5/26/2025

The Tallmadge Memorial Day 5K And 1 Mile Run

Tallmadge, Ohio

5K

Veronica Neubert

Finish Time:  23:49

Overall Place:  36th Place / 163

Division Place:  1st Place / 9

Steve Zenar

Finish Time:  23:53

Overall Place:  37th Place / 163

Division Place:  3rd Place / 6

Mike Williams

Finish Time:  26:13

Overall Place:  59th Place / 163

Division Place:  3rd Place / 6

Josh Keane

Finish Time:  26:21

Overall Place:  60th Place / 163

Division Place:  4th Place / 6

Lisa Keane

Finish Time:  26:33

Overall Place:  62nd Place / 163

Division Place:  1st Place / 5

Kevin Christensen

Finish Time:  28:09

Overall Place:  81at Place / 163

Division Place:  1st Place / 4

Cleopatra Sirnic Clifford

Finish Time:  30:02

Overall Place:  100th Place / 163

Division Place:  3rd Place / 5

1 Mile Run

Brittany Kiehl,

Finish Time:  14:54

Overall Place:  22nd Place / 26

Division Place:  N/A

Volunteers

Russ Neubert volunteered to be part of the bike escort to lead the runners.

Josh Keane, Lisa Keane, and Veronica Neubert also volunteered before and after the race.

Race Recap By Veronica Neubert:

I was nervous to run this morning, last race was Loop the Lake in September with Josh and Lisa. I ended up 5th female overall and first in my age group. Glad the knees held up!

Race Recap By Steve Zenar:

I had a wonderful time today at the Tallmadge Memorial Day 5K. Always enjoy running through my Hometown (albeit a couple of the hills always make for a nice bonus challenge). Goal for the day was to go sub 24 minutes – achieved – This was a new PR for this course for me and allowed me to place 3rd  in my age group. It was wonderful to see several Team-ER members who also rocked it today! A Special Thank You to our Veterans who also were recognized at the beginning of the race – well deserved. Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday. See you all at the next race soon!

Race Recap By Lisa Keane:

Perfect event for the whole family to kick off your Memorial Day holiday and summer running season!
Organized with plenty of free parking close to the start / finish.
Out and back mostly flat road race with one long, gradual hill. Well marked with police / volunteers presence for safety.
The race started with a short honor to our Veterans and Active Duty Service Members. Gun start / chip finish
Nice after party with music, snacks, and giveaways. Stick around immediately after for the local Memorial Day parade!
All runners receive a patriotic SS tee
Overall and age group awards – excited to place 1st in my age group this year!
Loved seeing so many Team ER members running this weekend! Lots of medals handed out! Congratulations to you all!

Race Recap By Brittany Kiehl:

I completed the 1 mile race with my family. It was well organized with easy parking. We received soft t-shirts. There were plenty of post race snacks. There were overall/ age group awards for the 5K. We went to the pancake breakfast afterwards at the community center, and watched the very short parade. This was a fun way to start Memorial Day!

5/26/2025

Norma Johnson Follow The Flock 5K Trail Race

Dover, Ohio

Nancy Wardell

Finish Time:  41:24

Overall Place:  34th Place / 49

Division Place:  1st Place / 3

Race Recap By Nancy Wardell:

I completed the Norma Johnson Center “Follow the Flock” 5k this morning in Dover, OH. This is a very hilly and challenging course so be prepared before you try it! This is a beautiful trail run through the woods and has a great after celebration either inside or outside on the patio depending on the weather. They even do raffle drawings and have vendors up sometimes, they just couldn’t this year. I finished first in my age group with a time of 41:24 and pace of 13:20. Hope to try it again next year!

5/25/2025

The Buffalo Marathon

Buffalo, New, York

Kristin Quesenberry Gunyula

Finish Time:  3:19:25

Overall Place:  162nd Place / 1209

Division Place: 2nd Place / 49

Ran A Boston Qualifying Time

George McFall

Finish Time:  3:19:25

Overall Place:  167th Place / 1209

Division Place:  6th Place / 41

Ran A Boston Qualifying Time

Roy Miller

Finish Time:  3:33:06

Overall Place: 274th Place / 1209

Division Place:  10th Place /41

Christine Churpek, And Peter Heroux where on location taking pictures and providing race support for Team ER members.

