Evolution of the Omelet Run
Annual event still going strong after 25 years
Joe Carei came up with the idea to help a local family. He never knew Chef Joe鈥檚 Omelet Run would evolve into what it鈥檚 become today.
The 25th annual event, which includes a 5K run/walk and a one-mile run and is followed by the serving of breakfast omelets to all competitors, took place at Uniontown Area Senior High School on Saturday, June 20.
鈥淚nitially there was a young boy who had leukemia so the first couple of years we used it to help him out,鈥� Carei recalled. 鈥淯nfortunately, he passed away.
鈥淚 then talked to (Uniontown cross country and track & field coach) Joe Everhart about partnering up. I wanted this to benefit younger people so we arranged for profits to be split between the Uniontown cross country team and the Pennsylvania School for Blind Children.鈥�
The event is still going strong.
鈥淚 never thought it would last this long,鈥� said Carei, who makes the omelets for the post-race breakfast, along with a little boost from students. 鈥淚nitially it was to help out a local family but people seemed to like it and still do.鈥�
This year鈥檚 overall race winner was Southmoreland graduate Brandon Melillo who cruised to victory in the male run with a time of 16:19.25 on the course which starts and ends at Bill Power Stadium and travels over the Sheepskin Trail.
Nicholas Morgan of Smock finished second with a time of 18:14.83 and was followed by Luke Snyder of Youngwood (18:48.94), James Stanton of Uniontown (18:56.63) and Jarred Provance (19:13.37).
The female run winner was Michelle Haines of Morgantown with a time of 22:57.20. She was followed by Ainsleigh Stickle (23:08.53), Kristi Patterson (23:21.49), Karen Novak of Uniontown (24:16.58) and Selena Ohler of White (24:25.58).
The male walk winner was Carl Kondrach of Barnesville, Ohio with a time of 28:39.79. Jim Downey of Connellsville was second, finishing in 30:59.98, and was followed by Raymond Kazmierczak (34:48.01), Shawn Shroyer (40:18.53) and Mark Naymick of Uniontown (40:22.93).
Jacynth Drumhiller of Mount Pleasant was the female walk winner with a time of 35:43.06, and was followed by Kelly Murdock (36:53.17), Natalie Allen of Waynesburg (39:02.17), Stacy Meyers of Smock (40:01.83) and Jane Naymick of Uniontown (41:34.04).
Parker King of Smock was the winner of the mile run, also known as the 鈥淛oe Thomas Mile鈥� in honor of the renown Uniontown graduate, with a time of 5:06.94 and Martha Mow of Farmington (6:37.93) was the top female finisher.
Everhart and his student-athletes help run the event.
鈥淚t was a perfect day,鈥� Carei said. 鈥淚 was pretty much stuck in the kitchen so when it comes to logistics stuff, that鈥檚 more Joe Everhart. Numbers were up, which was good. More people showed up this year. We went to online registration. I think the weather helped more than anything, though.鈥�
Carei, a distance runner and running coach, remembered the inaugural race.
鈥淭he first year was chaotic,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e had like 350 people. Now it鈥檚 kind of settled down to where we鈥檙e making about 250 omelets a year. The first two years I did it to order. That was crazy. It kind of got a little hectic there. So now I just do a traditional French omelet with cheese.鈥�
Carei remains the main chef for the event.
鈥淚 still make them,鈥� Carei said. 鈥淚 just start early and basically turn it into a master class for the cross country kids and show them how to make omelets. Four or five of them come over to help me out. Then I tell them, 鈥楴ow you鈥檝e got to make omelets for your parents,'鈥� Carei added with a laugh.
鈥淚t pretty much churns like a well-oiled machine now. Everybody knows what鈥檚 going on. After 25 years it鈥檚 kind of a mainstay now, people expect it. It鈥檒l be December and people will be asking me, 鈥楬ey, you doing the omelet run?鈥� I can鈥檛 say no, so it keeps rolling through.鈥�
Carei has relented most of his race duties over the years.
鈥淚 used to run the whole kitten caboodle,鈥� Carei said. 鈥淣ow all I do is make omelets. Hartsek Catering throws in some potatoes so I don鈥檛 have to do those. They鈥檝e been doing that for 25 years, too.
鈥淭he cross country team and the boosters are pretty well involved, too. They do a great job.鈥�
Carei still looks forward to the event every year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of amazing how fast the time has gone by when you get into something and you enjoy doing it,鈥� Carei said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of fun, fun for me, fun for everybody involved. There鈥檚 good camaraderie. Everybody sits around and chit chats afterwards. It鈥檚 more like a social event than a race almost.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 beat it. You run a 5K and you鈥檙e well fed. You don鈥檛 have to worry about going out for breakfast.鈥