The Finger Lakes Runners Club hosted the 57th annual Hartshorne Memorial Masters Mile on January 17, 2026, at Cornell University’s Barton Hall. With 90 runners competing across seven heats—tying the record attendance set at the 50th anniversary race in 2017—the meet delivered exciting races, stellar age-graded performances, and two record-breaking runs!

In the Combined Section 1 heat, 86-year-old Sandra Folzer improved on the W85 indoor mile world record she set at last year’s Hartshorne, running 9:43.00 to shave 2.24 seconds off her previous mark of 9:45.24. In the Women’s Elite heat, 60-year-old Michelle Rohl ran 5:29.05 for an astonishing 95.67% age-grade—the top mark of the day—to set a new W60 American record for the indoor mile, clipping almost two seconds off Suzanne McDonald’s 5:30.74 from 2021.

But that wasn’t all for Rohl, a three-time Olympian in the race walk and 1999 Pan American Games bronze medalist, who now holds 10 individual age-group American records in distances ranging from 800 to 10,000 meters. The next day at the USATF Niagara Indoor Championships, she shattered the W60 world record for the 3000m race walk with a 15:09.64, more than 30 seconds faster than the previous mark. For these performances, USATF named her Athlete of the Week. And her season is just getting started! Just one week later, she broke the W60 indoor mile world record with a 5:26.65 at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston and was featured in Runner’s World.

Full results are available on the FLRC site, including age-grade percentages and times. Leone Timing’s results are also worth checking out for their split times and position changes. Don’t miss the great race photos and videos! (You can also click the header links below to watch the associated videos.)

Race Results

Combined Section 1: The opening heat of the day featured 17 runners spanning a wide age range. 52-year-old Amy Dawson won overall in 7:46.42, while 66-year-old Susan John was second for the women in 8:16.89, and 53-year-old Heide Van Buskirk was third in 9:07.67. For the men, 66-year-old Ted Limpert took first in 7:51.03, followed by 81-year-old John Leary in 8:08.40 and 67-year-old Anthony Boyadjis in 8:22.69. Although she was back in the pack, 86-year-old Sandra Folzer broke the W85 world record with a 9:43.00, surpassing her previous record of 9:45.24 set last year at Hartshorne. Meanwhile, 91-year-old Edna Hyer—a Hartshorne legend who has broken multiple records at this meet and was the oldest competitor—finished the race in 16:48.90.

Men’s Section 2: 64-year-old Neal Coffey led from the gun to take the win in 6:14.63, holding off 67-year-old Derrick Staley, who worked his way up to second after the 800 and finished in 6:20.01. James Dean, 53, claimed third in 6:25.54. The race featured a trio of strong 70+ performances: Spider Rossiter, 74, clocked an impressive 6:33.96; Ken Hodges, 72, came through in 6:58.07; and 75-year-old Tim Payne crossed in 7:39.38.

Women’s Section 2: 61-year-old Pamela Ricker led the race from the start to finish in 6:21.00, good for the fourth-best women’s age-grade of the day at 83.40%. Jeannette Boyd, 50, finished second in 6:25.87, while 45-year-old Laura Morse came in third at 6:30.55.

Men’s Section 3: 65-year-old Johnny King-Marino controlled the pace for most of the race, but 50-year-old Thomas Meyer took the lead with 400 meters to go and unleashed a 35.86-second final lap to take the win in 5:39.70. King-Marino held on for second place in 5:49.49. Michael Olson, 60, placed third in 5:54.71.

Men’s Elite B: With rabbit Patrick Milano pacing the race through the first 1200 meters, 42-year-old Dave Cook took control at 400 meters and ran strongly for the win in 4:51.01, recording the third-fastest lap of the day with a 31.45-second 200m kick. Jordan Varano, 46, finished second in 5:05.93. The race’s standout age-graded performance came from 60-year-old Benoit Hogue, third overall, who ran 5:08.10 for an 88.90% age-grade—second-best among all men for the day.

Women’s Elite: This heat featured the top women’s performances of the day. 50-year-old Sascha Scott, a five-time Hartshorne champion who has never been beaten at this race, tracked rabbit Bella Burda for the entire race to take the win in 5:18.15, earning a 90.78% age-grade. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier Chelsea Benson, 43, in her first competitive mile in 20 years, finished second in 5:25.78 with an 83.99% age-grade. But the day’s best age-graded performance came from 60-year-old Michelle Rohl, whose third-place finish in 5:29.05 translated to an impressive 95.67% age-grade—a new W60 American record for the indoor mile. Anne Riordan, 41, placed fourth in 5:29.52, just 0.47 seconds behind Rohl, with Jennifer Boerner Selig, 43, close behind in fifth at 5:30.32. 39-year-old Donna Langerfeld took sixth in 5:41.92, with 48-year-old Alison Schwalm finishing seventh in 5:42.88. Liz Hartman, 43, crossed in 5:43.71, followed by college teammates Jennifer Perry, 45, in 5:49.76, and Erin Dewalt, 45, in 5:51.63. Katherine Durrant, 52, finished eleventh in 6:15.98, and 64-year-old Lorraine Jasper rounded out the heat with a 6:37.67.