Race Recap By George McFall:

Now that I have had time to process yesterday’s race I am ready to share a recap. I will try to keep it short but not sure that will actually happen because there is so much to unpack. My goal was 3:17 which was a 3 minute buffer for Boston (my age group BQ time is 3:20:00). This was my first time doing the Buffalo Marathon. I was so excited to do this race with Roy Miller and Kristi Quesenberry Gunyula. Peter Heroux and Christine Churpek made the trip to cheer us on. The race started at 6:30am. It was partly cloudy and the temp was in the mid/upper 40s. Ideal running conditions. The course offered a variety of climbs and downhills. We ventured into a park or two. Ran through a cool marina and what seemed like a lot of roundabouts. There were plenty of aid stations with water and Gatorade and some aid stations offered GU gels. Kristi and I ran the first 20 miles together which was awesome but I started having cramps in my right calf and hamstring so I backed off the 7:30 goal pace. I even had to stop at one point to stretch which is usually not a good thing to do. I fought hard to get back in the mix and had to fight even harder to maintain an 8ish pace to achieve my goal. My coach Jennifer Simmerman was there with me every step of the way encouraging me to push through the pain and to fight for what I wanted. Kristi was ahead of me but she was still in sight. I wanted so bad to catch up to her but that didn’t happen. 3:17 was out the window and I wasn’t sure if 3:20 was even realistic anymore but I didn’t quit. About a mile or so out, I dug deep. I didn’t want to fail. We approached another roundabout and what I thought would be the straight away to the finish line but there was a right turn then a sharp left around orange cones then a right turn onto the final stretch of road to the finish line. This is when I was able to see the clock and saw it hit 3:20:00 then 3:20:01, 3:20:02…. and at that moment, I thought I didn’t get a BQ. I got across the finish line and fell to my knees. Part frustration part my body was hurting. I gave it everything I had. I didn’t know what my finishing time was until my coach told me and at that moment I broke down and cried. 7 years of trying… missing a BQ two times by 12 seconds.. but I never gave up on my goal. I ran a 3:19:47. New PR and a BQ!!! Kristi ran a PR time of 3:19:25 and Roy ran one hell of a race in his first marathon in a while. His time was 3:33:06. Kristi was 2nd in her AG, I placed 6th in my age group and Roy who is also in my age group was 10th. It was a good day for Team ER in Buffalo. I have so much more to say but will end the recap with a big THANK YOU to everyone who showed up for me the last 7 years.

5/24/2025

The Fools Trail Race

Peninsula, Ohio

8 Hour Trail Race

John Fabianich McClay

Finish Time:  7:31:59

Overall Place:  4th Place: 62

Division Place:  1st Place / 3

Miles Completed:  40.3 miles

Josh Keane

Finish Time:  7:47:52

Overall Place:  33rd Place / 62

Division Place:  3rd Place / 6

Miles Completed:  31 miles

Lisa Keane

Finish Time:  7:47:56

Overall Place:  34th Place / 62

Division Place:  2nd Place / 5

Miles Completed:  31 Miles

4 Hour Trail Race

Terri Bednar

Finish Time:  3:53:09

Overall Place:  30th Place / 60

Division Place:  1st Place / 3

Miles Completed:  18.6 miles

Lynett McClay

Finish Time:  3:46:56

Overall Place:  52nd Place / 60

Division Place:  2nd Place / 3

Miles Completed:  12/4 Miles

Race Recap By John Fabianich McClay:

Fool 2-4-8 Hour Trail Run. Initially, I was not planning to participate in this run due to personal reasons. However, I am pleased that I did. I would like to extend my congratulations to everyone who completed the run. Western Reserve Racing organized a well-executed event. The communication was excellent, the course was well-marked, and the aid station was fully stocked with everything a runner needed. Notably, the aid station offered mashed potatoes and sloppy joe, which was a delightful surprise. I finished fourth overall and first in my age group, completing 13 loops for a total of 40 miles. Western Reserve Racing

Race Recap By Josh Keane:

Fools 2-4-8 Hour Race was a blast! We had a lot of fun running this one with all of its muddy turns and cool temperatures. The race was very well organized and the 5k loop course was marked great. This course runs through mostly single track trails on an old Boy Scout camp. The aid station was well stocked and the volunteers and observers were fantastic to see after each loop. Team ER showed up and did an outstanding job with each member placing in their age group. I was happy to get another 50k in and place third in my age group. We will definitely look at doing this one again in the future!

