The Summer Place to Be

By Laura Clark

Many of our favorite summer activities – paddling a lazy river, hiking mountain peaks, biking roads and trails, patio restaurant dining, and window shopping downtown – are all within an easy radius of Saratoga Springs. Adding to the mix, Saratoga proudly hosts two of the area’s largest July running attractions, the Firecracker 4 and Silks & Satins 5K road races, both produced by the experienced FC4 Event team.

The 17th annual Firecracker 4 always occurs on the same date, July 4, so this year it’s on a Tuesday. And what better place to celebrate our nation’s birthday than in Saratoga Springs, a few miles from the Saratoga Battlefield, the turning point of the Revolutionary War. This race serves as the opener for city-wide festivities stretching throughout the day and culminating in a breathtaking fireworks display. 

Created in 2006 by Peter Goutos and Bob Vanderminden, as a fundraiser for the award-winning Saratoga Springs High School running teams and Kinetic Running Club. The event is a prime example of out-of-the box thinking, with the rejection of the ubiquitous 5K distance in favor of a four-miler, an acknowledgement of the historic significance of this day. Now ranked as the longest-running and largest 4th of July race in the Northeast, it fields an average of 2,000+ runners, which is a huge increase from the 200 runners in the inaugural event. During the Covid-19 pandemic, it boasted a strong virtual presence. In fact, one of my favorite memories was my virtual Firecracker trail run on the four-mile Saratoga Battlefield route, where I chatted with several individuals who also chose to trace the footsteps of our forefathers.

The anticipation mounts in June with the Fleet Feet and ASICS twice-weekly prep series. Meet every Saturday beginning June 3 at 9am at Saratoga High School for a quality workout, as well as Thursday evenings at 6pm at various local downtown businesses. For the schedule, see the Calendar and visit: fleetfeetalbany.com. 

Race day traditionally begins at 8:15am with a Sparkler Kid’s Fun Run, while the main event launches from Broadway shortly before 9am with a heartfelt rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner after the formation run arrives, which is coordinated by the Veterans Business Council of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. The start of the race sends runners down a half-mile stretch of Broadway, with the majority of the course passing through older residential areas. Serving as a kick-off to Saratoga’s All-American Celebration, this is a true community event, with residents lining the streets prepared with sprinklers, hoses and refreshing ices. Consider the route a four-mile version of those Rock ‘n’ Roll marathons, with musicians, bands and boom boxes quickening your step. 

For this journey is not an easy flat-and-fast giveaway, but requires effort, especially during the final section heading uphill on unshaded pavement. But look up and you will be inspired by the sight of Saratoga hook and ladder fire engine, proudly masting a giant American flag. Afterwards, enjoy the party with food, drinks and informational vendors. Cash prizes are awarded to the top three male and female individual overall, masters and age-graded winners. Cash prizes are also awarded to the largest Run Your Colors and High School Alumni teams, along with medals for age groups in five-year intervals. Be on the lookout for club teams, veteran’s and first responders, and pink clad Ainsley’s Angels pushing their wheel-chaired riders.

While the weather is warmer and there are no turkeys in the crowd, Firecracker 4 conveys the community atmosphere of a turkey trot, where all are welcome and are honoring a significant moment in our history, with former residents and students returning every year to celebrate with their family and friends. To register, visit: firecracker4.com.

The other “summer place to be” race is the Silks & Satins 5K: Jeff Clark Memorial Race, traditionally held on the first Saturday of track season, this year on July 15. Originally called the Satins, Silks & Stars, the silks are the jockey’s uniform, representing the horse owner’s colors and logo, and satins, a material that was traditionally used in their construction. The Stars portion of the title is a bit less obvious, but referred to the celebrity galas that socialite and philanthropist Mary Lou Whitney hosted to inaugurate each track season. Mary Lou was an ardent supporter of Special Olympics, which this race previously benefited, and traditionally hosted a dinner and dance that weekend to which local Special Olympians were invited.

Bill and Cathy Taylor originally partnered with Special Olympics to direct the first few events and then my husband, Jeff Clark, took over, backed by Price Chopper’s Golub Foundation. The wonderful Saratoga Stryders Running Club supplied a huge number of course marshals needed to man all 23 intersections. One of our favorite activities was packet night, where we filled over 1,000 goodie bags with sponsor donations. It was rather like the I Love Lucy show’ assembly line factory episode and quite a challenging race in its own right.

Jeff fully embraced the extracurricular duties incumbent on race directors: from driving a box truck fully loaded with race supplies through downtown’s pre-race Hat’s Off celebration; to nearly getting arrested for defacing public property while trying to mark the course at 2am; to making a toilet paper run to address a crucial deficiency. He did it all. After he succumbed to Agent Orange-related cancer in 2014, the event he had cared about so much was renamed in his honor.

Beginning and ending at the Fasig-Tipton pavilion, home of the thoroughbred horse sales where millions of dollars change hands, runners trace a flat and fast route around the East Side track neighborhoods. Plan on arriving early and enjoying a camera-worthy view of the thoroughbreds as they circle the Oklahoma Training Track. Often, both runners and horses contend with a warm and humid day, which can add a challenge to an otherwise pancake-flat route. Afterwards, join the visitors at the Saratoga Race Course and cheer for your favorite four-legged racers as they circle the flat track.

Feel good about your experience by knowing that a portion of your Silks & Satins race fee supports the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, a national nonprofit with main headquarters in Saratoga Springs. More info: trfinc.org. Through their auspices, retired race horses are offered sanctuary and the peace they deserve in their final years. Others are introduced to forever families and still others become partners in the TRF Second Chances program where intimates care for and bond with the animals. To register, go to: silksandsatins5k.com.

Jeff frequently said, “It’s a privilege to live in Saratoga Springs.’ Come and join us this summer and experience the magic!

Laura Clark (snowshoegal133@gmail.com) of Saratoga Springs is an avid trail runner, ultramarathoner, snowshoer and cross-country skier. She is a children’s librarian at the Saratoga Springs Public Library.