Jennifer Klier wins female title |
BUFFALO, June 10, 2004 - Jennifer Klier, a high school math teacher, wasn't born yet when the first JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge in Buffalo was held back in 1981. Her first exposure to the annual festival of fitness came when she came to root for her mother in the mid-1990s.
"My mom works for the Clarence schools as the athletic department secretary and I used to come to watch her," Klier remembered. "I was just starting to run then, and the race made an impression on me."
And on this night - in her Corporate Challenge debut - Klier made quite an impression on the 10,532 participants from 316 companies, running away with the women's individual title with a time of 20:53. Klier, representing the Ken-Ton School District, bested past champion Amy Fakterowitz of Amherst Central Schools by a comfortable 43 seconds.
"I had no idea what the competition would be like, really no idea of what to expect," said Klier, who was eligible to compete for the first time after graduating from Marist College. "All I knew was that I couldn't wait to finally run in this race I've been around for so long."
The Buffalo entry is the second oldest in the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge Series, only four years younger than New York City. It has rightfully earned a reputation for being one of the best "party" events in the Series, with more than 200 company tents blossoming throughout Delaware Park. The 316 companies represented a true cross-section of all Buffalo had to offer, from Fortune 500 companies to mid-size manufacturers to entrepreneurial shops.
But no industry group was faster than the school districts.
Heitzenrater defends title, provides example for students
Mike Heitzenrater - a Middle School physical education teacher in the Newfane School District - runs more than 3,000 miles a year in training. It shows. He successfully defended his 2003 Corporate Challenge title in 17:16, edging second-place Matt Glynn of the Buffalo News for a second consecutive year.
According to Jim Mills, the Superintendent of the Newfane Schools, Heitzenrater is an inspiration to his students.
"When we get to school in the morning, it will be on the announcements that our phys ed teacher just won a race with 10,000 people," said Mills. "I think that's super. He's someone for our kids to emulate. He has great values."
Overall, two of the top six men's finishers were from school districts throughout the Buffalo area and three of the top six women. Perhaps they took their inspiration from Mills, who has run 13 marathons.
"I can see why the schools are attracted to this event," he said. "It's full of energy, a great place to have fun with your colleagues, and a celebration of the community. It has all the elements."
It's all in the family as Forrestal wins MSE title
The element of sibling rivalry was also in effect on this night as 54-year-old Stephen Forrestal of Cold Spring Construction won the men's Most Senior Executive title in an outstanding 20:01. His younger brother Peter, the president of the Bank of Akron, had won the MSE title in previous years.
"I ran a little cross country in high school but Peter definitely got me involved in running as an adult," said Forrestal. "We've raced each other several times and taken turns beating each other. He didn't run tonight, and this was the first time I've been able to formally enter a team. So I was looking to uphold the family honor."
Forrestal's swift time - the fastest among MSE's for the 2004 JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge season to date - was achieved despite the fact that he is still recovering from major knee surgery.
"I'm just starting to get healthy now, this gives me confidence," he said.
From left, Dennis Dombek, Regional Executive for JPMorgan Chase, seven-time Buffalo Bills Pro Bowler Steve Tasker, and Buffalo Mayor Anthony Masiello on start stage. |
Arlene Kaukus of the United Way (27:20) was the women's Most Senior Executive champion, successfully defending her title while shaving 62 seconds off her 2003 time.
Perhaps speeding up the times was the ideal weather conditions for this event. After a cold afternoon rain, the sun peeked out at race time with the temperatures peaking in the low 60s. It was a full 30 degrees cooler than the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge held the previous night in New York City.
And there was the inspiration factor. Encouraging runners from the start stage and the finish line was former Buffalo Bills' football star Steve Tasker. The seven-time Pro Bowler is generally considered to be the greatest special teams player in team history - if not NFL history. He's also a down-to-earth individual made for this town and event.
"Let's go Buffalo!" Tasker shouted from the start stage with 100-percent conviction. Adding to the community feel, he was joined by Buffalo Mayor Anthony Masiello.
Buffalo field is more than 60 percent women
"There's no doubt this is the event that Buffalo looks forward to more than any other," said race coordinator Dan Loncto, a popular interview subject for the live television crews that cover this event every June.
Another point of difference for Buffalo is the breakdown of participants. More than 6,000 of the entrants - over 60-percent - were women. No other Corporate Challenge city has more than 52-percent participation from women. A popular "Non-Competitive Start" area, designed exclusively for walkers, is a big reason for this success.
JPMorgan Chase, under the local direction of Regional Executive Dennis Dombek, identified two local charities to receive donations through the Corporate Challenge -- Kevin Guest House and Summit Educational Resources. The former is a hospitality house for patients, outpatients and their loved ones; the latter is an organization dedicated to providing educational and therapeutic services to children with learning, communication and behavioral challenges.