Race Recap By Lisa Keane:

Looking for a chance to step up your game? This event is for you!
Good communication, easy directions, and ample free parking a short hike to the start / finish.
Plenty of space for runners / spectators to set up tents as well as a fully stocked and manned aid station for easy access support during this endurance race. The volunteers / RDs were top notch!
Choose 2,4, or 8 hours to complete as many 5K loops as you can. This spring I have been focusing on my 25K so this felt like the perfect opportunity to go for a full marathon. I chose the 8 hour option and ended up passing my marathon goal and finished with a 50K and 2nd in my age group!
The course is well marked trail through the woods with only 167’ of elevation per loop. Mostly single track with 3 road crossings, some typical obstacles, and plenty of mud!
Several outhouses located along the course and a nice shower house / indoor facilities at the start / finish.
All athletes receive a soft SS tee and finishers medal. Top 3 overall and age group awards.
Shout out to all my TEAM ER trailblazers who showed up and took home the bling! Way to represent! CONGRATULATIONS!

Race Recap By Terri Bednar:

the Fools 4-hour trail race was great! Well organized and the course was excellent! There were even showers you could use after. The aid station was great with lots of good food and fuel.  I got a cool medal and 1st in my age group!

Race Recap By Lynett McClay:

The Fools 2,4, and 8 hour trail run consists of a 3.1-mile single-track loop through the wooded terrain of Camp Manatoc. Spectators have access to ample parking, allowing them to observe the runners at various points along the course. The terrain features a moderate elevation gain of 167 feet, with rolling hills and mud. Restrooms are conveniently located throughout the course, and a shower room is available after a short hike. The aid station provided sufficient support for all participants. On the day of the event, we experienced favorable weather conditions, with plenty of sunshine and a gentle, chilly breeze. Having not run extensively due to caring for my husbands ailing father, I was pleased to finish second in my age group, although I was unable to complete additional laps due to time constraints.

5/24/2025

The Medina Half Marathon

Medina, Ohio

Kris Engstrom

Finish Time:  2:00:39

Overall Place:  186th Place / 448

Division Place:  10th Place / 20

Nancy Wardell

Finish Time:  2:35:44

Overall Place:  375th Place / 448

Division Place:  24th Place / 28

Brittany Kiehl

Finish Time:  3:12:14

Overall Place:  435th Place / 448

Division Place:  30th Place / 30

Race Recap By Kris Engstrom:

I ran the Medina Half Marathon on Saturday with fellow Team ER member Nancy Wardell. Second year in a row. Paced myself a lot better this year. Finished in 2:00:39. Race is well organized and you get to enjoy the farmers market afterwards. One vendor has garlic cloves marinated with habanero peppers. Bought two jars.

Race Recap By Nancy Wardell:

I ran the Medina Half Marathon this morning. The course for this race is pretty basic with slight elevation change and I loved the part that goes along the edge of the lake! I even came across a turkey friend that wanted to cheer the runners on and got stopped by a train! Overall, it’s a fun run and ends with a yummy Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit and a nice farmers market you can walk around and browse through after the race! Great having fellow Team-ER teammate Kris Engstrom there to get us to the event and show me the ropes! I finished at 2:35:44 with a pace of 11:53.

5/18/2025

Patriot Power Virtual 5K

Josh Keane

Finish Time:  44:45

Overall Place:  N/A

Division Place:  N/A

Lisa Keane

Finish Time:  44:45

Overall Place:  N/A

Division Place:  N/A

Race Recap By Lisa Keane:

I was a little disappointed that this race was switched to virtual this year but it turned out to be a beautiful day for a run through the woods to raise money for Veterans!

5/18/2025

University Hospitals Cleveland Marathon And Half Marathon

Marathon

Christine Churpek

Finish Time:  3:50:30

Overall Place:  520th Place / 1711

Division Place:  11th Place / 68

Rachel Turner

Finish Time:  4:02:33

Overall Place:  704th Place / 1711

Division Place:  29th Place / 90

Half Marathon

Stephanie Orwick

Finish Time:  2:15:32

Overall Place:  2301st Place / 4028

Division Place:  150th Place / 295

Renee Buckus

Finish Time:  2:19:57

Overall Place:  2537th Place / 4028

Division Place:  173rd Place  / 295

George McFall and Peter Heroux where on location to help cheer on Team ER and local runners.

