Athletic Club, Louisville, KY – 1981
• TAC National 10Km Road Race Champion, Buffalo, NY – 1984

Road Racing:

• Fredonia Farm Festival 10k – 30:19 Runners World U.S. Age Group Best for 1976
• Conners-Kait-Harrity Road Race – 1980, 1981, 1983
• Buffalo Turkey Trot Champion – 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983
• Peachtree Road Race – 1978 (12th) and 1979 (7th)
• Peachtree Road Race Team Championship (Mason-Dixon Athletic Club) – 1979
• Houston Marathon – 3rd Place 2:11:55 (at the time it was the 8th fastest time debut marathon, 3rd fastest debut by an American) – 1984
• 1984 Olympic Marathon Trials
• 1984 TAC National 10k Road Race Champion, Buffalo, NY

All-America:

• NCAA Cross-Country – 1975
• USTFF Cross-Country – 1975
• AAU Cross-Country – 1976, 1978, 1981
• USTFF Cross-Country – 1979
• Road Runners Club of America – 1984

Awards and Honors:

• Niagara District AAU Male Athlete of the Year (all sports) – 1976
• St. Francis High School Athletic Hall of Fame – 1979
• Johnson City, Tennessee selected as the #1 Running City in the United States by Runners World Magazine – 1985.
• East Tennessee State University Athletic Hall of Fame – 1997
• Conners-Kait-Harrity Road Race Hall of Fame – 1998
• Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame – 2001
• Western New York Running Hall of Fame – 2011

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Emery Fisher (2011) Born and raised in Buffalo, NY, Emery Fisher graduated from Bennett High School in 1945. He was a member of Bennett’s track team and was inducted into the Bennett High School Sports Hall of Fame. After high school, Emery joined the Army and served as a recreation instructor in post-war Germany. He also ran on the Army track team. He then attended and ran track at the University of Buffalo from 1947-51 and then became the track and cross country coach there in 1952, a post he held for 21 years. He retired from U.B. in 1977. Emery’s best 100-yard dash time was a respectable 10.1 seconds. He helped lead thousands of local youngsters to track by bringing the Jesse Owens Games to Buffalo in 1967. He served as Northeastern regional director for the event until 1985. Emery was recreation supervisor for the City of Buffalo Parks Department until 1987 and served as race official for the 1980 and 1984 Olympic marathon trials. In later years, he was instrumental in running Western New York Finish Line Services.

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Fred Gordon (2019) Fred Gordon liked to run as much as the rest of us liked to breathe. This was a man who once ran 25+ miles one way from Buffalo to Orchard Park for a 10K race, a training method he used at least two other times: Once when he ran to Lockport for a ten-mile race, then when he ran to Eden for a five-miler. He started running in high school, where he was one of the area’s best in track and cross-country. He had a 4:25 mile to his credit at Howard University. But he might be best known for his accomplishments at longer distances, such as the Boston Marathon. Fred ran a 2:25:29 in 1978, the best time of his 13 appearances in the world-famous event. Closer to home, he’s participated in 47 Turkey Trots over the years. Sum it up, and Fred was Western New York’s premier distance runner in the 1970s. Today, he remains an inspiration not only to his fellow African-Americans, but to runners of every race and ability.

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John Grandits (2022) A road race in theory could have been held in Western New York without John Grandits; however, what would be the point? It wouldn’t be as well-organized without his efforts and smarts, and it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun without him. John was involved in races in every possible way over the years. He started running in high school in Buffalo for fitness, as he rowed competitively. When community races started to become popular, John filled out an entry form and took part in a race in May 1978 at Delaware Park. After noticing the seemingly faceless people who work behind the scenes to make sure a race goes off smoothly, John was inspired to start a race of his own: The Vietnam Veterans Scholarship Run began in 1981, and from humble beginnings raised more than $40,000 in aid for the children of local veterans. Over the years, John worked on almost too many running-related projects to count. He trained runners for marathon races. John served on countless committees of local events. He measured more than 115 courses for races that covered a variety of distances. John was a mentor to many young race directors, who came to him for tips. Along the way, he ran 19 marathons. Even better, John brought his smile and laugh to every one of those tasks. His efforts and attitude made him one of the beloved figures in the running community, and worthy of the title of “Hall of Famer.”

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Mike Heitzenrater (2021) No matter what Mike Heitzenrater has done in the sport of running; he has been successful. And he’s done a lot over the course of a few decades. Mike’s career began at Starpoint High School, when he was part of an undefeated track team in 1995-96. He won events in distances from the 100 meters to the 3200 meters. Mike was a state qualifier in cross county and named the Niagara Gazette’s runner of the year that school season. He went on to run collegiately at Cortland, where he was a four-time national qualifier and won individual championships in conference competition in both track and cross country. While at Cortland, Mike earned SUNYAC XC Championship Hall of Fame status. He specialized in the 3000 steeplechase and cross country races. After graduation, it was on to road racing. Mike didn’t win every race he entered, but it sometimes seemed like it. He won the Buffalo News’ Runner of the Year overall competition five different times. No male has done it more. He has two local Corporate Challenge victories, and finished ninth overall in the 2004 international event. He won six gold medals at the Empire State Games. He also participated in six cross country club team national championships. Just to stay active, he’s run at least two miles every day since 1997. Mike moved smoothly into coaching, and has brought his winning ways to Newfane High School. He has won Coach of the Year honors there. Mike has coached State Champion, Section Champion, and League Champion cross county teams. He also mentored State Champion, Section Champion, and League Champion individuals in track and field. He takes pride in fostering a lifelong commitment to running and his athletes’ improvement regardless of their ability. Mike’s career is far from done, but his place in the pantheon of Buffalo running has been secured for a long time. Now that he’s a Hall of Famer, it’s official.

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Matt Hellerer (2016) He was the Monsignor Martin Athletic Association cross country champion in 1974. He won the Rochester Marathon in 1982 in a time of 2:25:58. He finished second in the 1982 Skylon Marathon. He was the first American finisher in the 1984 Tokyo Marathon. Also in 1984, he ran one of the fastest marathons ever by a Western New Yorker in the Boston Marathon, 2:18.11. That earned him a trip to the Olympic marathon trials, where he finished 85th in a time of 2:31.53. He went on to become the overall Buffalo News Runner of the Year in 1988 and 2008 Runner of the Year in his age group. Though he’s retired from racing, he’s still heavily involved with running and serving as a teacher, leader, and coach at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, filling the sneakers of legendary coach Bob Ivory. He’s been head track coach at St. Joe’s since 1990. He began coaching the cross country team in 2006 and his teams registered MMAA championships in 2012-15.

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Paul Hulme (2023) Lining up against Paul Hulme at the start of a road race must have been a frightening experience for his competition. After all, you probably knew that he could beat you at his favorite distance, and beat you at your favorite distance. This was a runner who in about 100 races recorded 37 wins, eight second-place finishes, and 60 showings in the top five. In other words, Paul seemed to have a permanent place on the podium. Paul started running formally at East Aurora High School, as part of a great tradition that continues to this day. In 1989, he moved on to West Virginia University, where he served as captain of a cross-country conference championship team. By the 1990s, he was as consistent as a Swiss watch when it came to performance. He broke 15 minutes in 5K races nine times, broke 32 minutes in 10K runs 15 times, ran a half marathon in under 70 minutes, and had two sub-2:30 marathons to his credit. No wonder he won the Buffalo News’ Runner of the Year Award in 1995 (he would have won it again in 1997 had he not moved away). Western New York called him back later in life, and he showed he could still keep up with his peers at age 48. Paul lives right where he belongs – in East Aurora – these days. His talent is still recognized and appreciated to the point where he’s now with the best Western New York runners in history in the Hall of Fame.

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Edna Hyer (2016) She is a true trailblazer among area women runners. She’s competed at all distances throughout the country — from 50 meters to the marathon. As a competitor in the USA Track and Field Niagara Association’s Women’s long-distance running division for many years, she created many opportunities for women to compete at races around the state, including the USATF championships. She served as the USATF Women’s Long Distance Chairperson for five years. She was in attendance in Louisville when the USATF was formed and has a T-shirt to prove it. She edited the USATF Niagara Association newsletter for several years before the advent of the computer. For several years, she authored a column entitled, From the Back of the Pack. She continues to collect first-place medals in her age group. Since 2001, she has earned five first-place finishes in Buffalo News Runner of the Year competition. In 2014, she received honorable mention recognition by Runner’s World magazine as one of its top Masters Long Distance Runners of the Year. In 2015, she completed her 2,000th race. In April 2016, she won a national championship in her age group at the USATF National Championship 10 kilometers. And, she is showing no signs of slowing down. In the past 10 years, she has averaged 59 races annually (she ran 72 races in 2014 alone). She is regarded by many as one of the most inspirational runners in the area.

