By Rob Potter
FORESTBURGH — For the second straight year, more than 100 runners and walkers from across Sullivan County and beyond made their way to Forestburgh to support a great cause.
The 120 runners and walkers who finished the second annual Forestburgh 5K last Saturday morning got a great workout and helped Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, Inc. – which will receive all of the proceeds from the event.
The official starter for the race was Stuart Salenger.
The race was held in honor of Betty Salenger and in memory of Kathleen Galligan and Thomas Woods.
On Monday, Dr. Gary Berson, who was one of the race coordinators, noted that due to a race course error, the event was not a true 5K. The actual distance of the race was 4.5K.
“Of course, we will be more vigilant about marking the course better next year,” he said. “The great news is that we will net about $14,000 to $15,000 for Hospice, which is more than last year.”
The runners and walkers began their trek where Lake Joseph Road and Adam Road converge near the Lake Joseph Estates. The course took them around picturesque Lake Joseph.
Tim Billias of Rock Hill won the race in a time of 16 minutes, 25 seconds.
William Berger of Staten Island and James Dzurica of Monticello placed second and third, respectively. Berger’s time was 16:39, while Dzurica crossed the finish line in 17:06.
Billias, a 2003 Monticello Central School graduate, won the race for the second consecutive year. He took 1:30 off his winning time from 2007.
“It’s nice to have all of these people come out and support the race and its cause this year,” Billias said.
He noted that the course is “really nice.”
When asked if he would compete next year and try to make it three wins in a row, Billias was quick to reply.
“Definitely,” he said.
Shona Sneddon of Blooming Grove was the first woman to finish. She ran the course in 20:34 to place 13th overall.
Karen Gorr of Hortonville was second in the Overall Female division with a time of 23:02. Myriam Loor of Thompsonville was third in the division in 23:47.
Sneddon did not compete in last year’s inaugural event, but she really enjoyed running on Saturday.
“This is a nice race,” she said. “It’s a scenic course. I like that you go off-road for a little bit.”
Sneddon was referring to the 1/4-mile portion of the course which is a grass path near the woods. That section of the course is far different than the hard blacktopped road on which the rest of the event is contested.
She also liked the topography of the course.
“There were some hills, which was nice,” Sneddon commented. “I like a course with hills because when you run a flat course, all you see is the road in front of you and it feels like you’ll never reach the finish line.”
Complete race results are as follows:
Overall Male
1. Tim Billias, Rock Hill, 16:25; 2. William Berger, Staten Island, 16:39; 3. James Dzurica, Monticello, 17:06
Overall Female
1. Shona Sneddon, Blooming Grove, 20:34; 2. Karen Gorr, Hortonville, 23:02; 3. Myriam Loor, Thompsonville, 23:47
Male 12-15
1. Nickolas Borodam, Massapequa, 20:51; 2. Ross Kiel, Middletown, 24:22; 3. Justin Trinity, Annandale, N.J., 24:44
Female 12-15
1. Mackenzie Gallagher, Doylestown, Pa., 28:33; 2 Carly Kane, Doylestown, Pa., 29:48
Male 16-19
1. Kevin O’Rourke, Monticello, 20:18
Female 16-19
1. Tiffany Mack, Rock Hill, 36:03; 2. Alexandra Scott, Orangeburg, 53:09
Male 20-29
1. Konstantin Borada, Massapequa, 17:16; 2. Zach Weinman, Jeffersonville, 18:03; 3 Joey LeVecchia, Forestburgh, 26:51
Female 20-29
1. Sheila Miller, Highland Falls, 23:53; 2. Erica Pagels, Woodridge, 25:50; 3. Carol Green, Monticello, 35:31
Male 30-39
1. Michael Williams, Washingtonville, 18:46; 2. Matthew Side, Mongaup Valley, 19:46; 3 Andrew Kalter, South Fallsburg, 21:05
Female 30-39
1. Cristina Demeo, Hawley, Pa. 25:16; 2. Heather Bennett, Slingerlands, 30:29; 3. Lauren Cooke, Rock Hill, 41:22
Male 40-49
1. Joe Trinity, Annandale, 19:57; 2. Boris Borada, Massapequa, 20:27; 3. Glenn Horton, Woodbourne, 23:25
Female 40-49
1. Sharon Zimmerman, Woodbourne, 24:44; 2. Nancy Figueroa, Grahamsville, 26:41; 3. Sharon Lehr, Stamford, Conn., 27:17
Male 50-59
1. Tom Manza, Monticello, 17:48; 2. Peter Weinman, Jeffersonville, 19:25; 3. Jordan Goldstein, Forestburgh, 30:30
Female 50-59
1. Eileen Wohltzen, Hurleyville, 26:21; 2. Florence Braun, Santa Monica, Calif., 27:13; 3. Rachel Gordon, New York City, 30:25
Male 60-69
1. Phil Peelor, Middletown, 22:06; 2. Carl Amaditz, Forestburgh, 28:15; 3 Martin Handler, Jeffersonville, 32:07
Female 60-69
1. Stella Pelc, Holbrook, 38:20; 2. Judy Green, Monticello, 39:45; 3. Hilda Lehr, Forestburgh, 47:46
Male 70-79
1. Bob Barrett, Smallwood, 34:35; 2 Robert Mitchell, Woodbourne, 38:21; 3. Bernie Berson, Sterlington, 40:27
Female 70-79
1. Mary Heinle, White Sulphur Springs, 33:17
Female 80-89
1. Kelly Desmond, Claryville, 43:12