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Always fun for all at Unity College 5K race UNITY (April 19): It is unlikely that any road racers in the state have more fun than those who participate in the Unity College Spring 5-Kilometer Road Race. That was the case again Saturday morning during the 27th annual event, which included 79 runners, a walker, a unicyclist, a dog and several people dressed not for the occasion. And to top it off, the college had one of its own finish first in the race.
Kevin "Gus" Petrak, who coaches cross country at Unity College and indoor and outdoor track for Mount View High School in Thorndike, finished the 3.1-mile course first in 17:33. No one challenged the records set on the fast course, which begins on the top of a hill at Unity College and then heads down into the village of Unity before finishing near the base of the college. Most of the road race course is either downhill or flat. The course records were set in the 1990s and are held by Pete Lessard (14:27 for men) and Edi Dubord (16:05 for women). While no one could match those impressive times Saturday, many had fun with the event, no two more than Unity College students Andrea Heim and D.J. Ousterhout. Heim, a senior, wore a prom-type dress during her run, while Ousterhout wore an old basketball uniform she bought from her recreation department in her home town.
"Lots of people take these races too seriously," Heim said. "We just wanted to have some fun with it." Ousterhout said the different running attire also gave the two young women an excuse for poor times or finishes, although both said they did better than they expected. The first official female finisher was Shannon Horton, who was eighth overall in 20:16. Matt Zane rode is unicycle across the course. The youngest runners were Finn Mattson, 8, (74th in 32:08) and Delainey Kein, 14, (42nd in 23:57). Complete results from the race are listed below, but the individual age-group and gender winners from the 5K race/walk were: Men — 1, Petrak, 1:33; and 2, Ben Fox, 18:26.
Women — 1, Horton, 20:16 (eighth); and 2, Maryanna Ray, 20:25 (15th). Youngest runners — 1, Kein, 23:57 (42nd); and 2, Mattson, 32:08 (74th). Unity College runners — 1, Mike Desjardins (12th), 20:35; and 2, Kate Miles (35th), 23:20. Racewalker — 1, Mary Alex Rose, 44:38.
Top age-group finishers (with overall places in parenthesis) — Ages 10-19, Colby Blanchard (3rd), 18:59, and Dana Sikwani (38th), 23:23; 20-29, Michael Curren (7th), 20:14, and Melody Whitacre (56th), 25:30; 30-39, Ryan King (4th), 18:09, and Michelle Roy (15th), 21:06; 40-49, Bruce Maxwell (6th), 19:41, and Julie Millard (30th), 22:58; 50-59, Brian Hubbell (5th), 19:10; and Jull Haskell (72nd), 30:31; 60-69, Dave Samuelian (39th), 23:49, and Nancy Mills (53rd), 24:53; and 70 and older, Keith Curtis, 80, (68th), 28:59. Typically, 75 to 100 runners and walkers participate in the event, co-sponsored by the Central Maine Striders Running Club. The race coincided with Unity College’s Earth Day celebration. Last year's race was won by Judson Cake of Bar Harbor with a blistering time of 14 minutes and 48 seconds over the 3.1-mile course. Cake outdistanced the 80-participant field by nearly two minutes. Last year's race included the best weather ever with temperatures in the 60s.
Saturday's race was held in sunny, 50-degree temperatures. A complete list of participants and their ages were: Andrea Heim, 20; Nancy Zane, 48; D.J. Ousterhout, 21; Brian Hubbell, 52; Jeffrey Preble, 55; Mike Desjardins, 22; David Colby Young, 56; Mark Alex, 49; Ryan King, 39; Bridgette Mank, 19; Dean Harley, 42; Tom Kirby, 52; Jill Haskell, 52; Robin Emery, 62; Shannon Horton, 32; Keith Curtis, 80; David Farrar, 52; Delainey Kein, 14; Jim Moore, 65; Tara Fuller, 33; Kathy Fogler, 62; Stefan Plessner, 44; Houston Mathis, 14; Maryanna Ray, 29; Melody Whitacre, 27; Ben Fox, 17; Robert Johnson, 57; Eric Fluette, 22; Doug Fox, 49; John Fox, 15; Silas Fox, 13; Mike Tormey, 11; Paul Tormey, 42; Pete Mattson, 54; Lori Dana, 49; Dana Sikwani, 15; Steve Sprague, 39; Michelle Roy, 33; Ester Franklin, 34; Devon Smith, 16; Emily Newell, 22; Michael Curren, 21; Al Libby, 50; Chris Quimby, 35; Heather Quimby, 34; Josh Ascani, 21; Gloria Clark, 49; Michael Deschenes, 48; Nancy Mills, 63; Dave Samuelian, 62; Tim Ellis, 18; Luke Ellis, 20; Julie Millard, 45; Tim Peabody, 49; Dick Miles, 54; Kate Miles, 34; Greg Winston, 38; Brian Scagliarini, 37; Denis Howard, 38; Ron Paquette, 67; Debbie Mattson, 57; Finn Mattson, 8; Don Newell, 61; Clover Street, 20; Rose Mary Alex, 45; Steve Saunders, 55; Chrissy Larrabee, 16; Nancy Jackson, 45; Marc Luther, 43; Wendi Luther, 35; Colby Blanchard, 15; Nathaniel Jackson, 24; Erik Seasted, 52; Jon Chapin, 50; Jameson Cyce, 22; Kevin "Gus" Petrak, 35; Bruce Maxwell, 40; Matthew Zane, 17; Max Clark, 12; and Ben Bouchard, 19. The official results were: 1, Kevin Petrak, 17:33; 2, Ben Fox, 18:26; 3, Colby Blonchard, 18:59; 4, Ryan King, 19:09; 5, Brian Hubbell, 19:10; 6, Bruce Maxwell, 19:41; 7, Micheal Curren, 20:14; 8, Shannon Horton, 20:16; 9, Dean Hartley, 20:21; 10, Jon Chapin, 20:23; 11, Maryanna Ray, 20:25; 12, Mike Desjardins, 20:35; 13, John Fox, 20:43; 14, Eric Seasted, 20:48; 15, Michelle Roy, 21:06; 16, Steve Spraque, 21:10; 17, Tom Kirby, 21:28; 18, David Farrar, 21:52; 19, Nathaniel Jackson, 21:44; 20, Tara Fuller, 21:54; 21, Jeffrey Preble, 21:58; 22, Greg Winston, 22:00; 23, Eric Fluette, 22:09; 24, David Colby Young, 22:16; 25, Josh Ascani, 22:30; 26, Houston Mathis, 22:43; 27, Deven Smith, 22:50; 28, Al Libby, 22:54; Also, 41, Chrissy Larrabee, 23:57; 42, Delainey Kein, 23:57; 43, Tim Peabody, 24:07; 44, Wendi Luther, 24:24; 45, Clover Street, 24:25; 46, Ben Bouchard, 24:38; 47, Lori Dana, 24:39; 48, Jameson Cycz, 24:41; 49, Stefan Plessner, 24:42; 50, Ester Franklin, 24:45; 51, Silas Fox, 24:46; 52, Gloria Clark, 24:49; 53, Nancy Mills, 24:53; 54, Doug Fox, 25:00; 55, Chris Quimby, 25:04; 56, Melody Whitacre, 25:30; 57, Bridgette Mank, 25:34;
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