Fitness® Mind, Body, Spirit Games - Local Competitive GallerySeptember 12, 2009 [Results] [Event Gallery] [Men's Video] [Women's Video] |
| The Fitness Mind, Body, Spirit Games, a four-mile race, was part of the NYRR team-points series, so it’s not surprising that most of the top local entrants brought their “A” game. The individual and team battles were fierce but, as always, also friendly, as each runner embraced the spirit of this event—living the fitness lifestyle. Men and women raced separately; a total of 4,467 runners finished. | |||
 The lead pack included eventual winner Bado Worku Merdessa (#654), who led West Side Runners (WSX) to the team title. |
 Hector Rivera was the first New York Athletic Club finisher; NYAC’s open team placed second. |
 British middle-distance star James Thie of NYAC placed sixth in 19:58. |
 Felipe Garcia of WSX was just behind Thie; the two were given the same time. |
 The top two male masters finishers were Orest Babyak (#870) of Urban Athletics (UATH) and Jimmy Lynch (#902). |
 Richard Temerian of UATH won the 50+ division by nearly a minute. |
 Edward James, 63, of the Van Cortlandt Track Club finished in 31:49. |
 Yoshi Higa, 71, of the Greater New York Racing Team was eighth in his age group in 41:20. |
 Sab Koide, 85, the race’s oldest entrant, finished in 52:32—that’s 13:08-per-mile pace. |
 Karl Paranya, a former Olympic Trials 1500-meter runner, ran a speedy 21:34. |
 Joshua Korth finished in 23:35. |
 Marvin Andrade of the Green City Runners crossed the line in 23:44. |
 Runners from a variety of teams made up the lead group in the women’s race. |
 Rebecca Yau ran 22:35; her Central Park Track Club (CPTC) team placed second. |
 Megan Guiney finished sixth overall and led NYAC to victory. |
 Catha Mullen, NYAC’s second finisher, was seventh overall in 22:43. |
 Jane Lundy won the 45-49 division and led the Taconic Road Runners to a seventh-place masters team finish. |
 Jean Chodnicki-Stemm of the Warren Street Social & Athletic Club was the top 50+ runner in a time of 26:04. |
 Sylvie Kimché of CPTC ran 29:18; she won the 60-64 age group by more than a minute. |
 Naomi Vogel, 74, of the Millrose Athletic Association, was third in her age group in 51:31. |
 Joan Rowland won the 80+ division in 1:02:02. |
 Jenifer Martin of Fleet Feet was the first age 35-39 finisher; her time was 23:13. |
 Caitlyn Quinn’s time was 25:45; the New York Harriers’ open team placed fifth. |
 Christine Morgenroth’s time of 26:50 made her the sixth age 45-49 finisher. |
