38 runners competing in their 25th race of the 25th Baltimore Running Festival
By Jennifer Franciotti
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BALTIMORE (WBAL) — There are more than three dozen runners who have been competing in the Baltimore Running Festival for 25 years — as long as the races have been around.
They’re part of an elite club, but they’re strangers to one another. Dan Buccino and Ray Smith are running the 5K while Urbane Maust is running the full marathon, as he has done each year.
“When it started, it was just after Sept. 11. There was a question as whether it was going to happen at all. So, I thought it was important that Baltimore have a marathon,” Buccino said. “I’ve sort of joked that I’ll do anything for a T-shirt and a medal, especially.”
Smith is proud that he has been able to keep running all these years.
“In fact, one year I had a foot issue and wound up doing the 5K on crutches,” Smith said.
“Really blessed to be able to make it through all these years, honestly, because there are so many things that can go wrong. It’s hard enough if everything goes right to just be able to get out there and keep doing it,” Maust said.
At 75 years old, Smith said he started doing the marathon as a way to stay in shape.
“And then, once I got started and had the streak going, I just wanted to stay with it,” Smith said.
The trio hopes to be able to do it again next year — and beyond.
“I plan to be back for hopefully 20 more,” Smith said.
“I don’t know how much longer I can keep going,” Maust said. “It gets tougher each year, but I’m hoping to keep it going for a while.”
“I want to keep the streak going as long as I can,” Buccino said.
This year, there are 38 runners competing in their 25th Baltimore Running Festival. They’re all invited to a special VIP tent after the race, where they’ll get some pretty cool swag to celebrate their silver anniversary.
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