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Bob Ivory (2011) The accomplishments of Bob Ivory and his St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute Marauders, who left a legacy of winning streaks, victorious meet results, and individual accomplishments have gone untouched for over 30 years. Bob, a St. Joe’s graduate, was teaching math at North Tonawanda High School when his alma mater tapped him to coach cross-country and track in 1965. His first squad was undefeated (9-0), and set a demanding pace for its successors to match. From 1969-75, St. Joe’s captured five more regular season titles and six consecutive All-Catholic meet championships (among seven overall). The run was punctuated by a 34 dual-meet winning streak, and by individual performances such as a Delaware Park Lake course record run by senior Alex Trammell in 1971 (12.00 for 2.5 miles), a record not challenged by the thousands of runners who have (and still do) run the course. Ivory’s cross-country teams constantly sought challenges at invitationals all over the East. Bob’s runners brought home 20 invitational trophies to Kenmore Avenue; six by the 1971 squad (including the prestigious Eastern States Championship), perhaps the finest ever assembled in Western New York. At the Christian Brothers Academy Invitational in Van Cortland Park in the Bronx, that team set a record for fastest team time (12.52 per man) that still stands. His track and field resume is even more impressive; it features eight league titles and nine straight All-Catholic Championships. From 1966-72, the Marauders set a Western New York record with 56 consecutive meet victories. Bishop Turner ended the run with a one-point win in May 1972, and claimed Coach Ivory’s maroon baseball cap for its trophy case. That loss is the only blemish on Ivory’s track and field record from mid-1966 to his retirement in 1975. Bob’s track teams also achieved success in top-rank invitationals, with the highlight being the Marauder’s performance at the Penn Relays in 1972. The key members of the legendary 1971 cross-country team became the first Buffalo entry in the 78-year history of the event to win both the distance medley and the two-mile relay, missing national records in the two events by six tenths of a second and 11 seconds, respectively. Ivory left St. Joe’s in 1975, but he still had one trick up his sleeve, coaching former Villanova star Dick Buerkle to a world indoor mile record in 1978. After leaving St. Joe’s Bob went on to work as a WNY Track and Field Official (until 2006), Empire State Games Official, AAU Junior Olympics, WNY Finish Line Team member and perhaps what he is most proud of, working with the Games for the Physically Challenged. He has also been a longtime staff member of Blue Mountain Cross Country camp, where he helped local high school and college runners such as Aileen Hoak, Bridget Niland and Amy Donner (All-American, Buffalo State 1994). Bob helped countless Western New York runners get stronger and faster, though he never took credit for it.

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Jeff John (2018) The Western New York Running Hall of Fame isn’t just for runners, obviously. People have made a variety of contributions in a number of ways to the sport of road race in our area, and running shoes are not a prerequisite. However, take yourself back a couple of dozen years, when the Internet was in its infancy. Can you imagine the reaction of someone who found out one of the honorees was being saluted in large part for his work on a website? Yet that is what has taken place, as we salute the work and dedication of Jeff John and buffalorunners.com. Jeff’s running days started as a schoolboy in Southern California, where he never knew the pleasures of running on snow. He later transferred to the University at Buffalo, and served as an unpaid assistant coach for the cross country and track teams. Jeff also covered the team for the UB student newspaper. Along the way, he became a Master level USA Track & Field (USATF) certified official. A Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) certified race director, Jeff has directed several local events, including the 6-Hour Distance Classic. To ensure runners have positive race experiences, Jeff also became a prolific race course measurer. To achieve this goal, he places a premium on producing accurate courses and creating course maps that are easy to understand. Jeff was promoted recently by the USATF to National Certifier and was subsequently awarded international measurer accreditation by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). Jeff probably was a better runner than most people realize. He has broken 15 minutes over five kilometers, and he has run 50 marathons in 30 states. He ran a 2 hour, 40 minute marathon in 1978 in Rochester. But buffalorunners.com remains Jeff’s calling card, and his legacy. It started as a simple project in 2000 for the Greater Buffalo Track Club, featuring a schedule of club races and results. From there it was a relatively simple jump in imagination to having a site with a full schedule of races and results. The work wasn’t so simple at the beginning since everything had to be typed in by hand. But now the site has almost two million results on it, and is visited by thousands of people every day. Sum it up this way – no one’s work has touched more runners over the past 18 years than that done by Jeff John. The running community is a better place for his tireless work. For all the thankless jobs that Jeff has done for us all, consider this induction a big “thank you” from everyone who runs in Western New York.

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Bob Kaminski (2024) The Western New York Running Hall of Fame has inducted plenty of runners over the years, and more than a few coaches. There’s no doubt that they are the stars of the show in terms of consideration. However, the sport of long-distance running would be merely a group of people running down the street without the help of many people who help make races happen – and it does take a large group of them. Bob Kaminski is one of those people. He first started contributing to the area’s running community more than 40 years ago, way back when he was a member of the National Guard. Bob has had a lot of titles since then – volunteer, coordinator, and committee member for starters – and all of them have something in common. He always showed up and worked hard. The count of his races is at least in the hundreds at this point, and maybe in the thousands. If you were going to make a list, you might bring up the Turkey Trot, the Ronald McDonald 5K, and the St. Gregory the Great Great Race. Bob also has served as the traffic coordinator of the Buffalo Marathon – as thankless a job as has ever been created. Along the way, he has worked on other events like the Boston Marathon, the Utica Boilermaker, and the Empire State Games. Running has become a better sport because of the work of people like Bob Kaminski.

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Charlie Kern (2013) Charlie ran for Sweet Home High School in the 1980s. He coached at Sweet Home High School in 1991, Morton Junior College in Illinois in 1994, Plainfield Middle School and High School in Illinois 1995-98, and York High School in Elmhurst, IL 1999-2008. He presently coaches individuals and conducts a running camp during the summers, which more than 250 middle school and high school kids attend. Sweet Home High School (1984-86) Nine-time all-state honors. Captain of Class A (large school) Cross Country State Championship team (1986). Cross Country State Championships finishes: 1984 – 8th, 1985 – 3rd, 1986 – 2nd. Kinney (Foot Locker) finalist -17th place (1986). 1600m state champion outdoor track – 4:13.07 (1987). 3200m indoor record holder – 9:15.89 (1987 to present). University of Kentucky (1987-1991) Five-time All-SEC (XC, indoor and outdoor track). 1500m – 3:44. 3000m – 8:12. Masters Running Nine-time USA masters age group champion. 2009 World Masters Outdoor Champion – 1500m (40-44 age group). 2011 World Masters Outdoor Silver Medalist – 1500m (40-44 age group). Coaching 7 all-state relays. 19 individual all-state athletes. 4 state champions. 8 state runners-up. 8 All-American relays. 1 national champion – 2006 outdoor distance medley relay – 10:00.37.

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Jesse Kregal (2016) He arrived in Western New York from Oregon in 1970 to join the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra as Principal Timpanist. During his career, he also performed solo and ensemble engagements in more than 30 countries around the world. And music wasn’t his only gift. He was an accomplished runner as well. In 1971, he formed the Buffalo Philharmonic Athletic Club. He then organized the Skylon International Marathon, the first race of its kind to cross an international boundary. The first race took place on October 26, 1974. There were 400 runners in this first year. This same year, his Skylon Marathon efforts were covered by Haywood Hale Broun Jr., sports editor for the CBS Nightly News, and was aired nationally in a segment on CBS News with Dan Rather. By 1976, the field had grown to more than 3,000 runners, making it the second largest marathon in the country, behind Boston. In 1980 and 1984, the Skylon course was host to the U.S. men’s Olympic marathon trials. In 1978, he arranged a week-long symposium to promote running and the City of Buffalo. Prominent international guests included Sir Roger Bannister and Dr. George Sheehan. In 1982, he formed the Scajaquada Pathway Committee, which led to the construction of the 2.5-mile running and biking path connecting Delaware Park with the Riverwalk. In 2007, it was renamed in his honor. His efforts have been recognized by many, including the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce, the Niagara Falls City Council, and the Erie/Niagara Chapter of the National Society of Engineers. In 1980, he was named a Buffalo News Outstanding Citizen of the Year for his work on the Skylon International Marathon. And he did more than organize. He ran more than 60 marathons, including numerous Boston Marathons during his career. His personal best was under 3 hours. He went the distance to make running a Western New York staple.

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Walt Lyons (2025) Say what you want about sports dynasties, but there’s always a starting point. In the case of running in Western New York high schools, the greatest dynasty in history essentially began in 1976. That’s when Walt Lyons took over as the coach of the boys and girls cross-country teams in East Aurora. It’s fair to say the sport around here has never been the same. The Blue Devils didn’t win championships every year once he took over the program, but sometimes it must have seemed like it. For the boys, East Aurora captured 17 ECIC divisional team championships in a quarter-century. The team won 10 Section VI, Class B team titles, and the Blue Devils went on to claim Class B state championships in 1981 and 1985. For good measure, East Aurora finished third in the Federation meet in 1980. Walt coached three individual Section VI champions along the way. But it certainly didn’t start that way – in 1976, when Walt took over the East Aurora XC program, the 9 boys that made up the roster, went 0-15. The following year, a team made up of some Hulmes, O’Connors, Dowdalls and Lyons went 15-0. Walt’s teams went on to win 240+ straight dual meets before he finished in 2000. It was more of the same on the women’s side. The Blue Devils won five ECIC division titles between 1976 and 2000. They had three individual Section VI champions and finished third in the state meet in 1983. East Aurora placed eighth at the National Foot Locker championships in 1997. Walt Lyons legacy will also be remembered for the culture that he built in East Aurora by opening the doors of his home for kids / runners of all ages to galvanize friendships and bonds that would last a lifetime. Walt’s inspiration has led to countless boys and girls collegiate stand outs, close to a dozen successful high school coaches, including three of his sons and Walt McLaughlin, who has taken East Aurora’s running program to new heights and two WNY Running Hall of Famers in Allison Carr and Paul Hulme. East Aurora remains a running powerhouse to this day, to the point where success there is almost taken for granted. Walt felt blessed teaching and coaching in East Aurora working with such wonderful students and caring and supportive parents.

