Snow coats the LeTort Spring Run Nature Trail in South Middleton Township.
Maddie Seiler
Andy Sandrik
Boiling Springs' Elizabeth Agar (850) competes at the Ninja Half Marathon in York. Agar finished as top female in 2:10:00.
Courtesy of US Road Running
New Cumberland's Mary Firestone takes a moment to interact with the camera while competing at the Ninja 10K in York. Firestone finished as top female in 57:18.
The clocks sprung forward last weekend, marking the first bell for the upcoming spring season. Mother Nature, however, wasn’t going to throw in the towel without a fight.
I found that out the hard way in a blustery run through the elements on Sunday. What began as a breezy jaunt under the sun quickly escalated into a pop-up snowstorm. After a few cold miles, the skies cleared and the winds calmed, allowing the warm sun to melt the snow that had settled onto my face and beard.
That’s Pennsylvania weather for you.
It was a challenging workout to navigate, but I made it to the finish line even with the winter blues daring me to unlace my shoes and quit. A big part of what carried me through was the sense that this was winter’s last stand, and that only warmer days were in store going forward.
Two days later, this seems to have been confirmed, as I compose this column under the backdrop of clear blue skies and singing birds, feeling way overdressed in jeans and a sweatshirt.
I’ve lived in this state long enough to know better, but I’m calling it right now: Spring is in session. I’ve already packed away the snow shovels and snowblower, and it’s only a matter of time before the storm windows from our Florida room make their yearly voyage back into garage storage.
I’m a big fan of spring and the fresh start that it offers. Whether you’re looking to build a garden bed or get your kid some reps to prepare for the upcoming sports season, there’s always something to keep us busy this time of year. If you’ve been hitting the snooze button on your New Year’s goals, what better time is there to get moving than right now?
Spring is an especially inviting season for running. With mild temperatures and bright skies, runners have a golden chance to grow just as fast as the grass lining the trails they run on. Social and competitive running opportunities are widely available this time of year, with multiple races and group runs held nearly every weekend.
Spring is a time that I embrace with a pep in my step and assuming my senses — and those of Punxsutawney Phil — are correct, the season is here to stay.
Have a happy spring, my running friends.
1 STEP BACK, 3 STEPS FORWARD
It’s been nearly 15 years since Brian Fuller graduated from the ranks after running collegiately at Penn State, but the former Cumberland Valley star is still sharp as ever.
Fuller, 37, was unmatched at last weekend’s Jig Jog 5K in Carlisle, dashing through the race at a 5:02/mile pace to finish in 15:37 and top the 77-runner field by nearly four minutes. Mechanicsburg runners dominated the Top 10, including Vincent Topiwo (2nd in 19:33), Katie Fuller (top female in 20:10), Shu Takeoka (5th in 21:49), Madison Machamer (6th in 23:44), and Carl Machamer (7th in 23:44).
Other notable times from the Jig Jog 5K were posted by Shippensburg’s Larry Brewster (25:08), Carlisle’s Danielle Roche (27:00), and Boiling Springs’ Jacqui Derr (27:35).
The York Road Runners Club Winter Series drew to a close with the Hanover 7 Miler. Camp Hill’s Katherine Shank led the way for Sentinel-area runners with a time of 52:54 to win the 60-64 AG. She finishes as the series’ top runner in the 60-64 division after running in all nine YRRC races this winter.
The Ninja 5K/10K/Half Marathon in York featured a trio of female winners from Cumberland County. Kris Beckert, of Lemoyne, took the overall win in the 5K with a time of 21:44, while New Cumberland’s Mary Firestone finished as top female in the 10K with a time of 57:18. Finally the Ninja Half Marathon saw Elizabeth Agar of Boiling Springs lead the women’s field with a time of 2:10:00.
A small group of locals hauled out to Westminster, Maryland, for the Celtic Canter 5K, with none being faster than Carlisle’s Kelly Dworak. Competing in a field of 675 runners, Dworak navigated to a finish in 24:56 to take second in the Masters Division. Dworak was chased by Mechanicsburg’s Katie Wohlschlegel (30:49) and Shippensburg’s Elizabeth Clough (31:44).
