6/27/2026 Rachel Turner, George McFall, Scott Orlando, Kristi Quesenberry Gunyula, Roy Miller, Stephanie Orwick, Mike Williams, Peter Heroux, Christine Churpek, Kevin Christensen, Brittany Kiehl, And Laura Fairfax Acme Fresh Market Foundation 8K Akron, Ohio

6/27/2026

Acme Fresh Market Foundation 8K

Akron, Ohio

Rachel Turner

Finish Time:  34:08

Overall Place:  32nd Place / 1198

Division Place:  2nd Place / 116 (5th Place Overall Female Finisher)

George McFall

Finish Time:  35:38

Overall Place:  58th Place / 1198

Division Place:  3rd Place / 38

Scott Orlando

Finish Time:  38:34

Overall Place:  117th Place / 1198

Division Place:  4th Place / 47

Kristi Quesenberry Gunyula

Finish Time:  39:13

Overall Place:  133rd Place / 1198

Division Place:  4th Place / 98

Roy Miller

Finish Time:  43:21

Overall Place:  281st Place / 1198

Division Place:  12th Place / 38

Stephanie Orwick

Finish Time:  45:33

Overall Place:  385th Place / 1198

Division Place:  25th Place / 116

Mike Williams

Finish Time:  45:35

Overall Place:  386th Place / 1198

Division Place:  20th Place / 47

Peter Heroux

Finish Time:  47:01

Overall Place:  461st Place / 1198

Division Place:  45th Place / 71

Christine Churpek

Finish Time:  47:03

Overall Place:  463rd Place / 1198

Division Place:  26th Place / 89

Kevin Christensen

Finish Time:  55:29

Overall Place:  801st Place / 1198

Division Place:  28th Place / 89

Brittany Kiehl

Finish Time:  1:115

Overall Place:  1145th Place / 1198

Division Place:  111th Place / 116

Brittany Kiehl, Laura Fairfax, and Stephanie Orwick volunteered for packet pick up and race day duties.

Race Recap By Rachel Turner:

Akron 8k today, first race in the Akron Marathon race series! Had a good run and had so much fun at the after party!! I set a personal record, came in second in my age group, and 5th female overall!

Race Recap By George McFall:

And the 2026 Akron Marathon Race Series is underway… the 1st race in the series was the Acme Fresh Market Foundation 8k. 7am start time. Cloudy and humid! New course for this year’s race — we started just outside of InfoCision Stadium and crossed the finish line on the field of the stadium. It’s always cool hearing our names called as we entered the field.
On paper, I had a good run. But honestly, I struggled a lot especially after mile 3 and gave so much time back on the last mile of the race while on Exchange Street which should have been my fastest mile because of the relatively flat road. The biggest issue for me was my heart rate — it was over 190 several times. I opted to slow my pace to get it under control. I did my best to get back the time I lost but that wasn’t easy to do. My goal was to be at 6:45 pace. I ended at 7:10 pace. My chip time was 35:38. I placed 3rd in my age group. The first place runner finished 1 minute 16 seconds ahead of me. Second place was 11 seconds. Seeing these results stung because I knew I was capable of running a better time today. I will get this out of my system and start preparing for my next race which is a 5k in Aurora, OH on July 4th. America’s 250th birthday and my 55th.
It was great seeing so many Team-ER members at the race today. Thanks to the amazing volunteers and everyone on the course who were cheering loudly for the runners.

Race Recap By Scott Orlando:

