The Runaround: South Salem’s Memorial Day Races Return

SOUTH SALEM, N.Y. - In her victory at last fall’s Westchester County Championships, it took John Jay High School sophomore Sloan Wasserman just under eighteen and a half minutes to run the challenging 5K cross-country course at Newburg’s Hudson Valley Sports Dome. Last New Year’s Eve, at a Barcelona road race, Kenyan Beatrice Chebet ran the 5K distance in 14:13, setting a new world record.

For Brooke Habinowski, it takes months not minutes to run her 5K. This JJHS senior is now in her second year as race director of the South Salem Memorial Day Races.

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“I start searching for sponsors and contact our event production company as soon as January hits,” she said in a recent conversation.

The 45th edition of the Memorial Day Races in South Salem will be held on Monday, May 27. You can choose the five- or ten-kilometer run/walk option, or the Challenge option of doing both. There is also a virtual option this year.

Seventeen-year-old Brooke estimates that about fifty volunteers will be helping to make this event happen again for roughly 300 racers. “We had about 25 volunteers on race day last year, and about another 25 volunteers who assisted during set-up and clean up.” Many of the helpers are members of the South Salem Presbyterian Church, the village’s hilltop landmark for well over two centuries.

“I am very appreciative of the entire church and of all the volunteers from across South Salem and surrounding communities who aid in this large event,” Brooke said “They are incredible!”

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This year, the race’s charity partner is once again the Alzheimer's Association Hudson Valley. A portion of proceeds goes directly to support local families who are affected by Alzheimer's disease.

With its start and finish located at the Lewisboro Library on Main Street, the races will take place rain or shine, with the 10K at 8 a.m., the 5K at 9:30, a one-mile fun run for kiddos at 10:45, and the Pee-Wee Dash at 11:00. The registration link can be found at events.elitefeats.com/24salem

Asked if she needed to make any improvements after her rookie year as race director, Brooke said, “The organization of the front lawn of the library and the communication between volunteers is truly key and it is what I have thought about most, searching for ways to improve and optimize both.”

A lot of the organization is done behind the scenes by Brooke in the months leading up to the race. Procuring bananas and bagels for the finish area, making sure an ADA compliant porta potty is on site, and finding the gallons of necessary liquids for the hydration stations on the course are just some of the items she needs to cross off her long and varied checklist. For the nitty-gritty requirements of registration and website support as well as finish-line setup, and the all-important bibs, medals, and timing logistics, Brooke is grateful to rely on Elitefeats, a full-service event production company based in Long Island.

A month before race day, Brook must contact local law enforcement and the town council to ensure that the necessary road closures and police protection are in place.

“In the end, this is all about our local community and banding together to commemorate the veterans who lost their lives while defending our country so we want every runner crossing that finish line safely,” she said.

Another key task for the race director is supervising design and production of the race’s commemorative T-shirt, with the race logo on front and sponsor names and logos on back. “We are very appreciative of all that our sponsors do, so this is just one of the many ways we show our respect for them. In the end, we want to make a great shirt that runners and volunteers can wear all year round to spread our message and race name.”

On both the 5K and 10K courses, racers wind their way on country roads offering views of mile-long Lake Truesdale. It’s fitting that this 83-acre centerpiece has a direct connection to the local church on which Brooke relies for support.

Rev. Theodore Langdon Van Norden arrived in South Salem in 1894 to be the thirteenth minister of the South Salem Presbyterian Church. According to a local history by Priscilla Luckow, “He became a prominent South Salem farmer and citizen . . . [and] was determined to make a name for himself in the area. He promoted the beauty and history of the town while also acquiring a lot of land, including the entire north end of what became Lake Truesdale. Rev. Van Norden planned to dam the outlet from Hoyt’s Pond . . . in order to turn the small pond and surrounding swamp into a lake.”

Completed in July 1908, the construction of Van Norden’s dam was a complicated project, owing to its location on an unstable surface that included an eleven-foot layer of quicksand. Like Brooke’s Memorial Day races, it was another important community-building South Salem event requiring dedication, foresight, skill, and very careful planning.

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