Saturday’s Combos Marathon draws rave reviews

ALBANY – Jaye Pryor got to see Albany from a different perspective Saturday than he saw his hometown as a kid riding on a bicycle.

The 79-year-old, who grew up in Albany, ran a full marathon for the week, but spaced it over six days by running a half-marathon the previous weekend in Atlanta, where he now lives, and another 13.1 miles at the Combos Marathon & Half-Marathon in Albany Saturday.

“When you grew up here, it’s fun to run through the streets where you used to ride your bike,” he said. “The first job I had was delivering The Albany Herald. My grandfather, E.W. Slappey, was a telegrapher with the railroad. I got to run by where he used to work.”

After recently checking in with a cardiologist for the first time, just to establish a patient relationship, Pryor said his physician gave him a clean bill of health and encouraged him to keep running.

“He said running is one of the best things you can do,” Pryor said. “I plan to keep running for the foreseeable future.”

Although he has run 10 marathons, the former Albanian, who is a retired University of Georgia administrator, said he will stick with the half-marathon for now.

“My marathon days are over,” he said.

While Albany resident Adam Thornton has run races in a number of locations, the hometown race is still his favorite. The Albany State University academic advisor, who ran a half-marathon on Saturday, said he has run 10 of his 17 races in Albany.

“It’s always a great event, always a great course,” he said. “It’s just an amazing thing for me and my family. They follow me along the course. Out of all the ones I’ve done, this one is by far the best.

“It’s the day to me that Albany puts its best foot forward.”

Participation for the 18th annual marathon and half-marathon was about the same as last year, with 739 registered, Race Director Rashelle Minix, the executive director of the Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau, said.

Some 1,200 volunteers turned out to make the race a success. The race brought runners from about 30 states and four foreign countries to the Good Life City.

“So far we’ve heard nothing but amazing responses” from the runners, Minix said. “The city of Albany and Dougherty County stepped up to make sure to sweep the streets, so our visitors got to see Albany in a very positive light.

“We do it best on this day, for sure. Our entire community comes out: clubs, churches, businesses. You’ve got all of these businesses represented throughout the course.”

The runners and their guests also helped boost the area economy during their stay, she said.

The overcast day made the temperatures perfect for running, Minix said, although the race is on even in the event of rain.

“It was just a matter of whether we were going to be comfortable or suffer,” she said. “It’s perfect running weather, for sure.”

Encouraged by a doctor to run, Leesburg resident Michael Soriano said it’s a great activity to keep healthy. Saturday was his fourth year running the half-marathon course in Albany.

“It’s good exercise, and then you have to prepare yourself,” he said. “You have to stay fit, watch what you eat. It’s just a challenge for what you want to do. I’m 49, so it’s a big accomplishment.”

After the race, a sparse crowd gathered at the Veterans Park Amphitheatre for the annual Downtown Street Festival. Runners and marathon volunteers were admitted free with their race medals and volunteer T-shirts, but the public at large chose largely to stay away. The weather that made the 26.2-mile and 13.1-mile races so comfortable for runners put a dent in the turnout for the festival, which featured musical acts, food trucks and children’s activities, officials said..

Staff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]
Staff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]

Staff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]