Men’s Elite A: The final race of the day saw rabbit Alexander Simpson take the field out in 34-second laps, with 50-year-old Nick Conway tucking in behind him for the next six laps before 40-year-old Shaun Donegan made his move into the lead. From there, Donegan held off two-time Hartshorne champion Sam Morse, 42, with the fastest lap of the day—a blistering 30.05-second final 200m to Morse’s 31.18, the second-fastest lap of the meet—to win in 4:31.08. Morse finished second in 4:34.07, with Conway’s third-place finish in 4:34.70 converting to a stellar 91.76% age-grade, the top men’s mark of the day. William Hoyne, 43, was fourth in 4:42.80, followed by Chuck Terry, 43, in 4:48.00 and 51-year-old Mike Padilla in 4:48.98—Padilla’s time was good for the third-best men’s age-grade of the day at 87.90%. Louie DiNuzzo, 43, and George Young, 44, finished seventh and eighth in 4:50.69 and 4:52.05, respectively, with Peter Boyd, 51, rounding out the field in 5:04.75.

Volunteers

Hartshorne requires a significant volunteer effort, starting with race director Adam Engst and assistant directors Charlie Fay and Tom Hartshorne. Leo Nakaranuruck arrived early to help set up. Jim Miner and Rebecca Lambert managed the registration table, with Joanne Button taking over for the second shift and later helping with lunch check-in. Jesse Koennecke served as clerk of course, and Jan Hunsinger started all the races. Tonya Engst greeted and coordinated volunteers. Our speedy rabbits were Bella Burda, Patrick Milano, and Alexander Simpson. Paul Houle took photos, and Jorge Cuevas was our videographer. David Rossiter counted laps and rang the bell, Jon Lewis called splits to runners, and Rich Bernstein monitored the finish line. Joel Cisne, Tom Hartshorne, Tristan Lambert, and Aaron Proujansky helped keep spectators off the track during the races. Christine Sparfel assisted Marte Reps with on-site management of the award luncheon. Thanks to everyone involved!

Sponsors

Finally, we want to thank the sponsors who made this year’s Hartshorne possible. It takes a lot of money to host a national-level meet like this, including rabbits, race photos, race videos, a post-race banquet, and cash prizes to attract some of the top talent in the US and Canada. The race’s 2026 sponsors include Sean Nicholson, Joe Daley, the Hartshorne Family, Javier Martinez, Cayuga Health, and Bangs Ambulance. Also, thanks to Cornell University for allowing us to race in Barton Hall, the Cornell Track & Field Team for letting us compete before their meet, and Leone Timing for world-class timing services. The masters running community is tremendously grateful for their support. Just because we’re not so young anymore doesn’t mean we don’t take our racing seriously!

See you next year!

Our first track meet of 2026 is in the books! We hosted 191 athletes with 408 event participations from 9 teams, including the Mustangs Track Club, Groton Project TC, Troy Track & Field, North Penn-Mansfield, Odessa-Montour, GIAC Navigators, SOAR Running Club, Trumansburg Track Club, and the Syracuse Track Club. Among many great performances, athletes notched two new top-10 spots on the FLRC Track leaderboard: Chelsea Benson in the 5000m and Dafydd Williams in the long jump. Full results and a link to the fabulous meet photos are available on the FLRC website.

5000m

The 5000m opened the meet with a competitive field braving the 25 laps around Barton Hall. Although Shane Fraser led for the first half, Lucas Baker took over and pulled away for the win in 16:23, while Fraser secured second in 16:32. Steve Esposito rounded out the podium with a 16:44 showing. For the women, Chelsea Benson took first with an impressive 18:24 that moves her into fourth on the FLRC Track leaderboard, while Odessa-Montour’s Lexi Strobel followed in 26:04. Of special note, 13-year-old Alden Morseman turned in a remarkable 18:01 to finish seventh overall, while 77-year-old James Miner completed the distance in 31:54.

In the racewalking sub-competition, Matthew Wombacker led the way in 25:29, followed by Madigan White in 29:02 and Madison Tuttle in 29:18.

60m

The 60m dash featured an impressive 93 finishers across numerous heats. Dafydd Williams blazed to victory in 7.02 seconds, with the Mustangs Track Club’s Thando Shezi close behind in 7.08. Nicolo Christian claimed third with a 7.33 clocking. Among the women, Odessa-Montour’s Aspyn Skinner took top honors in 8.68, followed by the Groton Project’s Karson Mackey in 8.94 and 10-year-old Amari Morrone of the GIAC Navigators in 9.07.

The toddler heats were once again a crowd favorite, with 2-year-old Alexander Kozik completing his 60m toddle in 36.76 seconds, and fellow 2-year-olds Senyo Nti-Addae and Caspian Whetten following in 49.49 and 51.19.

1 Mile

The 1-mile run saw numerous lead changes after a slow first lap, but in the end, Alexander Simpson threw down an impressive kick to win in 4:25. While that time would rank seventh all-time on the FLRC Track leaderboard, Simpson already holds the top spot with his 4:19 from a previous meet. Brian Kenny followed in 4:35, with Alexander Evans just a tick behind in 4:36 for third. On the women’s side, Hailey Whetten claimed the win in 5:29, with 43-year-old Liz Hartman taking second in 5:47 and Cher Armstrong finishing third in 6:11.

