IN honor of Dr. Ron Snyder, Run Saipan hosted a farewell run, the “Dr. Ron Snyder 5K,” on Wednesday on the Beach Road pathway. The event celebrated his contributions not only to education but also to athletics and road racing throughout his time in the CNMI.
Despite the pouring rain, friends, colleagues, and students ran alongside Snyder in a 5K that stretched south along the Beach Road pathway and back.
In the men’s division, Rex Pixley led the way with a time of 26:37.82, followed closely by Jacob Kim (26:38.30) and Andre Guerrero (26:38.80). In the women’s division, Addalee Taflinger crossed the finish line first with a time of 26:49, followed by Jian Chun (26:59) and Kaylen Taflinger (29:05).
Snyder has long been a pillar of the running community — whether in cross country, track and field, or road races. He capped his farewell week by competing in his final Gecko 5000, held at Banzai Cliff on Saturday morning.
Over the years, Snyder wore many hats: headmaster of Saipan International School, secretary/treasurer of Run Saipan, and avid runner with a streak of more than three years of running at least a mile a day. He dedicated countless hours to the running community.
Run Saipan President Edward Dela Cruz Jr. first met Snyder shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic. Along with Northern Marianas Athletics general secretary and Oceania Athletics Association president Robin Sapong, the three became road race director coordinators. Their collaboration led to the creation of a Run Saipan virtual club, which Snyder later proposed turning into a nonprofit organization to host sanctioned and sponsored races. The rest, as they say, is history.
Without Snyder, the community would not have experienced the high-quality 5K races that runners enjoy today. As one of the driving forces behind Run Saipan, his legacy will continue to inspire.
Now entering its fifth year, Run Saipan stands as a testament to his vision and dedication.
“Farewell, Dr. Ron Snyder — you will surely be missed.”
Dr. Ron Snyder, along with his pets Gilligan and Sophie, leads the Dr. Ron Snyder 5K Farewell Run on Wednesday.
Friends, colleagues, students, and members of the running community join Dr. Ron Snyder for a group photo during a 5K farewell run in his honor on Wednesday.
Photo by Jonathan Sugutan
