Fall 2016 Draft 3

Turkey Trot 

Thursday, 

November 24, 2016 

 

Bob Rother Memorial 

25K - 8:30 AM 

 

Kids 1 Mile - 8:45 AM 

 

5 Mile - 9:15 AM 

 

2 Mile Fun Run - 9:25 AM 

LOCATION Arlington High School, Route 55, Lagrange, NY 

PRE-REGISTRATION Deadline November 22, 2016 

RACE DAY REGISTRATION Opens at 7:00 am. Closes 8:15 for kids and 25K. Closes 9:00 for 2-mile and 5-mile. 

AWARDS 

25K 

Up to 25, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+ 

5 Mile 

Up to 18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60- 

69, 70+, extra men’s 70-74, 75+ 

Kids 

Up to 5, 6-7, 8-10, 11-13 

T-SHIRTS 

For first 1000 pre-registered 

The Bagel Shoppe 

Fishkill, New York 12524 

RACE FEES 

Pre-Registered 

MHRRC 

Members 

Non- 

Members 

Race 

Day 

25K $18 $20 $30 

5 Mile $18 $20 $30 

2 Mile $13 $15 $25 

Kids 0 0 $10 

Please, no walkers, roller blades, wheelchairs, 

baby strollers, dogs, or headphones 

Please Print Clearly 

Name: __________________________ 

Date of Birth: ___ / ___ / ___ 

Race: 25K Kids 5-mile 2-mile 

T-Shirt: S M L XL 

Gender: M F Phone: ( ___ ) _____ - ________ 

Address: _________________________________ 

__________________________Zip____________ 

E-Mail: __________________________________ 

I know that running and road racing are potentially hazardous activities. I will not enter 

this race unless I am medically able and properly trained. I assume all risks associated 

with this event, including but not limited to, falls, contact with other participants, the 

effects of the weather including low temperature and/or precipitation, traffic, and the 

condition of the road, all such risks being known and appreciated by me. Having read 

this waiver and knowing these facts, in consideration of accepting this entry, I, the 

undersigned, intending to be legally bound, for myself, my heirs, executors, and 

administrators, waive and release any and all claims for damages I may have against 

the Mid-Hudson Road Runners Club, Town of LaGrange, Arlington School District, 

sponsors, Race Director, and their agents, employees representatives, successors, and 

assigns, from any and all liabilities, claims, demands, and causes of action whatsoever 

arising directly or indirectly from my participation in this event. I also release my rights 

to any photos, videos, images, etc. taken of me during this event. 

Signature: ________________________________ 

Parent’s signature if under 18 

Make checks payable to Mid-Hudson Road Runners Club Send registration by mail to Irvin Miller, 11 Manor Drive W., Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 

For more information, contact Irv Miller at immiller1@juno.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS FALL 2016 

I am thankful to have an 

ability that so few are 

blessed with, so I do not 

take my gift for granted. 

> Janet Geary, Page 12 

Accepting rest took more 

self-discipline and effort 

than undertaking a marathon. 

> Beverly DeAngelis, Page 13 

Dutches County Classic Kids Run 

I feel I'm making great 

gains, but most importantly, 

I have become a smarter 

athlete. 

> Kevin Burns, Page 7 

It gives you real clarity, 

and you divorce yourself 

from the activity of the day, 

and that’s really helpful if 

you’re a busy person. 

> Marc Molinaro, Page 9 

Articles 

Profiles 

Race Results 

6 2016 Turkey Trot 

> Deborah Schwartz 

13 My Greatest Accomplishment 

as a Runner 

> Beverly DeAngelis 

17 Pain and Your Brain 

> Justin Feldman, DPT 

18 Walkway Over the Hudson 

> Susanne O’Neil 

5 Noah Mellen 

> Meghan Dillon-Mellen 

9 Marc Molinaro 

> Margaret Wentworth 

12 Janet Geary 

> Janet Geary 

Masthead 

Margaret Wentworth 

Editor 

15 Dutchess County Classic 

20 Billy Goat Run 

Polly Sparling 

Proofreader 

David Anchin 

Design & Layout 

THE MID-HUDSON ROAD RUNNER

ARTICLE 

Year End Thoughts 

from Your President 

>>> Keith Axelrod 

President, Mid-Hudson Road Runners Club 

(914) 456-0708 

Well, the Dutchess County Classic is now behind us, and we 

have also finished the fall racing season. I always like to 

mention how convenient our shopping cart is to register for 

your favorite races and also to join the Mid-Hudson Road 

Runners Club as a member. Thanks again to Deborah 

Schwartz for creating and maintaining our website. 

