Saturday, March 24, marked the inaugural John McKenna Memorial 5K Walk/Run, a memorial in honor of Binghamton graduate rower John McKenna, who was taken from this world by the war in Iraq less than eight months ago. Though not on the crew team, I took part in the event.

I knew Saturday was going to be an important and momentous occasion for the crew team, but not being a member, I was unsure of what to expect from my morning at Recreation Park. As soon as I stepped onto Beethoven Street I felt an air of camaraderie, compassion and eagerness that stretched way beyond just one team. I realized I was not alone in this feeling, because along with the crew team were the men’s and women’s swim teams, the ladies of Alpha Phi, members of the Triple Cities Runners Club, current and ex-Marines, and many others who just wanted to help out as best they could.

‘It feels great to be going out and running in John’s memory,’ said Rob Correnti, an alumnus and former varsity crew member. ‘You spend so much time with teammates and alumni that the team becomes a family and the alumni extended family, so even though I didn’t know John I felt like I’m running in honor of a family member.’

The course itself is used by the Triple Cities Runners Club and is a giant loop, starting on Beethoven Street two blocks down from Recreation Park and continuing on Main Street, Front Street and Riverside Drive, and ending back on Beethoven Street at the park.

The anticipation at the starting line was intense. But this was the good kind of intense; an intensity that was comprised of eagerness and the exhilaration of knowing you’re doing a good deed. By Main Street I had already lost sight of the front pack, but I didn’t care because competitiveness meant nothing on Saturday in the spirit of the day.

‘John was the embodiment of the heart and soul of the Binghamton crew team,’ said Michael Eichler, head of the committee that formed the 5K Walk/Run.

After the race, Eichler gave a thank-you speech to everyone who volunteered and to the sponsors of the memorial. Then, the top runners were announced and awards were presented. McKenna’s sister, Allison, finished off the ceremony with an uplifting speech explaining how much the memorial meant to her and her family, and how much John would have loved it.

Out of the 280 participants in the John McKenna Memorial 5K Walk/Run, I came in 57th. And with a time of 24:13, far from both the men’s top finisher, Colin Niezgoda, who had a time of 16:47, and the women’s top finisher, Jen Hastings, who hit 20:30, I should have been disappointed.

But the truth of the matter was, it didn’t matter where you finished; it mattered that you were there in McKenna’s memory. So for all of you who ran this past Saturday, I hope your day was as good as mine, and for those of you who didn’t run, please do so next year. You won’t regret it.