The mile also showcased solid performances across the age spectrum. The Groton Project’s Scott Weeks, 53, turned in a strong 4:51 for seventh overall, nine-year-old Layne Johnson ran a 6:25, and 72-year-old Ken Hodges crossed in 7:05.

200m

The Mustangs Track Club’s Siyel Bowman flew to victory in the 200m with a 23.35 showing. Nicolo Christian grabbed second in 23.48 for his second top-three sprint finish of the day, while the Mustangs’ Thando Shezi—also doubling back from a podium finish in the 60m—rounded out the top three men in 24.33. Odessa-Montour’s Janne Anderson, just 14 years old, led the women with a 29.39 clocking. The Groton Project’s Karson Mackey claimed her second top-three sprint of the day with a 30.45, and Troy Track & Field’s Harper Lee, also 14, secured third in 31.72.

At 78 years young, Carl Feuer completed the 200m in 58.71, while 67-year-old Timothy Christian crossed in 38.40.

4x200m Relay

The college-aged Mustangs Track Club dominated the relay competition, taking first and second with times of 1:45 and 1:55. North Penn-Mansfield claimed third in 1:58, just ahead of Troy Track & Field in 1:59. All told, four teams broke the 2:00 barrier.

High Jump

Dylan Johns cleared 5 feet, 10 inches to win the high jump, with Kole Heyer reaching 5 feet, 8 inches for second and John Kerin jumping 5 feet, 6 inches for third. Among the women, North Penn-Mansfield’s Nora Furry led with a clearance of 4 feet, 4 inches, while the Mustangs Track Club’s Jaidon Brodie and North Penn-Mansfield’s Moira Wheeler tied for second at 4 feet, 2 inches.

Notable among the masters athletes, 65-year-old Mike Thompson cleared 4 feet, 6 inches, and the Syracuse Track Club’s Leander Boreland, 59, jumped 3 feet, 10 inches.

Long Jump

Dafydd Williams capped off a dominant day in the sprints and jumps, soaring to victory in the long jump with a mark of 20 feet, 7 inches—a result that vaults him into third place on the FLRC Track leaderboard. The Mustangs Track Club’s Siyel Bowman, also doubling back from his 200m win, landed second with 19 feet, 1¾ inches, and North Penn-Mansfield’s Brayden Johnson took third at 18 feet, 8½ inches.

In the women’s competition, 14-year-old Jenna Morningstar led the field with a jump of 14 feet, 5¾ inches. The Mustangs Track Club’s Jaidon Brodie claimed her second top-three field event finish of the day with 14 feet, 4 inches for second, and Troy Track & Field’s Harper Lee—notching her second top-three of the day after her 200m podium finish—took third at 13 feet, 5½ inches.

The youngest competitors also got in on the action, with 5-year-olds Oliver Nelson and Owen King, both of the SOAR Running Club, jumping 6 feet, 10½ inches and 6 feet, 10 inches, respectively.

Thanks to Our Volunteers

As always, FLRC track meets are the result of the efforts of numerous volunteers. Ian Golden, Lizzy Rayle, Dirk Swart, Robert Swizdor, and Bob Talda arrived early to help with setup. Tonya Engst managed the registration desk and answered questions with Rebecca Lambert. Patrick Boyle did a bang-up job as starter, and Bob Talda recorded all the times as head timer. Molly Doruska counted laps and ran the backup timer, while Chris Mellor recorded bib numbers for the longer races. Lizzy Rayle and David Rossiter coordinated the heats, and Jesse Koennecke kept HyTek Meet Manager running smoothly for results with help from Charlie Fay. Our sprint timing team consisted of Amy Dawson, Scott Dawson, Molly Doruska, Marlene Kwee, Christopher Petroff, and Robert Swizdor. On the field event side, Brett Shelton managed the long jump with assistance from Leo Nakaranuruck, Ted Boscia, and Ayla Maggard, while LJ Lansdowne coordinated the high jump with help from Phil Johnson. Paul Houle took photos, and Heather Cobb sold FLRC clothing.

Thanks for coming, and we’ll see you at the February Flash Dash and the Strides of March!

In the heart of Virgil, NY, where the trees whisper secrets and the trails twist like serpents through the undergrowth, two men emerged, not as mere mortals, but as stewards of the wild. Peter Dady (@tpdady) and Michael Stone (@me.runalot), Race Directors of Uncommon Resolve, ventured into the forest on the eve of the great run. The sun blazed overhead like a molten eye, casting down its fury upon the earth. The air was thick, oppressive, alive with the breath of the wilderness.

For six relentless hours, they toiled, placing nearly 600 purple flags like breadcrumbs for the brave souls who would follow. With chainsaw in hand, they carved a path through nature’s tangled defenses, felling fallen giants, trimming the grasping limbs of ancient trees, and banishing thorny sentinels that lay in wait for the ankles of the unwary.

Then came the dawn.

Sunday morning broke with a hush, as if the forest itself held its breath. The skies, once cruel, now softened. Clouds gathered like watchful guardians, and a gentle rain fell, neither too heavy nor too light, providing just the right amount of mud. It was not a hindrance, but a gift. For the Forest Frolic is a trail best run with a little wildness beneath the feet.