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Bill Maloney (2022) When Bill Maloney heard he was going to be inducted into the Western New York Running Hall of Fame, he said he was happy that a self-proclaimed “working stiff” was going to be honored. Yet his record of achievement in running is anything but pedestrian. Bill first received acclaim for his running back in high school. He attended Canisius High School, where he set the school record for the mile and the two-mile run – both of which stood for 25 years. Maloney also set a cross-country record at the Delaware Park course. Since the distance has been changed, he’ll have that record forever. All of that put him in the Canisius Hall of Fame. Then, it was on to Canisius College, where he set a course record as a freshman in his very first race. Bill went on to set several school records during his time on the Main Street campus, and he was inducted into the Canisius’ Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986. Maloney moved into the “real world” after college, but he kept his running shoes on. Bill won almost every major race in Western New York in the 1980s. The list includes the Shamrock Run, the Subaru Four-Mile Chase, and the Cole’s Race. Maloney ran 10 marathons along the way, and he also found time to do some college coaching at D’Youville College. Bill is still running today, still putting in an honest day’s effort. His Hall of Fame induction is merely another finish line that he’s crossed along the way.

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Bill Mangan (2012) He led Niagara Falls High School to a State Federation Meet title in 1982. He was a two-time All-American at the University of New Mexico. He ran 13:47 in the 5K on track twice, once at the Penn Relays. He ran for the U.S. World Cross Country team. At the Olympic trials qualifier in 1992, he ran sub-14 minutes in 5,000 three times. He was a member of the U.S. World Junior Cross Country Team in 1985 and the U.S. World Senior Cross Country Team in 1990. He was an NCAA Division I All-American in the 5000 meters in 1987. He was Western Athletic Conference 5000-meter and 10,000-meter Outdoor Track Champion. He was also Western Athletic Conference Track Athlete of the Year. He won the 5000-meter event at the Penn Relays.

• Track PRs: 800m, 1:49.4; 1,500m, 3:44.5; 3,000m, 7:56.5; 5,000m, 13:42.6; 10,000m, 28:26.3.
• Road PRs: 1 mile, 4:01.5, 5km, 14:01.3; 8.5km, 23:58.0 (NZ Round the Bays); 10km, 28:10.
• Led Niagara Falls High School to a State federation meet title in 1983.
• Two-time All-American at the University of New Mexico.
• Ran 13:47 for 5K on track twice; won Penn Relays 5K – 13:47
• Ran on the U.S. World Cross Country team.
• Olympic Trials qualifier – ran sub-14 minutes in 5,000 three times.
• U.S. World Jr. Cross Country Team (1985).
• U.S. World Sr. Cross Country Team (1990).
• All American 5000m NCAA Div I (1987).
• Western Athletic Conference (WAC) 10,000m Outdoor Track Champion.
• 9th Mt. Sac Relays 5,000m Invitational (13:51.1).
• All American 5000m NCAA Div I (1989).
• Penn Relays 5000m Champion.
• Western Athletic Conference (WAC) – 10,000m Outdoor Track Champion, 5,000m Outdoor Track Champion.
• WAC Track Athlete of the Year.
• 9th Mt. Sac Relays 5,000m Invitational (13:49.7).
• All-American Honorable Mention – Cross Country (1989).
• U.S. 12km Championship – 5th place (34:05, 4:36/mile).
• U.S. 8km Road Championship – 3rd place (Portland, OR).
• 9th Cinque Mulini – Milano, Italy.
• 2nd Santa Monica Invitational 5,000m (13:50.1).
• 6th Boston Twilight 5,000m – 13:47.2.
• Qualified U.S. Olympic Trials 1992.
• 3rd Round the Bays, Auckland, New Zealand (1992).
• U.S. World Road Relays Team (5km leg), Madeira, Portugal.

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Jennifer Colgove-Martin (2011) Jennifer Colgrove-Martin is a native of South Wales. She was a three-time NCAA qualifier at Allegheny College, where she was a two-time women’s athlete of the year (1981-82 and 1982-83). She continued running after graduation. Martin is one of the few people in history to qualify for four straight Olympic marathon trials. Her highlight at that distance probably was finishing second in the Pan-American Games in 1995, finishing in 2:44:16 and helping the U.S. to a 1-2 finish. After moving to Erie, Pa., she still was a frequent visitor to Western New York to compete in races. Martin won the Turkey Trot in 1984 and 1987, and took the Subaru Four-Mile Chase three different times. She did all this despite having exercise-induced asthma, and also had a case of Lyme disease that at one point simulated a heart attack and left her weak for several months.

• Four-time Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996). (One of only five U.S. women)
• United States Team Member for four World Championships (Half-Marathon)
• World Cup Marathon and Pan Am (2nd, Silver Medal)
• Nike Team athlete (1989-1997)
• Olympic Marathon Trials, Columbia, South Carolina – 12th (2:36:19) – 1996
• Pan American Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina – 2nd (2:41:03) – 1995
• Columbus Marathon – 2nd (2:38:30) – 1995
• California International Marathon – 1st (2:36:13) – 1994
• Columbus Marathon – 1st (2:37:05) – 1993
• Olympic Marathon Trials – 14th (2:39) – 1992
• New England Mile Champion – 1992
• Columbus Marathon – 2nd (2:39) – 1990
• Olympic Marathon Trials – 14th (2:39:06) – 1988
• Pittsburgh Marathon – 4th (2:36:11) – 1987
• Olympic Marathon Trials – (2:45)- 1984
• Team member for World Championships: Half-Marathon in 1995 (Oslo, Norway), 1994; (Brussels, Belgium), 1993; (15k-The Netherlands); and 1989 (5 mile-Stavanger, Norway)
• Member of 1991 World Cup Marathon Team (London) and 1984 Osaka International Marathon (Osaka, Japan)
• Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, 1996
• Allegheny College Hall of Fame, 1993 (still holds 10K collegiate record at Allegheny College)
• Iroquois High School Hall of Fame, Elma, NY, 2001
• Five-time Collegiate All-American Runner in cross-country and track and field.
• Personal Bests: Marathon, 2:36:13; Half Marathon, 1:14:02; 15k, 51:06; 10k, 32:10; 8k, 26:44 (at Turkey Trot in Buffalo- course record); 4 mile, 21:56; 5k, 16:13; 3k, 9:13; 1,500m, 4:36

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Jack Meegan (2019) Jack Meegan is one of the area’s legends when it came to the sport of distance running. He was part of the running community for more than 30 years. He run track at Seneca High School and continued his running career while attending Northwestern University and never seemed to stop after that. He was a member of the Belle Watling Track Club that took titles in national competitions. Jack ran his first Boston Marathon in 1979 at the age of 43, but it wasn’t until six years later that he would notch his personal best time of 2:42 at the age of 49. In all, he ran 30 Boston Marathons in 31 years. In addition to running Boston, Jack also ran the Chicago, Cleveland, Erie, Las Vegas International, Skylon International and Marine Corps Marathons. He placed first in his age group multiple years at the Marine Corps Marathon. He was an honorary Member of The Airborne Vietnam Veteran’s Death Valley 100-Mile Marathon in which participants parachute into Death Valley and run 20 miles each day for 5 days while camping in the desert each night. Jack competed in the Empire State Games, earning multiple gold and silver medals in various track and field events, such as the 5000 meters and the 800-meter four-man relay. He was a frequent age-group winner of the Buffalo News’ Runner of the Year competition. He was also inducted into the Softball Hall of Fame in 1982. He ran daily at Delaware Park where there is a bench dedicated in his honor. Jack also served locally as a running mentor to many – a dedicated man who is still missed to this day.

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Nancy Mieszczak (2011) Nancy Mieszczak scored her first win in her first race, the 1977 J.Y. Cameron Turkey Trot. Eighteen years and 261 races later, she won her last race, this time as a Master, in the 1995 J.Y. Cameron Turkey Trot. In between, she collected 141 firsts, including at least 112 wins in Open competition. She won open titles at the Skylon, Miller Lite and Charlotte Marathons, the last twice; and won the Rocket City marathon as a Master. She finished 10th at the Boston Marathon, and was invited to compete in the first-ever Women’s Olympic marathon trials in 1984. Although Nancy started her racing career before the advent of prize money, she earned more than $26,000 before retiring from competition. She was for a long time sponsored by both Moving Comfort clothing and Etonic shoes. Nancy recorded 10K PR in 1983, running nearly identical races back-to-back. Later that year, she won eight consecutive races in three months.

