A Run for the
Mountains, celebrating the Catskill’s Fall Colors;
Lew Beach, NY -- The third annual
Beaverkill Mountain Road Race took place Sunday, October 11th in the
Beaverkill Valley near Lew Beach, NY. 96 runners lined up on a frosty
30 degree morning for the ½ marathon and 5k courses which start
at the historic Beaverkill Valley Inn on running routes that take
participants through peak fall colors and beautiful countryside.
The ½ marathon, a
challenging, mountainous course over Shin Creek Road was won by Tim
Decker of the NY Flyers running club in 1:33:28 – Tim, the event’s
defending champion, has now won the race 3 years in a row.
The first female finisher was also
from the NY Flyers- Monika Gross crossed the finish line at
1:56:01. 2nd and 3rd place men were Alex Ackermann and Nick Jackson
respectively. Female 2nd and 3rd place winners were Diana Tulley and
Katherine Rogers.
In the 5k division, Livingston
Manor Central School student, Neal Mock, only 15 years old, won the
race in 19:38. He was followed by Paul Barnett and Matt Jackson in 2nd
and 3rd places. The first female finisher in the 5k was Anastasia
Stekes in 24:15 followed by 2nd and 3rd place women, Montana Azzolini
and Sophie Barnett.
11 of the top 15 runners in this
year’s main competitions were under the age of 18. Prior to the start
of the ½ marathon and 5k events, 50 children kicked off the day
of festivities with the kids’ fun runs. Age group heats raced mad
dashes on the lawn of the Beaverkill Valley Inn, vying for fun prizes.
The family oriented day celebrates the beauty of the Catskills and aims
to encourage kids of all ages to participate in the sport of running.
Post-race, runners and their
guests were treated to an outdoor brunch by the host, The Beaverkill
Valley Inn, as well as organic bamboo t-shirts. Prizes were donated by
local businesses including Hamish & Henry Booksellers, Willow &
Brown, Morgan Outdoors, CAS Arts Center and Snowdance Farms. Each year,
the race seeks to raise awareness and funds for local non-profits. This
year, proceeds benefited the Catskill Mountainkeeper, headquartered in
Youngsville, NY. Catskill Mountainkeeper is an advocacy organization
working to protect the scenic Catskill region which is so important to
area runners and other outdoor enthusiasts. Donations were also made to
the Beaverkill Valley Volunteer Fire Department, whose members
volunteer their time to help along the course providing safety, water
stations and organizational assistance. The Livingston Manor Volunteer
Ambulance Corp was also on hand to make sure all runners finished
safely.
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