Sunshine returns for first August HUXC Fun Run
Aug. 3, 2021 | By Ben White
Quinn Pomerantz blazes to a first-place finish in the 3K race on Aug 2. Courtesy photo.
The Aug. 2 Fun Run hosted by the Harwood Cross Country team saw a break from the rain and muck and the dozen or so runners enjoyed a pleasantly cool evening with sunshine on the Harwood trails.
This week saw a father-son duo from Fayston sweep first place for each of their respective races. Dad Peter Pomerantz who ran the 5K finished in a time of 24 minutes and 42 seconds. Son Quinn Pomerantz finished first in the 3K.
The racers completed the 5K course in clusters. Closing the curtain for the fun run on Monday evening was Rye MacCurtain from Duxbury and Noah Rivera of Waterbury who both finished in 39:04. Just behind them was Ebbe Lillis, of Waterbury Center, coming in at 39:15.
July 27, 2021
The weekly Fun Run hosted by the Harwood Cross Country team proceeded as usual on July 26 despite a downpour in the midst of the race. This week saw a dozen runners participating either in the 3K course or the 5K course on the Harwood trails.
In the 3K, Zach Maravetz of Waterbury Center finished at a time of 16 minutes and 43 seconds. The rest of the Maravetz family finished later with Laura finishing at 22:05 and Gabe coming in at 31:51. On the 5K course, Andrew Reid finished first at 24:30. Later, Heidi Higgins, Alice Lindsay, and Kassie Reid all finished within four minutes of each other, at 33:56, 35:15, and 37:01 respectively.
Fun Runs take place every Monday evening during the summer on the Harwood XC trails. Registration is $3 for children under 12; everyone else, $6. Registration starts at 6 p.m. The kids race begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by the 3K and 5K runs. All proceeds are to benefit the Harwood Union XC team’s trip to Maine in October.
Ben White is a rising senior at Harwood Union High School.
Enough sunshine to make the runners squint at the Aug. 2 Harwood XC Fun Run. Courtesy photo.
9-year-old Rachel Almer enters 3K with the grownups and ties
Rachael Almer and Ari Green, both of Warren, ran and tied the 3K on July 19. They each finished with a time of 26 minutes and 5 seconds. Courtesy photo
July 22, 2021 | By Ben White Despite a rainy morning and afternoon as well as showers for previous days, the Harwood trails remained solid enough with a light mist hovering over them for the weekly XC Fun Run hosted by the captains of the Harwood cross country team.
Although there is usually a half-mile Fun Run available for kids, Rachael Almer, age 9, decided to run with the adults at the July 19 run.
Reece Woodward, age 13, of Duxbury, was first to finish the 3K with a time of 22:23. Barb Cote of Duxbury came close behind Reece at 22:50. Meanwhile, Avi Green and Rachael Almer are not only both from Warren, but they both finished the 3K at the same time of 26:05.
For the 5K fun run, Andrew Reid of Middlesex led the way with a finishing time of 24:50. Britta Zetterstrom of Duxbury with a time of 30:36, just barely finished ahead of Caelyn McDonough of Waterbury who ran it in 30:42.
Fun Runs take place every Monday evening on the Harwood XC trails. Registration is $3 for children under 12; everyone else, $6. Registration starts at 6 p.m. The Kids race begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by the 3K and 5K runs. All proceeds are to support the Harwood Union XC team’s trip to Maine in October.
Ben White is a rising senior at Harwood Union High School.
Record time at third Summer Fun Run
July 16, 2021 | By John KerriganClose to two dozen runners tested themselves on the Harwood trails Monday night, July 12. While it was warm and sticky, runners commented on how much cooler it felt while running on the heavily forested sections of the trail.
The third Harwood Summer XC Fun Run included runners from multiple Northeastern states. Courtesy photo
Competitors traveled from Boston and Long Island to participate in the third Harwood XC Fun Run of the summer.
