By Clay Shaw
Photography by Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell

Baltimore, MD, Celtic Solstice 5 Miler, December 17, 2022—Julia Roman-Duval of Columbia, MD continued her winning ways after winning the Baltimore Marathon in October. Roman-Duval, now a master, was the fastest woman in the race by two minutes, winning in 29:05. James Heilman of Lutherville, MD also had a solo run into the finish line, winning by 50 seconds in 26:21.

The Year of the Firebird was the theme of the 2022 event. The race, started by Jim Adams in 2000, attracted 123 finishers in its first year. Karen Menge and Jim Adams have now become “race directors emeritus,” passing the event on to Corrigan Sports Enterprises for the 2022 running. The event continues in Druid Hill Park with its usual bagpipes, Irish wolfhounds, hot soup, hot spiced Wassail, hot coffee and chocolate, and Christmas ornament awards. Staging a race in mid-December has had its blizzard years in 2009 and 2016. This year it was cool but not cold, and very sunny. 2266 finished the race, with many participants dressed in Christmas merriment and ugly sweaters.

Meaghan Murray of Baltimore was second in 31:30. Nicole Dawson of Arnold, MD was third in 31:54. Jody Berinato of Parkville, MD was fourth and Sherry Stick of Sykesville, MD was fifth in 32:29. There were three master runners in the top five with Roman-Duval, Berinato, and Stick.

Paul Hugus of Columbia, MD was second in 27:11. Calvin Ong of Baltimore was third in 27:27, Kevin Ford of Baltimore was fourth in 27:57, and William Tripp of Carlisle, PA was fifth in 28:06. Robert Piper of Baltimore was top master and twelfth overall in 28:56. Jason Tripp of Columbia, MD was tops in the fifties group in 30:10. 2002 overall champion Greg Cauller of York, PA top the sixty-year-old in 34:15. Eugene Myers of Columbia, 70, ran 36:19 to top the age group.

Suzanne Hurst of Baltimore was the tops in the fifties in 35:15 among women and was fifteenth. Bonnie Stoeckl of Pequea, PA ran 39:33 to place first among the sixties.

Top Women

1. 29:05 Julia Roman-Duval, 40, Columbia, MD
2. 31:30 Meaghan Murray, 34, Baltimore, MD
3. 31:54 Nicole Dawson, 28, Arnold, MD
4. 32:15 Jody Berinato, 41, Parkville, MD
5. 32:29 Sherry Stick, 44, Sykesville, MD
6. 32:44 Jessica Brennan, 31, Baltimore, MD
7. 32:49 Courtney Wallace, 25, Baltimore, MD
8. 33:47 Grace Duffy, 28, Baltimore, MD
9. 34:33 Maggie Winstead, 18, Baltimore, MD
10. 34:36 Kate Deanehan, 45, Baltimore, MD

Top Men

1. 26:21 James Heilman, 27, Lutherville, MD
2. 27:11 Paul Hugus, 38, Columbia, MD
3. 27:27 Calvin Ong, 25, Baltimore, MD
4. 27:57 Kevin Ford, 35, Baltimore, MD
5. 28:06 William Tripp, 20, Carlisle, PA
6. 28:22 Ryan Fan, 25, Baltimore, MD
7. 28:30 Zachary Simmons, 28, Lancaster, PA
8. 28:32 Arthur Leathers, 32, Walkersville, MD
9. 28:36 Connor Todd, 25, Baltimore, MD
10. 28:36 Andrew Erickson, 27, Frederick, MD

Categories: Race Coverage

Tags: 2022, Celtic Solstice, Celtic Solstice 5 Miler, Corrigan Sports Enterprises, CSE