Not Half Bad ... Newtown Runners Shine In Half Marathon
Not Half Bad ... Newtown Runners Shine In Half Marathon
By Andy Hutchison
FAIRFIELD â Led by Kevin Hoytâs 11th-place finish, Newtown had quite a showing at the annual Stratton Faxon Fairfield Half Marathon on June 26. Among 3,473 runners to complete the 13.1-mile course were several Newtown running enthusiasts.
The race, which started and finished at Jennings Beach, was won by Ethiopiaâs Kumsa Adugna, who finished in a time of 1:04:40. Not far behind was one of Newtownâs own as the 21-year-old Hoyt came across in 1:16:07. Hoyt, running in his first half marathon, was third in the male 20â29 age category.
Known for its hills, the Fairfield race wasnât anything Hoyt wasnât used to since he is accustomed to running in hilly Newtown. âI really didnât start hurting until about mile 11,â he said. âItâs a good feeling to finish it.â
Hoyt, who averaged a 5:49 mile, may have done better than almost every other participant but he said he didnât run quite as well as he had hoped, and looks forward to improving his pace at upcoming races, including the Firecracker Road Race in Bethel on July 4. Hoyt will be a senior at Keene State College in Keene, N.H., where he runs track and cross country.
Newtownâs John Echavarria and Lou Garguilo were part of the first place team in the Police/Fire Division of the half marathon. Both men spent most of the winter training at the Newtown Youth Academy.
It was a family affair for several Newtown participants as the Begg family of husband and wife runners Bill and Leah ran along with children Erin and Billy. The mother-daughter duo of Maryann and Rachel Fisher came across the finish line side-by-side.
Newtown/Sandy Hook runners who finished within, or right at, the two-hour mark are as follows: Dan Germain, 1:35:45; Justin Viau, 1:39:57; Martin Ziemnicki, 1:42:38; Emily Snayd, 1:42:42; Chris McDonnell, 1:43:09; Mara Scallon, 1:44:02; Laura Nowacki, 1:44:47; Christina Caron, 1:45:54; Cynthia Degirolamo, 1:50:14; Lai Sun, 1:50:34; Karen Alexander, 1:51:36; Leah Begg, 1:53:07; Lisa Manca, 1:53:22; Erin Begg, 1:53:46; Holly Walczak, 1:55:11; Kathleen Weatherby, 1:55:29; Lucille Rossi, 1:55:47; Megan Gagnon, 1:56:23; Richard Lynn, 1:56:34; Tucker Grose, 1:57:39; Alison Cordova, 1:57:46; Elizabeth OâConnell, 1:57:54; Sally Maurer, 1:58:20; Sheilah Krasnickas, 2:00:03; Michelina Disibio, 2:00:49.