2009 Wimp Story

The 23rd annual Winter Wimp, dedicated to the memory of club member extraordinaire David (Mo) Mosher, who died Christmas eve 2008, is in the record books. There was another great turnout—at 201 runners, second only to 2007’s record year—and the new venue—the Amsterdam Family YMCA—seemed to work out well, providing us with more elbow room than the Hagaman Civic Center, which had been home base since the race’s inception in 1987. Click to see complete results of both races along with the the age-group award winners and a gallery of race photos by photographer Brian Teague.

Race director Rick Vertucci arranged for another great feed—subs from Subway Shops, pizza from Cronies, and soup from the Sport Island Pub, along with hot and cold drinks and fruit from Pagles Produce—and the army of volunteers, from the club and the Hagaman Volunteer Fire Department, did “just about everything right,” according to Rick.

The weather also was cooperative—it was bitter cold, in the teens, but the snow held off—and the course was mostly clear, with only a few hundred yards on the back part of the course slickened by hard-packed snow. Race director Rick addressed the course conditions in his pre-race pep talk, cautioning the runners to be careful of the slippery spots and observing that it was probably not a day for course records.

And he was right, though race winner Brendan Devine, 18, of Elmira, N.Y., sure was trying, completing the 4.4 miles in 23:36, just 16 seconds shy of the record. With this win, Brendan became the first-ever three-time men’s winner. He was followed across the finish line by Shaun Evans, 30, of Middle Grove, N.Y., who finished in 23:42, and Anthony Giuliano, 29, of Albany, in 24:42. Click to see the men's winners.

With her victory, in 29:15, Evelyn Marrero, 18, of Amsterdam, joined three other two-time women’s winners, adding to her victory in 2007. Second and third for the women were taken by Gina Cristaldi, 17, of Broadalbin, in 31:15, and Meghan Davey, 23, of Amsterdam in 31:46. Click to see the top three women.

Overall race winners Devine and Marrero both are long-time club members and share several other similarities. Both did extremely well athletically and scholasticly in high school, Brendan at Monticello High in Monticello, N.Y., and Evelyn at Amsterdam High, each earning the club’s 2008 Dern Memorial Scholarships honoring outstanding senior scholar-runners.

Both also are excelling academically and in running as freshmen at their respective colleges. Brendan is at the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, and Evelyn is at Bentley University in Waltham, Mass.

The 23rd Wimp’s companion 2.2-mile race, affectionately known as the “wimp out,” also saw some spirited competition, with 67 runners—more than usual, perhaps because of the frigid conditions.

The women’s 2.2 competition was won by Nikki Wojciechowski, 17, of Gloversville, in a time of 15:47. Second and third were captured by Cecilia Karutis, 17, and Erin Welch, 16, both of Amsterdam, with times of 16:51 and 18:23, respectively.

And the men’s 2.2-miler was captured by Rob Morey, 18, of Amsterdam in 12:59. Dylan Antalek, 18, of Fort Plain took second in 14:07, and Amsterdam’s Dan Palmerino, 16, was third, in 14:17.

For those who like statistics, 58 of the 201 competitors in the two races were club members, and 84 were women. The oldest finisher was Regina Tumidajewicz, 82, who ran in the 4.4-miler as she has many times over the years, and the youngest was second-time Wimper Jessie Brooks, 8, who competed in the 2.2. Among the participants was one legitimate race walker—Andrew DiPalma of Clifton Park.