The 2018 Phaby-Gray Resolution Run – Race Director’s Report,        By Race Director Brad Zanetti  / Photos by Dave DeSelle 

Jan. 1, 2018 unlike last year when we were engulfed in ‘pea soup’ –like fog until race time, this morning started clear and sharply cool (high 30s). Sunrise shone warm yellow cirrocumulus cloud formations. In short order the early morning sun rose brightly and warm; yet the air temperature remained cool. In short, “perfect racing weather!” Just before 8am the Empire Runner setup/timing crew descended on Place to Play Park to prepare the course and get ready for this years Resolution Phaby-Gray Run.

By 10am, 241 runners toed the line and summoned by the blast of a marine horn were off. By the end of the first loop of the soccer fields UC Santa Cruz’ Dante Capone (Analy HS) had taken control of the race with 18yo Patrick Lynch following closely and Vojta Ripa further back in 3^rd place. On the women’s side Petaluma’s Sarah Hallas led the women running in 8^th Place overall and had a large lead over #2 Lisa Renteria who, in turn, had a large gap over 13 year old Sarah Skandera. The racers continued out and around the collecting pond, out the West gate on the Santa Rosa Creek Trail heading east past Malibu Circle to the turn around (~2.4 miles). Around 14:30 on the clock the slight figure of Dante Capone appeared alone on the trail behind the baseball field. With a strong finish, Dante was easily first and broke the course record in 15:23(4:57 pace). A devastating kick by Vojta Ripa found him passing Patrick Lynch in the closing 150 meters, finishing 2^nd in 16:25 with Patrick holding 3^rd in 16:29.

It did not take long for the sighting of the first woman, Sarah Hallas finishing in a fine 17:42, 8^th place overall. The gap between Sarah and 2^nd place finisher Lisa Renteria was almost exactly the same as the mens race as Lisa finished in 18:46. Sarah Skandera rounded out the top 3 in 19:52. For another 36 minutes, runners and walkers circumvented the course finishing in differing levels of exhaustion but all seemed happy to have done so.

It was a beautiful morning and a great way to start the New Year. An award ceremony and raffle followed with a bevy of items provided by the 3 local running stores: Heart and Sole, Fleet Feet and HRC; and a large number of items from Lagunitas Brewing. All children 12 and under received a rainbow finishers ribbon.   There were many smiles as the crowd left with their booty in hand.

The atmosphere was fantastic and the race ran well and on time (Bob Shor would have been proud). We will miss his smile and booming voice but his presence will always be felt. It takes a lot of volunteers and diligence to make the event run smoothly and I would like to thank them specifically. I apologize for those I miss.

First I would like to thank Jerry Lyman and his timing crew (Mike McGuire, Jacqueline Gardina). Jerry doesn’t just time the event. He has a hand in most of the aspects of each of our events and every race coordinator is deeply indebted to him (and this from a guy I remember telling all of us about 3-4 years ago at our monthly meeting that he was ‘retiring’ from these duties.) Thank you Jerry for ‘retiring’.

This particular race is heavily dependent on the huge effort by Luis and Melanie Rosales and the Piner Cross Country team. Short of the timing tent, the Piner group has their hands in almost every other aspect of race day duties and without them I would be there at 7am and wouldn’t leave until after 1pm and the job done would be substandard.

Thirdly we need to thank our 3 local running stores; Heart and Sole, Fleet Feet and Healdsburg Running Company (HRC) who not only provide a presence at our events, many items for the raffle and the cool Top 3 shirts (Heart and Sole) but so positively impact our running community. These are not just running shoe stores, though their value for just proper shoe sizing and selection is a given. It is all of the other stuff they provide: clothing, nutrition items, books, auxiliary running gear, and most importantly in my mind, their sense of community with weekly runs, pub runs, in store parties and raffles, xc/track spike nights, speakers and post Tubbs Fire shoe and clothing drives. They have so positively impacted our running community I can’t picture local running without them. They have partnered with Empire Runners to make Sonoma County a running mecca and I can’t thank them enough.

