Pace Setter : April 2026

O’Grady wins EC 10k; Fleet Feet Shines at RoTG

O’Grady wins EC 10k; Fleet Feet Shines at ROTG by Mark Mindel

The unofficial start to Spring road racing in the Capital District got underway with two big March races: the Electric City 10k at Rivers Casino, March 7 and the Running of the Green 5k the following weekend at Schalmont HS, March 14th.

Our Pacesetter editor, Thomas O’Grady bested the field at the EC10k with a big win in 34:50,averaging 5:37 per mile and edging out younger runners Tom Slicer, age 31, from Oneonta and Tyer Morrissey, 29, from Clifton Park. Slicer clocked in at 34:56 with Morrissey at 34:57.

O’Grady, a 2003 Colonie HS grad who got his Biology degree from RPI and graduate degrees in public health and epidemiology from UAlbany, turned 40 last June and was coming off a nice performance at the Houston Marathon in January where he was the 2nd Overall Master’s runner at 2:30:20. Tom is looking ahead to the 2026 Boston Marathon.

The women’s race was nearly as close with the top three runners only 17 seconds apart. Becca Ades, 41, a Tufts University grad, from Sunnyside (Brooklyn) NY, won with a new PR of 38:13, a 6:09 pace. Annabel Gregg, 24 from Albany was second in 38:22. with Michelle Merlis hitting the podium third in 38:30. The race was timed by Michelle’s husband, Josh, who owns ARE Event Productions.

Ades is originally from Burlington, VT and serves as President of the North Brooklyn Runners.

Both O’Grady and Ades scored similar Age Graded results with Tom at 78.6 % and Becca at 78.7 %.

1029 runners finished this year’s EC 10k.

The 46th running of the ROTG 5k was held at Schalmont HS in Rotterdam and once again dominated by Fleet Feet Racing Teams led by the husband and wife trio of Ryan and Cara Udvadia; Austin and Karina Turner; and John and Tricia Longo.

Individually, Fleet Feet took five of the top Men’s eight spots with Ryan winning his third straight ROTG title in 15:31/ 5:00 followed by Devin Ackerly in 15:44; Austin Turner, 4th in 15:51; John Longo, 7th in 16:41; and Ben Fazio who is the chief operator of Fleet Feet Malta and Albany, 8th in 16:41.

For the Fleet Feet women, Cara won her third title in the last four years in 16:53/ 5:26; followed by Kerry Flower, 2nd in 17:20; Trish Longo, 3rd in 17:41; Karen Bertasso Hughes, 4th in 18:00; and Karina Bolton, 6th in 18:27.

Shaun Donegan was third overall for the men in 15:44 and the Master’s winner. Nicole Moslander, was fifth overall for the women in 18:21. Bertasso Hughes was the women’s Masters winner.

ROTG kicks off the USATF Grand Prix circuit and offers unique coed team money prizes. The top team winners: Fleet Feet A, Willow A, ARE A, Fleet Feet B, and Fleet Feet C.

 

Prize money awards for the teams was:

1st $375. Fleet Feet A.

2nd $300. Willow A.

3rd $250. ARE A.

4th $225 Fleet Feet B. and

5th $200. Fleet Feet C.

 

 

Mark Mindel is a long-time runner, coach and track official. He won the Montreal Marathon in 1979 and he founded the Schenectady Stockade-athon, winning three of the first four and running the first 43 consecutively. Mark was recently inducted into the Greater Capital Region Track HOF and is currently a Fleet Feet Vikings Marathon Coach.