Pace Setter : January 2026

Fleet Feet Elite Women Shine at CIM

FLEET FEET ELITE WOMEN SHINE AT CIM - By Mark Mindel 

 

Local Fleet Feet Elite Women’s team runners Cara Udvadia, Karen Bertasso Hughes, and Tricia Longo delivered outstanding performances at the California International Marathon (CIM) in Sacramento, CA, on December 7. All three athletes posted times that now place them in the top ten on the Greater Capital Region Track and Cross Country All-Time Marathon list—with Cara ranked 3rd, Karen 8th, and Tricia 10th.

Cara turned in a tremendous 2:38:17 performance, knocking nearly nine minutes off her previous personal best while averaging a 6:02 pace. She ran a strong, consistent race, splitting 78:27 for the first half and returning in 79:50. In a fun twist, she finished just eight seconds ahead of her former University at Albany teammate Hannah Reinhardt, who debuted with an excellent 2:38:25 and now resides in Denver, CO. Udvadia, 28, competed locally at Mohonasen as Cara Sherman before starring at UAlbany and is married to local running standout Ryan Udvadia.

 

Karen, age 41, “eeked out” a hard-earned PR of 2:41:15 in her fifth CIM appearance, finishing 5th among Masters Women. Remarkably, this marks her third 2:41 effort on the CIM course. Recently inducted into the HMRRC Hall of Fame, Bertasso Hughes previously competed for Scotia High School and Union College before making her mark on the Capital District roads.

Tricia, 36, also delivered a breakthrough performance, clocking a big PR of 2:45:31 and doing so with impressive negative splits—84:30 for the first half and 81:01 for the second. Longo competed locally as Tricia Wardwell while running for Shenendehowa.

Congratulations to these three outstanding athletes on their exceptional accomplishments out West! We look forward to seeing more great performances from them and the rest of the Fleet Feet Elite squad in 2026.

Mark Mindel is a long-time runner, coach, and track official. He won the 1979 Montreal Marathon and founded the Schenectady Stockade-athon, winning three of the first four editions and completing the race’s first 43 consecutive years. He was recently inducted into the Greater Capital Region Track Hall of Fame and currently serves as a Fleet Feet Vikings Marathon Coach.