Next I would like to thank Lagunitas Brewery for their continued support and donating many items and beer for all of our age group winners (21 and older) and the raffle. And speaking of raffle I would like to highlight my daughter Michelle, my son-in-law Zach and Val Sell for improving the raffle experience. We will continue to try to make this positive for everyone. I apologize if you didn’t get something (although there were a lot of coasters and magnets left J). There were many others who helped with setup and breakdown and I thank you.

I would like to thank the City of Santa Rosa for allowing us to use Place to Play Park. Its open parking, easy entrance/exit and flat and fast course make it a great place to put on the race.

Finally, I would to thank the Empire Runners for their continued support of Sonoma County running. We are a growing group, from around 200 several years ago to now over 800. For one fee you get to be part of a great group with FREE races, FREE track meets and the chance to volunteer (also FREE!) and shape how we impact the community. Our one fund raiser, Kenwood Footrace, provides us with ability to positively impact the community in many ways, including: Free events, Scholarship Program, Trail Management (Annadel) which we support with money and manpower, Children programs (Girls on the Run, ID26.2, etc), Local High School Cross Country events/sponsorship, SouthEast Greenway Project to name but a few. We support many of the other races on our local running calendar as well. In short we are a very active group and continue to need a new infusion of energy and ideas. Please consider coming to our monthly meetings and see where you can be involved or just come out to an event and ask where you can help.

One last thank you to all of the runners who came out yesterday and who make this race the way they want to start the New Year annually. Looking forward to seeing you all again next year.

Age Group Results:

Male                                             Female

12 and under

1. Numa Crist(12)     19:59           1. Ruth Skandera(8) 22:44
2. Triston Liggett(12) 22:42        2. Rebekah Skandera(12) 22:50
3. Paul Skandera(7) 23:32           3. Aurora Nicolas(10) 23:27

13-20

1. Patrick Lynch(18) 16:29           1. Sarah Skandera(13) 19:52
2. Luca Mazzanti(19)17:10           2. Molly Koslowski(18) 21:15
3. Job Skandera(16) 17:16           3. Samantha Moberly(16)27:07

21-29

1. Dante Capone(21) 15:23(CR)   1. Gretchen Forrey(29) 22:24
2. Vojta Ripa(28)       16:25                2. Amanda Cream(29) 27:24
3. Brian Goodwin(25) 16:54           3. Emillie Feenan(25) 29:19

30-39

1. Jesus Frutos(36) 18:00             1. Sarah Hallas(38) 17:42
2. Daniel Karbousky(33)19:26       2. Lisa Renteria(39)18:46
3. Bruce Tuohy(31) 21:07               3. Renee Chaffin(31)24:08

40-49

1. Kenny Brown(48) 17:48             1. Karen F Teuscher(41) 20:56
2. Vince Viloria(40) 20:17               2. Kerry Hanlon(45) 21:15
3. Michael Moberly 21:59               3. Kerry Gesell(44) 23:25

 

50-59

1.Guy Shott(54) 18:02                     1. Valerie Sell(53) 21:38

2. Anderson Howard(56) 19:31       2. Nuvit Salz(57) 22:37

3.Phillipe Thibault(52) 20:13           3. Chris Martindill 25:07

60-69

1. Frank Cuneo(62)21:17                1. Ann Thrupp(60) 22:19
2. Don Lindsay(64) 21:30                 2. Karen Kissick(60)23:57
3. Lon Wiley(69)     21:43                 3. Dara Hill(65) 26:22

70-79

1. Bob Holland (73) 25:36               1. Abbie Stewart(74) 32:18
2. “Hutch”(74)        25:46               2. Sherri Guinn(71) 37:51
3. Don Sampson(70)32:49               3. Kathleen Macpherson(77)

80 and over

1. Dan Touhy(82)   36:09
2. Darryl Beardall(81) 44:47