For some, it's more fun than run: Pit Run has become traditional community event in Oneonta

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October 1, 2011

By Adrienne Martini Contributing Writer The Daily Star Sat Oct 01, 2011, 03:30 AM EDT

My first experience with Oneonta's annual Pit Run was not a pleasant one.

Eight years ago, my husband and I moved to the area with our then 18-month old daughter. We'd worked up the courage to invite folks to our wee little house on Spruce Street for dinner one Sunday, the same Sunday that also held the Pit Run. That morning, baby in tow, we went to Hannaford's to pick up some supplies.

One of the store managers kept updating shoppers on how long we had until the run started. My husband and I kept looking at each other and asking why we should care.

We left Hannaford's about 10 minutes after the starting gun, only to discover that we couldn't actually go anywhere. Once the bulk of the runners cleared the plaza's entrance, we were allowed to leave _ but discovered that there was no way to actually get to our Center City house from where we were.

Not that we didn't try, mind you. Maps were consulted. Routes were plotted. It would have been a fun orienteering exercise had not the baby gotten cranky and the ice cream started melting.

It was totally our fault, mind you, for failing to grasp how encompassing the Pit Run is. We had no idea that more than 900 runners/walkers would take over Oneonta's streets. It did, however, make me plan a little better the next year.

While it might seem like the Pit Run is an event that's only about getting from the start to the finish as briskly as you can, there's a lot more going during the weekend than the 10k, 5k and 2-mile stroll Sunday morning.

"Bring your kids down," said Steve Parisian, brother of Ricky J. "Pit" Parisian, in whose honor the event is held. Ricky Parisian, a police officer, was shot and killed during a robbery in 1994.

"We have a fun run for kids that you don't have to register for. They get goodie bags and juice boxes, like the big runners. The kids get to run through the same finish line chute as the big runners.

"We look at the little kids as our future runners for the big race," Parisian said, and laughed.

"We've gone to other runs ourselves where you just go, you do the run, and you go home. And everybody has said what they like about our race that the whole family can come out," he added.

"We're trying reach out, to make this more of a family event instead of an individual event. OWL (the Oneonta World of Learning organization) always comes down and sets up a corner for all of the kids to just play around. My daughter heads up volunteers who do face painting. It's mainly to give something for the kids to do while the parents are involved so they're not bored.

"We have a DJ there so there's music. We have the Brooks' barbecue, which is also open to everyone, not just runners. If you want to come down and cheer the runners on and join in with a big, festive party, you can do that also," Parisian said.

You can also join in the fun at the Boys and Girls Club the night before the event kicks off, even if you don't need to carbo load before the race.

"We start the weekend off on Saturday night with the pasta dinner. We're finding just more than runners coming. It's a community coming together to enjoy," Parisian said.

Parisian said he doesn't run the race because he's too busy with all of the other activities in Neahwa Park. He swears that he will lace up his shoes for the 20th anniversary of the run in two years.

For Parisian, "the best part of the event is getting the families together. Ever since Rick's death, our family has been real close. Family means a lot to us."

Beyond that, Parisian looks at how his family can give back to the region's larger community family.

"When this all happened with my brother, the community just came together in such support to our family, it's something that we can try to maybe give back and also keep his memory and ideals going.

"We've donated more than a quarter of a million dollars back to the kids' activities in the city. We not only do a scholarship that is given away each year at the high school, we do other activities. We've sponsored the Boys and Girls Club, little leagues, Boy Scouts, the elementary schools," Parisian said.

"We can see what good came out of my brother's death. I think that's what keeps us doing it year after year. That's just been a great feeling, knowing that we can do that and we've touched a lot of kids."

Despite our shaky start, I've come to love the Pit Run during the last eight years _ so much so that this year _ its 18th _ will mark my first time running it. My daughter, who's now 9, will be doing the Fun Run.

Save some chicken for us.

For more information about the Pit Run and its surrounding events, visit www.pitrun.org, email info@pitrun.org or call 432-3986.

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