First of all, I want to thank all the many people who put so 

much time and effort into the Dutchess County Classic. It 

literally takes hundreds of people to pull off the Classic and 

work our way through the many logistics. In the end, we 

wound up with a very successful event. 

I would like to thank everyone for working side by side with 

me for endless hours dealing with so many details to make 

sure this race became a reality. In addition, I would like to 

thank (in no particular order): Linda Stowe, Pete SanFilippo, 

Fred Policastri, Roy Abraham, Erika Abraham, Lori Decker, 

Bill Rosenberg, Rebecca Withers, Claude Bodlee, Marsha 

Kramer, Pat DeHaven, Irv Miller, Joan Grishman, Jeff Lease, 

Tom Storey, Paul Fitzpatrick, Chris Walsh, Deborah 

Schwartz, Larry Knapp, Bob Dinsmore, Dave Davis, Chris 

Wimmers, Stephen Heath, Pete Colaizzo, the Lagrange Fire 

Department, New York State Police, Dutchess County Sheriff 

Department, and all other first responders. Please forgive 

me if I left anyone out. 

One of the hardest things about being president of our club 

and also race director for the Dutchess County Classic is 

dealing with problems from time to time while making sure 

that everything runs smoothly (pardon the pun) so all our 

runners enjoy their experiences. We have thousands of 

people who participate in our races, and having so many 

events, there are bound to be things that don't always go as 

planned. Our club is made up of all volunteer workers who 

do a phenomenal job at putting on our races. These people 

handle everything from the scoring, traffic control, water 

stations, course set-up, awards and trophies, ordering 

t-shirts, and making sure our insurance is in place, to our 

website maintenance and so much more. I take it to heart and 

feel bad if someone is missing from the scoring results 

(which many times is simply a mechanical error) or if some 

small issue arises in the course of club business. But now that 

the Classic is well behind me and I can actually catch my 

breath and think about everything we do as a club, I can 

honestly say that I am happy we have so many people who 

have come to depend on our club as an outlet for their health, 

vitality, and a place to compete with other great runners. 

My thoughts are now moving to the future. We have an executive 

board that meets about six times a year or so and 

discusses all of the important issues that face our club on a 

regular basis. Without these people, we would not have the 

great club we have today. But we are all getting older, and I 

have to think where will we be five years from now, 10 years 

from now, 20 years from now, and even further than that! My 

mission, and the Board of Directors’ mission as well, is to set 

the stage for the next generation to carry on what we have 

started. We will be looking to the younger generation of 

runners that may be running in the kids one-mile races we 

hold or running track or cross country for a local high school 

or college. One of those runners could be a future president 

or board member of our club! It takes more than putting on a 

yearly calendar of races to make a running club thrive. We 

need more people involved in the future of our club to bring 

us into the future. Just planting a seed in some of your minds. 

As we enter into our winter racing season and get ready to 

finish out yet another year in Mid-Hudson Road Runners 

Club history, I want to thank all of you who participate and 

am eternally grateful for the experience of being club president 

and a race director. It has added great value to my life 

and gives me a purpose outside my family and work life, but 

at the same time has enhanced those very same things in a 

dramatic way. 

I would also like to thank Fred Policastri who has been our 

Vice President for about 10 years. He has stepped down for 

the upcoming year and we will miss him as VP, but he will 

still be on our board of directors and helping the club. At the 

same time, I would like to welcome our new Vice President, 

A.J. Guckian. He will bring his great running experience, as 

well as his military experience, to help grow our club! 