This morning was the Acme Fresh Market Foundation 8K. The first race of the Akron Marathon Race Series. I was not ready to race. It has been a challenging last 2 weeks physically, emotionally, and mentally. I didn’t want to run but I did. It was very humid and was forecasted to rain but luckily it didn’t.
I toed the start line with no expectations other than to get to the finish line. Today I was running not racing. Today I wasn’t focusing on pace or strategy I was just going to run. The unexpected happened. I was running loose and free. Today running felt easy. I wasn’t pushing hard or stressing about my pace. Today I was running for me. It wasn’t my fastest race but much faster than I could have imagined. I even finished 4th in my division out of 47 with a time of 38:34. My watch data showed I averaged a 7:38 pace for 5:05 miles. An 8K should be 4.97 miles. I thought I was running tight tangents so I wasn’t or the course was a bit long. Either way I surprised myself I didn’t expect to run at that pace.
All participants received a banana themed t-shirt and finisher medal.  I know it is personal preference but I prefer tech shirts and I wasn’t a fan of the banana character themed swag.  Everyone also received a bag of snack for Acme Fresh Market and two drink tickets.
This year’s race featured several changes.  Some where improvements while others I wasn’t a fan of.   The biggest change was the title sponsor change to Acme Fresh Market Foundation.   As mentioned I wasn’t a fan of the every thing being themed with the banana character.  The course was an improvement over previous years bringing back the stadium finish.  Using the stadium for pre and post race activities was a huge improvement.  This was the first large race I have ever done where there were no bathroom lines!   The band at the post race celebration was very good.  I did miss the usual Chic-fil-A sandwiches after the race but understand with Acme being the sponsor why the post race food changed.  In years past the 1 mile race was held the night before the race.  An additional award was provided as an incentive to compete in both races.  This year both races took place at the same time on Saturday.   I never competed in the 1 mile race the night before so I can’t say if the change this year was good or bad.  I can say as a race director making the race a one day event sure makes logistics much easier so I am fine with that change.  Overall I think the race was improved with the changes they made.
Sometimes running is about trying to outperform the competition. Other times running is about outperforming yourself. For me today running was simply therapy.
Congratulations to all of the Team ER members and North Water Brewing Run Club members that ran today and did awesome. It was great to see so many running friends out there killing it. Thank you to the Akron Marathon and all the volunteers who worked so hard to put on a great event today.
Today was a much needed boost of positive energy that I really needed. Running heals in so many ways.
Race Recap By Roy Miller:
This was all about a training run. I am happy with my results and actually really enjoyed the course. Was great to be with fellow Team ER members. My race was great to start and I think the humidity or a cold I had been fighting off had other ideas. I ended up walking a few times trying to get my breathing steady and get my heart rate back in line. Will definitely be back next year to run this one.

 

Race Recap By Mike Williams:

It was a hot and humid 8K run today. Akron Marathon race series did a great job today. First 3 miles was on pace but I started to fade away the last 2 miles. Overall it was a great day. It was very nice to see team mates and friends.

Race Recap By Brittany Kiehl:

I volunteered this morning for packet pickup. The staff are always welcoming and thankful for the help. You are given VIP volunteer parking, a shirt, and pin that matches the medal.
I then completed the 8K. This is the first year ACME was the main sponsor and not the National Interstate. It was weird not seeing the usual red, white, and blue themed medals. I also was not the biggest fan of the shirt with the banana this year. ACME provided a few post race snacks. I missed having Chick-fil-A sandwiches and popsicles.
However, I loved the course this year. It took you through many parts of the University of Akron. You finished on the football field and the after party was at the stadium. They even had a live band.
Also, another thing that changed was the combined start of the 1 mile and 8K. I missed not being able to do 1 mile Friday night with the boys. There was just no way we were going to get them to the start line by 7 am.

6/27/2026 Nancy Wardell BK5K Norton, Ohio.

6/27/2026

BK5K

Norton, Ohio.

Nancy Wardell

Finish Time:  26:28

Overall Place:  13th Place / 51

Division Place:  3rd Place Overall Female Finisher

Race Recap By Nancy Wardell:

I ran the BK5K in Norton this morning and LOVED IT! This race was definitely worth every penny and was very well organized for their second year hosting it! The course had hills and was mostly in the grass, but the reward of chick-fil-A at the end was highly motivational! lol I ended up finishing this race with a total time of 26:28 and with a pace of 8:31! I placed third female overall and won a cash prize of $50, a pair of Goodr glasses, and some BK5K socks! (I also received a nice water bottle for placing, but gave it to a young girl that ran with her mom that got some big smiles ) I’m so thankful and blessed!