Seventeen year-old Ethan Doran of Massapequa, N.Y., blazed the 3K setting a new course record of 13:30. The old course record was 16:00 held by Jonah Busker of Moretown. Ethan’s 15-year-old sister Brooke ran it in 16:03, narrowly missing surpassing the old course record. Both run cross-country at their high school on Long Island.
Barb Cote of Duxbury was first in the 30+ category for the 3K with a time of 23:42.
Seventeen year-old Ethan Doran of Massapequa, N.Y., blazed the 3K, setting a new course record of 13:30. The former best time of 16:00 was held by Jonah Busker of Moretown. Courtesy photo
Harwood XC Team Co-captain Ebbe Lillis repeated as winner in the 5K, running the moderately hilly course in 22:46. The Harwood senior set the course record last week with a time of 21:06.
Andrew Reid of Middlesex placed second in the 5K with a time of 24:20 and Harwood XC alum Jacob Pitman placed third with a time of 26:24.
In the 5K, Karissa McDonough of Waterbury Center was the first female overall and first in the 30+ category. Wendy Collins of Boston and Warren, Vt., was second in the women’s 30+ category with a time of 31:13. Her husband Steve Collins was first in the 30+ male category with a time of 30:40.
Heather Lessor and 2-year-old son Ryder (in a jogger stroller) were first in the chariot race with a time of 39:59.
Fun Runs take place every Monday evening on the Harwood XC trails. Registration is $3 for children under 12; everyone else, $6. Registration starts at 6 p.m. The Kids race begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by the 3K and 5K runs.
All proceeds are to benefit the Harwood Union XC team’s trip to Maine in October.
Falmouth Flyers set the pace for the July 5 Fun Run
July 9, 2021 | By John Kerrigan
Visiting from Falmouth, Maine, Morgan Adams (left) and Tim Schneider (right) and their children (left to right) Ruairi Lake, Tadhg Lake, and Saoirse Lake enjoy Fun Run night at Harwood Union High School this week. Courtesy photo.
A family of five visiting from Falmouth, Maine, made quite an impression at the second Harwood XC Fun Run this week.
Dad Tim Schneider said they learned about the July 5 event by reading The Valley Reporter newspaper as the family was celebrating the Fourth of July holiday in the Mad River Valley.
They made their way to Harwood Union High School Monday night for the weekly informal, friendly get-together for runners and walkers alike.
First time Fun Run participant Ruairi Lake of Falmouth, Maine, comes in first in the kids 1/2K run. Courtesy photo
Five-year-old Ruairi Lake got the family started with a victory in the Kids Race. He set the record for the kids ½K fun run with a blazing time of 2:46.
The small runner’s perfect form reminded this longtime coach of George Young, the great distance runner from the 1970s.
Ruairi’s older brother, 11-year-old Tadhg Lake, won the 12-and-under boys group in the 3K with a time of 16:49. His 9-year-old sister Saoirse Lake won the 12-and-under girls age group in an impressive time of 19:21.
Mom and Dad equally impressed. Morgan Adams won the 30+ age group in the 3K with a time of 19:22. A cross-country coach at the Maine Waldorf School, she remarked that she had heard of the Harwood XC team after the HU girls’ stunning victory at the 72-team Maine Festival of Champions held in Belfast, Maine in 2020.
Money raised by the weekly Summer Fun Runs will benefit the HU XC team trip to Belfast this year when the Harwood boys and girls teams hope to defend their title in October.
Adams noted that all of the children have Irish first names. Perhaps they will follow in the footsteps of Irish running greats Eamonn Coghlan and Ciara Mageean.
More results: Dad, Tim Schneider, placed first in the 30+ age group in the 5K. Harwood XC team Co-Captain Ebbe Lillis of Waterbury with a time of 21:06 won the 5K.
Jonah Busker, 17, of Moretown set a course record in the 3K with a winning time of 16:00. Harwood Girls XC co-captain Britta Zetterstrom, of Duxbury, won the 18-and-under women’s 5K race with a time of 32:00. Karissa McDonough won the 30+ age group in the women’s 5K with a time of 30:22.
