by Tom Walski
LEHMAN, PA, March 17, 2019—It was widely understood that Randy Haas’s 1987 course record of 22:44 for the rolling 39th Winter’s End 4.5 mile course would last forever. But 22-year-old Sean Luzzi, who wasn’t even born when Haas set the record, apparently didn’t get the message and charged after the record from the gun. He just missed by nine seconds even though he was not pushed during the race. Second place Robert Moulton, who had been winning a lot of the local races recently, was a minute and a half back.
If Luzzi’s winning margin was big, women’s winner Alana Jacaruso’s 4:23 margin over second place women Amy Rome was huge. But she was still nearly a minute off Marina Orrson Martino’s course record set in 2016.
As usual, this race featured some excellent age-group results and competition. Paul Shaffer, George Dunbar, and Greg Bassham moved up to the 50-, 55-, and 60-year age groups respectively and all won their age groups convincingly. On the women’s side, 52-year-old Rome’s 31:24 and 66-year-old Patti Turissini’s 35:13 were the best quality age-group times. The men’s 60-64 age group was the most popular with 12 finishers.
Weather conditions were typical for this Wyoming Valley Striders race over a mix of pavement and (muggy) gravel roads with a brisk wind and 32-degree temperatures. At least the sun shone on the 141 finishers.
With the race being held on St. Patrick’s Day roughly half the runners celebrated by wearing green.
Categories: Race Coverage
Runner's Gazette 