A part of the Great Race for more than 20 years, Ed Wagner has not only been a participant in the event, he is also the kind of person that keeps an event like this going and growing.
Jill Connor / The Citizen
Ed Wagner steadies himself on the boat launch in Emerson Park before Great Race practice on Friday. Wagner has been canoeing in the event for over 20 years.
Ed Wagner steadies himself on the boat launch in Emerson Park before Great Race practice on Friday. Wagner has been canoeing in the event for over 20 years.
“Every year I try to help recruit more people,” Wagner said. “I am often calling around for other teams to try and find them members and get people involved in this event. I guess you can say that I am sort of an unofficial ambassador for the event.”
Wagner started as a runner, then as a cyclist in the bicycle portion and for the last 15 years he has been in the canoe leg of the race.
“I got into competitive canoeing about 15 years ago,” Wagner said. “So now that is the part I compete in with my team.”
The Great Race is not the only marathon he has canoed in. Wagner paddled his way to a third-place finish in the General Clinton Canoe Regatta in Bainbridge during the early 1990s. Third is also the best Wagner's team has ever finished at the Great Race, as his team always stays competitive and usually finishes in the top 10 every year.
“Once we came in 20th because our bicycle got a flat tire,” Wagner said. “That's pretty good for getting a flat tire, too.”
The secret to their success may be that they always try to keep the same team members, forming a strong bond together after years of competing. Despite their efforts to stick together, sometimes teams lose members for one reason or another and unfortunately Wagner's team suffered a tragedy three years ago, losing a runner that was a major part of the team.
“Three years ago our runner died about a month before the Great Race,” Wagner said. “John Trowse died suddenly in his sleep from a heart condition. That year was very difficult for us and we compete in his memory. He was a close friend of mine and it was hard to race without him.”
As for Wagner's canoeing partner, he started with Barry Moochler who was his partner for 10 years and now paddles with John Potter who has been his partner ever since.
Wagner's team has had the same bicyclist for 15 years and their runner is Scott Shaw who is still a bit new to the team, now in his third year.
As for what got Wagner started in the Great Race more than 20 years ago, he gives credit to someone he thinks of as one of the original founders of the race, along with being a friend and role model.
“Dr. Don Westee, a veterinarian here in Auburn is one of the main factors that got me into the Great Race,” Wagner said. “He was really trying to get the race going and recruiting people so when he asked me I thought I would give it a try. Now Dr. Westee is 80 years old, still works out every day and still competes in the race as far as I know. That is a good role model for me, hopefully I will be doing it even longer.”
Wagner is more than passionate to list all of the reasons why he still competes and feels so strongly about the Great Race every year.
“It gives me motivation to keep healthy,” Wagner said. “As I get closer to 50, my weight and cholesterol keep going up and I am trying to stay in shape and keep it under control. Plus it is fun to see people I don't see all year long and get out and socialize. It is a tradition in Auburn and this community, it has something for everyone and is a great time.”
Wagner knows much about the people that keep the Great Race going, with family members involved in what seems to be every facet of the race. From nieces, nephews and a sister participating, to uncles that supply water to runners, Wagner has many people cheering him on.
“My father, who has now passed, never missed coming out to watch the race and support it,” Wagner said. “I have my uncles still asking our runner's number so they can be sure to cheer him on as he passes and another uncle who sits outside his house to watch the cyclists go by. My favorite moment of the race though, is seeing my family at the finish line. When you know that it is over and you see them cheering for you and waiting for you, it is an accomplishment. That is what it is all about, you want to stay healthy and keep living to see your family.”
There is not much that seems able to stop Wagner from competing in the Great Race, even when he lacks for practice time. Elected as a town council member this year for Owasco, Wagner finds it difficult to find time to get out on the water and paddle with Potter.
“The past five weeks we have done some time trials out at the lake on Wednesdays,” Wagner said. “We are always trying to find time to practice. We started in April going out to the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge at about six in the morning, every weekend, paddling along the river for an hour and a half to two hours. It is beautiful out there, you can see wildlife along the river with herons and eagles, it's just amazing.”
