By David Freeze
The 41st Annual New Sarum Brewing Brewing Winter Flight event is not all about the races on Feb. 4. Saturday evening, Feb. 3, has plenty of fun too with the Salisbury Rowan Runners Annual Meeting and pasta dinner at the City Park Recreation Center on Lake Drive. There is a jam-packed list of activities that evening from 6-8 p.m. Late registration and packet pickup for Sunday’s races will be available.
The pre-race pasta meal starts the evening. Next up is this year’s keynote speaker, Dr. David Horton, from Lynchburg, Virginia. Horton spent many years as a world-class long-distance runner. As an ultra-marathoner, Horton raced most often at distances greater than marathon distance, 26.2 miles.
Horton will make his first visit to Salisbury for his keynote address on Saturday evening and as wheelchair, 5K and 8K race starter at Catawba College on Sunday afternoon. Horton knows quite a bit about starting races since he has been race director for more than 100 ultramarathons.
Horton also knows a lot about running races too. He has finished over 160 ultramarathons, winning 40 of them. He set the speed record on the Appalachian Trail in 1991, beating the previous record by nine days while averaging over 40 miles per day. His time over 2,190 miles while passing through 14 states was 52 days, 9 hours and 41 minutes. Another top effort was the super speed record on the Pacific Crest Trail in 1995 while averaging over 40 miles per day. In 1995, Horton finished the Race Across America with the third-fastest time ever. This accomplishment is detailed in the feature film “Extraordinary.” In 2000 at age 52, he finished the Barkley 100-mile marathon, becoming the first American to finish that event. One of six finishers ever. Horton said, “The Barkley is the hardest race in the world to finish.”
Horton added, “I started running to get in shape for basketball. Then after running a 3-mile cross country race in college intramurals, I realized I could run and had some talent for it, so I tried to develop my running more and more. I think my best accomplishment is the Appalachian Trail speed record.”
A professor of exercise science at Liberty University for 44 years, Horton first realized that he wanted to a be a math teacher while still a high school student. College helped convince him even more to be a teacher but after taking a physical education class, Horton went on to get his doctorate in physical education from the University of Arkansas.
The dinner is open to anyone interested in the race. Cost for the event is $10, while club members and sponsors are free. Those running on Sunday can stop by to register or pick up their packet including race bib, commemorative hoodie and goodie bag.
Registration continues at Goodman Gym on the Catawba College campus on Sunday beginning at noon. The half-mile fun run is free and open to any runner or walker of any age and begins at 1:30 p.m. on the Shuford Stadium track. Doctor Horton will send the wheelchair event off at 1:58 p.m., followed by the 8K/5K at 2 p.m.
Look for more information about Winter Flight at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.
