Running For Ted
by Arpan De Angelo
It is the morning after the Ted Corbitt Memorial 24 Hour Run in Queens, New York, and the strongest memories I have of that race are in my legs right now. Just about everything hurts, but I sit here in a comfortable chair gladly typing my recollection of the race with joy and gratitude in my heart for having had the opportunity to participate in this meaningful and memorable event.
Gary Corbitt, Ted’s son, made a trip up from Florida to be part of the race which was organized by the local running club called ‘Broadway Ultra Society’ or ‘BUS’. Rich Innamorato, the Director of BUS, was a very close friend of Ted. They spent a good amount of time together over the years, mostly involved with running, and Ted had participated in many of the BUS events as well.
After some introductions by Rich and a short and stirring speech about Ted by Gary, four members of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, including myself, sang a very special song for Ted, called ‘Ted Corbitt, Runner-Saint’. The song was written by Sri Chinmoy many years ago. Sri Chinmoy is the internationally well known spiritual leader who was a good friend of Ted Corbitt for three decades. Sri Chinmoy organized a marathon team in 1977, around the same time he met Ted. The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team,(SCMT), has sponsored thousands of races of all lengths around the world for thirty one years.
In New York the SCMT is well known for their Ultramarathons, especially Multi-Day races, which Ted used to love to come and visit. He loved watching the runners for hours as we talked about his experiences in races of all lengths, from track to Six Day events which he completed twice.
Many of these and other fond memories of Ted and Sri Chinmoy were in my head as I nervously started this long journey along with about 65 other brave runners. Although I have run many 24 hour races over the years it is always a bit foreboding to stand on the starting line knowing what lies ahead for the next day and night. I came to this race not to compete but only to complete. To run, and walk if necessary, for the full 24 hours to honor Ted and his immortal achievements and contributions to the running world and other aspects of life as well, was the only thing on my mind as I began the race. This race was also to honor the 35th Anniversary of Ted’s 24- Hour American Record which he set in 1973 at the age of 54! He ran over 134 miles that day which would have won this race by more than 10 miles.
I had the privilege and honor to run with Ted’s son, Gary, for the first three hours or so. It was a wonderful way to pass the time as we talked just about everything under the sun. Of course, Ted and running were the main topic of discussion as we ran a comfortable ten minute per mile pace on this clear and cool October morning.
Gary, who is not a trained ultra marathon runner, was planning to run at least 30 miles to honor both his father, who passed away in December 2007, and his mother who passed away in 1989. Even though his legs are used to only much shorter and faster distances, Gary happily kept running and eventually walking briskly as he gladly conversed with many of the runners for seven hours.
Gary’s presence and participation in the race made all the difference in the world when it came to thinking of Ted and feeling his kind and gentle but determined spirit which Gary so graciously embodies as well. It also helps somewhat that Gary is a ‘spitting image’ of Ted, a younger version of the same build, features and character of his great father.
The rest of the race had its ups and downs as usual in such a long event. I was not sure how seriously I would take running the whole way, but usually if I feel good I run as much and as hard as I can when I enter a race. The most important thing to me though while spending all this time running around the 1.2 mile (or about 2 Km) loop was to keep my mind on Ted, also thinking of his wonderful friendship to Sri Chinmoy, who passed away only two months before Ted in 2007.
I felt as if they were finally at rest both after a very long lifetime of hard work and contributions to humanity in many arenas, especially the sport of long distance running. I seemed to gain more confidence and strength as I imagined both of them watching and encouraging us from their heavenly abode. Singing a few lines of the Ted Corbitt song occasionally to myself also gave me a strong rhythm to keep my pace steady and my mind positive and focused.
The first twelve hours went quite well for me, but as the darkness set in and the fatigue started affecting the legs and overall energy, it took much more effort to get around the course at a decent pace. But by the middle of the night, around 3 a.m., I was told that I took over the lead. This was more disturbing in a way than good news, because now I felt like I was here to compete and to push harder than I would normally have. But I never wanted to lose my focus on Ted.
I knew both the runner who I just passed and the third place runner who was not far behind us. We are good friends and I also knew that they have run and won more races than I have in recent years. I did not care if I could hold the lead but felt only that I was running for Ted and whatever happens I would accept cheerfully. But I did get more determination thinking that neither Ted nor Sri Chinmoy would ever give up when the pressure was on. I just ran as well as I could and tried not to stop or waste too much time. I still took short walking breaks, especially on one of the two short but steep hills on each loop. This seemed to relax me briefly as I made sure my mind was focused on positive thoughts and renewed energy, especially for the legs which were not feeling any better as time went on.
There were some very experienced ultra runner veterans who had come to run this race just to honor Ted. I knew most of them and also knew that it was a real effort for them to run here, as most of them were not presently training for ultra racing. Running and walking with them and some of the other wonderful people who were struggling around the course throughout the night also gave me joy and passed the time more quickly, or so it seemed.
The last six hours of the race were the toughest as usual for obvious reasons. Besides the fact that the body was quite sore and exhausted from 18 straight hours running around the course, we also had another unexpected challenge. The rains came, off and on, along with a cold wind at times. For hours we had to try to stay warm as the weather unexpectedly changed from good to bad in the small hours of the morning.
This brought back fond memories of the last 24 hour race that we ran for Ted when he was still alive. He bravely participated in this race as well, walking the whole way as bronchial problems kept him from running for many years. In that race in 2003 the temperature dropped at night to below freezing and Rich was considering stopping the race at 12 hours for Ted’s sake. But Ted refused to quit or to have the race stopped for him. He pushed on through the freezing night, and at age 84 he completed an amazing 69 miles. These are the kind of memories of Ted that could give the strength and determination to anyone who feels that they are struggling through personal challenges such as the one we found ourselves involved in presently.
In the last few hours of the race I was just trying to stay in second place as my friend Byron took the lead again and was determined to hold it. He is the local hero ultra runner in the New York area and it was an honor to run in the same race as him. I could not have imagined when we started the race that I would be so close as to challenge this great local runner for the lead. Only one mile separated us at the end, and even though I came in second place I was so pleased and honored to be here for Ted.
It was still cloudy, damp and cold at the awards ceremony as all the runners and helpers struggled to stay warm after such a long and challenging experience. But things warmed greatly when Gary came to hand out the beautiful plaques of Ted Corbitt which almost every runner received. We also were pleasantly surprised to each receive a CD photo album of the first half of the race kindly donated by Jowan, a photographer from the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team who spent hours taking wonderful photos of the runners and helpers and then many more hours making over 70 photo CD’s for everyone.
Even with the uncomfortable weather, everyone seemed to bask in the glowing spirit of Ted Corbitt. All the runners from first to last, all the wonderful volunteers who pushed on through the night and the cold and wet morning to make sure we were taken care of, and of course Rich Innamorato and his wonderful crew of organizers truly brought Ted back to us for another great race in which I am sure Ted enjoyed more than all of us. Thank You Ted!
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