NewsYankee Stadium hosts 5K cancer race
Foundation funds 3,200 scientists seeking cure for diseaseBy Bryan Hoch / MLB.com
11/16/09 12:13 AM EST
NEW YORK -- On the same field where the Yankees celebrated their 27th World Series championship, thousands of runners and walkers gathered on Sunday for their own victory lap in the fight against cancer.More than 2,500 participants took to Yankee Stadium's concourses, ramps, stairs and the playing field for the first annual Damon Runyon 5K for Cancer Research, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to fund continuing research to a cure for cancer.
Adapting Yankee Stadium into a course where five kilometers could be safely run was a time-consuming task, said Catherine Bright, the director of communications at the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. But with more than $250,000 raised on Sunday, it was well worth the effort.
"There were a lot of challenges. It took a while to work the route out, and it was a lot of working with the Yankees' event staff," Bright said. "We worked very closely with them, and they've been wonderful with providing security and helped a lot. Logistically, it took quite a bit to put together, but now we've got something that we can use next year."
Aged 5 to 72, participants gathered in the Great Hall and were released into the Stadium for the challenging, innovative race in 15-minute waves, completing two laps around the 100 level concourse before descending to the sub-zero level, exiting on the warning track and lapping the field twice.
From there, it was a 103-step climb to the 200 level concourse, and after spanning the length of that deck, it was up another 64 steps to the 300 level concourse. After a lap, participants descended the ramps to the Great Hall and repeated the loops of the 200 and 300 levels again -- stairs included -- before finally finishing near the Gate 6 entrance.
"The look on the faces of the kids as they ran around the warning track was fabulous," said Lorraine W. Egan, executive director of the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. "The look on their parents' faces was even better.
"We'd like to send a huge thanks to everyone who came. Our promise to everyone who raised money is that every penny will go to the best young scientists in cancer research today. "
Of course, reminders of the Yankees' still-fresh World Series title were obvious. The manually operated scoreboards in left-center and right-center field were frozen with the final score from Game 6 -- Yankees 7, Phillies 3 -- and the field looked Major League-ready, with the exception of a few stray puddles.
This being New York, Yankees gear was a popular choice among runners, who donned World Series T-shirts and even authentic game jerseys for their dash through the Stadium. Some wore blue bibs honoring loved ones' fights with cancer, and at least one runner used his to remember Bobby Murcer, the popular former Yankees player and broadcaster who lost his battle last July.
Named for former New York sportswriter Damon Runyon, the foundation was created in 1946 following his passing from cancer. Since its founding, the foundation has raised more than $220 million to fund 3,200 of the best and brightest scientists in the country. The registration fee was $35 for students and children and $50 for adults.
Columbia scientist Esteban Mazzoni focuses his efforts on stem cell research and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He said that one benefit of events like Sunday's 5K is that it raises awareness among the general public about what is hoped to be accomplished through research funding.
"It's great. I think we as scientists do a lousy job communicating what we do," Mazzoni said. "Damon Runyon is doing a great job and they should receive credit for that. One of the pluses of these events is hopefully that the message comes across."
Comfortable in her surroundings despite wearing a pink Phillies cap, Yale scientist Kristina Herbert said that science funding has become increasingly difficult to receive.
"Every time I come to one of these events and see where the money is coming from, I feel like I have to go back to the lab and work a little harder," Herbert said. "It's good motivation."
Runners and walkers all had the opportunity to see themselves on Yankee Stadium's center-field camera, and many stopped along the warning track to pose next to the dugouts and snap photos. One participant, Sarah Davis, couldn't wait to log onto Twitter and text the message: "That was truly an awesome experience. Nothing else like it."
"Anecdotally, from everyone I've spoken to, everyone has had a great time," Bright said. "Of course, everyone loves the warning track, but I also think people enjoy exploring different parts of the Stadium. It was a 5K that was a bit different."
Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
