Running a race for the first time is like making a new acquaintance. It may be a chance encounter quickly forgotten or lead to a lifelong friendship.

I ran the Butler Road Race for the first time in 1979 when the event was already three years old. As a new runner I was amazed that first, anyone could run that tough 10k and second, that so many not only survived but conquered the steep climb up Alameda Hill with speed and grace.

At the time I couldn’t imagine wanting to run Butler Road Race again. But now it’s hard to imagine not running the annual event on the last Saturday in June.

This year’s 42nd Annual Butler Road Race, the oldest consecutively run event in the region, will be the last. Most of Butler Road Race, Inc. board members have been working/ running the event for more than 30 years. Some, including Board President Mike Franko and Race Director Mike Blessel, have been involved since the race was merely an idea discussed over post-run beers.

Frank and Shirley Macefe began running the event in the late 70s and soon became involved with the organization. Shirley currently serves as a board vice president.

Over the years the Macefes have only missed a handful of Butler Road Races. This year Frank and Shirley will be joined by their two daughters and sons in-law and five grandchildren ranging in age from 14 to 9 months old.

Shirley says she will miss the camaraderie of the post-race gathering in Diamond Park. “I always enjoy seeing everyone, especially the people who used to run but come back just to visit,” she says.

Greg Sloan is another of the Butler Road Race volunteers who have been with the event since the beginning. Greg served as race director for four years during the 1980s when the event offered prize money to top finishers.

Greg has also designed more than 20 shirts for Butler Road Race over the years and will design this year’s final commemorative tech shirt. He is still finalizing the design but reveals that it will be a full-front design with sponsors’ names featured on the back.

Greg still runs four to five miles each morning and may run this year’s Butler Road Race though he hasn’t raced in years. Greg’s racing and design career will be on display at the Butler Road Race in the form of a quilt made from 20 of his race t-shirts including Butler Road Race, Perpetual Motion 10k, Butler Hospital 5k and many more from the “good old days” of Butler racing.

Mike Franko, one of the original Butler Road Race founders and current Butler Road Race, Inc. president, says that he will miss the student-athletes most when the Butler Road Race retires. In the past 23 years, Butler Road Race has awarded $389,550 in scholarships to 741 graduating seniors from Butler County high schools.

Mike considers himself privileged to have helped “some of the best kids in the county.” “It’s refreshing to help kids who appreciate it and have such positive attitudes about life,” he says.

Whether you’ve run every Butler Road Race or none, consider lining up on the start line on June 24 for the last running of a classic in so many ways. Visit www.butlerroadrace.org for more information, online registration or to download an application.

And since I couldn’t include all the Butler Road Race memories in one column, look for follow-ups in upcoming columns leading to the June 24th race. If you have any special Butler Road Race memories, please email me: lotzak@consolidated.net

Upcoming events

Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m..: Mojo Run Group, Cranberry Township. All paces, distances and ages welcome. 724-772-2808 or info@mojorunningpittsburgh.com

Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.: Shoes ‘n’ Brews, Valencia. Starts at Up-N-Running store with your choice of pace and distance followed by social hour with beer. 724-898-2525 or shoes@runpa.com

Saturdays, 8 a.m.: Up-N-Running Group Run, Valencia. All paces, distances and ages welcome. 724-898-2525 or shoes@runpa.com

Saturdays: Butler Babes group trail runs, various locations. Run various distances on trails in area parks. tamsuemcg@embarqmail.com

Saturday, 9 a.m.: Latrobe Rabbit Runs Through It 5k, Latrobe. 724-537-4331 or dawn@latroberecreation.org

Saturday, 10:30 a.m.: A Rabbit Runs Through It 5k, Latrobe. Flat, family friendly event finishing in Latrobe Memorial Stadium. 724-537-4331 or dawn@latroberecreation.org

April 22, 9 a.m.: TRAILS 5k for Autism, Slippery Rock. Also 3k walk. 724-738-4306 or Elizabeth.kemeny@sru.edu

April 22, 7:30 a.m.: Pirates Charities 5k Home Run, Pittsburgh. Starts at PNC Park. 412-325-4781 or pirates.com

