OnondagaMan

" I am excited to hear that Wilson Endurance Sports is bringing the 70.3 triathlon back to Syracuse NY. The triathlon is actually in Jamesville, which is important to us small-town folks that have enjoyed this local event for many years.   Those that have enjoyed a Wilson Endurance event know the quality they provide.  
 I met the Wilson Endurance Family at the Delta Lake Triathlon, which is one of my favorite Intermediate distance races because of its family atmosphere and fast course. Mark and Tonia run an excellent program, putting safety, the athletes, their families, and a festive atmosphere in motion! Mark's sendoff at the water's edge is heartfelt and inspiring. 
The Syracuse 70.3 was a terrific race in a rural area, and known for its clear water, rolling bike hills, and a run in the country. The bike is a tough single loop in beautiful farm country, with challenging hills. The valley vista is a beautiful place to participate in our great sport!
As The OnondagaMan has its inaugural event, you will find that the combination of a wonderful park, rural valley scenery, welcoming community, and the Wilson Endurance team will bring you back year after year. 
 See you there!"

 Mark Donnelly - Jamesville, NY, 2023

 

"As an endurance athlete with decades of swimming, biking, running, and trail running just about any distance race put on by oodles of different directors, I can without pause say the Amish Country Racing Festival was one of my all-time favorites. As a triathlete, I implicitly trusted that Mark, whose detailed description of aid stations included pickles and pickle juice as two separate selections, would have every detail covered to a "t." That he did...and then some. I drove six hours each way to come race this epic marathon, and the hours in the car were more than worth it (including the speeding ticket on the way home - oops, watch out on route 17).
I drove the course the night before, which I highly suggest folks do when it comes to Mark's courses if possible, as he doesn't exaggerate the difficulty-factor of the courses one bit in his description. Bow to the hills, I say, and always know they feel quite a bit different behind the wheel of a car than in your racing shoes...Mark takes the notion of a major hill climb in a marathon to a whole new world-class level, as I counted no fewer than 6 magical, mammoth, mouth-watering hills.
The start of the race was magical in its own way, as saluting to the flag with the Allegiance as well as a voluntary group prayer was a tremendous way to get centered as an individual yet feel part of something way bigger than ourselves. Endurance sports will do that to you, if delivered-up in the right way. Mark's way is the right way. As a woman, I feel pulled to add that Mark did not want to begin the race without his wife, Tonia, being there at the start. It said so much to me that in a moment when most would launch into the countdown, Mark took the extra minute to have someone go ask after Tonia. Again the glue that binds an amazing race together is everything behind and around the actual race.
As for the race itself, the course was absolute perfection. Check all the boxes - from those directing traffic so I never paused my stride, to the ample offerings at every single aid station, to the folks waving from their cars, to the families ringing bells from their yards - it simply doesn't get better as far as a course experience goes. Out in the middle of Amish Country with little traffic and sometimes no one else in sight, yet wrapped up in a blanket of seamless organization and touches of love all along the way. Superb.
I simply cannot speak more highly of the entire experience, so much so that I walked up to Mark afterwards and told him I was getting back to Ironman training and would look him up when I pulled the trigger. I finished Kona 14 years ago, and it took running one race of Mark's to welcome a next endurance chapter I have had in the back of my mind for all these years. Here's to age and stage never making us feel like we can't accomplish amazing things when in the right company..."
Ginger Smith
1st Place Female Finisher, Amish Country Racing Festival, 2021

"Thank you for putting on a race that was as beautiful as it was difficult as it was well-planned as it was well-organized. As I mentioned to you post-race, this was my 428th marathon (253rd different race), and the Amish Country Running Festival would place in the top 10 across all those categories, likely top five.

Thank you for your perseverance in getting the race off the ground. You could have cancelled like 14 other races on my schedule have done this year, and no one would have second guessed it (I work in healthcare, so I understand the cancellations). But to execute something so well despite the pandemic deserves a whole other category beyond a simple, “Good job.”

The thumbprint of excellence was all over this race before anyone crossed the start line. The athlete guide was the ideal for its type, the kind of document that allows a participant to concentrate on the race and not be distracted by the anxiety of what s/he will find at the start. Or if s/he will even find the start – the little things like noting that there is a Church Street in Randolph as well as East Randolph are so incredibly helpful.

