Cold weather didn’t stop 20th Annual Catskill Spring Rush

CATSKILL―For another year, cold temperatures, wind, and rain challenged participants and organizers alike, but the spirit of the Catskill community once again prevailed as the 20th Annual Catskill Spring Rush Triathlon and Sprint 5K proved to be another successful student-led event.

Held this year on Saturday, May 30 and organized entirely by students in the Catskill High School Business Club and Marketing Class, the Spring Rush serves as a real-world learning experience where students develop the event brand, secure sponsors, coordinate logistics, promote participation, manage volunteers, and execute race-day operations.

While the weather undoubtedly impacted participation, the commitment of students, volunteers, racers, sponsors, and community partners ensured the event's success. Each year, a new group of student marketers takes ownership of the event, learning firsthand what it takes to plan and manage a large-scale community activity.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the Spring Rush continues to be the return of former students who once helped organize the event and now come back as participants, sponsors, volunteers, and supporters.

This year's race featured an exceptional number of alumni who have gone on to successful careers in business and industry. Their return provided a powerful full-circle moment as they experienced the event from the participant side while sharing their success stories with current students.

"This event reminds us why we continue this model of teaching," said Business Club Advisor Patrick Hernandez.

"When former students come back years later to support the event and encourage our current students, it reinforces the impact that hands-on learning can have on young people,” Hernandez added.

The event also benefited from tremendous support from local municipalities and public safety agencies. The Village of Catskill, Town of Catskill, Greene County, Catskill Police Department, New York State Police, Greene County Sheriff's Office, Town Ambulance, emergency services personnel, and numerous community volunteers worked together to ensure a safe race environment. The Town of Catskill assisted with race-day safety preparations by placing cones and barricades throughout the course, while members of the sheriff's office and Catskill Police Department provided critical safety support along Catskill Creek during the kayak portion of the race.

A significant adjustment to this year's event was the decision to stagger the start times of the two races, allowing the Spring Rush Triathlon to begin at 8:30 a.m. and the Sprint 5K at 9:30 a.m. The change created greater focus on each event, improved race management, and enhanced the experience for participants and spectators alike.

Leading the field in the Spring Rush Triathlon was Catskill alumnus Erica Carlson, a former student marketer and Spring Rush organizer herself. Carlson completed the course in just over one hour, delivering an impressive performance while experiencing firsthand the event she once helped build as a student.

The Catskill High School Business Club extends its appreciation to the Greene County Legislature members who attended the event, all sponsors, community partners, volunteers, racers, and supporters who helped make the 20th Annual Spring Rush a success.

Most importantly, the event once again demonstrated the power of project-based learning. Students didn't simply study marketing and event management in a classroom, they lived it. They planned, organized, promoted, adapted, problem-solved, and executed another successful community event.

For twenty years, the Spring Rush has embodied the philosophy of learning by doing. In 2026, despite the rain and challenges, Catskill students once again proved that they are more than capable of rising to the occasion.