{"id":52221,"date":"2016-10-02T09:46:13","date_gmt":"2016-10-02T13:46:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/owego\/?p=52221"},"modified":"2016-10-02T10:33:32","modified_gmt":"2016-10-02T14:33:32","slug":"centurion-race-attracts-the-world-to-owego","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2016\/10\/02\/centurion-race-attracts-the-world-to-owego\/","title":{"rendered":"Centurion race attracts the world to Owego"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Centurion

Members of the public were invited to register for the “Community Challenge” and walk along with race-walkers at the “Not Just a Walk in the Park” event held at Marvin Park in Owego, N.Y. on Sept. 24 and 25. Proceeds from the event benefit local scout troops.<\/p><\/div>\n

Appealing weather conditions greeted more than 20 competitors from different corners of the world to Marvin Park in Owego, N.Y. on Sept. 24 and 25 for the \u201cNot Just a Walk in the Park\u201d 100 mile Centurion and 100K USATF Eastern Regional and the Niagara Association Championship.<\/p>\n

Members of the community were encouraged to register for the \u201cCommunity Challenge\u201d and walk along with the racers. Proceeds from the event benefit local scout troops.<\/p>\n

Owego residents Dave and Erin Taylor-Talcott, professional race walkers and record holders who compete all over the globe, and known locally as the \u201crace walking couple,\u201d decided to hold the event in Owego as a way to promote their sport and also to invite their race walking peers to their hometown.<\/p>\n

\"Centurion

Participants begin the “Not Just a Walk in the Park” event held at Marvin Park in Owego, N.Y. on Sept. 24 and 25, including Owego resident Erin Taylor-Talcott, far right.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Talcott\u2019s are thankful for the support they received from local sponsors, along with the Village of Owego, who agreed to excavate and pave a new path, and provided extra lighting and use of the bathrooms and showers at the park\u2019s pool area, among other items.<\/p>\n

Race walkers from the U.S., Belgium, Australia, Sweden, England and Isle of Man, among others, participated in the event. Village of Owego Trustee, Phoebe Morris, welcomed competitors before the official start.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m ready for the 161 laps,\u201d said Taylor-Talcott of a race, which challenges competitors not only physically, but mentally as well.<\/p>\n

\"Centurion

A judge, ensuring race-walking rules are adhered to, stands along the course watching competitors at the “Not Just a Walk in the Park” event held at Marvin Park in Owego, N.Y. on Sept. 24 and 25.<\/p><\/div>\n

Race walking owns a chapter of history amongst extreme endurance events, the first of which was held in New York City in May 1878. It re-emerged in 1967, and since then, only 87 individuals have earned the U.S. Centurion honor.<\/p>\n

Those competing in Owego were eager to share their U.S. Centurion number, including Bob Keating from Nashua, N.H., number 35, who achieved the honor in three different years.<\/p>\n

Seventy-five-year-old Pat Bivona from Clifton, N.J., Centurion number 58, joked that many Centurions are also expert sleep walkers.<\/p>\n

Bivona explained that it is not how fast they all walk, but what excels is, \u201cThe strong-mindedness and comradery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Centurion

Race walkers compete at Marvin Park in Owego, N.Y. on Sept. 24 and 25, including on right, Owego resident Erin Taylor-Talcott, who has broken barriers in the sport.<\/p><\/div>\n

For Caroline Mestdagh of Geel, Belgium, Owego was her second U.S. race and she cited completion of eight international races. Mestdagh, Centurion number 72, did ultimately make Owego her tenth Centurion finish in 22 hours and 46 minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy best ever time was 21 hours and 30 minutes,\u201d Mestdagh said prior to the Owego race.<\/p>\n

Along with Rudy Schoors, the couple planned to stay in New York for three days before returning to Belgium.<\/p>\n

Schoors, who did not compete in the Owego race, is Centurion number 73, and explained, \u201cOn Monday we will check out Owego, Tuesday we plan Niagara Falls and then Wednesday we will be off to the wine trails.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked if another Centurion race will be scheduled in Owego, Dave Talcott shared, \u201cWe are discussing every other year,\u201d and added, \u201cWe could\u2019ve seen more come to Owego this time, but some chose an event in South Africa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Centurion

Pictured is race-walker Pat Bivona of Clifton, N.J., who at age 75 continues to compete in Centurion events.<\/p><\/div>\n

Erin Taylor-Talcott has broken barriers in the sport, most recently competing in a 50K IAAF race in Rome, Italy earlier this year, after winning a petition to be allowed to enter the men\u2019s race. Taylor-Talcott was also the first woman to compete at the men\u2019s 50K Olympic Trials in 2012. In 2014, she successfully petitioned USATF to award equal prize money for women\u2019s events, and continues to advocate for other changes.<\/p>\n

Taylor-Talcott shared, \u201cThe lack of a women\u2019s 50K event is the last inequality in the Olympics.\u201d It is hopeful the event will be introduced at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.<\/p>\n

Taylor-Talcott can now add one more race walking accomplishment to her list, completing the Owego event in 23:31:05, which is her first Centurion badge.<\/p>\n

\"Centurion

Pictured are race-walkers at Marvin Park in Owego, N.Y., including in center, Caroline Mestdagh from Geel, Belgium.<\/p><\/div>\n

A total of eight athletes reached one hundred miles in less than 24 hours at the Owego event, including Taylor-Talcott. She\u2019s Centurion number 85.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Appealing weather conditions greeted more than 20 competitors from different corners of the world to Marvin Park in Owego, N.Y. on Sept. 24 and 25…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":52222,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nCenturion race attracts the world to Owego - Owego Pennysaver Press<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2016\/10\/02\/centurion-race-attracts-the-world-to-owego\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Centurion race attracts the world to Owego - Owego Pennysaver Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Appealing weather conditions greeted more than 20 competitors from different corners of the world to Marvin Park in Owego, N.Y. on Sept. 24 and 25...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2016\/10\/02\/centurion-race-attracts-the-world-to-owego\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Owego Pennysaver Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/The-Owego-Pennysaver-49179420591\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-10-02T13:46:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2016-10-02T14:33:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/owego\/files\/2016\/10\/Walk1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"3264\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2448\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"opennysaver\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"opennysaver\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2016\/10\/02\/centurion-race-attracts-the-world-to-owego\/\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2016\/10\/02\/centurion-race-attracts-the-world-to-owego\/\",\"name\":\"Centurion race attracts the world to Owego - Owego Pennysaver Press\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2016\/10\/02\/centurion-race-attracts-the-world-to-owego\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2016\/10\/02\/centurion-race-attracts-the-world-to-owego\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/owego\/files\/2016\/10\/Walk1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-10-02T13:46:13+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2016-10-02T14:33:32+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/#\/schema\/person\/e90b97e3c9fe75a643c31b3439ed7b15\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2016\/10\/02\/centurion-race-attracts-the-world-to-owego\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2016\/10\/02\/centurion-race-attracts-the-world-to-owego\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2016\/10\/02\/centurion-race-attracts-the-world-to-owego\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/owego\/files\/2016\/10\/Walk1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/owego\/files\/2016\/10\/Walk1.jpg\",\"width\":3264,\"height\":2448,\"caption\":\"Pictured are participants just prior to the \\\"Not Just a Walk in the Park\\\" event held at Marvin Park in Owego, N.Y. on Sept. 24 and 25, a 100-mile Centurion race and USATF 100K Eastern Regional and Niagara Association championship. 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