• 3/14/82: Cherry Hill New Jersey 10m, 57:46 (6:18 pace), 2nd place
• 5/22/83: CTFA National Senior 10k, 34:00 (5:47), 3rd place
• 7/24/83: Kenmore Mercy Hospital 5k, 16:58 (5:46), 1st place
• 9/25/83: WBEN Run for Your Life 20k, 1:11:54 (6:19), 1st place
• 10/09/83: Miller Lite Marathon, 2:39:15 (6:07), 1st place
• 3/03/84: Avon Washington 15k, 53:33 (6:15), 3rd place
• 3/18/84: Road Runners Club of America 30k, 1:50:24 (6:32), 6th place

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Don Mitchell (2011) Don Mitchell was an accomplished runner back in the late ’70s and early ’80s before he was a timer. His marathon best is 2:51. His 5K PR is under 17 minutes, his best track mile was 5-flat, best 10k 35:20, and best Turkey Trot in the low 28-minute range. He also has a 7:24 50-miler. He is still running marathons, half-marathons, and shorter distances, but considerably more slowly. He succeeded Dick Kendall as the area’s course measurer/certifier and for some time was the only person doing that work. He helped John Felix and John Grandits learn the craft. He measured dozens of race courses, including the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Marathon Trials courses. He never charged a fee. Don was a member of the Delaware Park Steering Committee in the late ’70s and early ’80s, and was instrumental in creating the running lane and keeping car traffic out of much of the Ring Road. He was the treasurer of the Skylon Marathon committee for several years in the ’70s and early ’80s and, with David Tarbet and Diane Melillo, organized Skylon’s first computer results system in 1980. He started Runtime Services in 1981. At that time, worldwide, there were very few race computing operations. Only a handful were using machine-readable tags; when the 1981 Skylon Marathon was scored using barcode tags, only New York and Boston were using them. He and his programming partner developed all their own software. By 1984, he was handling races in the 10,000+ range and had developed his own computer timing device using early laptops that stored and downloaded times from the finish line into his server. (See Bob Ivory’s picture – he’s using one of them.) This meant no more manual typing of times into the computer, and increased accuracy. He handled races from very small (100-200 finishers) to “extreme” events, most notably the 2002 Pittsburgh Race for the Cure 5k, with 37,700 entrants (1,200 on race day) and 23,500 finishers, which he scored using barcode technology and traditional timing with 15 simultaneous finish lines. His group produced complete race-day results in time for the awards ceremony and for posting on the Internet by mid-afternoon. He was the first to chip-time a race in the Buffalo area and, in partnership with Leone Timing and Results, brought Upstate New York – from Utica to Buffalo – into the chip-timing era. He prepared yearly summaries and recommendations not just for his own clients, but for all races who sent representatives to the annual race directors’ meeting. He developed a “your running history” application that produced a listing of any runner’s complete history, with statistics for every race entered. He developed a great historical database of performances – electronic copies of results going back to his first event in 1981. The database has nearly a million performances in it. He was a pioneer of using the World Wide Web for posting race results and a Western New York racing calendar. His Runtime Services website went online in 1997, and material taken from it, especially his “for the runner” description of how traditional scoring works, can be found all over the web.

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Vicki Mitchell (2013)
Vicki Mitchell has been the head men’s and women’s cross country coach and women’s track and field coach at UB since 2002. Mitchell directly coaches the men’s and women’s middle distance runners and oversees the women’s track and field student-athletes. Mitchell’s highlights at UB include the highest women’s team placing at the MAC Outdoor Championships in 2010 and her men’s cross country team attaining its highest finishes at the 2011 MAC and Northeast Regional Championships. The 2010 season produced UB’s first All-American (Kristy Woods) in over 10 years, as well as several MAC champions and NCAA qualifiers. Under Mitchell’s tutelage, 2009 graduate Mary Veith became the first UB cross country runner to earn first-team All-MAC honors three years in a row. UB produced the MAC indoor distance medley relay champion foursome and 2006 MAC mile champion Jennifer Jezorski. In 2004, Jennifer Koeppel became the first UB woman to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Koeppel also won the MAC Cross Country and 10,000-meter titles. Middle distance standout Allison Laske competed in the 800-meter run at the NCAA Outdoor National Championships and competed at the 2004 United States Olympic Trials. In 2001, Jerimie Slick became the first UB runner in over 30 years to compete at the NCAA National Cross Country Championships. In addition, Mitchell has had several athletes qualify for the USATF Junior National Championships every year. Prior to arriving at UB in 1999, Mitchell served as the assistant cross country and track and field coach at William Jewell College in Kansas City, Missouri. Mitchell also spent five years at Holy Angels Academy in Buffalo where she taught physical education and was the head cross country and track and field coach. A native Western New Yorker, she is a 1987 graduate of Amherst Central School. A distinguished athlete and international competitor, Mitchell competed in the 1996 U.S. Olympic 10,000-meter Trials. She made her marathon debut at the 1999 Hong Kong Marathon, where she qualified for the 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. In 2001, she was invited to join the Fila Discovery USA training program, a program designed to develop American distance runners into elite marathon athletes able to compete with the best in the world. She has been a member of five USA national teams, including the 1993 World University Games and 1998 IAAF World Road Race Championship in Manaus, Brazil. Mitchell is the current Northeast NCAA Cross Country Rep and has been an instrumental committee member in establishing the Buffalo Chapter of Girls on the Run, a national program for pre-teen girls that focuses on developing self-esteem, self-respect and healthy living through fitness and running. Mitchell also presented at the 2010 Illinois State Track Clinic, is a panel member of the Buffalo Medical Runner’s Forum and is a regular speaker at several running camps each year. Mitchell received her B.S.E. in physical education from Cortland State in 1991 and a master’s in exercise physiology from North Carolina-Greensboro in 1994. While at Cortland State, Mitchell was a seven-time NCAA champion and 10-time All-American in leading the Red Dragons to NCAA Division III national championships in cross country and track. In 2003, she was named Cortland’s Western New York Alum of the Year, and in 2004 she was inducted to the Cortland C-Club Hall of Fame. In 2010, she was named to the Division III Track and Field Athlete Hall of Fame. Personal Best times:

• 1500m – 4:29
• 3000m – 9:20
• 5000m – 15:54
• 8k (Road) – 26:20
• 10k (road) – 32:23
• Marathon – 2:41:05

Athletic Awards and Honors

• Professional Athlete, 1993-2001
• Two-time USA Olympic Trials Qualifier: 1996 10,000m and 2000 Marathon
• Six-time USA Track and Field National Championship Qualifier, 10,000m (’93, ’94 ’95,’96,’98,’99)
• 1991 Hanes Her Way Athlete of the Year recipient
• 1991 GTE Academic All-American
• 1991 SUNY Athlete of the Year Award
• 1991 New York State Athlete of the Year Award
• 1991 SUNY Cortland Outstanding Athlete Award
• 2003 WNY SUNY Cortland Alumni of the Year
• 2004 Inducted into SUNY Cortland C-Club Hall of Fame
• 2011 Inducted into the NCAA Division III Track and Field Hall of Fame
• 2013 Inducted into the Western New York Running Hall of Fame

Coaching Highlights

• MAC Conference Champions: 2004 Women’s 10k Champ, 2004 Women’s XC Champ, 2011
• Men’s Steeple Chase Champion, 800m Women’s Champion 2013
• MAC All-Conference Athletes: 32
• NCAA Qualifiers: 13 Track and Field, 2 Cross Country
• Olympic Trials Qualifiers: 2004 USA Women’s 800m qualifier, 2012 Jamaican Women’s 800m qualifier
• National Master’s Records: Mile, 3000m
• 2004 Central Collegiate Coach of the Year

Clinics, Presentations, Camps

• U.S. All-Star Track and Field and Cross Country Coaching Clinic, December 2012
• Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association (ITCCCA) Clinic, 2010
• Ohio Association of Track and Field Coaches (OATCCC) Clinic, Jan. 2012
• University at Buffalo Track and Field Summer Camp: Director and Coach/presenter
• University at Buffalo Track and Field Winter Clinic Series: Director and coach/presenter
• Aim High Running Camp (1997 – present): Annual presentation ranging in topics from principles of training, cross country training, nutrition, goal setting
• Blue Mountain Running Camp (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012): Nutrition for better performance presentation
• Roswell’s Team Cure: Nutrition presentation (2008)
• Buffalo Medical Runner’s Forum Panel Speaker and Presenter (’05, ’06, ’08, ’09, ’10): topics including lactate threshold training, running economy, VO2 max training
• Awards Celebrations Guest Speaker (Amherst HS, Churchville-Chili HS, Niagara Running Association, other various sites)
• National Girls and Women’s in Sports Day (UB Celebration event – panel speaker, 2008, 2013)
• 2006 Emerging Elite Coaching Symposium – invited as an emerging elite coach
• USATF Podium Education Project Distance Symposium: 2005, 2006, 2008

