It is with great sadness that I share the news that runner, triathlete, and longtime FLRC member Amelia Habicht has died at age 57 after a fall in her home. A determined athlete who loved a good joke, Amelia was a regular at FLRC races as a runner and volunteer. She always had an eye on her next event, both before and after a 2009 stroke that left her with limited use of her left leg and arm. Afterward, when her pace dropped significantly, she would arrange with race directors to start early so she could enjoy finishing with other runners and not keep volunteers late. She will be missed.
Despite the challenges posed by her stroke, Amelia continually worked to stay fit and participate in the athletic community. In March 2014, she gave a TEDx talk at Ithaca College titled The Power of Determination. In 2017, she revisited parts of that talk as the featured speaker at FLRC’s Annual Meeting. Her grit and effort have inspired many local runners.
Over the past three years, Amelia dealt with the devastating loss of her husband, Oliver Habicht, also a lifelong athlete who died of pancreatic cancer in September 2020. Amelia and Oliver are survived by their children, Peter Habicht, who ran Skunk Cabbage, Twilight, and other races as a teenager, and Cady Habicht, who volunteered with FLRC’s Timing Team in 2019.
Amelia’s family has posted her official obituary.
Photos by Adam Engst, Tonya Engst, and Steve Gallow