Busa celebrates 80th birthday with trail race.

Byline: John Conceison

COLUMN: RUNNING

By his own admission, Rich Busa has a terrible sense of direction. "You turn me around three times in my house, and I can't find the bathroom," he says.

Many a time during a trail race, the Marlboro resident will get lost, sometimes straying a couple miles off course before finding his way to the finish. But on Nov. 1, you can count on Busa pointing the right way at Callahan State Park in Framingham, where he'll play host to the sixth annual Greater Framingham Running Club Busa Bushwhack Trail Race.

"We've wanted to recognize Rich for all his trail-running accomplishments because he's a legend," said Barry Ostrow, the race director and GFRC treasurer. "Everywhere he goes, he attracts a crowd."

Added to this year's event are festivities to celebrate Busa's 80th birthday, which comes two days before the race. As host, Busa won't be running on the 1st, but he continues to be an active figure on the New England trail circuit, competing in approximately 25 races a year.

His training regimen has altered over the past five years, and he's no longer taking in 100-mile endurance runs in Vermont. Since Aug. 23, Busa hasn't run outdoors between races, so he's toiling more in the gym on the Stairmaster, treadmill and other machines. There have been the aches and pains expected to hobble such a veteran runner, and he was recently diagnosed with Lyme disease.

But Busa marches on, battling rocks, roots and marshes, boulders, trees and mountains, more often than not taking top prizes in his age group.

"The key is desire," he said. "I may have my aches and pains, but when the race starts, it's as if someone gives me a shot of something to get me going, and I feel better as the race goes on.

"This just keeps me alive and well," he added. "I'm always looking forward to the next race."

Busa has also continued his competitive snowshoeing in the winter, and has won the last five national championships for his age group, the 2009 10-kilometer title coming at Mount Hood in Washington. Next year's nationals will take place near Syracuse, N.Y.

Everywhere Busa goes, he remains the life of the party, greeted by the biggest mobs of fellow competitors, much like being the trail community's version of Johnny Kelley.

He frequently participates in a snowshoe event in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., with a group from the Western Massachusetts Athletic Club. "Those Western Mass. kids watch over me like I'm their father," Busa said.

The Busa Bushwhack has two major affiliations, the WMAC Grand Tree Trail Race Series and the Eastern New England Trail Race Series. Unlike some events in which courses can run practically unmarked over extremely treacherous terrain (see why Busa can get lost?), the Bushwhack is well supervised and not so dangerous.

There will be 5.3-mile and 10-mile races running simultaneously, beginning at 9 a.m. "This course is very well marked," said Ostrow, who at 68 frequently runs races with Busa. "On the 5.3-mile course, there's one steep hill, and contains mostly double-tracked trails. With this, we're trying to attract the new trail runner.

"We've covered the course with many volunteers, a couple of water stops, and we have first aid crews riding around on mountain bikes," added Ostrow, who is capably assisted by Ann Marie Racovic and Derek Perkins. While there are water stations, organizers suggest runners carry their own fluids.

The longer course runs through the north side of the park and has four additional hills, with both single- and double-track trails. One feature is an incline tabbed Busa Hill, a steep grade where Rich frequently trained.

"The 10-mile race isn't easy, especially with there being a lot of oak leaves on the ground, often making it difficult to see the tree roots," Busa said. "What you can appreciate is that many of the elite trail runners turn out."

The restrooms at the Brophy School at the park will be available, and there'll be a fine postrace food spread at the school.

Last year's event drew 200 runners, and race officials are hoping to attract the limit of 225 this year. According to Ostrow, registrations are ahead of last year's pace.

The entry fee is $10 if received or registered online by Busa's birthday, Oct. 30. Race-day registration begins at 8 a.m.

For more information, contact Ostrow at [phone] or [e-mail].

John Conceison can be reached by e-mail at [e-mail].