Additional Community Involvement

• Board Member: Girls on the Run, Buffalo (2010–present)
• Board Member: Western New York Running Hall of Fame (2011–present)

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Sue Schaefer-Morgan (2017) A pioneer in the area of local women’s running, she ran track and cross country at Clarence Central High School in the 1970s. In her senior year, she set the national two-mile record for high school girls and was the state champion in both the mile and two-mile. In 1977, she received All-American honors and was named Clarence’s Female Athlete of the Year. After graduating from Clarence, she won the 3,000-meter run at the AAU Nationals at UCLA in June 1977 in a time of 9:28.77. She attended Olympic training camp in Squaw Valley in 1977 and 1978 before earning a full athletic scholarship to Eastern Kentucky University. She was a four-time AIAW All-American (cross country in 1977, 3,000 meters in 1978, 5000 meters in 1978 and 1981). She was also a six-time Ohio Valley Conference Champion (cross country in 1977 and 1981, 1,500 meters and 3,000 meters in 1981, and 5,000 meters in 1978 and 1981). She set two school records in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters in 1978. The outdoor 5,000-meter record of 16:05 at Eastern Kentucky University stood for 36 years. She also set two Ohio Valley Conference track records in 1981 in those distances. After college, she became a teacher at East Richland Christian School and an assistant track coach at Barnesville High School in Ohio. She recently retired from track duties, but still lives in Barnesville with her husband, Bill. They have four grown daughters, each of whom had successful running careers. Welcome to the Western New York Running Hall of Fame, Sue Schaefer-Morgan.

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Jackie Murzynowski (2014) She’s won a Western New York-record eight Corporate Challenges. She finished second in the Corporate Challenge World Championship in New York City. She’s a two-time Buffalo News Runner of the Year winner. She has set many school and meet records in the 1500-meter, 3000-meter, and cross country while attending Kentucky’s Murray State University. During her racing career, she ran the Checkers 8K in 27:26, a 5K in 16:30 while in college, and a 10K in 34:35. She’s won 78 races in all, including the East Aurora Toy Fest 10K, the Police Chase, the J.P. Bullfeathers 5K, the Louis J. Billittier Memorial 5K, and the Buffalo State Bengal Run. In 2008, she was first overall in a race at Erie Community College. Today, she coaches varsity cross country and modified outdoor track at Frontier High School and at Frontier Middle School. In her spare time, she coaches and trains several area runners and helps with the summer track program.

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Tony Napoli (2021) It could be argued that when it comes to running, Western New York has produced more good runners per capita who were eligible for Medicare than any other part of the country. We’ve had a series of athletes who have won titles and set records on a national basis. Many of them already are in the Western New York Running Hall of Fame. Now, Tony Napoli is joining them. For those of you who are closing in on retirement and think it’s too late to start running, Tony is a great role model. He started running at the age of 63. At the age of 64, he ran a 19:09 5-kilometer race to set a national age-group record. Tony set many other such records, including the fact that he was the first 70-year-old American to ever break 20 minutes for 5 kilometers. Tony picked up plenty of honors along the way. In 1986, he won 12 gold medals at the Empire State Games, setting four meet records. On Tony’s 70th birthday in 1990, he celebrated by running a 5k in 19:40. In 1998, he set a world record in the 75-79 age group by running a 6:48.97 indoor mile. Tony ran 23 marathons after the age of 65, including three in Boston. He was a three-time Buffalo News Runner of the Year age-group winner. Meanwhile, he helped create the Jog for the Jake race – a must-run event that was held on Father’s Day for years. Tony died in 2008 at the age of 87. Let’s hope that his induction into the Western New York Running Hall of Fame can inspire runners of all ages for years to come.

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Bridget Niland (2018) It’s not fair for the rest of us to compare ourselves to Bridget Niland. It seems that she’s been working with a big advantage in her life compared to ours. Bridget acts as if she’s been given 30 hours per day to get life’s accomplishments done, while the rest of us are stuck at 24. How else can you explain such a lifetime of achievement – all while raising five children? Compared to Bridget, the rest of us are mere slackers. It’s been that way for a while. Bridget was the captain of her cross country and track teams for the University at Buffalo, and broke five school records at track. That work led to her induction in the UB Sports Hall of Fame. She recorded three top 3 Buffalo Marathon finishes in 1996 (3rd), 1997 (1st), and 1998 (1st). She’ll tell you that completing—and winning—marathons during law school are highlight of her running career. She also notched three Buffalo Corp Challenge wins in the mid-1990s. There was also a top 5 finish at Marine Corps Marathon in 2000. She was coached for these marathons and races by fellow Western New Running Hall of Fame members Bob Ivory and Bob Carroll. “I ran well from 1995 to 2000 because of them and the great people/mentors I trained with—Tom Donnelly and Becky Heuer (Carroll). Along the way, Bridget worked as the chair of the NCAA national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee from 1996 through 1998. You may not have heard much about that, but it served a key role in changing the relationship between student-athletes and their universities. After graduation, she picked up a couple of graduate degrees, but still was in good enough shape to earn Runner of the Year honors from The Buffalo News in 1999. From there, Bridget worked in the Department of Justice and for the NCAA. She came home to serve as the athletic director at Daemen, and guided that college into NCAA Division II in athletics. Bridget also developed Daemen’s Sports Management and Business Law degree programs. Earlier in 2018, Bridget found a new challenge – as if she needed it. She’s the director of Youth Sports Initiatives, a part of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. There she is helping to improve athletics for young people through the area, backed by the Ralph Wilson Foundation. There is little doubt that she’ll make Western New York a fitter, better place by the time she’s done there. Buffalo News sportswriter Mark Gaughan once called Bridget “one of the most impressive people I’ve ever met.” She didn’t need to be in the Western New York Running Hall of Fame to earn that title, but we all knew she’d add that distinction to her list of accomplishments someday. Now, that day has arrived.

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Jim Nowicki (2017) He organized Casey’s Nickelodeon Champagne Chase in 1981. Black Tower wine became the title sponsor in 1982. In 1985, the race became the first in the area to offer prize money, and has featured Olympians and world champions over the years. The parade of top runners continues to this day. John Campbell set male masters 4-mile world record in the race in 1990, which has attracted runners from 30 foreign countries and all 50 states. In 1986, Subaru became the major sponsor and — along with Northtown and West Herr — has remained the major sponsor for 32 consecutive years. He continues to dedicate himself to organizing this event, with Subaru as the major sponsor. The race has become a Buffalo summertime tradition that top area runners and recreational runners circle on their calendars in January. The race was recognized by Buffalo Spree magazine as “a world-class race and Western New York’s premier international sporting event.” Former Buffalo News running columnist and fellow Hall of Fame member Mike Beebe called the race “the jewel among area road races.” The race has received coverage in Running Times, Runners World, USA Today, and Sports Illustrated. And all of this race’s success can be attributed to one man. Jim Nowicki.

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David O’Keeffe (2011) Dave began competitive running at Manhattan College as a freshman in February 1977, walking on to a Division I team without any high school training. He progressed to become a scholarship athlete and team captain. In 1979 he was the 5th scorer on the 17th place team at the NCAA Cross Country Nationals. For the 1980 season, he was named 1st Team Cross Country, Metropolitan Athletic Conference. While in Medical School he achieved a national caliber performance time of 45:38 at the BMW Westchester 15K, September 1983. During his Family Medicine Residency, he represented the U.S. at the World Cross Country Championships in Auckland, New Zealand, March 1988. He became the 43rd fastest American of all time with a 63:39 at the Toronto Half Marathon, September 1991. He qualified for the 1992 Olympic Trials Marathon, finishing 8th in the Chicago Marathon, October 1991. He represented the US again in the World Cup Marathon Championships in San Sebastian, October 1993. Highlights from national road races include an 18th place at the Falmouth Road Race in 1988, a 19th place at the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile in 1989, a 6th place at the Toronto Half Marathon in 1989, a 13th place at the International Peace Race 10K in 1991, an 8th place at the Chicago Marathon in 1991, a victory at the Round The Bay 30K in 1993, a 20th place at the Boilermaker 15K in 1993, a 2nd place at the Virginia 10 Miler in 1993, a 20th place overall in the USA/Reebok Cross Country Grand Prix Series in 1994 and a victory at the Canadian International Marathon in 1995. His career in Western New York running extended 27 years. He won the Turkey Trot twice, set two course records and achieved ten top 5 finishes. His 23:13 course record from 1989 still stands and his 23:23 from 1987 is the second fastest time ever recorded at the oldest continually held road race in North America. He also holds the current masters course record, achieved in 1999 when he finished 2nd overall. His Shamrock 8K history includes four victories, four 2nd place finishes, a 3rd place finish, the current course record of 23:41 and the current masters course record as a result of an overall victory in 1999. His Corporate Challenge victories span 20 years. He won the Buffalo Marathon twice, once as a master. Dave was the first Buffalo News Runner of the Year in 1987. He achieved the honor for the second time in 1989 and again in 2007 at the age of 48. Dave was a notable masters competitor, earning seven individual national championships and leading three national champion teams. In 7 of 16 National Championships he finished first or second in overall performance. He never placed out of the top 10 in age-graded results at masters national events. Dave was awarded the title of USA Masters Harrier of the Year in 2005 and 2006. Running Times ranked him as the 3rd best 45 to 49 year old road racer in the nation in 2004 and extended an honorable mention for his age group in 2001 and 2007. He was the 2nd master in the 1999 London Marathon, 3rd master in the 1999 Parkersburg Half Marathon National Championship, 2nd master in the 2000 Houston Marathon, 2nd master in the 2001 Philadelphia Half Marathon, 1st master in the 2004 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, and 1st master in the 2004 Broad Street Run. He was the masters champion in the Mayor’s Cup 8K 2001, 2002 and 2006. He was also the GVH Upstate Cross Country Masters Champion in 2003 and 2006. International Experience:

