Pace Setter : April 2026

Been There Done That - A Look Back: Spring Running Memories (2001–2021)

Been There Done That - A Look Back: Spring Running Memories (2001–2021) by Thomas and Sara O'Grady

Enjoy this stroll through memorable running moments from our region during the months of April, May, and June over the last 25 years.

2021

After the Electric City 5-Miler kicked things off in March, spring racing began to pick back up as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continued to be felt. Notably absent from the calendar was the Delmar Dash, a popular spring classic that typically offers a fast course on a nice spring morning.

In-person competition continued with help from AREEP at the Druthers Helderberg to Hudson Half Marathon:

Winners

●      Jacob Andrews (Troy) — 1:09:32

●      Karen Bertasso-Hughes (Selkirk) — 1:19:02

Shortly after, the popular Adirondack Road Runners’ Prospect Mountain Road Race was held in person in May. AREEP continued reintroducing in-person races throughout the spring with Miles on the Mohawk in May and Dodge the Deer in June.

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2016

Nearly 500 runners took to the streets of Delmar for the annual Delmar Dash. The 2016 edition was colder than usual, with a coating of snow still on the ground—many runners wore hats and gloves! Winning times remained fast:

●      Eric Macknight of Ballston Lake won in 25:22, opening and closing with sub-5-minute miles to break open the field.

●      Julia Flower (17) of Schenectady won the women’s race in 29:35.

In May, over 7,500 runners participated in the CDPHP Workforce Team Challenge in downtown Albany, one of the largest road races in New York State. The men’s race was tight, with the top three finishing in 17:01 (Matt Brooker), 17:08 (Kieran O’Connor), and 17:10 (Eric Macknight). The women’s race was equally close: Renee Tolan, 41, of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central School District won in 20:18, followed by Erin Lopez of Skidmore College in 20:20, and Kimberly Milton in 21:05.

The 38th edition of the Freihofer’s Run for Women 5K saw the top two women—Brianne Nelson, 35, of Golden, CO (15:46) and Sara Hall, 33, of Redding, CA (15:56)—run sub-16 minutes on the challenging hills of Washington Park. Renee Tolan, 41, of Clifton Park finished 16th overall, earning top local and top master’s honors in 17:44.

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2011

Nice spring weather welcomed a record 719 runners to the 23rd annual Delmar Dash in early April. Husband-and-wife duo Aaron Robertson, 32, and Jodie Schoppmann, 26, of Altamont took top honors in 25:07 and 28:06, respectively. A total of 35 runners broke 30 minutes on the 5-mile course.

In May, over 1,200 runners finished the Cox Sports Marathon in Providence, RI. Many local runners made the trip, including Thomas O’Grady, 25, of Latham, who won with a then–course record of 2:31:25. The top woman, Emily Kroshus, 28, of Boston, also set a then–course record of 2:53:23.

The 40th edition of the Distinguished Service Road Race was held in June. One hundred fifty-one runners completed the course at UAlbany to honor Cathy Sliwinski’s service to the club. Top finishers were Thomas O’Grady (43:04) and Kristina Gracey (48:52). This marked O’Grady’s first of four wins at the event and Gracey’s first of three.

 

2006

In early April, 615 runners faced windy conditions at the 18th Annual Delmar Dash 5 Miler. Jamie Rodriquez, 25, of Albany won in 25:07, followed closely by Chuck Terry, 23, of Albany in 25:27. It was one of three Delmar Dash victories for Rodriquez, and his 25:07 was his fastest. Eileen Combs, 28, of Schenectady won the women’s side in 29:46, nearly two minutes ahead of runner-up Dana Peterson, 35, of Albany (31:41).

Jeff Foley of Delmar contributed a memorable write-up of the event (and the wind!) for the PaceSetter that year.
 Read it here: https://hmrrc.com/View/PDFs/Results/06ddarticle.htm

In May, runners took to the streets of Delmar again to honor mothers at the 26th Annual HMRRC 3.5 Mile Mother’s Day Race. Jill Perry, 35, of Manlius won in a swift 21:53. The top team was Phelps/Burnette: Judy Phelps (24:18) and Gina Burnetter (24:31) combined for a total time of 48:49, six minutes ahead of the nearest team.

A few days later, Lou DiNuzzo of the Colonie Police Department and Dana Peterson of UAlbany won the 26th GHI Workforce Team Challenge in 17:51 and 21:40, respectively. DiNuzzo, now a master’s ace, continues to finish near the top (and win) many major local races.

