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Youngsters prevail at trail run

Janey McClelland celebrates her three-way tie for first place in the women’s division of the Great Adirondack Trail Run on Saturday in Keene Valley as race director Jan Welland looks on. The 13th annual race was put on by the Mountaineer gear store to raise money for the Boquet and AuSable river associations. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

KEENE VALLEY — The 13th annual Great Adirondack Trail Run took place under clear skies and a blazing sun, leading plenty of runners to take a dip in Johns Brook after completing the run.

The event, which is put on by The Mountaineer gear store in Keene Valley as a fundraiser for the Boquet and AuSable river associations, offered two tough options for those willing to compete: an 11.5-mile run which took runners up and over Hopkins Mountain, and a shorter but still grueling 3.5-mile run.

The overall winner of the longer race was Bryce Murdick, a 20-year-old who finished with a time of 1 hour, 45 minutes and 53 seconds. Due to his age, Murdick had to forgo the traditional drinking of beer from the golden shoe, but was still thrilled with his first-place finish.

Sophie McClelland, Janey McClelland and Julianne Stemp ran together and were the first women to cross the finish line. They came in at 2:24:24.

Mountaineer owner Vinny McClelland said the race started as a way to have fun and enjoy the woods, and says they have kept that feeling over the years.

Overall trail run winner Bryce Murdick crosses the state Route 73 bridge in Keene Valley just before finishing the Great Adirondack Trail Run long race in 1:45:53. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

“When we originally thought this up, it was about having a celebration of spring and exercise and drinking beer and listening to good music and supporting the river associations,” McClelland said. “We’ve never really strayed from that.

“It’s also an unusual event, there are not a lot of trail runs like this. There are a lot of flatter trail runs, this one has a significant amount of elevation gain, so I think people really like the challenge.”

In addition to being a favorite trail run, the event is also a fundraiser sponsored by Patagonia gear and clothing company. McClelland said Patagonia makes direct contributions to the two river associations. The river groups also raise money by selling food and beverages at the post-race party.

Drew Hass, who works at The Mountaineer and placed 18th overall, said this was his fourth time doing the long run.

“This is my fourth year, but I work at the shop. So the first two times I ran, it was before I worked at the shop. So I’m kind of on my extended lunch break,” he laughed.

Most runners, including Laura Nardelli, were in good spirits at the start of the 11.5-mile trail run hosted by Keene Valley gear store The Mountaineer on Saturday. Nardelli went on to win the women’s 50s age group. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

“It’s a hard course. It’s super rugged, it’s hard to get into any sort of consistent rhythm,” he said. “That’s not my ideal style of running. My ideal style of running is cruising through the woods, kind of zoning out and doing a lot of miles.

“Technical power running like that is my nemesis, so I never come away from (the race) being like ‘I nailed it.'”

Local boys dominated the teen men division, with Karl Schulz (1:55:07) and Kai Frantz (2:07:14) of Lake Placid taking first and second, followed by Keene athlete Joseph Wilson (2:12:55) in third. Wilson skis for the Lake Placid nordic team in the winter, but runs track and field for the combined EKMU team in the spring.

Lura Johnson (2:39:38) won the teen women’s division, while Tim Ela (1:56:51) captured the men’s 20s division and Savannah Woods (2:51:08) won the women’s 20s. For runners in their 30s, Phil Maynard (1:53:52) captured the men’s division while placing fourth overall, and Jenn Donahue (2:30:43) won the women’s division.

Brian Robinson (1:54:13) was the fastest man in the 40s division, and placed fifth overall. Becky Johnson (2:41:34) won the women’s division in that age group, while Laura Nardelli (2:40:14) and Bill Hoffman (2:12:21) each won the 50s age group. Robbie Barnett (2:34:05) captured the men’s 60s age group.

John Flanigan of Lake Placid smiles as he nears the finish line of Saturday’s Great Adirondack Trail Run in Keene Valley. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

In the shorter run, locals also had strong showings. Saranac Lake cross country coach Joe Merrihew (22:52) placed second overall behind 15-year-old Noah El Rimawi-Fine (25:40). The overall women’s race was totally dominated by Tri-Lakes residents, with Lucy Hochschartner (26:06) taking first, followed by Sophie Nardelli (26:22) and Nina Armstong (27:13).

Max Flanigan and Tate Frantz, both of Lake Placid, tied for first in the kids under-13 division with a time of 30:13. Tanner Whalen (40:35) and Jackie Garso (29:33) won the boys and girls teen division. In the 20s age group, Kris Boettcher (28:29) was the fastest man, while Bethany Moser (36:22) was first across the finish line for the women.

Saranac Lake nordic ski coah Keith Kogut was the fastest man in the 30s age group with a time of 27:50, while Lissa Goldstein (34:59) was the fastest woman. Ben Frantz (30:39) and Kaori Marina (35:04) topped the runners in their 40s. Rob Scharges (29:12) and Teresa Palen (33:55) were the fastest runners in their 50s, and Lake Placid resident Nancie Battaglia (39:17) and Robert Van Slyke (43:09) topped the 60s group. There was also a contingent of runners in their 70s competing in the short race, with Eddie Munoz (42:18) and Bonnie Birk (41:45) taking the top spots.