We have the Turkey Trot coming up only days away on 

Thanksgiving directed by Irv Miller, and then Pete Sanfilippo's 

Knights of Columbus Run on December 3. Be sure to 

sign up through our shopping cart. Also, if you haven't 

visited our Facebook page, you should! We have almost 1,300 

members on it! 

I hope to see you out at the races. After the first of the year, 

we will still have our monthly club meetings (check our 

website for dates, times, and locations), so try to come out 

and join us. We want you to be part of our club activities that 

go beyond our regular races. 

Thanks again, and I'll see you soon. 

THE MID-HUDSON ROAD RUNNER PAGE 3

ARTICLE 

WE are wrapping up 2016 about as fast as we’ll be wrapping 

holiday gifts in less than a month. Our next newsletter 

will be dated 2017, and so we spend this issue on a full recap 

of the fall racing calendar and cataloging our 2016 accomplishments 

as runners—and in life. Since so many club members 

and friends and even our county executive have 

graciously shared the highlights of their personal running 

histories for all to peruse, I want to take the opportunity to 

share my greatest accomplishment as a runner right here. 

Like many of you, I have been blessed and cursed with a lot 

of energy and a strong drive to achieve. With those qualities 

comes a high-strung, verging-on-type-A disposition that—at 

least in my case—can lead to a desire to shut off one’s brain 

in order to get a break every now and then. That said, my 

greatest accomplishment as a runner is discovering running 

and implementing it to my advantage to produce a state of 

balance, perspective, and calm that I can take refuge in when 

the need arises. I took the fall racing season off altogether 

this year, and instead of feeling as though I missed out on 

something important, my relationship with running feels 

renewed and rejuvenated and as committed as ever. 

Running for fun and to heal reminded me of why I run in the 

first place. I run because I am always looking to recapture 

what happens in my mind and my body when I run. The 

internal and external chaos melts away with each footfall on 

the pavement. I breathe. I observe nature. I see coyotes and 

bald eagles and the majesty of our Hudson Valley landscape, 

and I slowly stop fretting about muscling my way through 

my to-do list and whether or not I’m doing a good job as a 

mother, a sister, a wife, a friend, a daughter, an editor, an 

educator, a volunteer, a neighbor—the list goes on. A few 

miles in, my mind is quiet, and there is just my heart beating 

and the sound of my footsteps and the sensation of my chest 

rising and falling with each breath. In that moment, I find 

perspective; only that moment matters, and when the run has 

ended, I can take that special moment of peace and wisdom 

with me back into the messy discord of life, which is full of 

many moments over which I have no control. Now THAT is 

something to be thankful for. 

In closing, I want to thank everyone who has contributed to 

the MHRRC newsletter. I also want to offer up a special 

shout-out to Polly Sparling for her 

phenomenal proofreading. Every 

issue, we inevitably endeavor to 

incorporate last-minute submissions, 

and Polly has earned yet 

another PR for her turnaround 

time. Her editorial eye far surpasses 

the scope of my own, and I want 

to thank her for being so generous 

with her time and talent and especially 

for making all of my clunky 

sentences roll off the tongue. 

Happy holidays! See you in 2017! 