The 15K wave surged forth first, mostly veterans of the trail, their eyes sharp with memory and muscle. Thirteen minutes later, the 7K wave followed, mostly newcomers, wide-eyed and eager, stepping into the unknown with courage in their stride.

And amidst it all, three things stood out like fireflies in the dusk: the radiant smiles of first-time trail runners, the warm clasp of old friends, some we are meeting for the first time, and watching three generations of the Leonard family run side by side, embodying the spirit of community, bound by blood and the call of the trail.

Of note: Sarah Woodyear dominated the 7K, winning outright by a wide margin, even beating a swift 13-year-old. And in the 15K, Banyan’s victory over Chris Petroff dashed the tantalizing possibility of Chris achieving a Stonehead score evenly divisible by 100 from winning every race he ran. Still, Chris remains in the lead for Stonehead, is poised to win Pebblehead, and is currently tied with Steve Jesch for Boulderhead. We’ve never had a three-way winner. The tension builds.

But every tale has its twist.

On this day, a new record was set for the “Most Lostiest”. The name of the record holder will remain a secret, out of respect, and perhaps a touch of mystery. This intrepid soul paused for water at the powerline water stop, then veered off course, running a staggering 6.3 kilometers to the Parker Street Cemetery before calling for rescue. A feat of endurance, yes, but also a cautionary tale. Let it be known: when the trail marks vanish, do not press forward into the unknown. Turn back. Return to the last mark. Never, ever trust that the flags will simply reappear. The forest does not forgive such optimism.

This was no mere race. It was a rite of passage, a communion with the wild, and a testament to the enduring spirit of those who dare to run where the forest rules.

We await next year’s Frolic with cautious optimism. After all, we’ve endured sun so unbearable it made sunscreen beg for mercy, rain so biblical it changed the course of creeks, and mud, thick, relentless mud, that tested the limits of even the most seasoned veterans. We’ve had it all… except snow…

Write-up by race director Michael Stone.

Check out the 2025 race results and the updated FLRC Trail Circuit leaderboard. Also, peruse through the photos and feel welcome to upload yours to the community photo album.

Our third Trackapalooza Invitational track meet was again a success, with glorious summer weather on the welcoming Groton High School track. Full results are now available, and don’t miss the fabulous meet photos from Paul Houle and Christopher Petroff—you’re welcome to download and share them. If you have any pictures of the meet, please upload them to our community photo album to share with others and document the day.

We hosted 157 athletes with 361 event participations, many from 6 teams, including the Groton Project Track Club, Ithaca Youth Bureau, Baldwinsville Harriers Track Club, Wyoming Elite Track Club, SOAR Running Club, and the Tompkins County Pole Vault Club, plus individual competitors from the Syracuse Chargers, the Syracuse Track Club, the Trumansburg Track Club, and Southern Cayuga.

Field events were made possible once again through partnerships. Matt Scheffler of the Tompkins County Pole Vault Club managed the pole vault. Brett Shelton of the SOAR Running Club officiated the long jump and the triple jump, with his fellow coach Steve Wagner managing the high jump. The Groton Project’s Sean Shea coordinated the shot put and discus. Special thanks to Scott Weeks and Groton High School for allowing us to use their facilities and equipment!

On to the results! Among all the other great performances, three field event athletes took over the top spots on the FLRC Track leaderboard: Dominic Mikula and Katherine Scheffler in the pole vault and Ariana Hillery in the shot put.

100m

The 100m dash saw Daniel Mars storm to victory in 11.00 seconds, with Chris Zellar of the Baldwinsville Harriers following in 11.15 and Aedan Pitoniak rounding out the top three in 11.32. In the women’s competition, the Groton Project’s Truth Snyder, just 13 years old, led the field in 13.36, with Harper Frederick of the Wyoming Elite Track Club just behind in 13.38. The Groton Project’s Reilly Quinn secured third in 13.61.

On the other end of the time spectrum, Theo Milano celebrated joining the 2-year-old age group by dropping more than 50 seconds from his 100m toddle time in 2:02, and sisters Cordelia (1) and Rebecca Gorges (2) finished together in 2:45.

100m Hurdles

In our first-ever 100m hurdles for women, the Groton Project’s Karson Mackey took the win in 17.21, followed closely by Evelyn Jackson of the Tompkins County Pole Vault Club. Amelia Petersen of the Groton Project rounded out the podium in 17.95. Props to 8-year-old Carmina Mahony Glann of the Groton Project for completing the challenging event over age-appropriate hurdles in 28.28.

110m Hurdles

In a head-to-head race for the men’s 110m hurdles, Aidan Tierney claimed victory in 17.60, while the Groton Project’s Kholton Reynolds crossed second in 20.36. It’s not as easy as it looks!

200m

Daniel Mars doubled up with another victory in the 200m, clocking 22.89 seconds. Aedan Pitoniak again showed his speed with a 23.77 second-place finish, while the Groton Project’s Derran Morris took third in 23.81. For the women, Kadence Barton crossed first in 27.39, with the Groton Project’s Reilly Quinn following in 28.73. Harper Frederick of the Wyoming Elite Track Club completed the podium in 28.97.

