By Ted Waddell
JEFFERSONVILLE — August 12, 2003 – It was a bit like running in a hot shower, said many of the 94 competitors during Saturday morning’s annual Jeff 5K, as humid weather ruled the day.
The race fielded 80 runners and 14 walkers.
But the humidity didn’t stop little 8-year-old Alissa Nowak from finishing 52nd overall with a time of 27:15, just a shade under 11 minutes behind first place finisher Keith Johnson, 42, of Washingtonville (16:23).
Nowak started running last year, and is now the points leader in the 12 years old and under division in the Hudson Valley Grand Prix. (A number of area running events held spring through fall are included in the Grand Prix standings.)
Asked why she decided to begin running, Nowak replied, “I don’t know, I just like to run. It feels fun.”
April Ackermann, a 15-year-old competitor from Cochecton, had a good reason to run on Saturday. It got her out of milking cows and doing a few other early morning chores around the family farm.
She was the first woman to cross the finish line at 21:02. Her time was 17th overall.
Ackermann started running in the seventh grade and expects to be taking classes as a sophomore in the new Sullivan West Central School next month. She is coached by
George Shakelton.
“I like to run because it’s good exercise, and I like it when I come in first,” she said. “I live on a farm, and do everything – from driving tractors to milking the cows. Running gives me a respite. I love farming, but it’s fun to get away.”
Forty-six year old Gary Cochrane, who resides in Cochecton, also has his reasons for competing.
Wearing his trademark red, white and blue head wrap, he finished 57th overall with a time of 28:20.
Reflecting on the recent River Road 5K and the Callicoon Canoe Regatta on the Delaware River, followed by the Jeff 5K, Cochrane said, “A lot of people see Americans as weak and soft, and this is way of disproving that.”
“It’s important to show people that Americans are not a bunch of couch potatos, not even in a little corner of Sullivan County.”
The 2003 Jeff Jam 5K marked his 18th race of the year. Two more, and Cochrane racks up a total of 20 and gets an Ironman Award from an out-of-county daily newspaper.
Sandra Calkin, 20, broke the electronic beam at 31:13 to finish 69th overall. After the race, she cooled down with a bottle of spring water and an apple.
She graduated from Sullivan West at Delaware Valley in 2002 and is currently taking pre-med courses at Binghamton University.
“There’s nothing to do at college, so I started running,” said Calkin, who played basketball and soccer at SW/DV beginning in the seventh grade.
The Jeff Jam 5K was her third race – ever. She recently competed in the River Road 5K in Callicoon and “The Monster” race in Monticello.
Calkin said her uncle Craig Schumacher “got me into it” as he is part of a group of runners who compete in the local circuit of races.
Ian Parnett of Swan Lake, a 17-year-old senior at Sullivan West, finished in second place.
He’s been running since the fourth grade, and is now coached by George Shakelton, whom he called “a great coach.”
Parnett said “peer pressure” started his carrer as a runner, but after a while all of his friends dropped out of the demanding sport.
“But I didn’t want to quit, I wanted to stick with it,” he said.
His take on the Jeff Jam 5K?
“I led for a while, but then my coach would tell you I had a mental letdown.”
The top finishers in each of the age categories are as follows:
Overall Female
1. April Ackermann, Cochecton, 21:02; 2. Virginia Layton, Equinunk, Pa., 21:49; 3. Amanda Ward, Jeffersonville, 22:24.
Overall Male
1. Keith Johnson, Washingtonville, 16:23; 2. Ian Parnett, Swan Lake, 17:19; 3. George Shakelton, Hancock, 17:33.
Overall Walker
1. Lisa Mathern, Livingston Manor, 41:44, 2. Jill Hubert-Simon, 45:32; 3. Betty Hubert, 45:39.
12 and Under Female
1. Ruthie Rosenberger, Lancaster, 22:35; 2. Alissa Nowak, Middletown, 27:15; 3. Tara Kaplan, Grahamsville, 45:07.
13-15 Female
1. Jamie Clifford, Jeffersonville, 23:45; 2. Eleanor Bryan, Jeffersonville, 28:40; 3. Kaiti Moloney, Jeffersonville, 45:59.
13-15 Male
1. Trevor Kreznar, Callicoon Center, 19:28; 2. Matt Gain, Kenoza Lake, 20:20; 3. Michael Kaplan, Grahamsville, 21:15.
16-19 Female
1. Katie Morton, Bloomingburg, 24:24.
16-19 Male
1. Kyle Layton, Equinunk, Pa., 18:48; 2. Brent Rose, Kenoza Lake, 20:03; 3. Jonathan Fanning, Youngsville, 21:21.
20-29 Female
1. Selena Ferrara, Livingston Manor, 25:35; 2. Sandra Calkin, Callicoon, 31:13.
20-29 Male
1. Mark Nicoletti, 23:46; 2. Neil Snedeker, 28:44.
30-39 Female
1. Kerry Buckley, Liberty, 22:37; 2. Camille Creary, Monticello, 26:13; 3. Tammy Franke, Callicoon, 26:43.
30-39 Male
1. Andy McKean, Jeffersonville, 18:19; 2. Jeff Carman, Swan Lake, 19:11; 3. Erick Sellstrom, Liberty, 19:15.
40-49 Female
1. Lisa Layman, Jeffersonville, 26:43; 2. Donna Delosh Feeney, Youngsville, 27:29; 3. JoAnn Dean, Neversink, 27:42.
40-49 Male
1. Ted DeLaunnay, Chester, 17:38; 2. Bill Schneider, 19:31; 3. Steve Holmbraker, Middletown, 19:45.
50-59 Female
1. Pam Rosenberger, Lancaster, 29:39; 2. Eileen Wohltzen, Hurleyville, 29:52; 3. Beverly Garzon, Parksville, 31:37.
50-59 Male
1. Ken Lohmeyer, 19:33; 2. Jerry Murphy, Callicoon, 21:49. 3. Craig Schumaker, Callicoon, 23:19.
60 and Over
1. Phil Brennan, Chester, 24:57; 2. Peter Plagens, Callicoon Center, 33:05; 3. Danielle Hilson, Callicoon Center, 34:50.