Margaret 

Wentworth 

newsletter@ 

mhrrc.org 

Contributors 

BD 

MD 

JF 

JG 

SO 

DS 

MW 

Beverly 

DeAngelis 

Meghan 

Dillon-Mellen 

Justin 

Feldman 

Janet 

Geary 

Susanne 

O‘Neil 

Deborah 

Schwartz 

Margaret 

Wentworth 


PROFILE 

Noah Mellen 

>>> Meghan Dillon-Mellen 

My s on N oah M ellen (formerly N oah D illon) has been 

running in MHRRC races for the past three years. This year, 

at 9 years old, he ran his fastest mile of 6:13 at the Twilight 

Track Series, which was a major accomplishment for him. He 

ran the Dutchess County Classic Kids’ Mile this fall, coming 

in first in his age group, and over the summer, he ran the Run 

for Heroes K ids’ M ile, placing second. This year, we w ere 

also at the Miles of Hope at Tymor Park, the Wally Waddle, 

and, most recently, the Sports Museum Hall of Fame race on 

the Dutchss R ail Trail. This summer, w e also started our 

3-year-old s on r unning a t the Twilight T rack Series. This 

group and t hese races/events have g iven N oah and our 

family s o much j oy and a re a lways s omething t o look 

forward t o. The r unning community m ade me f all in l ove 

with them as I watched complete strangers constantly cheering 

each other on. My son's confidence has grown over the 

past three years, and he's been i nspired b y the 12-year-old 

winner o f the DC C lassic K id’s M ile, Brendan M yers, and 

aims to win it next year, which is a great goal for him to focus 

on and work towards. He's learned that winning a race isn't 

so important. Making YOUR time better and cheering each 

other on is what counts. 

THE MID-HUDSON ROAD RUNNER 

PAGE 5

ARTICLE 

2016 Turkey Trot 

PHOTO: NIN LEI 

Registration 

PRE-REGISTRATION 

Use the MHRRC shopping cart to 

pre-register for these races. Save at 

least $10 over race day registration. 

Additional discounts for MHRRC 

members are only available through 

shopping cart pre-registration. Tee 

shirts are guaranteed to the first 1,000 

pre-registered runners! 

New Start Times 

BOB ROTHER 

MEMORIAL 25K 

> START: 

8:30AM 

> LOCATION: 

STARTS BY 

ARLINGTON 

HIGH SCHOOL 

TRACK 

All races finish behind 

Arlington High School, 

at the crosswalk 

by the arch. 

KIDS 1 MILE 

RACE 

> START: 

8:45AM 

> LOCATION: 

STARTS 

BEHIND 

ARLINGTON 

HIGH SCHOOL 


5 MILE 

RACE 

> START: 

9:15AM 

> LOCATION: 

STARTS 

BEHIND 

ARLINGTON 

HIGH SCHOOL 

Refreshments will be 

available in the hall of 

Arlington High School 

after the races. 

RACE DAY REGISTRATION 

Race day registration opens at 7:00 

am. It closes at 8:15 for the kids and 

25K and at 9:00 for the 5 Mile and 2 

Mile races. Please pre-register if at all 

possible. Last minute registration 

cause data errors for our scorers and 

inconveniences folks at the awards 

ceremonies. 

2 MILE 

FUN RUN 

> START: 

9:25AM 

> LOCATION: 

STARTS 

BEHIND 

ARLINGTON 

HIGH SCHOOL 

Awards ceremonies will 

be held in the Arlington 

High School gym. 

Volunteer 

You can run and still volunteer before or after 

the races. Family members can volunteer. 

Please register to volunteer on the DCClassic.com 

web site on the volunteer page. Here 

is the direct link: http://dcclassic.com/volunteer/ 

We really need your help. Kim Caruso is coordinating 

volunteers and assigning volunteers 

to needed jobs. You will receive an email 

from her soon after registering as a volunteer 

and later, you will get an email from your 

volunteer coordinator, telling you exactly 

what you will be doing as a volunteer. 

Help is needed especially for: 

Pre-registered bib and shirt pickups. 

We need an additonal 25 volunteers to 

keep the pre-registered runners lines 

flowing smoothly. You can easily run 

after your volunteer duties here. Start at 

around 7:00 in the AHS gym and end in 

time to warm up for your race. 

Traffic control. We need about six additional 

people to direct runners at 

turnaround spots and turns. This is a 

great job to cheer on your favorite 

runners on the courses and to keep them 

safe. 

> Continued on Page 11 

PAGE 6

ARTICLE 

what is your 

greatest accomplishment 

as a 

runner? 

CHRIS BURNS 

My greatest accomplishment was last year 

Rock the Ridge ultramarathon! Previous l 

5K. It was completed with support from f 

including my brother Kevin who pushed a 

where it needed to be while battling knee 

again and look forward to completing it in 

KEVIN BURNS 

While training for a 50-mile race and suffering a meniscus 

tear earlier this year, I was forced to put any kind of 

personal race goals on the shelf and focus on recovery. 