400m

The 400m saw the Baldwinsville Harriers dominate, with Chris Zellar winning in 53.92 and teammate Rex Kirkegaard taking second in 55.96. Chris Rogers rounded out the podium with a 57.62 showing. In the women’s race, Kadence Barton secured her second win of the day in 1:02.87, while Reagan Burnham took second in 1:08.16. Lexi Peiffer of the Wyoming Elite Track Club claimed third in 1:10.27. Notably, 74-year-old Coreen Steinbach, a regular on the world masters track stage, turned in an impressive performance with her 1:26.58, good for a national-class age-grading percentage of 83.84%.

800m

In a toasty 800m, the final individual race of the day, Paul Hayden took the win handily in 2:07, with Patrick Milano following in 2:16 and Daniel Zhang claiming third in 2:26. For the women, 43-year-old Liz Hartman dominated with a 2:36 victory, notching an adult personal best. Second place went to 11-year-old Lucia Camacho Murillo of the Ithaca Youth Bureau in 3:53, followed by Linda Mahoney of the Groton Project in 3:59. 66-year-old Casey Carlstrom impressed with a 2:35 showing in the men’s race, good for sixth overall and a national-class age-grading percentage of 84.55%.

1600m

In the 1600m, Lucas Baker ran alone the entire race to place first in 4:29, followed by Patrick Milano in 4:56 and the Groton Project’s Zachary Arria in 5:06. Liz Hartman continued her strong day by winning the women’s race in 5:42, tying her PR for second all-time on the leaderboard. The Groton Project’s Alison Belcher, just 12 years old, took an impressive second in 5:59, while her 11-year-old sister and teammate Lauren Belcher crossed in 7:55 for third. 72-year-old Ken Hodges finished in 6:56 to qualify for the coveted “breaking 7 at 70” club, also a national-class effort with an age-grading percentage of 82.3%.

5000m

Much of the 5000m was a tight three-man race, with the lead changing hands multiple times. With 200m to go, Alexander Simpson unleashed a fearsome kick, putting 10 seconds on Brady Burrough in the last half lap to win in 15:57 to Burrough’s 16:07. James Felice wasn’t far behind in 16:16. For the women, Sarah Woodyear led from the start to clock an 18:40 win, while Margaret McLoughlin followed in 19:02. Third place went to 15-year-old Madigan White in 23:29.

4×200m Relay

The meet concluded with some fast relays, where the Baldwinsville Harriers team, anchored by Chris Zellar, dominated with a time of 1:36 that tied our fastest relay time of the year. With Sebastian Bartischevich bringing it home, The Speedsters took second in 1:51, just ahead of an unattached team anchored by Derran Morris in 1:52. Patrick Milano anchored The 3s to fourth in 1:54, making for a tight finish with just 3 seconds separating second through fourth place.

Long Jump

In the long jump, 47-year-old Samitha Samaranayake leaped to victory with a 19 feet, 7¾ inches mark, sneaking into tenth place on the leaderboard. Will Boscia and the Groton Project’s Tom Pinkowski tied for second at 19 feet, 1 inch. In the women’s competition, Kadence Barton claimed her third win of the day with a 16 feet, 6½ inches jump, the Groton Project’s Reilly Quinn was close behind with 16 feet, 2 inches, and Raelen Green secured third at 15 feet, 11 inches.

Triple Jump

The Groton Project’s Tom Pinkowski bounded to an uncontested win with a hop, skip, and jump of 41 feet, 1 inch in the triple jump, improving his distance while maintaining second place on the leaderboard. On the women’s side, Alyssa Johnston took first with a leap of 31 feet, ½ inch, just edging out Kadence Barton’s 30 feet, 11 inches. Darby Stetter secured third with 26 feet, 6 inches. 62-year-old Karen Ellsworth of the Syracuse Chargers impressed with a jump of 18 feet, 10¾ inches.

High Jump

In the high jump, Rex Kirkegaard of the Baldwinsville Harriers and Alix Aviles tied for the win (and tenth place on the leaderboard) at 5 feet, 8 inches, with Brady Burrough and Brayden Westbrook sharing third at 5 feet, 6 inches. For the women, the Groton Project’s Kristen Johnston cleared 4 feet, 10 inches for the win (though not up to her top spot on the leaderboard from last year), while Samantha White took second at 4 feet, 6 inches (sixth on the leaderboard) and Darby Stetter placed third at 4 feet, 2 inches.

Pole Vault

In FLRC’s second-ever pole vault competition, the Tompkins County Pole Vault Club athletes took five of the top six places. Dominic Mikula dominated with a clearance of 15 feet, 7 inches, moving into an uncontested first place overall atop the leaderboard. Nathan Fromme, the only top place not part of the TCPVC, cleared 12 feet for second, while Noah McKibben was third (but fourth overall) in 11 feet. Among the women, Katherine Scheffler cleared 11 feet, 6 inches for first place and third overall—it’s also the top mark on the leaderboard. Alyssa Kelleher and Evelyn Jackson tied for second among women at 10 feet—those results also put them second on the leaderboard.

