Run 4 Downtown: The Community Built Around a Race

If you’re in Orange County the third weekend in August, a little 4-mile race in Middletown, New York has become the place to go to not only run fast, but to enjoy the post-race celebration of its host city. In fact, starting in 2006, the Run 4 Downtown (R4DT) Race was a way for avid athletes, Anna and Dave Madden, to give back to the community that supported their blossoming restaurant; Something Sweet Dessert Café (now Piccolo Cucina e Vino). 

The run itself is ran in the spirit of competition. Cash prizes are awarded to the top finishers, regardless of gender, as the females athletes start before the men. Into its third decade, R4DT has fostered rivalries between friends, siblings and even spouses. Team competitions exist within local business, community groups, first responders, and families. 
 
Run 4 Downtown raises money for downtown Middletown improvement projects. Most recently donating $60,000 toward a pavilion in the brand-new Erie Way Park. Race director Dave Madden emphasized, most importantly, that the race offers the community “a morning to celebrate our great small city.” 
 
As the status of the race elevated the competitors started organizing themselves naturally into a regular training group. R4DT Training Group Run began on Thursday’s coinciding with the Middletown Concert Series, but during COVID became bigger and bigger out of necessity. Now averaging up to 25 people, the group run has become a huge presence on Thursday nights in downtown Middletown. 
 
Runners will take turns in a follow the leader type run throughout the streets of Middletown. Dave states, “the runners will see parts of Middletown that they may not be familiar with, becoming familiar with new restaurants and shops that they can come back at other times.” The run is open to anyone of all skill levels and ages, and will run over a total of 60 minutes, with each runner taking the lead at least once. No runner gets left behind, and Dave promises, “this format leads to us running in some very interesting places!” 
 
The R4DT training run is very consistent, with a core group of about 12 people who regularly attend and keep the train on the rails. Some people come and go, have changing obligations, and there is the share of “fair-weather” runners, as Dave would admit. All you have to do to sign up is show up to Piccolo Cucino e Vino Thursday evenings at 5:30pm. 
 
Every group run eventually culminates on August 19th this year for the 17th annual Run 4 Downtown. The race is a rolling course through the city of Middletown, past many of the historic sites, local businesses, and neighborhoods. After the last competitor crosses the finish line starts what Dave considers the best after party around, with live music, food, and local brews.