Norman Sawdey

Year Inducted: 2007

 

 

Personal Records:
5K ... 17:25
10K ... 37:00
Half-Marathon ... 1:23:37
Marathon ... 3:07

 

Favorite distance: 15K 

Favorite race: Dannon Country Classic
 

 

Norm has been a runner, volunteer, and tireless worker for the Dayton running community for over 30 years. He started running in 1979 for health reasons. His first race was the Kettering YMCA 5 Miler and he finished in 4th place.

 

Norm participated in 18 Dayton River Corridor Classics from 1981-1998 with a best time of 1:23:37. He qualified for the Boston Marathon in 1984. Over the years he has run in hundreds of local races and was a consistent age group winner. He competed until 2000 and continued to run just for enjoyment.

Norm has really set himself above the crowd through all his contributions to the Dayton running community via his work with the ORRRC. Ray Olfky once said “I would not want to have to add up all the hours, days, weeks, or months that Norm has contributed to making Dayton running what it is today”.

Some of Normʼs significant contributions include:

Fostered thoughtful use of the ORRRC Trust Fund to support local scholarships, community projects, and numerous health related activities.

Served as Vice-President, Secretary, and Trustee for the ORRRC, and point of contact for virtually every other job in the club at some point.

Race director or race committee member for the ORRRC Marathon, Ghost & Goblins 5K, and Turkey Trot. The three largest ORRRC events.

Rewrote ORRRC procedures for the election process, trustee functions, financial guidelines and budgets.

Volunteered at countless ORRRC events since 1979.

He was honored as a “Lifetime Member” of the Ohio River Road Runners Club.

Both Norm and his wife Anna Lee, have unselfishly volunteered at many other community events over the years. They reside in Kettering, Ohio.