The Arbuckles to Ardmore Race for Mercy isn’t a time trial to shin splints, but the first of its kind in southern Oklahoma: a 100 percent non-profit running and walking event in which all funds raised will go into the new Mercy Memorial Cancer Center.
Mercy Memorial Health Center plans to announce its new cancer center soon, and the A2A will spearhead the fundraising effort to make it a facility that will be equipped to service not just Ardmore, but the entire southern Oklahoma region.
“It’s a unique fundraiser in that we knew we had a great possibility of drawing lots of runners being halfway between Dallas and Oklahoma City,” said Alison Smalley, race director, board member of the Mercy Memorial Foundation and creator of A2A. “For the possibility of Ardmore to have a cancer center being proposed will be a huge drawing card for Mercy Memorial.”
Since the fundraiser’s infant stages less than a year ago, Smalley and a group volunteers have reached out to community giants such as Michelin and Noble Energy to be presenting sponsors. In addition, each individual race will have a sponsor, with Valero representing the half marathon and Henry Roberts Express Pharmacy on board with the 5K.
The marathon is still open for sponsorship.
“We hope the entire community will give to sponsor this event,” Smalley said. “No contribution is too small and we are encouraging individuals to sponsor ‘to honor’ or ‘in memory of’ family members and friends.”
From a sparking website, to Facebook and Twitter pages loaded with encouraging feedback from avid runners, crystal clear course photos and daily updates, the A2A project shines with a professionalism worthy of the urgent cause it was founded to fight.
The Race
The motto for A2A? Get ready. You’ve never seen Ardmore like this.
From the course, to the sponsors, to the perks provided to its participants, the A2A lives up to its standard. Three races, three distances and no cookie-cutter course layout.
The marathon begins in uncharted runner’s territory — the Turner Falls Overlook near Davis — and winds down the scenic Arbuckle foothills. After that, there’s more rare road — rancher Jud Little has collaborated with A2A to allow runners through his award-winning Bar Nothin’ Horse Ranch near Springer. From there, the 26.2-mile trek hits U.S. Highway 77 into Ardmore, into the final stretch — an out-and-back to the lake inside Ardmore Regional Park — and finishes at the 50-yard line of Noble Stadium.
The half marathon starts in the Arbuckles at the Carter County/Murray County line, stretches down U.S. 77 and also ends inside Noble Stadium. Finally, the 5K stays within the city, starting and finishing in Noble Stadium.
The race weekend will kick off with a Health and Fitness Expo on March 27, presented by the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce and Mercy Memorial Health Center in the Ardmore Convention Center. The expo will have booths and vendors from around Southern Oklahoma, as well as all-ages health screenings, personal health assessments and demonstrations by Mercy Memorial’s Women’s Health Advisory Board. Mercy Memorial Health Center will also publicize its patient tower, scheduled for completion in June.
The evening will be capped off by a pasta dinner, catered by Café Alley, which will feed runners from across the United States and even Europe.
“The commitment from the community has been fabulous,” said Andre’ Moore, Executive Director of Mercy Memorial Health Center Foundation. “The economic importance will be tremendous.”
Moore added that the new cancer center will be a comprehensive one — one fashioned to diagnose and treat patients while providing easy accessibility.
“Just by merely having a cancer center, the whole of southern Oklahoma benefits from this,” Moore said. “There’s a lot of excitement. This event highlights the cancer center and has our total commitment.”
The Future
The A2A Arbuckles to Ardmore Race for Mercy is the next project for the foundation in terms of fundraising. With the patient center nearly finished, the focus of Mercy Memorial Health Center turns to the new cancer center.
That focus will begin at Turner Falls and end mere miles from its intended target.
The group of volunteers that arrived on Friday is locked in. On a deceivingly chilly day, those 18 Ardmoreites stood on a still-damp track. Some in running shoes, some in wing tips. Some in ties and some in North Face jackets. Diverse. Community leaders. All eager to race for mercy.
Not just in 2010, but for years to come.
“Hopefully, we’ll make this an annual event,” Moore said. “If this is any indication of the response we’ll be getting, next year we’ll be doing this again.”
You’ve never seen Ardmore like this.
- March 27, Health and Fitness Expo at the Ardmore Convention Center; March 28, A2A races
- Races: Marathon (8 a.m., 26.2 miles), Valero Half Marathon (8 a.m., 16.1) and Henry Roberts Express Pharmacy 5K (9 a.m., 3.1)
- Online: Register at www.a2amarathon.com; follow A2A at www.facebook.com/A2Amarathon and www.twitter.com/a2amarathon.