April 22, 9 a.m.: Roaring Run Water Association Earth Day Dash 5k and 15k, Apollo. 724-681-6317 or www.roaringrun.org

April 22, 9 a.m.: KUMC Missions Bunny Hop 5k, Knox. 814-229-4139 or frontporchfarms@venustel.com

April 22, 10 a.m.: Patti J. Nelson Memorial Run, Forward Township (Evans City): Choice of 5k Run/Walk or 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk with post race party to benefit Evans City Library. 724-272-7564 or www.pattinelsonfoundation.com

April 22, 1 p.m.: 5th Annual Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week Hash Run, Castle Shannon. Run, drink beer, run more (over 21 event. 724-352-4395 or www.pgh-h3.com

April 23, 1 p.m.: Union All Sports Booster Club 5k, 10k Trail Run and 2 Mile Walk, Sligo. Shicky68@hotmail.com

April 23, 9:30 a.m.: National Tunnel 10k or 5k Run, 2k Family Fun Walk, Cecil. Run on Montour Trail through tunnel and back. 412-490-0881 or www.eliterunners.com

April 26, 7 p.m.: Sunset Sprint 5k, Grove City. 732-770-1626 or breckenridgeJA1@gcc.edu

April 29, 10 a.m.: Autism Speaks 5k, Sharpsville. 724-992-3234

May 6, 9 a.m.: ACMH 5k Wellness Run/Walk, Kittanning. 724-543-8850 or beersj@acmh.org

May 6, 8 a.m.: UPMC Health Plan 5k Run, Pittsburgh. Run from Northshore to downtown. www.thepittsburghmarathon.com

May 6, 8:30 a.m.: Nancy Carner Memorial 5k for Hope, Franklin. Run on Samuel Justus Recreation Trail. 814-671-7391 or nancycarnermemorial5k@gmail.com

May 6, 8:30 a.m.: Sheetz Pittsburgh Marathon Toddler Trot. Course in Point State Park for kids ages 2-5. www.thepittsburghmarathon.com

May 6, 9:30 a.m.: Toyota of Pittsburgh Kids Marathon, Pittsburgh. One mile run from Northshore to downtown. www.thepittsburghmarathon.com

May 7, 7 a.m.: Pittsburgh Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay, Pittsburgh. www.thepittsburghmarathon.com

June 24, 9 a.m.: Butler Road Race, Butler. Choice of 5 mile run or 2 mile run/walk. 724-284-4676 or butlerroadrace@butlerhealthsystem.org

Race results

Cook Forest Half Marathon (12.95 miles), April 1: Matt McWilliams, 1st Overall M, 1:10:30; Mindy Sawtelle-Zottola, 1st Overall W, 1:22:22; Sean Hulburt, 1st 30-34 M, 1:14:22; Ben English, 3rd 30-34 M, 1:22:44; Jeff Lynn, 3rd 45-49 M, 1:33:22; Mark Courtney, 1st 60-64 M, 1:33:48; Brock Gresock, 1st 14-19 M, 1:39:35; Leanna Anderson, 2nd 40-44 W, 1:50:34; Gary Bell, 1st 70+ M, 1:51:57; Jenni Hulburt, 2nd 30-34 W, 1:57:11; Hannah Kruger, 3rd 20-24 W, 2:02:34; Mackenzie Ebersole, 2nd 14-19 W, 2:18:57; Robert Crawford, 2nd 70+ M, 2:23:31; Christine Guthrie, 2nd 55-59 W, 2:30:59; Elizabeth Dickey, 3rd 55-59 W, 2:33:36; Kimberly Hohman, 1:32:24; Tim Sloan, 1:35:52; Randy Wilson, 1:37:03; Steven Nichols, 1:40:18; Craig Hunt, 1:40:39; Karl Zellars, 1:41:30; Bob Gracie, 1:42:34; Vernon Kern, 1:42:52; Eric Fritch, 1:47:12; Don Hager, 1:50:28; Rich Anderson, 1:50:34; Evan Lowe, 1:53:10; Clark Hepler, 1:54:03; Randall Kruger, 2:02:35; Christina McNamara, 2:03:25; Willis Thomas, 2:04:45; Sam Hepler, 2:04:48; Michael McNamara, 2:08:32; David Ebersole, 2:11:47; Lisa Lee, 2:16:59; Lucinda Good, 2:21:01; Steve Drew, 2:22:38; John B. Ropelewski, 2:49:25; Tabatha Mix, 2:52:52

