Hot and humid conditions greeted runners at the 2026 Ithaca 5&10 on Sunday, September 13. A total of 375 runners finished the two races, with 202 completing the 5K and 173 taking on the 10K.
The morning kicked off with the free 1-mile Fun Run for kids on the paths around Ithaca High School and Boynton Middle School. The 5K and 10K started together 45 minutes later, heading down Cayuga Street and through the Fall Creek neighborhood before returning to the school grounds. The 5K runners turned toward the finish after one loop, while the 10K runners headed back out for a second trip around the course.
Callum Coots of Missoula, MT, returned to the top of the 5K podium, winning in 15:51 after also taking first place in 2024 and 2025. Saboor Qureshi finished second in 16:09, with Arrian Sharma close behind in 16:14. On the women’s side, Anne Riordan of Brooktondale won in 19:21, followed by Olivia Parkinson of Marlton, NJ, in 19:42 and Jane Olney of Holland, MI, in 19:53.
The men’s 10K produced an especially close race, with just six seconds separating the top three finishers. Peter Gracey of Ithaca took the win in 32:45, Alexander Simpson finished four seconds later in 32:49, and Matthew Jacob crossed the line in 32:51. Sarah Woodyear of Ithaca led the women in 39:34, followed by Raine Honeycutt of Chapel Hill, NC, in 40:23 and Mayah Torres of Pittsburgh, PA, in 41:18.
Age-group honors in the 5K went to Tim Phelps and Lilly Schaber (30–39), Nick Klein and Jennifer Parkinson (40–49), Mike Padilla and Michele Grund (50–59), Casey Carlstrom and Caroline Rasmussen (60–69), and Ken Hodges and Susan Kreplin-Michaels (70+). In the 10K, age-group winners were John Salva and Fani Derveni (30–39), Corey Miller and Liz Marshall (40–49), Scott Dawson and Kathy Purtell (50–59), John Hummel and Mia Slotnick (60–69), and Michael Plaisted (70+).
Full results are available on RunSignUp. We also have a race-day photo album, and runners and spectators are invited to add their own photos to our public upload album.
Special thanks to all the volunteers who made the race possible. Spencer Hill, Steve Nathans-Kelly, and Bob Talda marked the course ahead of race day. Tonya Engst directed check-in, assisted by Jennifer Best, Rebecca Lambert, Stephanie Mulinos, Megan Powers, and Sophia Sommers, while Courtney Hill handled shirt distribution. Heather Cobb and Diana Hackett managed clothing sales, and Karen Ingall coordinated the Fun Run.
Sarah Drumheller directed food preparation, with help from Linda Eckert and Lauren Milano. Tim Ingall served as lead biker, while Lucas Baker helped with course setup. Makoto Endo, Zsofia Franck, and Aaron Proujansky, along with more than 80 Cornell University and Ithaca College students, helped marshal the course. Ken Bolton, Peter Dady, Axel Hanley, Isabel Seeley, and Chris Mellor staffed the water stops, Ian Golden handled finish-line announcing, and Lily Weinstein Terry assisted at the finish. Makoto Endo and Alan Lockett helped with course takedown.
Thanks also to Leone Timing for recording times and places and the Ithaca Police Department for helping with course management—and to the several Ithaca police officers who joined us as runners this year. Many thanks to Ithaca High School for providing the venue and the ICSD Athletic Department in particular for helping with scheduling.
We hope to see you at upcoming FLRC events, including the Danby Down & Dirty trail race on October 10, and the Turkey Trot prediction run on Thanksgiving morning. We also invite you to join us for our year-round group runs.
–Gary McCheyne, Race Director