Bulldog Dash returns for 3rd year
It wasn’t hard to get moving at the third annual Bulldog Dash on Saturday morning, if only to keep warm.
“You never know what kind of weather you’re going to get this time of year,” said Old Rochester Regional High School Athletic Director Bill Tilden. “There could have been snow.”
Since Jessica Stewart, last year's coordinator, is no longer in the school system, Tilden said his wife Cindy, ORR’s track coach, decided to keep the race going.
The knowledge that they could raise funds for a new portable defibrillator for school nurse Kim Corazzini as well as training equipment for teams drove the pair to seek out as many sponsors as they could.
Of the defibrillator, Tilden said, there were several around the schools; however, Corazzini expressed a need for one she could carry with her.
“If there were an emergency, she would have to have someone run and go get one. Every second counts,” said Tilden.
Although the Tildens took over the race at the last minute, they were able to procure enough $100 sponsors to pay for the needs. Overall, the race raised more than $5,000.
“Money’s pretty tight for everybody this year. We worked really hard to get sponsors,” said Tilden.
In addition to sponsors, the Bulldog Dash drew a large crowd of athletes, despite the cold, windy morning. Kids started the races at 9:30 a.m. with short runs around the schools track.
For the main two-mile race around the ORR campus, almost 150 students and adults came to support the cause, to work off their Thanksgiving indulgences and, of course, to compete.
Davis Fox, 9, was looking to best only one person on the track – his little brother’s friend Harrison Hughes, 8.
“I was running by myself and then I saw him,” said Fox. “I made a goal that I wanted to beat him.”
The pair were neck and neck up to the finish line, but Hughes squeaked ahead with a final time of 14:22 and 25th place. Fox came in at 14:23.
Nephi Tyler of Fairhaven came in first overall at 10:11 minutes, followed by Scott Anderson of New Bedford at 10:19. Daniel Croteau of Acushnet came in third place at 10:39.
For complete results click here.