Cook Forest 5k, April 1: Jacob Eneix, 1st Overall M, 16:04; Anna Warner, 1st Overall W, 19:45; Matthew Nichols, 1st 35-39 M, 21:14; Eric Weiland, 1st 50-54 M, 23:32; Mike Drzewiecki, 2nd 50-54 M, 24:42; Chloe Fritch, 1st Under 14 W, 25:31; Angie Fritch, 2nd 40-44 W, 26:53; Steve Mix, 2nd 45-49 M, 27:22; Amy Nichols, 3rd 35-39 W, 28:36; Lorena DiDomenico, 3rd Under 14 W, 32:22; Sonja Crawford, 2nd 65-69 W, 32:43; Dezso Csizmadia, 2nd 70+ M, 34:09; Blake Kelly, 20:20; Bryce T. Lowe, 21:09; Jim Confer, 26:06; Alayna Jay Lowe, 28:19; Caroline Dudt, 28:37; Allison Birckbichler, 29:56; Sara DiDomenico, 32:32; Robbie Drzewiecki, 33:48; Debra Kuminkoski, 33:57; Laura Lozier, 34:25; Tiffany Mix, 34:54; Levi Anderson, 38:17; Ellen Stickles, 40:20; Joshua Taylor, 42:55; Jason Fannin, 42:55; Brenda Murray, 52:01; Deborah Kruger, 55:03; Danielle Fannin, 1:11:19; Sarah Taylor, 1:11:19

Prep4Pitt Half Marathon, April 1: Nate White, 1st Overall M, 1:32:49; Leslie Kramer, 1st Overall W, 1:37:44; Kate Hrach, 2nd Overall W, 1:39:06; Megan Miller, 3rd Overall W, 1:39:07; Andrew Anauo, 1st 30-34 M, 1:39:23; Kelly Morris, 1st 20-29 W, 2:02:20; William Woods, 2nd 50-54 M, 2:12:11; Janelle Fumerola, 2:41:49

Prep4Pitt 5k, April 1: Jason Guthrie, 1st Overall M, 18:58; Hannah Jones, 1st Overall W, 24:29

Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, April 2: Stanley Kebenei, 1st Overall M, 46:36; Hiwot Gebrekidan, 1st Overall W, 53:37; Matthew Sudak, 1:06:39; Christopher Rowoth, 1:10:39; Jonathan Bost, 1:12:01; Kevin Quinn, 1:14:04; Mary Tate, 1:15:00; Danielle Rosswog, 1:21:27; Jinny Hertweck, 1:23:44; Tim Brack, 1:24:45; Diane Bucknum, 1:25:19; Ashley Holman, 1:25:20; Catherine Degiosio, 1:25:51; Renee Clouse, 1:32:27; Maria Moggee, 1:32:35; Patricia Neubert, 1:36:04; Annie Fiscus, 1:44:12; Tara Quinn, 1:46:34; Janet Pudlo, 1:47:58; Maura Dye, 1:48;58; Katherine Colton, 1:50:32; Jill Todd, 1:54:46; Robert Todd, 1:57: 33; Sarah Peterec, 2:09:30; Julia Meyer, 2:12:40

Cherry Blossom 5k, April 2: Iber Gonzales, 1st Overall M, 17:57; Lisa Gallagher, 1st Overall W, 21:14; Dave Williams, 51:07

Send comments and suggestions: Patricia Neubert, 435 Cherry Valley Rd., Saxonburg, PA. 16056. Phone 724-352-4395. Email lotzak@consolidated.net

Pat Neubert is a running columnist for the Butler Eagle.