Great Adirondack Trail Run

Bryce Murdick, overall winner of the 13th annual Great Adirondack Trail Run 11-mile race, had to forgo the traditional drinking of beer from the race trophy because he is only 20. (Enterprise photo — Justin A. Levine)

Saturday’s Results

11 Miles

NAME AGE TIME

Bryce Murdick 20 1:45:53

Liam Davis 24 1:49:30

Colin Rodgers 36 1:49:58

Philip Maynard 33 1:53:52

Brian Robinson 40 1:54:13

Karl Schulz 19 1:55:07

Tim Ela 27 1:56:51

Nathan Miller 25 1:59:06

Lucas Milliken 26 2:02:03

Zander McClelland 25 2:04:10

Kai Frantz 14 2:07:14

Chris Rodgers 33 2:10:07

Christian Belair 42 2:11:33

Bill Hoffman 50 2:12:21

Joseph Wilson 16 2:12:55

Mark Whalen 33 2:13:41

John Servin 50 2:17:40

Drew Haas 38 2:18:16

Van Ledger 14 2:18:21

Kyle Smith 40 2:21:50

Zachary Pete 24 2:22:26

Sophie McClelland 27 2:24:24

Janey McClelland 26 2:24:24

Julianne Stemp 32 2:24:24

Robert McCann 41 2:25:41

Andrew Lavin 38 2:26:11

Forest Ledger 19 2:26:19

Jim Pergolizzi 35 2:28:14

Jennifer Donahue 37 2:30:43

Robbie Barnett 67 2:34:05

Mark Youndt 51 2:35:20

Lura Johnson 16 2:39:38

Morgan Ryan 42 2:39:59

Laura Nardelli 57 2:40:14

Becky Johnson 41 2:41:34

Ian Callan 47 2:41:44

Willow Davis 33 2:42:29

Emily Keddie 30 2:50:43

Savannah Woods 25 2:51:08

Sam Stytzer 39 2:51:52

Nelson Gilliat 24 2:54:22

Justyna Babcock 44 2:57:38

Brian Dunn 47 2:57:39

Katie Hoar 28 2:57:41

Heather Fey 36 2:58:48

Erick Rowley 44 2:59:16

Neil Wheelwright 59 3:06:44

Christine Bohensky 35 3:07:03

Hillary Ryan-Rusch 53 3:11:31

Kent Murdick 52 3:14:51

John Kane 65 3:15:53

Ryan Joseph 34 3:18:43

Marc Scrivener 47 3:19:26

Amy Campopiano 43 3:25:12

Jason Campopiano 44 3:25:13

Elizabeth Trachte 52 3:25:30

Wendy Carlson 59 3:29:01

Charles Eaton 64 3:33:07

Aaron Woolf 53 3:34:50

Dan Forbes 40 3:35:20

Chelsea Edgar 27 3:36:03

Kimberlee Bliek 53 3:43:18

Bekkie Wright 54 3:52:52

Joseph Poliquin 64 3:52:54

Norwood Styles 50 3:53:10

Dwight Stevenson 32 3:56:24

Crystal Neskey 45 4:12:43

Jeremy Neskey 38 4:12:44

3 Miles

Noah El Rimawi-Fine 15 25:40

Joe Merrihew 30 25:52

Lucy Hochschartner 19 26:06

Sophie Nardelli 16 26:22

Jonathan Auyer 35 26:46

Nina Armstrong 20 27:13

Keith Kogut 32 27:50

Kris Boettcher 28 28:29

Robert Scharges 51 29:12

Ryan Davis 20 29:19

Jackie Garso 18 29:33

Max Flanigan 12 30:13

Tate Frantz 12 30:13

Ben Frantz 47 30:39

Otto Gabrielsen 39 31:10

Will Roth 37 31:52

Lynn Palen 14 33:55

Marcin Kosz 37 34:04

Tim Singer 58 34:21

Lissa Goldstein 32 34:59

Kaori Marina 46 35:04

Bethany Moser 27 36:22

Caroline Belair 42 36:30

Alanna Winchell 25 36:47

Ashley Miller 26 37:23

John Flanigan 47 37:48

Joe Murphy 59 38:13

Mike Schaefer 33 38:14

Amelia Ellis 13 38:19

Samuel Murphy 29 38:34

Eric Schulz 59 38:42

Sean Iacobelli 32 38:59

Stephanie Lylis 44 39:13

Nancie Battaglia 63 39:17

Tanner Whalen 18 40:35

Kate Whitney 38 40:35

Colin Prall 28 41:20

Bonnie Birk 72 41:45

Eddie Munoz 74 42:18

Theodora Hein 32 42:27

Katrin Auyer 34 42:32

Teresa Palen 50 42:58

Karyn Van Slyke 63 43:05

Robert Van Slyke 63 43:09

Claire Bruce 23 43:15

Betsy Kane 34 43:17

Soren Jacobson 10 43:26

Erik Jacobson 43 43:27

Pat Bruke 32 44:02

Caleb Cortez 28 45:13

Zoe LaVallee 14 45:51

Haylie Buysse 12 48:59

Carrie Haviland 37 49:30

Clark Hayward 64 52:26

Sue Gadway 53 54:15

Lisa Rigney 29 59:33

Joe Panza 36 59:33

Karen Murphy 64 1:02:42

Anya Kazmierczak 12 1:03:00

Sarah Roth 34 1:03:03

Jen Kazmierczak 44 1:03:16

Teri Pendergrass 63 1:03:41

Peter Pendergrass 63 1:03:49

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