United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc.
UNITY
Presents
The 31st Annual
Andy Payne Memorial Races
Saturday, May 24th, 2008
Lake Overholser—Oklahoma City
Route 66 Regional Park
Route 66 Regional Park is located on the west side of Lake Overholser (near NW 23 and Sara).
Take County Line Road north from NW 10 and turn left (west).
Click on logo above to register online
DISTANCES:
The Andy Payne Marathon Run - (The Oklahoma Championship Series Marathon)
The Willie Nelson 10K Run
The Allie Reynolds 5K Run
STARTING TIMES:
Marathon Run will begin at 6:30 a.m.
10K & 5K Runs will both begin at 8:30 a.m.
LOCATION: Lake Overholser, located on the west edge of Bethany and south of Old Highway 66. The race headquarters will be the Route 66 Regional Park located on the west side of Lake Overholser near NW 23rd and N. Sara Rd.
COURSES: All races start and finish at the Route 66 Park. The marathon course is a short “out and back” plus 3 times around the lake. The 10K and 5K runs will be “out and back.” All courses are certified. The courses are flat with blacktop surface.
ALTITUDE: Start: 1245 ft. above sea level; Highest: 1250 ft.; Lowest: 1240 ft.; Finish: 1245 ft.
DIVISIONS:
THE ANDY PAYNE MARATHON (Medals Given To All Marathon Finishers)
Men: 19 & under; 20-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44; 45-49; 50-54; 55-59; 60-64; 65-69; 70 & over
Women: 19 & under; 20-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44; 45-49; 50-54; 55-59; 60 -64; 65-69; 70 & over
THE WILLIE NELSON 10km RUN
Men: 12 & under; 13-15; 16-19; 20-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44; 45-49; 50-54; 55-59; 60-64; 65-69; 70 -74; 75 & over
Women: 12 & under; 13-15; 16-19; 20-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44; 45-49; 50-54; 55-59; 60 -64; 65-69; 70 -74; 75 & over
THE ALLIE REYNOLDS 5km RUN
Men: 12 & under; 13-15; 16-19; 20-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44; 45-49; 50-54; 55-59; 60-64; 65-69; 70-74; 75 & over
Women: 12 & under; 13-15; 16-19; 20-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44; 45-49; 50-54; 55-59; 60-64; 65-69; 70-74; 75 & over
AWARDS:
Marathon: First, second, and third place winners in each age division for men and women will receive trophies. Overall men’s and women’s champions will receive plaques. All finishers will receive commemorative medals.
10K & 5K Runs : First, second, and third place winners in each age division will receive medals. Overall men’s and women’s champions in each race will receive plaques.
SANCTIONS: Oklahoma Association, USATF
OTHER PARTICULARS: There will be five aid stations for the marathon run. Aid stations will be located at the start/finish line, the 1.55 mile marker, the 3.1 mile marker, the 5 mile marker, and the 7 mile marker. An ambulance will be present. Complimentary soft drinks will be provided. Athletes who participate in this competition will be subject to formal drug testing in accordance with USAT&F rules and IAAF Rule 144. Athletes found positive for banned substances, or who refuse to be tested, will be disqualified from this event and will lose eligibility for future competitions. Some prescriptions and over-the-counter medications contain banned substances. Information regarding drugs and drug testing may be obtained by calling the USOC Hot Line at 800-233-0393.
SPONSOR: United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (UNITY)
RACE DIRECTOR: J.R. Cook* UNITY, Inc.* P.O. Box 800* Oklahoma City, OK 73101* (405) 236-2800
ENTRY FEES: Marathon - $35 ($40 on Race Day) • 5K and 10K runs- $15 minimum contribution ($20 on Race Day) • On-site registration available (No guarantee of T-shirt for on-site registration)
Click here to register online
Click here to download an entry form in Word format
Questions? - click here to e-mail the race sponsor
CLICK HERE TO VIEW 2007 ANDY PAYNE RESULTS
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Andy Payne Elected to Oklahoma Long Distance Running Wall of Fame
Andy Payne, Cherokee, was unanimously elected by a state-wide running committee to be among the first inductees into the
Oklahoma Long Distance Running Wall of Fame. He was posthumously inducted on October 30, 1998 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
(Excerpt courtesy of Oklahoma Runner Magazine)
By Jane Hawkins
In his book The Bunion Derby, James H. Thomas reported that when the Great Depression hit rural Oklahoma in the summer of 1927, Andy Payne, like many other Oklahomans, decided that California might offer him a future. The Cherokee from Claremore hitchhiked to the West Coast but could not find work.
Payne was about to return to Oklahoma when he saw a notice about a race with $25,000 prize money to the winner. “The Great Cross-Country Marathon Race,” a foot race from Los Angeles to New York City, was billed by the press as “The Bunion Derby.” The former high school track star was among the 275 who started the race. When he reached Chandler, OK., only 80 remained.
From the State Capital Bureau of The Tribune on April 14, 1928, an article regales the reception Payne received when he entered Oklahoma City on his way to New York. The article was reprinted in midweek , the feature magazine of The Tulsa Tribune on December 21, 1977. The article described gaudy sideshow tents that went up just across the racetrack from the state fairgrounds grandstand. The race track is filled with people. Several bands are in place. A printed program gives the name and numbers of expected runners. Everyone is looking for number 43.
“There is commotion down at the gate. Four men enter abreast. Abreast they jog down the track. Inside, nearest the grandstand is a little man, whiskers apparently uncut since Los Angeles, with long woolen drawers under his running trunks. On his breast and back are numerals 103. That’s Peter Gavuzzi, the Italo-Englishman from Southampton.
“Next to him is a bronzed figure of a young man, jogging easily along, his black mane scarcely disturbed. He wears number 43. It’s Andy, sure enough. Again on another long grind on the road to New York he has held his nearest rival even. His precious two-hour lead is still intact.
“Andy was taken to the speaker’s stand for the ceremonies honoring him, ’Hello home folks, I’m glad to be back. Hope to see you in New York.”
As a finale, the runners had to do a 20-mile lap on a board track at Madison Square Garden. 55 runners struggled in. Andy Payne won. He covered 3,422.3 miles in 573 hours 4 minutes and 34 seconds. He took his winnings and paid off the mortgage on his family farm. Payne became a national hero. He won the office of Clerk of the Supreme Court of Oklahoma in 1934, a post he held for 38 years. He died in 1977.