DECATUR - There's an old saying that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

But in the case of Sunday's Relay Race of the Century, 70 runners from Decatur and Bloomington will be repeating a largely forgotten historical event because one man decided he wanted people to learn about it.

Teams of runners from Decatur and Bloomington will run in a relay race Sunday along U.S. 51 between courthouses in Macon and McLean counties.

Longtime local track coach Angelo Rinchiuso organized the race to honor a similar relay that took place Sept. 7, 1908, and is featured in a historical photograph on the wall of Bob Evans restaurant.

It was sitting at that restaurant with his wife eating dinner two years ago that Rinchiuso first noticed the photograph.

"I said, 'You know, that would be neat to do,'" Rinchiuso, a retired high social studies teacher who is cross country coach at MacArthur High School, said.

So Rinchiuso went to work combining his two passions and began researching information and recruiting the runners he needed to make it happen.

Rinchiuso said despite heading the Decatur Running Club, he found initial challenges getting runners to commit to the race because he was not able to use high school runners currently in cross country season nor could he find many college students willing to race when their classes have already begun.

But Rinchiuso said once he told more people about the event, its unique nature was a draw and he has been pleased with the support he has received from both runners willing to race and several sponsors of the event.

Bill Moberly, food quality manager of Bob Evans, said Rinchiuso was the first person to ask about the photograph which is among several historical photographs that add to the decor of the restaurant and are featured in most of the chain's franchises.

"We have people that look at them and say that's nice," Moberly said. "Some of them strike up conversation and talk about it. He was the first one to be very intrigued."

Rinchiuso then worked with the restaurant to find out more information about the photograph, which had been blown up from a photograph loaned from the Macon County Historical Society. In the process, he held some meetings at the restaurant, which is giving gift cards and sports bottles to competing racers.

City officials have agreed to re-create their roles from the original event.

Starting at 7 a.m., Decatur Mayor Michael Carrigan will read a letter in front of the Abraham Lincoln statue at the Macon County Courts Facility congratulating the race participants. That letter will be placed in a baton that will be handed between the runners who are running in one-mile and half-mile legs along the route.

Thirty-five Decatur-area runners will run one-mile or half-mile splits along Business (Old) 51 or U.S. 51 for 23.5 miles until they get to north of Clinton, where Decatur's final runner will hand off to Bloomington's first runner. Bloomington's 35th runner will finish at the McLean County Museum of History where he will present to Mayor Steve Stockton a baton containing a letter of good wishes from Carrigan.

In the 1908 race, the teams were comprised of members of the local YMCAs. Decatur's all-boy team of 35 runners carried a letter from Decatur Mayor E. S. McDonald to Bloomington in a time of 2 hours and 41 minutes - beating the time it took a team from Bloomington to get a letter to Decatur by 10 minutes.

Carrigan said he is excited to participate in the event, although he admitted to having never heard of the relay race until Rinchiuso contacted the city about his plans for a 2008 race.

"I'm old, but not that old," Carrigan joked.

Carrigan said his letter would talk about the history that is being preserved by the race and honor the runners participating.

That was also the theme of McDonald's letter in 1908, though the language from the city's chief executive a century ago was much more flowery, formal and long-winded in honoring the YMCA and YWCA.

"In most instances individual societies have been required to struggle for an existence and to put forth efforts that were as untiring as they were valiant and successful until now they are reckoned with and are deserving of the plaudits they receive for the good they have done and are doing and I hope that their every effort may continue to bring rewards," he wrote.

"This recognizes both Ys serving their communities for a long time," said Dennis Mohrman, executive director of the Bloomington-Normal YMCA.

"This is a nice way for the two communities to work together, commemorating a historic event that happened 100 years ago, and also to renew a friendly rivalry," said Greg Koos, executive director of the McLean County Museum of History.

Rinchiuso said he hopes his effort will bring the reward of remembrance of the people who raced in 1908 and the beginning of a tradition to be continued in 2108.

FASTFACTS

WHAT: Race of the Century Decatur-to-Bloomington Relay

WHEN: Begins at 7:04 a.m. Sunday at the Macon County Courts Facility. The final runner is expected to finish at the McLean County Museum of History between noon and 1 p.m.

WHERE: Mostly along U.S. 51 and Business (Old) 51

WHO: 70 runners; 35 from the Decatur area and 35 from the Bloomington-Normal area.

WHY: A friendly competitive run between the two communities and to commemorate a similar run that happened on Sept. 7, 1908.

mtallon@herald-review.com|421-7984. Paul Sweich of the Pantagraph contributed to this story.