Full Hampton Marathon Contested This Weekend

By Christian McLean

We at Dan's Papers aren't new to the concept of an organized run in the Hamptons. In fact, it seems like we invented the idea, hosting the first Potatohampton 10k while most of our current readers were still learning to walk. And while we are very proud that our run is a staple of the summer, we'd like to extend a hearty welcome to a new race that goes the extra mile - actually an extra 20 miles - The Hampton Marathon. It's intense. It's demanding. The 26.2 miles through Springs, Amagansett, Napeague and back will push runners to their physical limits. Not since the Hurricane of 1938 has the Hamptons seen so many people running in the same direction. The race has been capped at 700 runners (with another 120 on a waiting list) and applications have been turned down for months already. It's roughly 500 more runners than expected. We're not making this one up. There will be no Ecuadorian eels or 4,000-pound goldfish competing this Saturday.

The most impressive stat is that while it sounds like it would take a crew of a hundred to organize such an event, it has been realized by an organizational staff of two. The fruit of Diane Weinberger and Amanda Moszkowski's efforts, the Hampton Marathon (along with the Half-Marathon and Kids Marathon) are all fundraising efforts to benefit Project Most - an East Hampton-based organization that provides after school services for elementary and middle school children.

The marathon and half-marathon start at 8 a.m. from Springs School and head south along Accabonac Rd. Eventually the route turns east through the roads north of Amagansett Square, and when the half-marathon turns back toward Springs, the runners in it for the full 26.2 miles head out through Promised Land and up to Lazy Point, then back to Springs School. With vistas of the sea, osprey, kitesurfers, dense woods and the occasional deer, the course embodies everything stunning about the Hamptons. "It really is a beautiful course," Diane said in a recent interview.

As a warning to drivers, the course won't be closed to cars, so if you're taking some of those winding roads to enjoy the autumn foliage, watch out for the runners. There will be some officers on the streets doing traffic control and runners being told to stay to the right, but even with 1,400 runners (total between the half and full marathons) there shouldn't be any problems. For those of you who live on the backstreets, getting out of your driveway may be difficult at certain times of day, but it's a small price to pay. Instead of leaving, put out a few folding chairs and watch the mighty race as it cruises by.

As you may know, marathons are nothing new to New York. A hundred or so miles west, New York City is gearing up for its very own marathon in November. Coveted as one of the most prestigious, the haul around NYC and its boroughs pulls in runners from the farthest reaches of the globe, with roughly 90,000 runners applying.

North of us in Boston, they have a marathon as well - the oldest annual marathon in the world - boasting 20,000 runners in 2007. Dan's Papers has a little known link to that race. If you search our archives, you'll find a few articles from the Away At School column detailing a young David Rattiner as he trained for the Beantown 26.2. His time was 5 hours 34 seconds. But the Boston Marathon has another connection to running and the East End aside from David's run. The Hampton Marathon has been given the go-ahead to be a Boston qualifier. This means that the Hamptons race and course have been sanctioned by the powers that be in Boston, and any runner who finishes this run under their qualifying time (check the chart on the Boston Marathon website) will be allowed to apply for a position in the Boston Marathon, run on April 21, 2008.

Sanctioning this event not only gives it another degree of validity in the world of running, but also draws serious runners to the Hamptons. While the majority of competitors come from the Long Island/NYC area, runners are also flying in from as far away as Florida, Texas, California and potentially Kenya (home of the top 4 male finishers in last year's Boston Marathon).

As I said, there's more than just a marathon going on, though. The half-marathon is being touted as the perfect tune-up for the NYC Marathon. To promote physical fitness in children, there is the Hampton Kids Marathon. It will allow children who have ran a cumulative 25.2 miles (12.6 miles for half-marathoners) over the several weeks and months leading up to September 29th to meet their goal of completing a full 26.2 mile marathon by running their last mile on the Hamptons course. Old Stone Highway will be closed for this race until the children have finished. So make a note of it.

For a lot of us, the idea of running such a distance seems insane, but for those who can and those who do, marathons are the ultimate test of endurance, conditioning and mental toughness. That is, except for Alicia Barahona, who will be running two marathons (52.4 miles) this Saturday to raise awareness for breast cancer research. If you've got some time, watch these runners compete. Otherwise, stick to the main roads and the beaten paths.

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