Shot Put

Although not equal to his top spot on the leaderboard, Matt Funicelli dominated the shot put with a throw of 49 feet, 5 inches, nearly 15 feet ahead of second-place Camden Davis of the Baldwinsville Harriers, who threw 35 feet, 1½ inches to claim ninth on the leaderboard. The Syracuse Track Club’s Leander Boreland took third with 34 feet, 7 inches. For the women, the Groton Project’s Ariana Hillery won with a 29 feet, 6¾ inches throw to claim first place on the leaderboard, unseating her teammate Kristen Johnston, who took second with 25 feet, 7 inches, and the Wyoming Elite Track Club’s Brooklyn Evans claimed third with 23 feet, 2¼ inches, good for tenth on the leaderboard.

Discus

Again not quite reaching his previous second-place leaderboard effort, Matt Funicelli still completed the throws double with a discus toss of 142 feet, 5¾ inches, more than 23 feet ahead of Brody Williams, who claimed second with a throw of 119 feet, 4 inches. The Syracuse Track Club’s Leander Boreland took third with 109 feet, 5½ inches, good for eighth on the leaderboard. The Groton Project’s Ariana Hillery again led the women with a throw of 77 feet, 7½ inches, which moved her from fifth to fourth on the leaderboard. The Syracuse Chargers’ Karen Ellsworth followed her with 63 feet, 1 inch, and the Wyoming Elite Track Club’s Brooklyn Evans placed third with a throw of 43 feet, 2½ inches.

Volunteers

As always, FLRC track meets are the result of the efforts of numerous volunteers. Thanks to Tonya Engst for helping prepare for the meet the day before and then managing bib pickup, ably assisted by Mary Catt. Scott Weeks of the Groton Project coordinated everything with Groton High School. Dave Kania, Jesse Koennecke, Bob Talda, and Carl Franck helped with setup. Patrick Boyle did a bang-up job as starter, and Bob Talda recorded all the times as head timer, Jesse Koennecke and Dave Kania reseeded heats and produced results, and Heather Cobb and Jon Lewis coordinated the heats. Christopher Petroff counted laps and recorded bib numbers for the longer races. We had lane timing assistance from Keith Eggleston, Amy Dawson, Scott Dawson, Eugene Gonzalez, and Kim Jackson, with Ricky Stewart providing backup timing. On the field event side, Gregory Green, Tevin Smith, and Carl Franck assisted Brett Shelton with the long and triple jumps. Lizzy Rayle and Hamza Abdush-Shahid helped Steve Wagner with the high jump. Matt Scheffler managed the pole vault, and Janice Carter and Michelle VanEtten assisted Sean Shea with the throws. Laurel Gilmer sold FLRC clothing, and Lauren Milano brought muffins!

See you all in 2026 at the January Jicker!

We kicked off our outdoor track season with the first Sunset Circuits meet last Tuesday at Groton High School. Among lots of great races and field events, competitors set three new bests on the FLRC Track leaderboard. In the 200m, 16-year-old Logan Aman ran a 22.26 to edge out Michael Durski’s 22.42 from 2023. In the 1600m, 22-year-old Alexander Simpson crossed the line in 4:20 to break his previous FLRC record of 4:25, set in 2024. And as the light dimmed at the end of the meet, 17-year-old Paul Busby cleared 6 feet, 4 inches, exceeding the previous record of 6 feet, 2 inches shared by Dylan Johns and Joey McDonald from 2024.

Full results are now available, and you can look through the great meet photos from Kristen Johnston. Please share your best photos too!

200m

The 200m saw another victory for Logan Aman, who crossed the finish line in 22.26 seconds, setting a new FLRC Track leaderboard record. Team Montrose’s Nico Christian was second in 22.91, swapping places with his teammate Maximus Kuwaye, who crossed in 23.74.

Among

100m

In the 100m dash, Logan Aman took the top spot with a blistering 10.82 seconds, good for third on the FLRC Track leaderboard. Maximus Kuwaye from Team Montrose followed with a solid 11.27, just ahead of his teammate Nico Christian, who clocked in at 11.48.

In the women’s competition, Reilly Quinn from the Groton Project led with 13.79 seconds, followed closely by Vivian Welmon and Samatha White in 13.84 and 14.00.

the female sprinters, Samatha White dominated with a time of 29.80 seconds. Vivian Welmon finished second again at 30.11, and Adaline Jackson from the SOAR Running Club took third with a time of 36.02.

400m

In the 400m race, Charlie Hilbert pulled away to victory with a time of 54.57 seconds, followed by Noah Steinorth in 55.05, with Chris West rounding out the top three men with 56.28.

In the women’s field, Maysie Davis led with a time of 1:10.26, followed by Isabella Santos in 1:13.51, and Vivian Welmon taking third in 1:14.70 for her third podium finish of the night.

1600m

In the 1600m, Alexander Simpson dominated with a time of 4:20. The Groton Project’s Ross Bush, fresh off a 14th place in the 800m in the New York State Outdoor Track Championships, secured second place in 4:27, and Lucas Baker finished third in 4:28. These results were impressive enough to be mirrored by the top three spots on the FLRC Track leaderboard.

For the women, 43-year-old Liz Hartman won the race in 5:42, which was both a PR for her and speedy enough to move her into second place on the FLRC Track leaderboard. Second place was claimed by 12-year-old Alison Belcher from the Groton Project in 5:57, and third by Frances Steen, who finished in 6:13.

