Quite A Race — Rooster Run Features 450-Plus Finishers

The 38th Annual 5K Rooster Run/Walk brought out more than 450 fitness enthusiasts — some ultra-competitive, others not so serious — on a perfect-for-anything-outside 72-degree morning this past Saturday.

Watertown’s Tom Woermer, 19, led a field of 457 participants by finishing the 3.1-mile course — which started and finished at Fairfield Hills — in a time of 16:13. Newtown’s fastest finisher was 48-year-old David Oelberg, who placed fourth overall in a time of 18:36.

Hometowners among the top ten overall included sixth-place finisher Tucker Grose, 22, who completed the course in a time of 18:56, seventh-place runner Thomas Kelly, 47, of Sandy Hook (19:02), and eighth-place finisher Tyler Dullinger, 14, also of Sandy Hook (19:19).

The fastest female runner was Newtown’s own Katie Burns, 17, who narrowly beat out fellow Newtowner Hannah Schwartz, 14, as they placed 20th and 21st with times of 20:18 and 20:19.

Among the town’s age female category winners were: Chi Rider, 39, who came in first in the 30-39 year old age group in a time of 20:33; Michelle Greenspan, 42, who won the 40-49 grouping, also in a time of 20:33; Anne Francis, 62, who was fastest among those 60 and older, completing the course in 25:52. Among the male category winners were: Michael Greenspan, 12, who was first in the 1-13 age group in 20:00; Tyler Dullinger, 14, who won the 14-18 group in 19:19; Grose, who won the 19-29 category; and John Faircloth, 39, who took top honors in the 30-39 grouping in a time of 20:22.

Race director Mark Gerace said this year’s run featured the best turnout he has seen in his five years of running the event.

The Rooster Run, in the past, had been held in mid-May and it was moved in an effort to not interfere with the school and youth spring sports schedules, yet be offered before more people go on summer vacations, he said.

Race proceeds benefit the Newtown Scholarship Association.

For complete race results, visit www.plattsys.com.