A warm June evening set the scene for this year’s Twilight 5K, where 368 runners and walkers gathered at Cass Park for a fast, flat race along the shores of Cayuga Lake. Families were out in force, and youth empowerment programs GirlStrong and Girls on the Run had strong showings at the start line, adding extra energy to an already festive night. Check out the race photos and the full results.
Race Results Highlights
On the men’s side, Alexander Simpson (23) clocked the fastest time of the evening in 16:11, followed by Lance Miller (26) in 17:18 and Lucas Betzoldt (25) in 17:28.
For the women, Margaret McLoughlin (23) led the way in 19:25, followed by Sarah Woodyear (28) in 19:44 and Chelsea Benson (43) in 19:56.
In the masters division (40–49), Corey Miller claimed the men’s title in 17:39, while Chelsea Benson doubled up with the top masters women’s finish. For the veterans (50+), Dan Augustyn led the men in 20:48, and Kim Jackson topped the women’s field in 23:38.
After the race, runners enjoyed a celebratory pizza party under the evening sky. A big thank you to everyone who brought the energy—and the appetite!
Supporting Danish Hussain Yar and Free to Run
We were also proud to support Cornell sophomore Danish Hussain Yar’s fundraising campaign for Free to Run, which empowers girls and young women in conflict-affected regions through running. Growing up in Afghanistan, Danish witnessed firsthand the barriers that can prevent women from participating in sports. If she reaches her fundraising goal, she will run the 2026 New York City Marathon as just the seventh Afghan woman ever to do so. She’s already made tremendous progress toward that goal, and we encourage anyone who would like to support her efforts to consider making a donation—donations remain open after the race.
Thank You, Volunteers!
This race wouldn’t be possible without the incredible efforts of our volunteers.
Gill Haines-Sharp once again wore multiple hats as Assistant Race Director, Course Marker, and Head Course Marshal, while Gary McCheyne managed the gear van as Equipment Manager. Tonya Engst led race check-in operations.
Race day setup was handled by Adam Engst, Pete Kresock, Kate Merriman, Bob Talda, and Laura Taylor. Our check-in crew included Mary Catt, Jason Jenks, Benjamin Lambert, Jenna Rice, and Sophia Sommers. Laurel Gilmer and Scott Nissenson managed merchandise sales.
Lauren Milano headed up food operations, with help from Gretchen Gilbert, Pete Kresock, and Melissa Wallace. Paul Houle captured the evening as race photographer, and Dirk Swart led the field as Lead Bike.
Course Marshals included Matthew Clark, James Dean, Makoto Endo, Andrew Flyak, Zsofia Franck, Courtney Hill, Nico Huber, Caitlin Loehr, Jamie Loehr, Joseph Nolan, Christopher Petroff, Aaron Proujansky, and Kaleb Smith. Amy Dawson and Scott Dawson staffed the mid-course water station, while Marie Donnelly and Dave Kania kept runners hydrated at the finish area.
Gabriel Gonzalez and Sarah Sabol distributed awards, and Joel Cisne kept the energy high and uplifted runners as the announcer. Thanks as well to Laura Helmerick, Pete Kresock, and Jamie Loehr for helping with cleanup at the end of the evening.
Congratulations to all who raced, volunteered, and cheered from the sidelines. Look for possible updates to our course route as we plan for the coming year’s race. Thank you for being part of another fun and welcoming community event, and we hope to see you again next year! Until then, stride out and run happy.
—Kris Haines-Sharp (Race Director)