Harwood Fun Runs take place every Monday evening on Harwood’s XC trails. Registration begins at 6 p.m. Races start at 6:30 p.m. Entry is $3 for runners aged 12 and under; $6 for all others.
McDonough, Cutler Families Dominate first HU XC Fun Run
July 2, 2021 | By John KerriganA dozen or more runners braved the heat and humidity and a pre-race thunderstorm to participate in the first Harwood Fun Run of the season on Monday, June 28.
Runners raced 3K and 5K distances.
Twelve-year-old Eireann McDonough of Waterbury Center placed first in the 12-and-under category for the 5K run. Big sister Caelyn, 17, placed first in the 5K. Their mom, Karissa McDonough, placed second in the 30+ category also in the 5K race.
The Cutler family dominated in both races. Heidi Higgins-Cutler placed first in the 30+ age group in the 5K. Heidi’s daughter Heather Cutler Lessor placed first in the 3K race. Heather’s son and Heidi’s grandson (easy rider) Ryder Lessor placed first in the 2 years and younger category in the 3K race while riding in a baby jogger stroller.
Ann Zetterstrom placed first in the walking division of the 3K.
Heather Lessor showed particular determination. A Harwood alumna, she ran XC and was an all-state discus thrower mentored by the recently deceased track coach Taggert Haslam. Heather is currently a science teacher and the head throws coach for the Harwood Track & Field team. She ran a 3K race while eight months pregnant pushing a baby stroller uphill in 90-degree temperatures and high humidity. We were happy that her superhero efforts did not lead to an early onset of labor given the poor cell service at Harwood (to call 911) and this coach’s obstetric skills are poor at best. Ryder appeared to enjoy the race and the ride as his pacifier never left his mouth once. In the future, Harwood XC runners who complain about the workout being too difficult may see a photo of Heather and her young son from this race.
Harwood Fun Runs take place every Monday on the shaded Harwood Cross Country trails. Registration starts at 6 p.m. followed by a kids race (½K), 3K, and 5K races. The next Fun Run/Walk is Monday, July 5.
John Kerrigan coaches the Harwood Union Cross Country team.
Harwood Cross Country Summer Fun Runs/Walks begin Monday, June 28
June 26, 2021 | By John KerriganAfter a year hiatus, Summer Fun Runs / Walks are back at the Harwood Union High School campus. Starting this week, June 28, the events will take place every Monday evening until the start of school. Registration begins at 6 p.m. Start time is 6:30 p.m. Distance Options
½ mile Kids Fun Run
1.7 mile (3K) Fun Run/Walk
3.1 mile (5K) Fun Run/Walk
6.2 Mile (10 K) Fun Run – starting on July 12
You don’t have to be a serious runner or competitor to take part. The emphasis is on gaining fitness and having a fun evening with others. The Harwood trails are wooded and located on the 186 acres of the South Duxbury campus. All runs start on the athletic fields and run parallel to two brooks and two ponds. The 1.7 mile and 5K are moderately hilly. The 10K features a section that contains a very challenging single track.
The last Harwood XC Fun Run of the summer traditionally is a costumed run to make it extra fun. Courtesy photo
The 5K Run and the 10K will be the same course used for the 2021 MAD DASH. Come get a leg up on the competition to get familiar with the course before the race.
Cost: Children 12 and under $3; everyone else $6. Season passes are available: Individual $50; Family $75.
All proceeds will support the Harwood Cross Country team’s annual trip to participate at the Festival of Champions in Belfast, Maine, in October. Want to support the XC team but can’t participate on Monday nights? The team is accepting additional donations. Checks made out to Harwood Cross Country may be sent in c/o Athletic Director Chris Langevin, Harwood Union HS, 458 VT Route 100, Moretown, VT.
For last-minute changes due to weather, check John Kerrigan on Facebook and WDEV.
Come and join us. Gain fitness, prepare for fall sports and winter activities while being encouraged by members of the Harwood Cross Country team on the course that Ellie Purrier (Olympic Trials 1500-meter winner) once told this coach was her favorite XC course to race.
John Kerrigan coaches the Harwood Union Cross Country team.