What's the Pit Run?
2007 marks the fourteenth year that The Pit Run 10K has
been held in Oneonta in memory of Ricky J. "Pit" Parisian.
The race is really many different events-a sanctioned 10K race,
a 5K run, a two
mile stroll and a kid's fun!run.
The other important part of the day is a community celebration consisting of
a picnic,
music games and alot of fun!. The day is designed to celebrate Rick's life by bringing
the community together for a fun, healthy afternoon of outdoor activities.
The 10K race is a United States Association of Track and Field-certified course. The challenging course loops throughout the city of Oneonta. It includes a one-mile climb up through the State University College at Oneonta campus and a corresponding downhill passing Hartwick College. The race is run efficiently and starts promptly. Runners can learn their times minutes after finishing. The start, finish and timing are handled by Right Time, which coordinates races nationwide. Last year there were more than 950 registered runners. The race attracts runners from across the state due to its ties to the New York State Police. The goal for each year is to attract more participants, eventually building The Pit Run into one of the premier running events in New York State.
The second part of the event is equally important. It centers on a picnic and barbecue which follow the run. In 2006 the two-mile walk throughout the city involved 625 people. The children's fun run in Neahwa Park has grown every year, with over 275 participants in 2006. Every child gets a race number, a ribbon for completion and a gift packet. There's music, good food, balloons, clowns, fire trucks, and much more.
The Pit Run is designed to be a day of joy, celebration, and fun for the whole Oneonta community. We invite you to become a part of this wonderful event and help it grow into an event that is considered one of the "must do's" in New York state.
Ricky J. Parisian was born January 2, 1960. He was killed on May 20, 1994 while trying to stop an armed robbery at an Oneonta, NY grocery store. In his short number of years, Ricky touched everyone he came into contact with in a very special way. He was honest, intelligent, caring and compassionate and had the ability to laugh loudly and often. He was a leader in work and in play and once you were his friend, you were always his friend.
An Oneonta native, Ricky was an enthusiastic athlete at Oneonta High School. He loved football and proved to be a leader on the field, despite suffering through many losing seasons. He met his future wife, Debra, while she was attending the State University College at Oneonta. They were married in June 1984.
In 1983, he joined the Oneonta City Police, enjoying the idea that he was adding to the greater good of the city. In 1986, he became a New York State Trooper. He was stationed in Oneonta, where he and Deb built a home. In 1992, he was assigned to the Special Investigations Unit office in White Plains, working largely undercover in an effort to combat drug trafficking and organized crime. He maintained his home in Oneonta, commuting every week. He loved his work and saw it as his duty in life to make his corner of the world a little safer.
It was here in Oneonta, while grocery shopping with Deb, that he attempted to stop an armed robbery in progress. After ensuring that customers and patrons were safe, he confronted the robber. A scuffle ensued and, in trying to tackle the robber, Ricky was shot in the chest. He died as a result, but not before pulling off the robber's mask so that he could be identified, caught and tried.
Ricky exhibited heroism, though he would not have
seen it that way. He was loyal to his ideals to the very end. The Pit Run is a celebration
of his ideals and his joy of life.