6/26/2026 Felicia Neal The Jackson Night Glow 5K Massillon, Ohio

6/26/2026

The Jackson Night Glow 5K

Massillon, Ohio

Felicia Neal

Finish Time:  26:27

Overall Place:  252nd Place / 971

Division Place:  4th Place / 59

Race Recap By Felicia Neal:

This evening I ran Jackson Township Night Glow 5K. This is the second time participating in this race and it is a great night 5K. We lined up for a count down and firework start. The route takes you through neighborhoods and subdivisions with wonderful crowd support with lots of glowsticks! I got 4th in my age group!

Felicia Neal, Lisa Keane, And Josh Keane Tuscazoar Raw Trail Race Dover, Ohio

6/20/2026

Tuscazoar Raw Trail Race

Dover, Ohio

25K Trail Race

Felicia Neal

Finish Time:  4:44:35

Overall Place:  35th Place / 54

Division Place:  1st Place / 4

Lisa Keane

Finish Time:  4:44:35

Overall Place:  35th Place / 54

Division Place:  2nd Place / 6

Josh Keane volunteered for course set up duties and provided safety support at the river crossing section of the course.  Lisa Keane volunteered as well to help set up the course.

Race Recap By Felica Neal:

Best day ever! I had a absolutely wonderful time at Tuscazoar Raw Trail Race. Thank you Jeremey Followay at Race Brimstone for an amazing race! You do a great job! The race was so well organized and you have wonderful passion for ultras. My favorite part was the river crossing and the stocked aid stations! All the bacon!!! I had a fantastic time running with Lisa Keane and having Josh Keane as our lifeguard and cheerleader. You both made me feel extremely special for my Birthday! I will definitely participate in this race again. I got 1st place in my age group!

Race Recap By Lisa Keane:

Looking for a little “extra”? This is the race for you! The race director took all the challenges Tuscazoar has to offer and combined them into one race then added in a whole river crossing!
Inaugural race – love the logo! Amazing swag included soft Short sleeve tee, rawhide finishers medal, and cattle ear tag bib that could be permanently added to your vest (yes, please) as a souvenir!
Distance options for all abilities
Top notch aid stations and volunteers.
The OA awards were amazing – laser etched stone! I need to run FASTER!
Best part was running this with Felicia Neal on her HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Can’t wait to do it again next year!

 

 

 

6/20/2026 Nancy Wardell McWane River Walk Iron Strong For Wellness 5K Coshocton, Ohio

6/20/2026

McWane River Walk Iron Strong For Wellness 5K

Coshocton, Ohio

Nancy Wardell

Finish Time:  26:00

Overall Place:  13th Place / 177

Division Place:  2nd Overall Female Finisher

Race Recap By Nancy Wardell:

This morning I ran the McWane Iron Strong for Wellness 5K in Coshocton, Ohio. I really enjoyed this race and it went through the camp ground area and around the lake which was very pretty and all the turns were very clearly marked with arrows. I really liked the quick dry towel that was included and the shirt was also a quick dry material and very well made. I was super excited to finish second female overall and first in my age group with a total time of 26:00 and pace of 8:22! Great weather and another great race in the books!

6/17/2026 Kelsie Kline Turtle Trot 5K Hilton Head, South Carolina

6/17/2026

Turtle Trot 5K

Hilton Head, South Carolina

Kelsie Kline

Finish Time:  27:58

Overall Place:  55th Place / 350

Division Place:  19th Place Overall Female Finisher

Race Recap By Kelsie Kline:

I enjoyed a little 5k fun while on vacation this past week on Hilton Head Island. It was a Turtle Trot 5k on Palmetto Dunes beach. Challenging with wind but fun and the money goes to the turtle research!

6/19/2026 Felicia Neal Tusky Days 5K Tuscarawas, Ohio

6/19/2026

Tusky Days 5K

Tuscarawas, Ohio

Felicia Neal

Finish Time:  26:22

Overall Place:  3rd Place Overall Female

Race Recap By Felicia Neal:

Today I ran Tusky Days 5k in Tuscarawas Ohio. It was a bit confusing on where to go for packet pick up. My registration mentioned it was at the firehouse but didn’t reference an address and there where no signs to direct you where to go. The firehouse ended up being half mile from the starting line and you had to walk around it to find check in. There I received my tshirt and they did not use bibs. Once the race started it was an out and back down a scenic country road. Once I crossed the finish line my time was yelled out and I received a popsicle stick with a number. I then I had to go to a volunteer with a clip board and turned in my popsicle stick. Later they went through the times and places. I was 3rd overall female and received a nice plaque. Now that I know how it works I might do it again, maybe, it was very interesting.