Race Recap By Christine Churpek:

I ran the Cleveland Marathon on my birthday! I may not have finished with the time I wanted but I sure had a lot of fun! Thanks to everyone who supported me today, during training and celebrated with me after the race! Onto the next adventure!

Race Recap By Renee Buckus:

Half marathon #1 of this summer is in the books! I had a blast despite the wind and that monstrous hill at mile 7. I took the race easy so I could save some energy for the post race shenanigans and now I’m curious to know what I could’ve done if I pushed myself… I’ll save that for another day! We also celebrated a lot of other race finishers and most importantly, My first Cleveland marathon event and I’m officially a fan. See you next year!

5/17/2025

Girls On The Run Spring 5K

Akron, Ohio

Lisa Keane

Finish Time:  49.37

Overall Place:  N/A

Division Place: N/A

Race Recap By Lisa Keane:

What an uplifting celebration of girls! This program is not just about running. The school age girls spend 10 weeks talking about healthy living and kindness to self / others with practice runs leading up to the big 5K! I had the best time with my running buddy today!
Easy directions and ample free parking close to the start / finish.
The day starts with a dance party at the Rubber Ducks Baseball Stadium with indoor restrooms, food trucks and a DJ.
So many local schools/ teams come together making it a little congested and difficult to find yours.
The teams start in waves to help with crowd control. The course offers space for spectators to cheer on their runners and take photos.
The course is mostly flat road / towpath with plenty of volunteers and police presence for safety.
The race is not timed. The goal is to prevent any hurt feelings but I also feel like the girls who have worked really hard should have the opportunity to compete.
All runners receive a finishers medal that doubles as a key chain and short sleeve cotton tee.

5/10/2025

Running With My Gnomies Trail Race

Dover, Ohio

50K Trail Race

John Fabianich McClay

Finish Time:  6:14:50

Overall Place:  7th Place / 39

Division Place:  1st Place / 9

25K Trail Race

Josh Keane

Finish Time:  3:25:36

Overall Place:  16th Place / 45

Division Place:  3rd Place / 12

Lisa Keane

Finish Time:  4:00:38

Overall Place:  32nd Place / 45

Division Place:  3rd Place / 8

Terri Bednar

Finish Time:  4:00:38

Overall Place:  33rd Place / 45

Division Place:  4th Place / 12

Lynett McClay

Finish Time:  5:30:30

Overall Place:  44th Place / 45

Division Place:  7th Place  / 8

Volunteers:  John Fabianich McClay, Josh Keane, Lisa Keane, and Lynett McClay

Race Recap By John Fabianich McClay:

My intention was to enjoy a relaxing weekend, avoiding running altogether. However, after joining Lynett McClay at packet pickup for Running With My Gnomies, I was convinced to participate and enrolled in the 50k event. The course was remarkable, featuring a diverse range of hills, muddy sections, and creek crossings. The aid station was comprehensively equipped with necessary supplies. My thanks go to Race Director Jeremey Followay and his team for delivering a well-executed event. I achieved a 7th-place overall finish and secured 1st place in my age group. Congratulations to all who successfully completed the event.

Race Recap By Josh Keane:

It will be difficult to not sound like a broken record on this one! Running With My Gnomies is one of our favorite races every year. Volunteering at Camp Tuscazoar with Race Brimstone is always a blast getting to help setting things up and see all the familiar faces of the ultra community. The course this year was a little different but did not disappoint, we had over 2,500 ft. of elevation gain per 25k loop, some mud and a wonderful 100-200 ft. run through a creek! The aid stations were once again the absolute best aid stations you will find with world class volunteers. Nothing like a challenging stroll through the woods with great people. Team ER had a strong showing at this one with 5 members running and finishing strong. The weather was unusually nice for this race as it was all sunshine! I was happy to take third in my age group and 16th overall for the 25k. This is a great trail race for anyone and will be a challenge whether you run the Gnomie 9ish, (around 9 miles), the 25k or the 50k there is a distance for everyone. We love this one and are likely to run it every chance we get!