• 1988 World Cross Country Championship
• 1993 World Cup Marathon Championship

National Championships:

• 1988 Winter National Cross Country Championship – 9th Place
• 1989 Winter National Cross Country Championship – 12th Place
• 1992 Winter National Cross Country Championship – 18th Place
• 1993 20K National Championship – 6th Place

Masters National Championships:

• Masters Marathon National Champion 10/99 Twin Cities
• 5K Age-Graded Cross Country National Champion 10/05 Saratoga Springs
• 5K Age-Graded Cross Country National Champion 10/06 Saratoga Springs
• 8K Age-Graded Cross Country National Champion 2/07 Boulder
• 6K 45-49 Year Old Cross Country National Champion 2/04 Indianapolis
• 5K 45-49 Year Old Cross Country National Champion 10/05 Saratoga Springs
• 8K 45-49 Year Old Cross Country National Champion 2/06 Van Cortlandt Park
• 2nd Overall Age-Graded Cross Country Championship 11/00 Holmdel
• 2nd Overall Age-Graded Cross Country Championship 2/04 Indianapolis
• 2nd Overall Age-Graded Cross Country Championship 11/05 Rochester
• 3rd Overall Age-Graded Cross Country Championship 11/03 Rochester
• 4th Overall Age-Graded Cross Country Championship 2/06 Van Cortland
• 4th Overall Age-Graded Cross Country Championship 12/07 West Chester
• 5th Overall Age-Graded Cross Country Championship 12/03 Greensboro
• 6th Overall Age-Graded Cross Country Championship 2/08 Mission Bay
• 7th Overall Age-Graded Cross Country Championship 2/05 Vancouver
• 7th Overall Age-Graded 10K Road Championship 9/07 Paso Robles
• 8th Overall Age-Graded Cross Country Championship 12/07 San Francisco
• 10th Overall Age-Graded Cross Country Championship 10/07 Saratoga Springs

Masters Team Championships:

• Team Champion Cross Country 8K 11/03 Rochester
• Team Champion Cross Country 5K 10/05 Saratoga Springs
• Team Champion Cross Country 5K 10/07 Saratoga Springs
• 2nd Place Team Cross Country Championship 10K 11/05 Rochester
• 2nd Place Team Cross Country Championship 8K 2/06 Van Cortlandt Park
• 2nd Place Team Cross Country Championship 5K 11/06 Saratoga Springs
• 3rd Team Cross Country Championship 8K 2/05 Vancouver

Personal Bests:

• 1600m – 4:12 – Penn Relays 4/81
• 3000m – 8:15 York University 1/91 Indoors
• 5000m – 14:20 College Dual Meet 5/81
• 5K – 14:31 Police Chase 9/93
• 8K – 23:13 Turkey Trot 11/89
• 10000m – 29:45 Rutgers Relays 5/81
• 10K – 28:57 Youngstown International Peace Race 9/91
• 15K – 45:38 Westchester 15K 9/83
• 10 Mile – 48:48 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler 4/89
• 20K – 62:33 WBEN Run For Your Life 20K 9/86
• Half Marathon – 1:03:39 Toronto Half 9/91
• 30K – 1:35:16 Hamilton Around The Bay 3/91
• Marathon – 2:16:22 World Cup 10/93

Masters Bests:

• 5K – 15:00 (Age-Graded Conversion – 14:14) Syracuse Festival Of Races 9/01
• 8K – 24:21 (Age-Graded Conversion – 23:31) Turkey Trot 11/99
• 10K – 33:12 (Age-Graded Conversion – 29:30) Heritage Oaks 10K 9/07
• 10 Mile – 54:16 (Age-Graded Conversion – 50:53) Cherry Blossom 10 Miler 4/04
• Half Marathon – 1:09:09 (Age-Graded Conversion – 1:06:22) Philadelphia Half Marathon 9/01
• Marathon – 2:23:09 (Age-Graded Conversion – 2:19:47) Rocket City Marathon 12/99

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Bernie Prabucki (2013) From 1975 to 1979, Bernie Prabucki was a five-time all-high in cross country and track for Seneca Vocational High School in Buffalo, New York. He was the school record holder in the mile, two mile, and the Delaware Park cross country course. Bernie is also a member of the Seneca Vocational Wall of Fame. Bernie graduated from Fredonia State University in 1983 with a bachelor’s in economics. He moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1985. He received his masters in accounting and tax law from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1989. He’s currently the owner and president of Bernard Prabucki, CPA, PA, a tax and accounting firm in Durham, North Carolina. Notable achievements:

• Four-time NCAA All-American at Fredonia State University in Cross Country and Track, 1979-83.
• Individual national champion in the 5000 meters, 1982.
• Nine-time individual SUNYAC champion in 1500 through 5000 meters.
• Two-time Individual SUNYAC cross country champion.
• Seven-time New York State track champion.
• Two-time New York State cross country champion.
• Fredonia State outdoor track record holder in 5000 and 10000 meters.
• Fredonia State cross country course record holder.
• Member, Fredonia Hall of Fame.
• Member, SUNYAC Hall of Fame.
• Fredonia State Student Athlete of the Year, 1983.
• Member of Fredonia State cross country and track teams that won 21 SUNYAC and New York State championships. 1979-83.
• Member, New York State Empire 5000 Meters Team, 1984.
• Nationally ranked in the top 25 in the United States for the 5000 meters, 1985-88
• Competed in the National Track and Field Championships, 1986.
• Competed in the 5000 meters at the 1988 Olympic Trails in Indianapolis, 1988 (14:32.32).
• Volunteer track, basketball, soccer and softball coach for Orange County Special Olympics in Chapel Hill, NC, 1994-present.
• North Carolina track coach for the National Special Olympics Summer Games held in Lincoln, Nebraska, 2010.
• Governor’s Volunteer Service Award for the Year, 2011.
• North Carolina Special Olympics Coach of the Year, 2012.

Notable road race wins:

• 1983 Skylon Marathon (2:21:28).
• 1983 Lancaster Turkey Day Run.
• 1983 Broadway-Fillmore Turkey Day Race.
• 1983 Last Race of the Year.
• 1984 Orlando Festival Marathon (2:20:01).
• 1984 Cole’s Run on Elmwood Avenue.
• 1984 Connors-Kait-Harrity Run.
• 1984 St. Patrick Day’s Race.
• 1984 Buffalo Police Chase 5k (14:32).
• 1984 Delaware YMCA Turkey Trot (23:32).
• 1984 Lancaster Turkey Day Run.
• 1984 Last Race of the Year.
• 1984 Broadway-Fillmore Turkey Day Race.
• 1985 Buffalo Police Chase 5k (14:45).
• 1986 Lilac 10k in Rochester, New York (29:44).
• 1987 Lancaster Turkey Day Run.

Personal bests:

• 1500 meters: 3:45.
• 3000 meters: 8:11.
• 5000 meters: 13:46.
• 10000 meters: 28:47.
• 10 miles: 47:57.
• Marathon: 2:21:28.

“It brings a smile to my face as to how lucky and fortunate I was to obtain such a level of success in the world of distance running. But I say this with the utmost sincerity and honesty that each and every one of those personal accomplishments pale in comparison to my coaching in Special Olympics. There has been no greater joy and level of satisfaction in my life then working with and coaching all my athletes over these past 20 years. To work with an athlete that no one thought could even walk 100 yards and training them so by the end of the season they are racing the 800 meters brings to meaning what life is all about. The term “priceless” does not do this justice.”

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Carl Roesch (2013) During Carl J. Roesch’s lifetime, he served as an official in volleyball, softball, basketball, swimming, and, track and field, but his passion was always running. Due to his extensive commitment and evolvement, he was affectionately given the title, “Mr. Track and Field.” Carl competed and went on to facilitating track and field as well as cross country events with such career highlights as:

• 1968: Served as assistant manager to the U.S. Olympic track and field team in Mexico City.
• 1969: Elected Secretary of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Committee.
• 1948-1973: Coached both cross country and track at Canisius College.

