'It's been an honor': Brockton Kids Road Races kick off final season
BROCKTON − Dave Gorman said he began organizing the races with his wife, Judy, almost five decades ago to offer children an introduction to physical fitness and to provide an affordable program for families.
After more than 700 races, young runners will line up at the starting line for the last time as the annual Brockton Kids Road Races at D.W. Field Park begins its final season.
“After 47 years of doing the Kids Road Races in the park, we decided to call it a career,” Dave Gorman said.
The races have been held biannually every spring and fall at the park for decades. The races started as a school program but were dropped due to funding cuts.
That’s when Dave Gorman stepped in and kept the program going.
Dave Gorman, who ran track and was on the cross-country team when he attended Brockton High School, thought he'd take the races over "for a couple weeks," because his two children, Kevin and Kathy, were running and he didn't want to see them stop, he said.
He didn’t think almost five decades later he'd still be doing it.
"It was so long ago, I had red hair then," Dave Gorman joked.
The 2.2-mile races are held for eight consecutive Saturdays and are open to children 14 years old and younger. There are 10 total divisions for boys and girls. The cost is only $1 per week.
Thousands of children have run the Kids Road Races through the years, and generations of Brockton residents have participated.
"Some kids who went through the program have become state champions and All-Scholastics," Dave Gorman said.
Kids Raod Races photos through the years Brockton Kids Road Races through the years -- in photos
Dave Gorman said he and his wife have overseen a total of 752 races over the years. The only race they missed in 47 years was for their daughter’s college graduation, he laughed.
"We’ve met some great people and made lifelong friends," he said. "It’s going to be sad. We’re both going to miss it."
The Gormans' impact
"We didn't only do the road races, we did 21 Jingle Bell Runs, too" Dave Gorman said.
The Jingle Bell Run raised funds for The Enterprise’s former Helping Hands Fund program, which benefited local charities.
“We raised thousands of dollars, plus toys and for the kids over the course of the 21 years,” Dave Gorman said.
The Enterprise reported in 2018 that Gorman raised about $350,000 for the fund over the event’s course.
“It was one of the highlights of the Christmas season," he said. "Everybody looked forward to the Jingle Bell Run.”
Over the years, Dave and Judy have helped raised funds for scholarships and charitable organizations, including the annual Mark Creedon Memorial Race, Brockton Firefighters Pipes and Drum corps foody pantry and more.
“There’s not too many things we didn’t touch over the years,” Dave said.
Dave has received many awards for his contributions for making a difference in the lives of Brockton’s youth through the years.
The first-ever James Edgar Service Award was given to Gorman by U.S. Sen. Scott Brown in 2010. He also was the recipient of The Enterprise's Champion of the City Award and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Brockton High Alumni Association, just to name a few.
Judy Gorman, a former schoolteacher and retired employee from the City of Brockton, was honored at the State House as part of the Unsung Heroine Awards in 2019 for her dedication and many years of volunteerism.
Kids Road Races receive community support
The kids were always taken care of with hot dogs from Franks Restaurant and pizza from Cape Cod Café, he said, and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz and Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr. were strong supporters of the races.
"We couldn’t do without the volunteers and all the help from local businesses," Dave Gorman said. "Too many businesses to name."
Highlights of the races have been seeing their five grandchildren run the races over the years, and seeing the second-generation runners, he said.
Dave Gorman said he and Judy are looking forward to spending more time with their grandchildren when the races are finished.
“I have enough stuff to keep me busy,” he said.
Fromer runners invited to the final races
The final eight races will be held April 27, May 4, 11, 18 and 25 and June 1, 8 and 15.
Gorman invites race alumni to come up one last time, bring old photos and tell him what the races meant to them.
Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Pentangle parking lot. The race begins at 10 a.m.
Parents are encouraged to preregister children by emailing Gorman, but can also just show up on the day of a race.
To register, donate or volunteer, email Gorman at irishdaveg@aol.com.
The final day will close it out with a pizza party, trophies and T-shirts, "like we always do," Dave said.
“It’s been an honor doing the races in the park and helping so many kids,” he said.
Staff writer Kathy Bossa can be reached by email at kbossa@enterprisenews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Enterprise today.
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton Kids Road Races begin final season at D.W. Field Park
