Over 200 runners, enthusiastic supporters and dedicated volunteers gathered on the Lehigh Valley Trail in Mendon on Sunday, August 24th, for the fourteenth annual Black Diamond Express Half Marathon and 5K Trail Races. This year’s event drew one of the largest fields in the 14-year history of the races with runners coming from as far away as Chicago, IL to challenge themselves and support this local cause. Proceeds from the races support the Mendon Foundation, a regional non-profit that helps maintain the Lehigh Valley Trail and preserves and protects several natural open spaces in the Mendon community for all to enjoy.
In thanking those who helped the event run so smoothly, race organizer Fran Celona noted that this was “one of the most successful races out of the 14 we have run so far.” In addition to the steadfast team of Mendon Foundation volunteers like Bonnie Coddington and Bud Grindle, who prepared the course and water stations in advance of the race, others who helped out on the day of the race included Chaos for a Cause, CougarTech Robotics, members of the RIT Mens Cross Country Team, as well as the HFL Cross Country Team. New sponsors this year included: Pat’s Pigs BBQ and Catering, Jessica Chevrolet, Parrish Dental Care and Wegmans, among others. Rochester Running Company handled the timing and scoring of the participants. Results are available here
The race retraces a portion of the route of the Lehigh Valley Railroad’s famed luxury train “The Black Diamond Express” which whisked passengers from New York City to Buffalo from 1896 to 1959. Half Marathon racers took to the scenic 13.1-mile course at 8:00 a.m. and by 12 p.m. the last of the competitors had crossed the finish line. This year, the top three finishers of the Half Marathon were all women: Laura Galeazzo from Webster crossed the finish line first (1:26:07) followed by Melina Terranova from Buffalo (1:26:13) and Inga Simning from Pittsford (1:28:05). The top three male finishers of the Half Marathon were David Presby of Fairport (1:29:49), Mike Nier of Rochester(1:35:38), and Jeremy Peek of Penfield (1:40:07). The certified Half Marathon qualifies finishers to enter national events such as the Boston Marathon and New York City Marathon, and is part of the Greater Rochester Track Club’s “Rochester Runner of the Year” series.
The top finishers for the 5K race were Mike Soltiz from Honeoye Falls (19:58), Gabriel Evankez from Webster (20:20) and Hal Grossman of Penfield (20:24). In the women’s category, top finishers were Emily Drew of Fairport (21:52), M. Simning from Pittsford (23.54) and O. Wolfgram from Clifton Springs (23:59).
Mendon artist Geoffrey Gretton designed ceramic medals awarded to Half Marathon finishers and custom ceramic pins for the 5K finishers. Top two male and female finishers received monetary awards and the third through fifth place finishers received prizes including gift certificates donated by area businesses including Cottage Hotel, Pizza Ds, 20 Deep and new Honeoye Falls restaurant Grist. Other prizes included local delights like FLX popcorn, Tia Coffee and Trout Brook Syrup.’