Trail and ultra season is starting to heat up and several area runners, including Dworak, have been spreading their wings on the racing scene. Dworak was a finisher in 3:51:27 at the Naked Bavarian 20 Miler in Leesport, as was Mechanicsburg’s Yogendra Kumar Paul Pandi (3:11:21) and Marimuthu Sathasivam (3:51:07). Carlisle’s Matthew Kappen posted a time of 6:03:55 at the Seneca Creek Greenway 50K in Gaithersburg, Maryland, while Lemoyne’s Ian Kauffman clocked a 6:48:46 at the Squatchapple 50K in West Orange, New Jersey.
Runners from the area have been traveling near and far to get their fix in half marathon and marathon races. In Pennsylvania, New Cumberland’s Julie Drabenstadt ran the SRG Half Marathon in Douglassville in 2:02:22, while the South Park Half Marathon featured a finish in 2:05:28 from Carlisle’s Lusila De La Rosa Diaz (2:05:28). Crossing state lines, Mechanicsburg’s Scott Morgan blasted off for a 3:51:50 at the One City Marathon in Newport News, Virginia, while Christopher Levan, also from Mechanicsburg, finished the Annapolis Half Marathon in 1:59:10.
Finally, the Myrtle Beach Marathon and Half drew a combined field of more than 4,000 runners, including a handful from the Sentinel area. Justin Flickinger, of Mechanicsburg, ran a 4:12:25 in the marathon, while Camp Hill’s Brian Lobel posted a 2:25:50 at the half marathon.
A number of others were active in races across the region and beyond, including Mechanicsburg’s Brad Westhafer (31:25 at Attack Addiction 5K; 32:06 at Tartan 5K Run), Ruby Korot (34:08 at Pirate 5K), and Megan Levan (36:22 at Annapolis 5K), and Camp Hill’s Jason Lyons (20:35 at St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock 5K) and Tony Turchetti (36:46 at Myrtle Beach 5K).
And now, a look ahead
Chambersburg Half Marathon: 8:30 a.m. Saturday in Chambersburg. Challenge yourself on the hilly back roads of Chambersburg with this race, in its 45th running. Register for the race on timberhilltiming.com.
Lucky Charm 4 Miler: Noon Saturday in Harrisburg. Every participant in this race receives a medal, T-shirt, gift certificate to Fleet Feet Mechanicsburg. Find the race on runsignup.com.(tncms-asset)f3530c24-cc53-11ee-b1c7-97571ea98fda[8](/tncms-asset)
St. Patrick’s Day 5K: Saturday, March 23, 10:30 a.m., in Shippensburg. This race, in its 10th year, features a scenic, rolling loop course along the base of the South Mountain. Register for the race on timberhilltiming.com.
Also:Big Woods Half Marathon (Saturday, in Elverson); Chilly Dog 5K (Saturday, in New Freedom); Rabid Raccoon 100 (Saturday, in Beaver Falls); Special 13 & 26 Mile Trail Run (Saturday, in Safe Harbor); Viking 5K/10K (Saturday, in Akron); Frozen Foot 5K (Sunday, in Elizabethtown); Two Rivers Marathon Race Festival (Saturday-Sunday, in Lackawaxen); Defeat MSA 5K (Saturday, March 23, in Hanover); Garden Spot Half Marathon (Saturday, March 23, in New Holland); Just a Short Run 30K (Saturday, March 23, in Allison Park); Luau 5K/10K (Saturday, March 23, in Manheim); Phillies Charities 5K (Saturday, March 23, in Philadelphia); Raccoongaine 3H/6H (Saturday, March 23, in Pittsburgh); Roger Snyder Memorial Race (Saturday, March 23, in Richfield); Shamrock Shuffle Half Marathon (Saturday, March 23, in Harmony); Half Wit Half Marathon Trail Run (Sunday, March 24, in Reading); Love Run Philadelphia Half Marathon (Sunday, March 24, in Philadelphia).
Photos: 22nd anniversary Carlisle Family YMCA Turkey Trot
New Cumberland's Mary Firestone takes a moment to interact with the camera while competing at the Ninja 10K in York. Firestone finished as top female in 57:18.