Tag: fitness

A Dash Through Lakewood’s Iconic Footrace

Forty-three shirts. All different colors and designs. Enough to fill a large dresser or a small closet.

Forty-three shirts for forty-three years.

That’s how long people of all ages have lined up on Terrace Avenue on an early morning on or near to July 4^th in shorts and running shoes, taken off on foot, and ended back where they started 6.2 miles and between thirty and ninety minutes later. Before they covered that distance, they all got t- shirts and a runner’s bib. With an average of 300 runners a year (as high as 500 one year) that’s over 13,000 tops.

Welcome to the Lakewood Firecracker 10K—a rollicking holiday tradition that’s equal parts community block party, morning exercise, and road race. The Lakewood Firecracker 10K and 2 Mile Run/Walk will be held in Lakewood, NY, on Friday, July 4, 2025, with the 10K race starting at 9:00 AM. If you were prescient enough to preregister for the race you will receive shirt number 44.

Tom Anderson retired as the director of the Lakewood YMCA in 2022 after 31 years. A big part of his job was coordinating the annual Lakewood Firecracker race; engaging sponsors, signing up runners, and covering race day logistics. Of the 43 races run, Tom and his YMCA staff and team of volunteers have handed out thirty-two of those shirts when the YMCA took over the race from the Village of Lakewood in 1992. Tom says, “The July 4^th Firecracker run is more of a reunion for Lakewood than anything else. People come home from all over the country to see friends and family.”

The race originated in the early 80’s when jogging was all the craze in the United States and the idea of running K’s took off as a popular community fund-raising activity.  The village of Lakewood organized the first race in 1981 as an add-on to an ambitious Jaycees sponsored Lakewood Beach 4^th of July carnival that included fireworks, a water-ski show, a parade down Terrace Avenue, rides, paratroopers landing in the lake, and -I kid you not- a guy who set himself on fire and jumped into a pool. Anderson says, “The 10K came in 1981, organized by the village and it started at the Chautauqua Mall. We took it over in 1992.”

That first shirt is older than most of the 400-500 people who line up to run today.

From the beginning, the Firecracker 10K was more a celebration of all things Lakewood, a warm-up for the events of the day; street vendors, beachfront games for kids, and the very popular fireworks show, where the beach hill becomes a sitting-room-only carpet of blankets and lawn chairs. The start of the race is like a reunion, where families and friends meet up. Once the race starts, non-runners cheer on the hoofers. Folks living along the race-route hand out water and encouragement. The event has blossomed, drawing bigger crowds and more runners each year. As running became more popular, more women, youth, and older athletes joined the fun, making the start line a true cross-section of the Lakewood community.

Proceeds from the race fund scholarships at the YMCA, who prides themselves on never turning away a child for financial reasons.

Randy Holcomb, mayor of the Village of Lakewood is a proud and enthusiastic supporter of the event. “Lakewood is grateful to be sponsoring the spirited Firecracker 10K & 2 Mile Run/Walk thru our scenic village, not only for promoting health and fitness, also for the support of our local community. Good luck to all participants!”

This year the Lakewood 4^th of July celebration will kick-off of Rock the Lake, a season-long series of concerts held at the beach gazebo. Event coordinator Michelle Turner says, “We are excited to bring this event to the Village of Lakewood as the LCDC continues its mission of improving the quality of life within the Village for all members of our community.”
Look for the series on Sundays at Lakewood’s Hartley Park, July 6th, 27th and August 10th, 24^th, from 2-5 pm.