Penn State to Bucknell

A tradition from the early 2000's, the origins of this tradition were best explained a number of years ago in the Bucknell XCTF Alumni newsletter....

'We believe this tradition started with Marcus "Smokey" Jones in 2003. Here's his story:

"I think I was the first to do it and it was the result of me saying something dumb and then being too stubborn to admit that I was wrong. One day after practice we were sitting on the mat and I made a comment about how I thought Scott Sehon and David Brofenbrenner should be running more per day on their run across the country. They had run through Bucknell a couple days prior and had been running 15 - 20 miles per day. I made the comment that I could run to Penn State in a day and catch them. Matias Palevecino (Seabass) called my bluff. He said "you can't do it and you won't do it". I had a big problem being told that there were things I couldn't do so I told him I'd prove it. It was March so I was sure he would forget over the next two months - I was very wrong.

Matias talked it up almost every day and then other people started talking, stipulations were set and it got to the point were I couldn't back out, my pride was at at stake. The agreement was that it had to be under 12 hours and it had to be alone. I had to start with a lap around the Penn State track and finish with a lap around the BU track. We decided that we would drive out to Penn State so I could drop water bottles along the way, I dropped two which was a big mistake. I had a Stats professor, Zappe, that lived along the route and I was allowed to stash a PB&J, Gatorade, and PowerBar at his house, which was around mile 20.

The weather was absolutely miserable. It thunder-stormed in the morning and then opened up into a hot, sunny and humid day. The up and down hill through Bald Eagle State Park was excruciatingly painful and the last 15 miles were pretty depressing - it really messed with my mind. I think the run is about 60 miles, maybe a little less, it was a solid 45 miles farther than I had ever run before but I finished in 8:47. Matias did buy me a steak dinner that night but it was mostly about pride." '

This tradition has continued over the years with some seniors from the Bucknell XC graduating class attempting to complete the run most years. The list below are of those who have finished and those who have attempted this ~57 miles run.

Year - Finished / Attempted:
2003 - Marcus Jones

2004 - Eric Heikkila

2005 - No Attempts

2006 - KC Brown

2007 - Derrin Pierret

2008 - Michael Gibney

2009 - Joe Foley, Donnie Sanner

2010 - Andrew Huebner / Kevin McGoldrick, Kyle Ramer

2011 - Tim Ryan, Mike Ryan, Jake Schroeder, Dave D'Alessio / Justin O'Brien, Ian Shore

2012 - Dave Brown, Dan Dillon

2013 - Brian Charland, D.J. Krystek, Rob Yamnicky, Chad Seigneur / Dustin Horning, Cameron McConnell

2014 – Eric Balaban, Tyler Erhard, David Strauss