Run the Res hitting the finish line

FOSTORIA — Come the afternoon of Sept. 14, the Jeff Shiff Memorial Run the Res 5K will have run its course.The annual fundraiser for ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital will have wrapped up its 15th -- and final -- go around lakes Lamberjack and Mottram on the west end of Fostoria, with proceeds going to the hospital's Jeff Shiff Run the Res Cancer Patient Support Fund.The fund aids patients and their families with various costs that are frequently incurred along the path of cancer treatment. Susie Shiff, Jeff Shiff's widow and a retiree from the hospital, said the fund will remain open for donations after the run ceases.Susie Shiff said hosting the 5K, in which walkers may also take place, has been a labor of love for her, her four grown children and their families, but this seemed to be a good time to put a bow on the project."We thought 15 was a good spot to cut it off at," she said. "My kids are all getting super busy and we're still doing well with it, so we wanted to end on a good note instead of only having 20 people show up."Jeff Shiff died of colon cancer in 2008 at age 55. As well as working as a businessman in Fostoria, he served on the boards of the Geary Family YMCA, the Fostoria City Schools Board of Education and the Fostoria Athletic Boosters. He was an avid runner whose circuits of the reservoirs were frequent.Susie Shiff said the 5K, which is preceded on race day by a fun run for youngsters, said Run the Res has been fortunate to last as long as it has."When I talked to a program director who does races, she said 'in honor of' or 'in memorial of' races usually don't make it to 10 years," she said. "It's always been iffy, iffy, iffy, you know? We enjoy doing it; it's just my kids are getting busy and my grandkids are getting into sports and life is busy."Shiff said the 5K has been rewarding for her in various ways."When Jeff passed away, we had one granddaughter — that was Reese (St. Pierre), and she was three months old," she said. "Now I have nine (grandchildren) and they all know who their Zadie (Yiddish for 'grandfather') — that's what we called him — was because we do this memorial run for him every year. That makes it all worth the while for me, to say that. It's definitely good to honor Jeff, and that is my way of honoring him — his grandkids know who he was."And, it's great to give back to a small community like we have. The gratification — it's just so nice to be able to help people. It makes you feel warm inside. It makes you feel good."The final event will include a second consecutive participation by Micah Hyde, a former All-Ohio football player at Fostoria High School who went on to an 11-year career in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills. Hyde, now retired from football, now lives in San Diego with his wife and two children.As he did last year, Hyde is expected to conduct race-related "challenges" for other participants to win merchandise."Micah is a very good friend of the family and he loves Fostoria, as we all do, so it's good to work together with him," Shiff said. Registration forms for the event are available online at www.runsignup.com and in Fostoria at Fifth Third Bank, the Geary Family YMCA and Kaubisch Memorial Public Library.Runners and walkers who register before Sept. 1 are guaranteed to receive an event T-shirt; race-day registrants are not guaranteed shirts. The registration fees are $30 in advance and $35 on the day of the event for 5K participants. Registrants for the 400-yard kids fun run, for ages 3 through 9, have an advance fee of $15 and $20 on the day of the event. T-shirts are guaranteed to those signing up by Sept. 1; they are not guaranteed to day-of registrants.Registration and packet pick-ups are scheduled for 9 to 10:45 a.m. The children's race is slated to start at 10 a.m., with the 5K beginning at 11 a.m.Parking will be available at City Park, with event parking signs posted. Registration will take place at the City Park shelter house.More information is available by contacting Shiff at 419-619-2082.