Still plagued by the AIDS epidemic, the 1990s brought the rise of the computer and the digital age. Also, at this time, the movie Titanic ruled the Academy Awards, boy bands were immensely popular, Britney Spears released "Baby One More Time", Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey were emerging divas, and Melissa Etheridge won Grammy Award for her song "Come to My Window". On the LGBT front, popular comedian Ellen DeGeneres came out in 1997 and baseball player Billy Bean came out in 1999. Also, the movies In & Out and Boys Don't Cry were groundbreaking to the society at the time.
In 1990 at the Vancouver Gay Games, FRNY member Patrick Barker finished 2nd place overall in men's marathon with a time of 2 hours and 43 minutes. Six years later, he became the club president of Front Runners New York. Below is his account of FRNY back in the 1990s:
I first joined FRNY after running the Pride run in 1984, shortly after
moving into the city. I did not become involved with the club until I
trained for my first marathon in 1986. That was all it took to get me
hooked. I soon volunteered to be social chair, race captain, election
chair, monthly fun run coordinator and a few other posts along the
way.
It was not until 1997, when coming back to NYC after a two year
absence, that I was asked to run for president. Jim Gibb was President
at the time but could not run for a second year due to health
concerns (he lost his fight with AIDS the following year.)
After no one came forward I decided to give back to a club that gave
so much to me.
Front Runners in my term had grown to a great deal of respect in the
running community by then. We were, and I believe still are, the only
club that has a water station in the NYC Marathon. The club was chosen
as Volunteer of the year by the NYCRRC for being such a presence at
the weekly races, as well as the marathon. We are the only club that
has a race in Central Park. When I first started this was not the
case. We were not considered to be 'real' or serious runners. That has
changed.
While we were never the fastest of the clubs, we were one of the
largest, only the Achilles Track club is larger.
We had stellar racing performances in the early 90s, when the men placed 7th and the women eighth citywide (with more than 40 clubs competing).
When I started to run with the club the runners who stood out were
Dave Casey and Sue Foster. Sue was not only our fastest woman, she was
nominated by the NYRRC for top in her age group several times at their annual dinners.
Dave was an Irish immigrant who was as gentle as he was fast. During my
term, I can not really say which runners stood out for I was competing myself and there were many
fast people around me.
We had three fun runs a week. The same Saturday and Wednesday run in
Central Park, as well as a run in Brooklyn on Thursday. We tried the
monthly fun run at different locations in NYC area but it never took off.
Social activities have always been a central part of the club. Many
friends from other clubs in the city have always remarked on how much
support we have for all our runners.
Most memorable event in my term was my last marathon at the Gay Games
in Amsterdam. We had a fun run the first weekend and they asked me to
address the group, as the President of the largest club in the world.
It was so great to see so many people from all over both the USA and
the world, who I have become friends with from my travels with both
the Gay Games and FR events. I was the Race Director for the 1994 Gay
Games Marathon in New York City, and I ran Vancouver in 1990 as well as Amsterdam in 1998.
Most inspiring moment would be the above and training a fellow FRNY
member Ed Lamonno, who joined us after having a heart attack in his
60's, in his first marathon.
People heard about us through other members (I think this has always
been our best outreach), NYRRC races, the gay press, the pride run, and
other outreach efforts.
I know we had fundraisers. The one that stands out in my mind was
back in the 80's when Judy Spina and I were auctioned off at a dance
fundraiser we organized -- "A night on the town with Judy or Patrick." We each raised $500
for the club. Thank God I did not have to do the date, even though he
gave the money. Disclosure, Judy's bids went much faster than mine; I had to
show off some skin and a tattoo to get the bidding going.
