By Nathan Mayberg
MONTICELLO — August 3, 2004 – With springs in their legs and hearts full of determination, 153 runners crossed the finish line on Sunday morning in the 25th annual Monticello Rotary Club’s Monster 10K race. Another 144, ranging in ages 6-84, competed in the 5K “Baby Monster” event.
Anthony Calingo, 20-year-old from Congers and a student the United States Military Academy at West Point, won the gut-quenching 10K competition. He battled steep hills, and a stiff challenge by John Ferris, to win Sullivan County’s premiere running event by 13 seconds. His official time was 37:36.
Calingo called the Monster “a tough course” and noted that it was “nicely set up.”
The victory was Calingo’s second in a 10K event. He plans is to run in an upcoming Army 10-mile race in Washington D.C. He also intends to compete in the New York City and Boston marathons in the next few months.
The first place woman in the Monster 10K was Suzanne La Burt of Greenwood Lake. She finished 10th overall on the 6.2 mile course. Her time was 41:06.
The fastest Sullivan County runner in the event was Jeremy Mathsen, of Grahamsville. The 18-year-old was eight overall, transversing the course in a time of 40:45.
The most fleet of foot among Sullivan County women was Jean Norton, who is a resident of Wurtsboro. She completed the will-challenging 10K course in 42:06 and finished 13th overall. She was the second fastest woman in the entire race.
The 5K Baby Monster was literally a neck and neck battle between Asad Mohammad and Terrence Fox. Mohammad, 20, edged out Fox, 18, by one second in the final strides. Mohammad’s winning time was 18:16.
Mohammad, who hails from Middletown, said he “didn’t plan to win.”
“I planned to run at a tempo pace, but I kept coming close to the leader,” said Mohammad, who attends Binghamton University.
He eventually hooked up with Fox near the last half mile. In a dazzling performance, they sprinted all the way to the finish line.
Lisa Strine of Cornwall was the top woman finisher in the 5K race. Her winning time was 20:02. She finished eighth place overall, just one second out of seventh place.
Derek Smith of Neversink was the top male Sullivan County finisher in the 5K event. He was sixth overall, finishing the course in a time of 19:51.
Catherine Madnick was fastest Sullivan County woman in the 5K. She was second quickest among the women who ran in the event. Her time was 21:02, which was 12th overall.
Bob Barrett of Smallwood was the first place walker in the 5K event with a time of 32:02. He placed 89th in the overall results, which included both runners and walkers.
Barrett notched two gold medals at last week’s Empire State Games, which were held in Binghamton. This is the 14th straight year Barrett has won gold medals in walking events at the games.
Orshii Boldiis, President of the Monticello Rotary Club and the race director, announced that the proceeds from the Monster and Baby Monster will go towards a new 16-foot clock to be placed in front of the United States Post Office in Monticello. The club will also contribute funds to the Ethel B. Crawford Library in Monticello.
The clock will be in commemoration of the village’s bicentennial, which will be celebrated later this month.
Tom Manza, President of the Sullivan Striders Club, thanked Boldiis for pouring his “heart and soul into this.” Also helping out was Monticello Rotary member Les Kristt, who announced the award winners at the ceremony following the races.
Following are the top 10 Sullivan County male and female finishers in the Monster 10K race. Listed with their names, time and place of residence is their overall places.
Sullivan County
Top 10 Men
Jeremy Mathsen, Grahamsville, 8th, 40:45
Tom Manza, Rock Hill, 12th, 41:48.
Benjamin Schussler, Hurleyville, 15th, 42:16
Erik Sellstrom, Liberty, 17th, 42:29
Michael Bassett, Rock Hill, 19th, 43:16
Pastor Ramos, Swan Lake, 23rd, 44:19
Edwin Robisch, Jeffersonville, 31st, 45:44
Alexander Levine, Monticello, 35th, 46:19
Paul Maopolski, Rock Hill, 41st, 48:00
Jerry Murphy, Jeffersonville, 44th, 48:23

Sullivan County
Top 10 Women
Jean Norton, Wurtsboro, 13th, 42:06
Lyndsay Loos, Grahamsville, 58th, 50:21
Alyra Melchert, Hurleyville, 85th, 53:25
Dee Maopolski - Rock Hill, 91st, 54:13
Pamela Rourke, Swan Lake, 93rd, 54:54
Anagabrele Loor, Thompsonville, 113th, 57:58
Majorie Lawton, Bloomingburg, 114th, 57:59
Mary-Alice Waters, Roscoe, 121st, 59:28
MaryAnn Dowling, Rock Hill, 131st, 1:03:23
Gladys Nieves, Rock Hill, 132nd, 1:04:06