Read the Times Union Article on DiNuzzo’s win here: https://hmrrc.com/View/PDFs/Results/06ghiTU.htm

In June, Nike held the Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro, NC. Local standouts included John Malloy, who finished 4th in the 800 meters in 1:52.60. In the mile, Craig Forys (4:11.30) and Brian Rhodes-Devey (4:15.73) placed 6th and 7th. Greg Kelsey of Saratoga won the 2,000m steeplechase in 6:02.13. On the girls’ side, Lindsey Ferguson (6:45.56) and Hannah Davidson (6:58.79) of Saratoga finished 2nd and 3rd in the 2,000m steeplechase.

Out west at the Adidas Golden West Invitational in Folsom, CA, Nicole Blood of Saratoga ran 4:46.77 for 3rd place in the mile. The winner, 14-year-old Jordan Hasay, stole the show with the fastest high school girls’ mile of 2006—4:42.21—becoming the 11th-fastest high school miler ever. Many may recognize Jordan’s name now as a top U.S. distance runner.

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2001

In April, the Willow Street AC team traveled to Dedham, MA, for the USATF Championship 10K. The race was won in a blistering 28:45 by Stephen Kiogora of Kenya; the top six finishers all broke 30 minutes. Nick Conway of Albany was the top local finisher in 31:40 (18th overall). Willow Street AC placed 6th with a combined time of 2:42:39:

●      Nick Conway — 31:40

●      Peter Flynn — 32:13

●      Matt Yannone — 32:17

●      Brian O’Brien — 32:44

●      Jeff Greenberg — 33:45

May welcomed runners to the annual Corporate Challenge in downtown Albany. Peter Flynn and Tom Dalton dueled to the finish, with Flynn winning by just three seconds. On the women’s side, Emily Bryans won by nearly two minutes.

Top Men

1. Peter Flynn — General Electric — 17:18
2. Tom Dalton — NYS Higher Education Services — 17:21
3. John Casey — Dreyer Boyajian — 18:28
4. Nathan Hoffman — General Electric — 18:33
5. Charlie Casey — Union College — 18:35
6. Dave Twarog — Canteen Vending — 18:42

Top Women

1. Emily Bryans — Newkirk Products — 19:26
2. Molly Mitke — Air Products & Chemicals — 21:33
3. Judy Guzzo — General Electric — 22:01
4. Melissa Lynch — Policy Research Associates — 22:46
5. Chris Valley — Albany Medical Center — 23:05
6. Katie Roden — Einhorn Yaffe Prescott — 23:06

In June, nearly 3,000 runners finished the 23rd Freihofer’s Run for Women. The top three women broke 16 minutes, with Collette Liss, 28, of Indianapolis taking the win in 15:47. Lori Hewig, 41, of Schenectady finished 14th overall in 16:52, claiming top local and top master’s honors.

More than 147 mother-daughter teams competed. The top three:

1. Campbell E / Campbell K — 20:43 + 22:55 = 43:38
    (Erika Campbell, Kathleen Campbell)
2. Catalano R / Catalano C — 20:08 + 24:24 = 44:32
    (Renee Catalano, Cathy Catalano)
3. Irwin K / Wuerdeman T — 22:16 + 22:16 = 44:32
    (Kim Irwin, Teresa Wuerdeman)

In the USATF ADK Team Challenge, Willow Street AC took the win:

1. Willow Street AC — 16:52 + 17:13 + 18:58 (21:04) = 53:03
    (Lori Hewig, Emily Bryans, Vikki McKane, Sarah Claridge)

Nearly 100 sister-sister teams competed, with top finishes from:

1. Swarts H / Swarts H — 17:27 + 17:42 = 35:09
    (Heather Swarts, Heidi Swarts)
2. LaFrano T / LaFrano J — 19:07 + 19:17 = 38:24
    (Tracey LaFrano, Julie LaFrano)
3. Kramer J / Kramer S — 18:36 + 21:13 = 39:49
    (Jennifer Kramer, Stacy Kramer)

As we look back on these spring seasons, we’re reminded of the resilience, camaraderie, and competitive spirit that define our local running community. From snow-dusted starts to record-breaking finishes, from the return of in-person racing to the emergence of future stars, these moments capture what makes our region’s running scene so special. Here’s to many more springs of fast times, shared miles, and lasting memories.