Race Recap By Lisa Keane:

Absolutely one of my favorite races of all times!
Challenging and technical race course through beautiful Camp Tuscazoar with so many gnomes to guide you along the way!
Great communication, easy and organized packet pick up night before or day of.
Indoor staging/ drop bag area.
Plentiful free parking a short walk to the start line and porta potties.
Well marked course with fully stocked and well spaced aid stations.
Traditional trail with all of the rocks, roots, mud, streams, tree obstacles, and of course hills!
Choose the 9 ish mile, 25K, or 50K route. I chose the 25K and earned over 2500′ of elevation gain.
All runners get a cute themed SS tech tee and finishers medal.
Hand made GNOME awards go to top 3 overall and top 2 age group winners.

Race Recap By Lynett McClay:

I had a great time Running With My Gnomies. The weather cooperated beautifully, with no rain to hinder the race. The course offered a mix of single track trails, mud, creek crossings, and open fields, making for an engaging run. The packet pickup process was smooth, with options for pickup the night before or the day of the event. The aid stations were well-stocked and met the runners’ needs. Parking was plentiful, with a short walk to the start and finish lines. The race also featured a fun gnome search, which added to the overall enjoyment. After a few years away, I was happy to return to this race.

Running with my Gnomies. What a great weekend to volunteer for packet pick up. Convenient packet pick up the night before the race and the morning of with an indoor area to put your stuff. Everyone that runs this gets a soft tech shirt with a medal. You can run 9ish, 25k or 50k.

5/10/2025

Sweat Now Wine Later Adventure Race

Canton, Ohio

1.5 Mile Kayak And 2.5 Mile Run Race

Scott Orlando

Finish Time:  31:06

Overall Place:  1st Place / 140

New Course Record:  31:06

Race Recap By Scott Orlando:

The Sweat Now Wine Later Adventure Race is a short race but one of my favorites.  I have competed in this race probably 6-8 times in the past and previously won it twice.  The race starts and finishes at Gervasi Winery which makes for a beautiful race location and experience.   The race is advertised as a 1.5 mile kayak followed by a 2.5 mile run.  The kayak distance is pretty accurate but I think the run course is more like 2 miles.  The race starts with a short run or walk through a grass field to the waiting kayaks.  All kayak equipment is provided.  It is luck of the draw as to what kayak and paddle you are given.  Most of the kayaks and paddles are similar in size and type, but I always feel like I end up with the slowest kayak and heaviest paddle.   The creek is typically shallow and narrow.  This year it was shallow and slow but mostly manageable.  I hit bottom several times and was often unable to get a full paddle full of water but never got stuck.   I have competed in this race enough time to know to be the first person from my heat to start the race.  This helps to avoid being slowed down when trying to pass less experienced kayakers ahead of me.  There aren’t a lot of areas to pass safely so you can easily lose time if you are unable to pass a slower paddler.  For the most part I had a clear creek to navigate until close to the end when I caught up to and passed 4 paddlers from the previous heat.  I had a fast exit and transition to the run thanks to the enthusiastic volunteers pulling kayaks out of the creek.   There was a water station at the start of the run and I probably would have grabbed a quick drink but the cups were all still in the plastic bag and the water was on the table in gallon jugs.  The final instructions did state it was a self serve water station but I would have expected the water to be in cups ready to grab and go.  Luckily it wasn’t too hot or humid so I skipped it and headed down the trail.  The trail is now paved as it used to be crushed limestone.  I think the fact that it is paved helped to speed up the course.  I had a solid run.  The finish line snuck up on me fast and I feel like I probably could have started my final kick sooner.

Last year I attempted to complete this race with a newly torn plantar fasciitis and barely finished. I showed up this year healthy, well trained, focused, and determined to get back on top of the leaderboard. The creek was shallow making for slower kayak times so I didn’t expect a fast time. I was shocked when I crossed the finish line and learned that I set a new course record and became the first person ever to complete the race in under 32:00. The previous course record was 32:25 and set in 2019 by yours truly when the creek was high and fast. Today I set a new course record of 31:06 and was the overall winner of the race.

All participants received nice newly designed tech shirts, custom finisher medals, a glass of wine, and post race snacks.  Because the race features a staggered start and heats their isn’t much of a post race finish line celebration.  The volunteers and staff working the finish line were enthusiastic and cheered on all finishers.  There were also photographers at the start and finish capturing memories for the participants.

Overall this is a very fun well organized race.  This is a great race for beginners, families, and groups of friends looking for an adventure and reason to go to Gervasi Winery.

Thank you to Canton Parks and Recreation and all of the volunteers who helped put on a great race.