Although Wagner says that he is not interested in the after party like when he was younger, he knows that he never wants to stop competing in the Great Race.
“As long as I can do it, I will do it,” Wagner said. “I haven't missed one in 20 years. If I start to get slower I will just have to recruit faster teammates.”
If you go
What: 31st annual Great Race
When: Sunday, 9:30 a.m.
Where: Emerson Park
Wagner started as a runner, then as a cyclist in the bicycle portion and for the last 15 years he has been in the canoe leg of the race.
“I got into competitive canoeing about 15 years ago,” Wagner said. “So now that is the part I compete in with my team.”
The Great Race is not the only marathon he has canoed in. Wagner paddled his way to a third-place finish in the General Clinton Canoe Regatta in Bainbridge during the early 1990s. Third is also the best Wagner's team has ever finished at the Great Race, as his team always stays competitive and usually finishes in the top 10 every year.
“Once we came in 20th because our bicycle got a flat tire,” Wagner said. “That's pretty good for getting a flat tire, too.”
The secret to their success may be that they always try to keep the same team members, forming a strong bond together after years of competing. Despite their efforts to stick together, sometimes teams lose members for one reason or another and unfortunately Wagner's team suffered a tragedy three years ago, losing a runner that was a major part of the team.
“Three years ago our runner died about a month before the Great Race,” Wagner said. “John Trowse died suddenly in his sleep from a heart condition. That year was very difficult for us and we compete in his memory. He was a close friend of mine and it was hard to race without him.”
As for Wagner's canoeing partner, he started with Barry Moochler who was his partner for 10 years and now paddles with John Potter who has been his partner ever since.
Wagner's team has had the same bicyclist for 15 years and their runner is Scott Shaw who is still a bit new to the team, now in his third year.
As for what got Wagner started in the Great Race more than 20 years ago, he gives credit to someone he thinks of as one of the original founders of the race, along with being a friend and role model.
“Dr. Don Westee, a veterinarian here in Auburn is one of the main factors that got me into the Great Race,” Wagner said. “He was really trying to get the race going and recruiting people so when he asked me I thought I would give it a try. Now Dr. Westee is 80 years old, still works out every day and still competes in the race as far as I know. That is a good role model for me, hopefully I will be doing it even longer.”
Wagner is more than passionate to list all of the reasons why he still competes and feels so strongly about the Great Race every year.
“It gives me motivation to keep healthy,” Wagner said. “As I get closer to 50, my weight and cholesterol keep going up and I am trying to stay in shape and keep it under control. Plus it is fun to see people I don't see all year long and get out and socialize. It is a tradition in Auburn and this community, it has something for everyone and is a great time.”
Wagner knows much about the people that keep the Great Race going, with family members involved in what seems to be every facet of the race. From nieces, nephews and a sister participating, to uncles that supply water to runners, Wagner has many people cheering him on.
“My father, who has now passed, never missed coming out to watch the race and support it,” Wagner said. “I have my uncles still asking our runner's number so they can be sure to cheer him on as he passes and another uncle who sits outside his house to watch the cyclists go by. My favorite moment of the race though, is seeing my family at the finish line. When you know that it is over and you see them cheering for you and waiting for you, it is an accomplishment. That is what it is all about, you want to stay healthy and keep living to see your family.”
There is not much that seems able to stop Wagner from competing in the Great Race, even when he lacks for practice time. Elected as a town council member this year for Owasco, Wagner finds it difficult to find time to get out on the water and paddle with Potter.
“The past five weeks we have done some time trials out at the lake on Wednesdays,” Wagner said. “We are always trying to find time to practice. We started in April going out to the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge at about six in the morning, every weekend, paddling along the river for an hour and a half to two hours. It is beautiful out there, you can see wildlife along the river with herons and eagles, it's just amazing.”
Although Wagner says that he is not interested in the after party like when he was younger, he knows that he never wants to stop competing in the Great Race.
“As long as I can do it, I will do it,” Wagner said. “I haven't missed one in 20 years. If I start to get slower I will just have to recruit faster teammates.”
If you go
What: 31st annual Great Race
When: Sunday, 9:30 a.m.
Where: Emerson Park
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