Nearly 600 Friends, Runners Participate In Scharfman Memorial Run

Rachel Scharfman brought to words the reason why so many people came out on a cool and overcast Sunday morning in November to honor her father with a run around his hometown.

"Democracy is not a spectator sport," said Rachel as she spoke about her father, School Committee member Dan Scharfman, before the inaugural running of the Dan Scharfman Memorial 5K Run. 

"It is altogether fitting and proper that the Dan Scharfman Education Innovation Fund be his legacy to the town, because, for my dad, education was the ultimate non-spectator sport," she said.

For the nearly 600 runners who came to take a three mile romp around town, honoring the man – who died in January after suffering a heart attack at 55 – they knew as a consultant, schools supporter, brilliant thinker, musician, athlete, friend, the only meaningful way to recognize his life and his last gift to Belmont was to work up a little sweat. 

"It's also fitting and proper that his legacy take the form of a run. Open to participants of every age and speed, it brings to life my dad's commitment to drawing everyone together, no matter what the pace. His spirit was one of inclusion rather than one of competition," she added.
 
And with those words, more than 595 runners, walkers, those pushing strollers and one Captain America strode off into Belmont's streets and roads to do a bit of road racing over an uphill/downhill course and also to remember a unique runner and man. 

"If you knew that Dan loved running hills, this is a 'Dan' course," said his friend and running partner, co-race director Paul Roberts, of the 3.1 mile course. More than 200 ran and walked the one-mile course. 

The runners took off from Harris Field and then up hill on Stone and School to Payson then back down hill on Oakley and Goden before going once around Clay Pit Pond and the finish at the field, passing the Burbank, the Chenery and the Wellington schools in honor of Scharfman.

As for the race, it was dominated by Belmont runners as Russell Leino won by 100 meters in 16 minutes and 47 seconds, a quick 5:24 per mile pace. Second was Robert Cipriano in 17:05 with Belmont High School senior and cross country standout Lewis Silletto in third in 17:17. 

Jennifer Rapaport of Melrose dipped under the 20 minute mark to win the women's race in 19:35. Second was Belmont's Karin Lehr in 21:07 with Brooke Garden of Greenwich, Conn. in third in 21:19. 

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"Wow," was Scharfman's one word description of the day. 

"It means so much to me personally to realize that all these people loved my dad so much as much as I did. And it made me realize that even if I can't have him back I can have these events and I can feel his spirit and his love here today," said Scharfman.

The proceeds of the race will be given to the Dan Scharfman Education Innovation Fund which will provide teachers stipends that will be used by the school's Professional Learning Teams which initiates improvements in instruction and highlights research that will increase understanding in the classroom.

"My father was so passionate about the schools. I had a really hard time in them so it makes me happy to see all of these people come out to support educators being able to teach better and more efficiently and more effectively that will really benefit this town for many years," she said.

At the end of the day, the Foundation for Belmont Education expects to raise nearly $15,000 for the fund.