Canton runners dominate Reebok road race
By Canton CitizenCanton runners were dominant and won several of the 5k and 10k categories in the 10th annual Reebok Canton Road Race held at Reebok headquarters on Royall Street on Sunday morning, October 5.
CHS junior Catherine Song was the first female finisher in the 10k (Mike Berger photo)
Catherine Song, a Canton High School junior and co-captain of the girls cross country team, was the first female finisher in the 10k race, crossing the finish line in 41:49. She beat out fellow Cantonite Andrea Widberg — the first woman finisher in the Canton July 4th Road Race — who finished with a time of 43:37.
Another Canton resident, Louis Raffetto, who was the overall winner in the July 4th race, returned and won the 10k race in 34:03.7. Other top finishers from Canton in the 10k race were CHS runners Courtland Priest, fourth, 38:33; Andrew Moy, fifth, 39:12; and Brian Rota, 10th, 42:10. In the women’s 10k, Canton residents Abby Nyland, Felicia Gaziano, Olgalilia Marinelli, and Laura Kurlinski finished in the sixth through ninth spots.
Top Canton finishers in the 5k race included Michael Chettle, who placed second in 16:25; Eric Greenspan, fourth, 17:09; and CHS runners Spencer Polsgrove, sixth, 18:24, and Dan Brooks, ninth, 19:00. In the women’s 5k, Canton resident Julie Muller finished seventh in 22:02, and CHS senior Julia Guerini finished eighth in 22:09.
In the kids’ one-mile fun run, Kennedy School second grader Sean Keevan earned top honors in his first ever-organized run.
One unique runner in the 5k race was Jack Hart of Dedham, who ran in a Patriots helmet and carried a football to commemorate the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. The overall winner of the 5k was Andy Holmes of Needham, who ran the 3.1-mile race in 16:11.5 — a very fast pace. Canton Police Officer Scott Brown also had a very good finish in the 5k, while Canton Recreation Director Janet Maguire helped in many aspects of the race.
Bright blue skies and cool temperatures in the 50s greeted runners as race organizers decided to switch the annual event from Saturday morning to Sunday morning to accommodate participants’ busy schedules and to minimize traffic concerns on Royall and Green streets. The event also featured a wheelchair division and a 5k corporate challenge. Many of the top runners said they enjoyed the course and the challenge of the Green Street hills.
Gene Manning, one of the race organizers and the president of the Canton Association of Business and Industry (CABI), remarked what a perfect setting and day the event turned out to be. The road race drew 750 runners — 50 more than last year — and raised close to $50,000, which will be distributed by CABI to various local beneficiaries, including the Canton Food Pantry, Mass. Hospital School, Canton Fire Department, Canton Police Department, Canton Public Schools, and for scholarships for graduating seniors at Canton High School and Blue Hills Regional School. The event has raised over $400,000 in its 10-year history for these and other worthwhile causes.
See this week’s Canton Citizen for race results and complete photo coverage.
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Posted by Canton Citizen
on Oct 9 2014. Filed under Sports.
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