6/13/2026 Lori Fritz Training Camp 5K Canton, Ohio

6/13/2026

Training Camp 5K

Canton, Ohio

Lori Fritz

Finish Time:  29:37

Overall Place:  221st Place / 495

Division Place:  4th Place / 13

Race Recap By Lori Fritz:

This morning I volunteered for race day check-in for the Training Camp 5k. I actually enjoy doing this because I get to see and interact with the running community a little more.
This was my first time running this one, and I really enjoyed the course. I really like sections that do out and back because it is fun to cheer others on.
It’s not my best time, as I’m still nursing a hamstring issue, but I still had a great time!
Honestly, the Run to You Racing crew do a great job!

6/12/2026 Josh Keane, Lisa Keane, Terri Bednar, And Veronica Neubert, The Muddy Paws Trail Race Peninsula, Ohio

6/12/2026

The Muddy Paws Trail Race

Peninsula, Ohio

10 Mile Trail Race

Josh Keane

Finish Time:  2:02:52

Overall Place:  30th Place / 70

Division Place: 2nd Place / 5

Lisa Keane

Finish Time:  2:03:05

Overall Place:  31st Place / 70

Division Place: 1st Place / 3

Terri Bednar

Finish Time:  2:06:26

Overall Place:  34th Place / 70

Division Place: 3rd Place / 7

5 Mile Trail Race

Veronica Neubert

Finish Time:  49:14

Overall Place:  22nd Place / 119

Division Place: 1st Place / 5

Team ER won the team division at the race.

Race Recap By Lisa Keane:

What’s better than a weekend trail race – a weekend trail race w/ pups!
Grab your pup and choose your distance – one 5 mile loop or two on a (mostly) run-able grass / trail / gravel well marked course.
This race supports the humane society who were on site w/ adoptable feline friends!
Nice swag & medals (pups get a special medal too)!
Snacks for human and pup athletes including SNOW CONES!
Overall awards and age division awards – congratulations to TEAM ER for their 1st place team award and to all of my TEAM ER teammates – everyone placed this weekend!

Race Recap By Terri Bednar:

Saturday I ran the Muddy Paws 10-miler Pine Hollow. They had options for 5k, 5 miler or 10 miler. It was a fun course! I did this race last year but this year the course went the opposite direction so felt like there were more hills. (Builds character! ) with the addition of the 5k option, parking was a little squirrely. (Note to self, arrive earlier next time). Packet pickup was super easy and there were plenty of bathrooms. They even had a van from humane society and you could take home a pet! Great race and I came in 3rd in my age group! I’ll be back for sure!

Race Recap By Veronica Neubert:

The course was reversed from the past 2 times I’ve done this. It was hot and my mouth was dry right away … not a good start. I was 3rd female for the first 3 miles and finished 5th female overall for the 5 miles (first in my age group) I did not come home with a kitten this time (even though they were SO cute!) Congratulations to Team ER for finishing first in teams and Josh, Lisa, and Terri for each placing in their age groups for the 10 miles. This is not an easy race! Way to go team!

6/12/2026 Steve Zenar And Cleopatra Sirnic Clifford Around The Beach 5K Munroe Falls, Ohio

6/12/2026

Around The Beach 5K

Munroe Falls, Ohio

Steve Zenar

Finish Time:  23:55

Overall Place:  25th Place / 225

Division Place:  4th Place / 23

Cleopatra Sirnic Clifford

Finish Time:  30:44

Overall Place:  89th Place / 225

Division Place:  1st Place / 20

Race Recap By Steve Zenar:

I had a wonderful morning running the Around The Beach 5K at Munroe Falls Metro Park. The weather was absolutely perfect — such a refreshing break after a week of heavy humidity.
I set out hoping to beat my 5K personal best, and even with the rolling course, the downhill segments gave me just enough kick. Proud to say I finished in 23:35 at a 7:37/mile pace.  It only earned me 4th in my age group today, but I’ll take the PR any day.