Runners dash from the starting line to begin the 46th Flotilla Road Race at Lakeside Park in Syracuse. InkFreeNews photos by Keith Knepp.

By Keith Knepp
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — The 46th running of the Flotilla Road Race saw a record number of participants take to the streets and roads around the north side of Syracuse Lake on Tuesday morning. Runners had the option of a 3.3-mile or 8-mile course to help kick off the Fourth of July activities in the Lakeland area. Additionally, walkers also were able to participate on the 3.3 path.

According to co-race director McCaylen Croninger, there were 330 runners registered, with runners from as far away as Oregon and Washington state.

The course led away from Lakeside Park and the Syracuse Community Center to the north and took the shorter course runners up and around Maxwelton Golf Club.

Merging along South County Line Road and then later Northshore Drive, runners and walkers got a view of the golf course’s front and back nines as well as glimpses of Syracuse Lake on the back stretch of the race grid.

The 8-milers continued past the 3.3-mile finish and into Syracuse, projecting south into Oakwood Park and back north, eventually rejoining Northshore Drive to hit the finish line back at Lakeside Park.

Awards were handed out at the conclusion of the two races with four men and four women being recognized as the winners in their age divisions: overall, master, grandmaster and senior grandmaster. Additionally, the top three finishers in several age groups, ranging from teenagers to septuagenarians, also were lauded for their efforts. All the winners received a variety of prizes from race director Brian Shepherd.

“Lots of people, over 300,” said Shepherd. “The best race we’ve had since COVID. People are starting to come back out. I love it. IT’s a great community thing!”