RunVassar was well represented in the northeast on Thanksgiving Day 2008.
In New York, Vassar cross country captains Anthony Lucero (09) and Laura Coogan (09) ran in the 31st annual Garden City Turkey Trot. Lucero finished the 5 mile race strongly running 27:14 to finish 5/2307. Coogan, who was accompanied on the run by her younger brother and her father ran a smooth race, keeping the pace easy and finishing 131st with a time of 34:22.
Meanwhile, in Rhode Island, fellow Vassar cross country captain and RunVassar President Andrew Utas (09) and Brittany Davis (11) participated in the 23rd Newport Pie Run. Utas finished 10/1100 in 29:04. Davis ran with an old friend who was marking her return to racing after a nearly fatal automobile collision. Still, she paced her friend to a 43:01 finish -- good enough for 509th place. The race was won by Brown University cross country's Patrick Tarpy who finished in 24:38. His finish bested the efforts of Matt Pelletier and Bronson Venable, two up-and-coming runners who finished 19th at the 2008 USA marathon olympic trials and won the 2007 Rhode Island high school championship respectively.
Cross country co-captain and RunVassar President Jamie Anderson capped off his 2007 season with a solid finish at the 10th Annual First Night Run at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. Anderson completed the 5k course in 19:16 to finish 44th in the 976 runner field. Greg Kelsey, a cross country runner for the University of Maryland, won the race in 15:15. Marist College cross country standout Dave Raucci finished third in 15:33. Hannah Davidson, a national-caliber senior from Saratoga High School won the women's competition in 17:52, beating teammate Cassie Goutos by 47 seconds.
Ali Jamil '10 headed over to Lagrangeville, NY (his hometown) Thanksgiving morning to compete in the Arlington Turkey Trot's 5 mile race. The event also included a 25k (15.5 miles). Jamil's time of 28:55.50 was good for 9th place in the field of 297 runners. The race was won by 24 year-old Andy Allstadt of Endicott, NY in 26:08, while the top female finisher was Marisa Hanson, 44, of Pleasant Valley, NY who ran 30:12.19 for the win.
RunVassar Treasurer Alex Booth '09 finished 29th at the YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase Turkey Chase 10k in Bethesda, MD Thanksgiving morning. Booth covered the 6.2 mile course in 38:29 (6:12 mile pace) to finish 29th of 3318 runners, and 4th of 206 in his age group. The race was won by Jan Forester, a 24 year-old out of North Bethesda, MD, in a time of 33:01 (5:19 pace). The top female finisher was Aileen Conlon who ran 37:29 for the win.