Carl’s running career included such notable achievements as:

• 1928-30: All-High champion in the mile.
• 1929 and 1930: All-High champion in the 880-yard run.
• 1933 and 1934: Named “Outstanding Track Performer of the Year.”
• 1935: National AAU Indoor Championship in the 600 meters (record still stands as event is no longer contested).

Carl brought new exposure to the sport on a local and international level.

• 1941-1950s: Appointed Games Director for the Buffalo Fire Department Track and Field Meets. Carl pioneered these meets, attracting many international athletes to Buffalo to compete.
• 1950s-1960s: Was founding and former president and made life member of the Niagara region AAU Association. Conducted the first AAU Olympic Development Meets in Buffalo, NY.
• 1950s: Began 30 years of service to the Niagara Frontier Track and Field Officials Association.
• 1962: Outstanding Sports Promoter Award by the Western New York Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Received the Ralph C. Hubbell Award for Sportsman of the Year.
• 1964: Appointed Director of the City of Buffalo Recreation Department by Mayor, Chester Kowal – Inducted into the National Federation of State High Schools Assoc. Hall of Fame.
• 1965: Instituted for the first time in the Recreation Department history, track and field coaching clinics for young athletes. Initiated playground physical fitness tests for area youngsters.
• 1966: Men’s manager of the United States Track Team at the International Games in the Los Angeles Coliseum.
• 1960s-1970s: Officiated at the Wanamaker-Millrose games in Madison Square Garden, New York City.
• 1970: Manager of the Men’s United States Olympic Track and Field Team that competed against the USSR in Leningrad, as well as teams in Paris and Stuttgart.
• 1974: Served as a handicapper until 1974 for the J.Y. Cameron Memorial Thanksgiving Day Run (The Turkey Trot). Received the Niagara Frontier recreation and Parks Society Volunteer Service Award.
• 1975: Manager of the United States Men’s Track and Field Team vs. Russia Indoor Meet in Richmond, Virginia.
• 1980: Instrumental in bringing the Olympic Marathon trials to Buffalo for the first time.
• 1982: Inducted into the Canisius College Sports Hall of Fame.
• 1984: Inducted into the National Federation of Interscholastic Officials as the Outstanding Official in New York State.

Carl passed away in 1987, but his legacy to the sport of running is ever present. He was posthumously inducted into the Niagara Track and Field Hall of Fame 1998, Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame 2010 and the Western New York Invitational Track Classic is now known as The Carl. J. Roesch Memorial Classic.

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Diane Sardes (2024) A look at the list of inductees into the Western New York Running Hall of Fame shows that the easiest way to become remembered forever is to run fast. But there are several paths to the finish line, and Diane Sardes has taken more than one of them. Diane has done some running over the years. She’s picked up awards in The Buffalo News’ Runner of the Year series, and twice broke 6 minutes in the mile as a Masters runner, she was also All-American in four distances. But some of her best running has been done after swimming and cycling long distances. In other words, she’s competed in several triathlons – including 12 Ironman events and qualified twice for the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. She even exchanged wedding vows just before her new husband took part in the Lake Placid Ironman – a level of dedication to the sport that is difficult to top. Then there’s the matter of organizational abilities. Running clubs have done much to promote the sport over the course of several years. Diane’s time as president of the Checkers Athletic Club is remembered as a period of substantial growth for the organization. If you’ve done more than a handful of races in this area, you know someone in Checkers. Finally, there’s the matter of Diane the photographer. She has taken uncounted thousands of photos of runners during races over the years and spent hours editing and posting them. In the process, she has brought runners closer together. There’s nothing typical about that resume, but add up the pieces and you get a career that deserves to be honored.

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Richard Sullivan (2014) His running career began in 1969, or thereabouts. But don’t let this guesstiment fool you. Since 1969, this man kept very meticulous records of his running endeavors. He could tell you that he ran 1,569 races, including 82 marathons and 31 Boston Marathons. He also competed in 32 Utica Boilermakers, 40 Lockport Y-10s, and 44 Turkey Trots. He was a seven-time age-group winner in Buffalo News Runner of the Year series and he won 15 medals at Empire State Games. He ran a 17:48 5K at age 52 and a 2:54:09 marathon at Presque Isle. He was the founder of the Belle Watling Athletic Club, which he called, “The most prestigious running club in Western New York.” He was also been informally crowned “The Father of Western New York Road Running,” which given the number of races he ran each year, is a suitable title.

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Nolan Swanson (2023) We didn’t think much about it when Nolan Swanson captured the 1993 New York State High School Championship. It was unusual for someone from Sherman to claim that title, but someone is a state champion every year. What we didn’t know is that the event became a coming-out party for one of the best runners Western New York has ever produced. Nolan went to Wake Forest and treated competition in the Atlantic Coast Conference like he was still back in a Western New York high school. He won the ACC title in cross country and captured conference titles in the indoor 5K, the outdoor 5K, and the steeplechase. He also won the Arnold Palmer Athlete of the Year Award at Wake Forest in 1998. When you’re mentioned in the same breath as Arnie, you’re doing well. He took the next step after college, becoming a professional runner. He competed in top races internationally and nationally, such as the World Cross Country Championships. He posted a 13:52 time for 5 kilometers in a road 5k in Chiba, Japan in 2002, good for the second-fastest road 5k time for an American that year. That puts him in very good company. As for PRs, Nolan has sped through 1500 meters in 3:43.17, the mile in 3:59.86, the 5k in 13:45.68, and the 10k in 28:25.27. Nolan thought his association with running had come to an end some years ago. Today he runs a golf course in the Southern Tier. But, as the saying goes, just when you think you’re done, you get pulled back into the family. Nolan may be wearing golf spikes now, but his work in running shoes won’t be forgotten now that he’s a member of the Western New York Running Hall of Fame.

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Henry Sypniewski (2014) By age 70, many runners are at least thinking about hanging up their racing flats. This man was just getting started. Before he took up running, he fought in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II and later worked as a machinist. He was also a boxer. After he retired, he was looking for an activity to keep him busy. He chose running. And he ran well. He set American records in the 90-94 age bracket. He completed a half marathon in 3:03:56. He ran a 15K in 57:33 (in the 85-89 age bracket). He was an eight-time USA Track and Field runner of the year in his age group. At the national Masters 5K championship in Syracuse in October 2011, he finished in 47:38. The old record was 1:01:07. He went one better about a month later, completing the Bob Ivory 5K in 45:47. It was his last race. He passed away on April Fool’s Day 2012. He did an admirable job securing recognition for elder runners. He wrote letters to area race directors saying that it wasn’t fair for him to compete against “youngsters” in an 80-and-above age-group.

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Alex Trammell (2017) He is one of the best runners in the history of St. Joe’s Collegiate Institute. He was a member of the 1971 Eastern States championship team that was ranked #3 in the U.S. Also in 1971, he set the Delaware Park Lake course record by running 2.5 miles in 12 minutes flat — a record that has yet to be broken. He was first-team all-state in cross country in 1971, and was all-state in the 880 in 1972. He also set a Western New York mile record in 1972. That St. Joe’s squad set a record in the distance medley at the 1972 Penn Relays that stands today. He was All-Catholic every year he ran at St. Joe’s, cross country All-Catholic champion in 1971, and still holds multiple school records in the 1-mile, 2-mile, distance medley relay, and the 800-meter run, and was also a two-time Penn Relays champion. After receiving a full athletic scholarship to Fordham University, he became a two-time Division I All-American. He founded the Greater Buffalo Track Club, was an original member of Checkers Athletic Club, and was the founding race director of what is now known as the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge. In 1975, he was a member of the two-mile relay team that recorded the world time of 7:27.2 at the IC4A Indoor Championship at Princeton. He was inducted into the Fordham University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992. He was also inducted into the St. Joe’s Sports Hall of Fame on four occasions: as part of the 1971 cross country team, the Penn Relays Distance Medley team, the 1972 2-mile relay team, and in 2016 for his many individual contributions. The one. The only. Alex Trammell.

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John Tuttle (2011) John Tuttle is one of the most accomplished runners in Western New York history. Born in Alfred in 1958, he was a New York State Class C cross country champion in 1976. He won the 1977 New York State indoor mile and 1000-yard runs, singlehandedly leading Alfred-Almond to a state championship. John went on to become a five-time Southeast Conference champion in track and field and a four-time All-SEC selection in cross-country at Auburn. After graduating from Auburn, John set his sights on longer distances. He placed fourth in the 1983 New York Marathon in 2:10:51. The next year, he placed third in the 1984 Olympic Marathon Trials in 2:11:50 in Buffalo/Niagara Falls and represented the United States in the 1984 Summer Olympics. John was the 1999 Runners World Masters runner of the year, and was named USATF Masters Age Division Runner of the Year in 1999, 2000, 2005 and 2006. His 8k time of 23:25 is the current American masters record (40-44 age group). He was inducted into the Road Runners Club of America Hall of Fame in 2000 and USATF Niagara Hall of Fame in 2002. Now living in Georgia, John returns to Western New York on occasion to run races such as the Subaru Four-Mile Chase.