When I arrived at the start, the staff/volunteers on site were all cheery. Usually you find half of them groveling at having to get up early. During this pandemic, when virtually no one seems happy, especially while masked in public, it was such a highlight to step out of the car and into an atmosphere where the frustration bug didn’t seem to arrive.

Thank you for having the courage to say the pledge in these challenging times, and for having the courage to say a prayer, while acknowledging the reality that some people may not be interested in the effort. In an era where so much is stuffed down the throat and a take-it-or-leave-it mantra often reigns, it was delightful to see your recognition that no audience – especially an audience of paying customers – is homogenous. Our elected officials at every level could learn constituent service from you.

The honesty regarding the course was greatly appreciated. I’m not sure any words could describe the challenge that was the marathon – or the absolute beauty of those 26 miles – but you put it all out there with no sugarcoating.

As for what was on the course – sheer perfection. Every turn was marked. Every turn, intersection, and turnaround point was staffed by enthusiastic people who were paying attention to the safety of the runners, not cell phones. Every mile was marked, and I’m pretty sure it was accurate to the inch. You went above and beyond with the aid stations – ice cold water, provisions *well beyond* any runner’s expectations, pure honesty (thank you for specifying “Heed,” and not saying “sports drink” or “Gatorade” so that non-Heed drinkers could plan), and plentiful. You are one of the few race directors of a multi-length race to recognize that the aid stations at the end need to have enough supply to meet the requirements of 4-hour marathoners. Every aid station after 20 – ones that had been visited multiple times by runners of 2, 3, even 4 races – was still ready to take on any more comers. An hour after finishing, while on County Route 40, I noted that the aid stations were *still* ready and waiting for the final crop of finishers.

I think the post-race was most telling. It is rare after one of these where a finisher is able to walk through the finishing area without hearing people complaining – regarding the fairness of the course, misplaced miles, unrealized expectations, or one of the many possible shortcomings. Today, every finisher who spoke with me or whose conversations I overheard spoke of the challenge of the course, of the depths they had to dig, or just being happy to be done. Not a single sour thought was expressed. Also, for what it’s worth, I’m not a big donut eater – it might be overstatement to say I’ve eaten five this century before today – but those coconut donuts in the food tent might have been the post-race hit-the-spot food I never knew I needed.

It will take my legs a few days to forget the race today, but it will take my mind far, far longer to forget the exquisite experience you offered today’s runners. I’ll be looking for the 2021 date to be posted, when we will hopefully get to see the amazing performance you put on when social distancing and masks are a nightmare of the past.

Thank you again for an incredible effort, and for defining what race should be. I hope you enjoy some much-deserved relaxation time to bask in your success."

-Rob T. ~ Elmira, NY     September 26, 2020

"Coach Mark Wilson has been my coach for seven years. I have been racing with Wilson endurance sports since then. I have experienced racing with this organization, growing in the number of races that they provide all over New York State. The number of events that they put on range from Duathlon‘s, sprint triathlons, Olympic distances, double distance of both a sprint and Olympic, kids triathlons, kayak bike run triathlon, multiple running events, and, my personal favorite, 70.3 Cassadagaman. Wilson Endurance Sports races are very unique in the fact that they are designed to be perfect for both first-timers and more seasoned athletes. With no cut-off times, athletes can feel very comfortable going into these races knowing that they’re going to have the time to finish what they set out to accomplish.
As a seasoned athlete coached by Coach Mark Wilson, I find Wilson Endurance races to be fun, challenging, and very rewarding. After each race, there is an after celebration where everyone can sit, eat, drink, talk, and enjoy what we all have just accomplished. I have made many close friends from all different places that I get to see year after year at Wilson Endurance races."

Michelle Gillian ~ Poughkeepsie, NY, March 2023

"From the fire pit to the last guy crossing the finish line to the post-race food, I've never seen better organization. Aid stations every mile, well-stocked aid stations with fruit, cookies, salty snacks, water, and electrolytes! Volunteers were everywhere and the crowd cheering until the last person crossed the finish line. No time limit. So well supported. I’ve been in races where the finish line was disassembled before the cut off time. Not so with Wilson Endurance Sports."

Cat Bockheim ~ Coldspring, New York