4x200m Relay

The 4x200m relay was a team triumph for Team Montrose, whose anchor Nico Christian came through in a blazingly fast 1:36, the fastest 4×200m time of 2025. Ross Bush anchored the Groton Project team to second place in 1:40, and Coach D and Minions wrapped up the top three with a time of 1:49.

High Jump

For the high jump, Paul Busby set a new FLRC Track leaderboard best with a leap of 6 feet, 4 inches. The Groton Project’s Tanner Mott finished second by clearing 4 feet, 8 inches, and his teammate Suansian Songput jumped 4 feet, 6 inches for third place for the men.

In the women’s category, Reilly Quinn of the Groton Project led with her jump of 4 feet, 10 inches. Samatha White and Carlea Davis both cleared 4 feet, 6 inches, tying for second.

Long Jump

In the long jump, Charlie Hilbert led with a jump of 19 feet, 9.5 inches. Tom Pinkowski and Maximus Kuwaye tied for second, both achieving a distance of 19 feet, 1.75 inches for the Groton Project and Team Montrose, respectively.

Among the women, Carlea Davis jumped the farthest at 16 feet, 10.5 inches. The Groton Project’s Reilly Quinn followed with 15 feet, 7.75 inches, while her teammate Mariel Bode secured third with 13 feet, 0 inches.

Discus

In the discus, David Shea of the Groton Project claimed first place with a throw of 104-10. 58-year-old Leander Boreland followed with 102-00, and Kenny Macumber rounded out the top three with a 92-06 toss.

In the women’s discus circle, 49-year-old Janice Carter from the Groton Project led with a throw of 88-10, followed by 62-year-old Karen Ellsworth of the Syracuse Chargers at 68-02.50, and Maysie Davis took third with 58-07.

Shot Put

Finally, in the shot put, the places matched those in the discus. David Shea once again took the lead with a throw of 37-05.25. Leander Boreland followed with a 35-10.50, and Kenny Macumber took third with a distance of 30-03.

For the women, Maysie Davis led with a throw of 26-07. Karen Ellsworth of the Syracuse Chargers took second with 24-11.50, and Carlea Davis was close behind in third with a throw of 24-03.50.

Thanks to Our Volunteers

Kudos to our volunteers for making the meet a success. Tonya Engst, Carl Franck, Janice Carter, and Jesse Koennecke arrived early to help with setup. Tonya continued to manage the registration desk and answer questions alongside Rebecca Lambert. Patrick Boyle did a bang-up job as our starter, Bob Talda served as head timer, and Rich Bernstein and Julie Barclay coordinated the heats. Jesse Koenecke and Dave Kania kept HyTek Meet Manager running smoothly for results, Keith Eggleston recorded bib numbers for the 1600m and relay, and Ricky Stewart ran the backup timer. Our sprint timing team consisted of Brian Belcher, Nicole Belcher, Paula Klaben, Laura Morse, and Ian Woods. Kristen Johnston took tons of great photos. Special thanks to Steve Wagner of the SOAR Running Club for overseeing the high jumps with help from Lungawm Songput, to Brett Shelton of SOAR for the long jump with support from Carl Franck and Linda Mahoney, and to Sean Shea of the Groton Project and his helpers for putting on the discus and shot put.

A warm breeze and glowing skies set the scene for this year’s Twilight 5K, where 398 runners gathered at Cass Park for a fast, flat evening race along the shores of Cayuga Lake. Families were out in force, and youth empowerment programs Girls on the Run and GirlStrong had strong showings at the start line—adding extra energy to an already festive night. Check out the fabulous race photos from Steve Gallow and the full results.

Race Results Highlights

On the men’s side, Alexander Simpson (22) clocked the fastest time of the evening in 15:56, followed by Patrick Milano (35) in 16:30, and Lucas Betzoldt (24) close behind in 16:34. 

For the women, Sarah Woodyear (27) led the way in 18:55, followed by 12-year-old Cora Hayes in an impressive 19:43, and Melissa Muñoz (40) of Brooklyn in 19:54.

In the masters division (40–49), Alejandro Bernard claimed the men’s title in 18:06, while Melissa Muñoz doubled up with the top masters women’s finish. For the veterans (50+), Peng Chen led the men in 20:41, and Kim Jackson topped the women’s field in 24:04.

After the race, runners enjoyed a celebratory pizza party under the setting sun. A big thank you to everyone who brought the energy—and the appetite!

Photos

Check out the community photo album on Yogile to view and upload photos:
https://www.yogile.com/twilight-5k-2025#11m

Thank You, Volunteers

This race wouldn’t be possible without the incredible efforts of our volunteers.

Liz Hartman returned as Volunteer Coordinator. Gill Haines-Sharp pulled quadruple duty as Assistant Race Director, Course Marker, Head Course Marshal, and Lead Bike, and Gary McCheyne managed the gear van as Equipment Manager. Race Day Setup was handled smoothly by Adam Engst, John Hummel, Paula Kilts, and Laura Taylor. Tonya Engst led the efficient check-in crew of Rebecca Lambert, Caitlin Loehr, and Shanthi Mariappan. Lauren Milano headed up a stellar food prep crew, with help from Gretchen Gilbert and Caitlin Loehr. Steve Gallo returned as our official race photographer, capturing the spirit of the evening. Course Marshals included  Matthew Clark, Amy Dawson, James Dean, Marie Donnelly, Makoto Endo, Margaret Frank, Ian Golden, Jamie Loehr, Aaron Proujansky, Anne Shakespeare, Michael Smith, Ruth Sproul, and Robert Swizdor. Water Station volunteers were Melanie Smee, Melissa Wallace, Lucia Chen, and Joe Nolan. Jordan Gottlieb and Jacqueline Treml managed award distribution, and Bob Talda kept energy high as Finish Line Hype Volunteer. Thanks to Makoto Endo, Adam Engst, and Ian Golden for staying late to help with cleanup.