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Mary Wittenberg (2014) Mary was born in Buffalo, grew up in the South Buffalo/West Seneca area. Her father coached baseball, basketball, and softball—and she played all three. Unfortunately, in her estimation, she was the worst athlete of her seven siblings. That inspired her to keep looking for sports she could do. She fell in love with rowing and became a star for the West Side Rowing Club. At Canisius College, she navigated the men’s crew team to a small college championship. Then came running. She took up the sport in her senior year in college and went on to finish 16th in the 1984 Chicago Marathon in a time of 2:46. She then won the 1987 Marine Corps Marathon in a time of 2:44:34. She qualified for the 1988 Olympic marathon trials, but she was sidelined with back and knee injuries. She came to New York City in 1994. She worked for a law firm and was eventually promoted to partner. In October 1998, she joined New York Road Runners as vice president and chief operating officer. In 2005, she was promoted to president and chief executive. She’s one of the top female sports administrators in the country. As leader of New York Road Runners, she coordinated the TCS New York City Marathon and several other races that collectively draw more than 200,000 participants each year. Under her leadership, the New York Road Runners has helped develop the World Marathon Majors Series and several community programs that have introduced running to underprivileged children. In 2013, she returned to marathon running after a 19-year hiatus. She was inspired to qualify for and support the 2014 Boston Marathon. She finished in 3:32:55. “I was inspired and moved by Boston and the survivors and champions of that city every step.”

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Todd Witzleben (2024) Plenty of excellent runners have come out of Western New York and then gone elsewhere to achieve fame in other parts of the country. Todd Witzleben added a third act to the story. Todd first burst onto the local running scene while a student at Orchard Park High School. He won eight Section VI championships for the Quakers in cross country and track and field. He was the New York State champion in the 3200 meters in 1999. Then it was on to LaSalle University, where there wasn’t much he didn’t do as an Explorer. Todd won six individual Atlantic 10 Conference championships and qualified for the NCAA cross-country championships twice. He was a four-time Academic All-American and was LaSalle’s student-athlete of the year in 2003. He then moved to Los Angeles where he joined Nike Run LA as a professional runner and starred in the Nike “Chariots of Fire” commercial. In his debut marathon in Austin, Texas, Todd ran 2 hours, 21 minutes, and 23 seconds. He even found time to return home to Buffalo and pick up victories in consecutive Turkey Trots in 2005 and 2006. The call of Western New York proved impossible to refuse. After coaching at The College of New Jersey, Temple, and LaSalle, he took a job as assistant track and cross country coach at the University at Buffalo in 2010. In 14 seasons, he has coached 14 Mid-American Conference cross-country champions. The circle remains complete to this day.

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The YMCA Turkey Trot (2025) The YMCA Buffalo Niagara Turkey Trot proudly stands not only as a cherished Thanksgiving tradition in Western New York but also holds the distinction as the oldest consecutively run foot race in the world. This historic race began in 1896, with Henry A. Allison winning the inaugural five-mile cross-country event on Buffalo’s dirt roads. Since then, the YMCA Turkey Trot has drawn a diverse field of participants, from elite athletes to those embracing the festive spirit in costume. Notable figures include Gus Gressel, who ran for nearly 50 years and won his first race in 1907, and his son, Ed, who also claimed a victory. Mark Finucane secured four consecutive wins from 1980 to 1983. Anthony Diamond, at age 15, became the youngest overall winner in 1944, and 11-year-old Jacy Christiansen became the youngest female winner in 2004. Victoria Mitchell holds the record for most female wins with eight titles. Throughout its history, the Turkey Trot has withstood many tests of time including World Wars, the Great Depression, winter storms, and pandemics to preserve its place in history as the oldest continuously run footrace in the world. Today, more than 14,000 runners from across the globe converge for this 8-kilometer race, celebrating a spirit of competition, fellowship, and fun. Its well-deserved induction into the Hall of Fame proudly commemorates the YMCA Turkey Trot’s unparalleled and enduring legacy within Western New York’s athletic and cultural landscape.

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Joanne York (2025) According to a variety of studies, the sport of running essentially has reached gender parity. The number of men and women heading out the door for a run these days is roughly even. Considering that men had a head start that lasted for many decades, that’s an impressive achievement for women. Who saw this coming? Joanne York probably did. After all, she was there at the beginning. She tried to join the cross-country team in 1976 and was turned away because she was a girl. In 1977 she didn’t ask and just showed up to run on the boy’s team. Apparently satisfied that she made a point, she took it upon herself to organize the first girls’ cross-country team in Williamsville North’s history in 1978. She got her start as a cross-country runner at Williamsville North High School in 1976. The problem was that there was no girls team, so she ran with the boys. Apparently satisfied that she made a point, she took it upon herself to organize the first girls’ cross-country team in Williamsville North’s history in 1977. That was just the beginning. Joanne turned up at Erie Community College and qualified for national championships in 1979 and 1980. Then it was on to Canisius College, where she ran cross-country and track. Speaking of Canisius, Joanne became the coach of the Golden Griffins’ women’s cross-country for 17 years and the entire track and field program for 10 years. Her teams won several conference championships, and Joanne was named to the college’s Hall of Fame in 2020. But she wasn’t done running during those years either. She ran several marathons, including the famous one in Boston. She also took part in nine Ironman Triathlons, including three World Championships at Kona. It’s been quite a run, and induction into the Western New York Running Hall of Fame is an appropriate last stop.

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Ralph Zimmermann (2011) Ralph Zimmermann began road racing when he was well into his 30s, and he never looked back, unless it was to see his nearest competitor. Once he hit his stride, there were few in his age group who could beat him, and not many younger than him could catch him either. Ralph ended up picking the marathon as his race of choice, as he felt the longer the race, the stronger he ran. When he ran his first marathon, however, he did it in 3:11, and he didn’t think he would ever want to run another. Fortunately, that feeling passed, as it does with so many runners, and he became one of the best. He came into his own at the 1978 Boston Marathon, when he was almost 37 years old. The day before the race, while doing a warm up with fellow Belle Watling Dave Bogdan, Dave gave Ralph his metal wrist band that had a stopwatch on it (this was in the days before we had Ironman watches of any kind to wear, plus Boston didn’t have many mile markers anyway), and told him he may need it. Dave had a premonition it would be a big day for Ralph, and he was right. In one of the most competitive Bostons until recently, Ralph surprised himself with a 2:18:55, good for 28th place and a national record for his age. After he realized what he had done, Ralph sat on a curb and cried for joy and amazement. And things got better from there. When he was 38, he beat that time at the New Orleans’ Mardi Gras Marathon with a 2:17:16, which is his PR and was again a national record for his age. This was a race that included 25 miles on a single bridge that had recently been built. Ralph himself was amazed at his pace of 5:15 per mile. Ralph estimated he ran 33 marathons, with most under 2:30, and three under 2:20. He ran the Grandma Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota in 2:21, which qualified him for the 1980 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, which were held in Buffalo on the old Skylon course. He knew this course well, as he ran most of the Skylons, and placed as high as second place there. Ralph was the oldest runner in the 1980 Olympic Trials, but that never stopped him. In what turned out to be the most competitive trials for U.S. men until perhaps the last trials, and with 225 runners, 56 of whom broke 2:20, Ralph placed 61st with a time of 2:20:38. He also ran the Presque Isle Marathon, where he placed first once and third; Lake Champlain, which he won; and Pittsburgh and Miami, where he was the first master. Ralph also set national records for his age in the 30K in Albany, the 15K in Utica, and his PR of 30:59 was also a national age record in the 10K. His best 5K was 15:31. Ralph lived to run and to race. After he discovered the joy of it, and he was always willing to share his knowledge and strategies for training with others. Ralph passed away in May 2019.

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Joan Zirkelbach (2025) Joan Zirkelbach didn’t run in every single local race in her active years between 1980 and 2004. The ones she’s missed, however, weren’t caused by a lack of trying. Zirkelbach was one of the busiest runners in Western New York, and one of the best. That’s particularly impressive since she allowed much of her competition to have a head start on her. Joan didn’t compete in high school and college running because there were no girls’ and women’s programs in existence. But by 1980, women were racing just like their male counterparts. She started running then when she was in her early 30s. It didn’t matter what the distance was in her first years of competition. If a gun went off somewhere in Western New York, Joan started running. For example, she was a participant in the inaugural Nickel City 50 – a 50-mile road race. She eventually won races at 5 kilometers, 5 miles, 10 kilometers, marathons, and 50 kilometers. Speaking of marathons, her performance in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1982 deserves a mention. She won in a time of 3:12:44. That was a step up from her performance in the Skylon Marathon a year before, when she finished second among women. She also recorded a 3:19:41 finish at the 1980 Boston Marathon and ran 34 marathons in all. As a member of the U.S. team, she competed in the 2001 International Triathlon Union Duathlon World Championships in Rimini, Italy. In 90 recorded races, she was on the podium 79 times. Add some time as a coach at a cross-country camp with the legendary Bob Ivory, and you have someone who did more than her share to promote running in our area. It’s a record worthy of Hall of Fame recognition.

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