Running through South Glens Falls for Mike Nolan

On the first Sunday of November, I rose in the early morning and got dressed for the Mike Nolan 5K race. Given the frigid cold temperature, I added another layer underneath my blue, long-sleeve shirt that I snagged at last year’s race. The shirt had an image of a running shoe with the words, “No excuses, do the work”, a motto from the much beloved teacher and coach, Mike Nolan.

Mike Nolan was an English teacher of thirty-three years at Oliver Winch Junior High School and a basketball, track, and cross-country coach. He passed away in 2010 after a five-year battle with lung cancer, but his positive and philanthropic attitude turned despair into a nonprofit organization to support lung cancer research and support programs. Throughout his tenure as a teacher and coach, he has inspired thousands of students, two of which, Heather and Taylor, are a part of the Glens Falls Run Club. His legacy of uplifting generations continues with this race where proceeds go to the South Glens Falls Faculty Association to award scholarships for graduates.

I arrived in the parking lot to South Glens Falls High School an hour before the race. I was pleasantly surprised that they had five extra new shirts in my size available, since I signed up after their shirt guarantee date. While the organizers keep the same logo, they change the color of the long-sleeved shirt each year. This year's color, much to my delight, was green, matching the color of my Philadelphia Eagles winter hat. After getting my race bib and shirt, I spoke with the organizer, coach, and teacher, Tom Hansen, who started the race fifteen years ago in honor of Mike Nolan and how he has able to sustain the local race. I saw John Clements, a friend and ice-skating enthusiast, who worked at the local grocery store. He told me exciting news that he is going to become an uncle next year as he pinned on his race bib on his long-sleeved shirt.

After chatting with John, I walked back to my car and saw Heather had just arrived. She was wearing blue warmup track pants and a green cross-country championship shirt, excited to join in on the race again. After she retrieved her race bib, we found Taylor with her husband and two kids by the entrance. Taylor had created the Glens Falls Run Club group for the race, and she was excited to run the race pushing her two kids in a double-wide stroller. Chatting with Taylor was Luke and his wife, Kristen. I recognized Luke as a barista from Common Roots Brewing, learning that we were neighbors a couple streets from each other. When we discussed Halloween, Luke and Kristen enthusiastically divulged their plans to become the best house for trick-or-treaters with full-sized candy bars. I told them about Michael and our new tradition of giving out candy and books this Halloween, revealing the London telephone booth style little library.

Doug Kesler, a former coworker from Global Foundries, saw me and said hello, his wife and family amazed at my bearded transformation. While I had seen Doug in September for the Malta 5K, I had not seen his family since last year’s Mike Nolan 5K race. This new facial journey has imbued so many moments of delightful surprises from people. Taylor, Heather, Luke, and I got a photo together before the race director gathered everyone to the starting line.

I slotted a single Air Pod into my ear for some music and started my watch as the race began. We headed toward the exit of the campus to Tanglewood Drive, volunteers with flags helping to control residential traffic and ensure our safety. The Tanglewood Elementary School was visible in the distance, but the course turned left onto Iris Avenue, snaking its way through the neighborhood. The road steadily increased in elevation as we passed Primrose Avenue. At the summit, there was a table was set up with cups of water as volunteers held them out for runners to grab. I ran alongside of Taylor, stopping to pick up empty cups along the road, as one of her kid’s commented, “that boy is picking up trash”. Empty cups in hand, I continued my stride as we veered right onto Dogwood Drive toward a cul-de-sac, circling around and back down the road. Keeping to the right side of the road, we were able to cheer on runners and walking exiting Iris Avenue.

The race snaked its way through Daffodil Drive, Columbine Avenue, Nolan Road, and back onto Tanglewood Avenue, volunteers and signs guiding us through the course. When we turned back onto Dogwood Drive, keeping to the right as runners and walked past on the left, my hands gripped lots of empty cups and cans found on the road. Thankfully, as we turned back toward Iris Avenue, I saw the water station, depositing the empty cups and cans inside. A volunteer shouted thanks as I picked up my speed; my watch had indicated less than a mile left in the race. The course snaked through Primrose Avenue before turning right onto Tanglewood Avenue as the South Glens Falls High School campus came into view. Turning left onto the campus, I saw the finish line and began to widen my stride. The announcer shouted the names of each finisher as I crossed.

Catching my breath, I walked over to Heather, Luke, and Kristen. Taylor was currently warming down as her husband kept an eye on the kids still sitting in the stroller nearby. Heather and Luke had finished a couple minutes before me, with Luke mentioning that it was a personal best. When Taylor finished her warm down, we all walked over to a television screen by the finish that was displaying race results. As the last runners crossed the finish line, the closing ceremony had begun, the race organizers thanking the sponsors, volunteers, and participants before calling names of the race and age winners. After all the awards were given out, the surviving family of Mike Nolan spoke, imbuing gratitude for the community for keeping his name and legacy alive.

Mike Nolan’s legacy shines bright throughout the South Glens Falls community and beyond. My grandfather, a teacher and coach as well, passed away last year, working twenty years as a physical education teacher in the Delran, New Jersey school district. Both men have changed the lives of countless students, their lasting legacy transcending their communities. We all have the power to imbue positive legacies onto the world, just like these great men. It all starts with a single kind act to help one another.