Congratulations to all who raced, and thank you for being part of such a fun and welcoming community event. 

We hope to see you again next year!

—Kris Haines-Sharp (Race Director) 

The 2025 Women’s Distance Festival 5K took place on Mother’s Day along the beautiful Jim Schug Trail in Dryden. Women and girls of all ages came out to run, walk, skip or jump along the 5K course. We enjoyed good weather, community, family and fun as we celebrated women’s running in memory of cofounder Diane Sherrer.  Full results of the 113 finishers are available at: https://fingerlakesrunners.org/race/womens-distance-festival-2025/

It was a day of fast times and strong performances. Emily Miller, 23, of Freeville claimed the overall win in a swift 18:19, just ahead of our first masters runner Anne Riordan, 40, of Brooktondale, who clocked 18:23. Liz Hartman, 42, of Ithaca rounded out the top three with a solid time of 20:36. In the veterans (60+) division, Joan Rappaport, 61, of Manlius finished first in 22:45.

In addition to the traditional age group awards, awards went to the youngest and oldest finishers. Ellory Hartwell (age 2) and Averia Hartwell (age 4) completed the course in 58:39, accompanied by their mother, Shealena Hartwell. Kate Merriman, age 78, received the oldest participant award.

The event ran smoothly thanks to volunteers Katie Stettler and David Deicher, who assisted with registration and the finish line, course marshals Donald Tily and Joshua Marnell, and the FLRC timing crew: Adam Engst, Dave Kania, and Jesse Koennecke.

We look forward to continuing the celebration of women’s running in 2026.

—Lorrie Tily and Chris Irving, Race Directors

On Saturday, 115 runners across three race distances took part in the 33rd running of the Thom B. Trail Runs at Hammond Hill State Forest. Conditions were mostly favorable and completely (un)predictable, as clouds gave way to sun, then rain, then back to sun again. 

Eighty-five runners completed one 8.5-mile loop (“loopers”), nineteen finished two loops for a total of 17 miles (“twoopers”), and eleven intrepid souls tackled three loops plus a baby loop to complete the full 26.2-mile marathon distance (“throopers”). Runners ranged in age from 11 to 83, with 11-year-old Logan Timmerman placing a strong 14th overall in the 8.5-mile race. Even more impressive was 61-year-old Lori Johnson taking first overall for women in the 17-mile race. 

Full results are now posted, and don’t miss the great race photos from Paul Houle!. Please share any you took, too!

Loopers Podium (8.5 miles)
Men
Overall: Tom Benner – 1:02:43
Open (under 40): Gus Pendleton – 1:03:34
Masters (40+): Dave Kania – 1:10:25
Vets (50+): Michael Olson – 1:14:15

Women
Overall: Bella Burda – 1:08:13
Open (under 40): Sarah Woodyear – 1:09:27
Masters (40+): Doreen Fanton – 1:13:27
Vets (50+): Julie Barclay – 1:24:41

Twoopers Podium (17 miles)
Men
Overall: Isaac Mazzeo – 2:13:06
Open (under 40): Blue Shapiro – 2:20:53
Masters (40+): Brian Lee – 2:22:30
Vets (50+): Ofer Leshed – 2:41:36

Women
Overall: Lori Johnson – 3:07:44
Open (under 40): Emily Frazee – 3:09:50
Masters (40+): Jean Rodgers – 3:15:53
Vets (50+): Melissa Wallace – 3:35:17

Throopers Podium (26.2 miles)
Men
Overall: Chris Petroff – 3:49:34
Open (under 40): Ryan Allen-Parrot – 3:59:38
Masters (40+): Scotie Jacobs – 4:00:44
Vets (50+): Steve Jesch – 4:20:58

Women
Overall: Claire Glover – 5:11:16
Open: Perrine Pepiot – 5:24:45
Masters (40+): Kuwanna Dyer-Pietras – 5:30:53

No race could happen without volunteers, and I want to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who made this one possible. Adam Engst led the timing team and stepped in as equipment lead, while Heather Cobb and Bob Talda (the Yeti) served as assistant timers. The setup and registration crew—Caroline Rasmussen, Lucia Chen, Diana Hackett, Shanthi Mariappan, and Pete Kresock got everyone checked in and ready to go. Lauren and Patrick Milano kept the food flowing, while Ian Golden and Michelle Dardia held things down at the aid stations and on the course as marshals. Paul Houle took photos. David Rossiter swept the course, ensuring that no one was left behind. And cleanup was handled by Adam Engst, Lucia Chen, and Spencer Hill. Special thanks also to Gary McCheyne for mowing the field and helping with equipment prep.

As a first-time RD, I could not have asked for a better race, and I am thankful for each and every person who gave their time to run, help, and cheer!