I opted to try to avoid surgery and to dive into physical 

therapy and other forms of strength and stretching 

techniques. After almost 10 months of this training and 

slowly building mileage, I feel I'm making great gains, 

but most importantly, I have become a smarter athlete. 

Looking forward to 2017. 

VANESSA MURPHY 

My greatest accomplishment 

is finding out that I CAN DO 

IT. I can stay in motion, run, 

finish the race, encourage 

the discouraged, influence 

others, cheer for others when 

they are weary. My kids love 

the fact that their mommy 

loves to run. 

CO 

My 

the 

viv 

had 

to b 

the 

fron 

usu 

Wa 

mak 


JENNIFER ANNE 

My biggest accomplishment is trusting myself that I could actually do it. I can talk 

myself out of anything, but to talk yourself into is so much bigger. I ran my first 

half and am doing a Spartan race in March. I never thought I could... I still have to 

psych myself up, but knowing I've already done it makes it so much easier. 

LIZ MESSINA 

Running the NYC Marathon and 

raising money for the ALS Association. 

Anything is possible if 

you are committed to yourself. 

BARRI DONNELLAN 

My biggest accomplishment 

was running/walking the 

NY Marathon twice, raising 

money for Team for Kids. 

KAREN MIURA 

That I remained calm through a 

rough divorce by running out the 

stress, to then meet the love of 

my life at a race. 

AJ GUCKIAN 

finishing my first 

ongest race was a 

riends and family, 

nd kept my mind 

pain. I signed up 

May of 2017! 

NNIE J. SEIGH 

SYLVIE REITTER 

My greatest accomplishment 

was to 

participate in and 

finish the Dutchess 

County Classic (my 

first half-marathon). 

My wife made the All-Army cross country team. 

That's my greatest accomplishment. 

PATRICK DEHAVEN 

My greatest accomplishment as a runner came in 

2002 at the Orange County Classic in Middletown. 

I came in second in my age group (50-54) 

with a time of 37:59. In doing so, I beat the great 

running legend Frank Shorter (who was in the 

same age group). And who beat me out for first 

place? None other than Bill Rodgers. It was a 

pretty impressive age group that year. 

greatest running moment came about on June 11, 2016, at 

Think Differently Dash. It was in a sense surreal, as I had a 

id dream of being in this race before it was even created. It 

nothing to do with my personal times, distances, or goals 

e met, but was about becoming someone's wings to finish 

race. It was like I had seen everything I wanted to see in the 

t of the pack, and now it was time to bring those who are 

ally left behind forward. So thank you MHRRC and the 

lkway Over the Hudson for bringing this race to life and 

ing my dream come true! 

In all fairness, Frank was coming off an injury, or 

I'm sure he would have easily beaten me. Frank 

grew up in Middletown and often used to come 

back to run in the Orange Classic. It just happened 

that Bill Rodgers (the two are good friends, I 

guess) also showed up that year. 

This may not have been my greatest accomplishment 

as a runner, but it was certainly my most 

memorable. 

PAGE 8

PROFILE 

>>> Margaret Wentworth 

OUR featured runner profile this issue happens to be 

about our very own County Executive, Marcus Molinaro. 

Although relatively new to the sport of running, Molinaro 

was pleased to participate in an interview for the 

Mid-Hudson Road Runners Club, and his sense of humor 

permeated our discussion. We spent a half-hour addressing 

everything from PRs to superstitions, and by the end 

of our conversation it became clear to me that, even in a 

few short years, running has brought a great deal of 

richness, satisfaction, and balance to Molinaro’s life. 

I began the interview with the same question that I posed 

on Facebook for our spring issue: Why do you run? 

“Because constituents can’t catch me—that’s part of the 

answer,” Molinanro replied with a laugh. Then he highlighted 

the health benefits of running and his desire to set 

a positive example for his children: “I want to stay healthy, 

and with my schedule, it’s hard to do that. Running for me 

has been both great physical and mental exercise. I [also] 

want to stay active; I want to be able to play soccer with 

my son, and I want to be able to run with my daughter. I 

mean, I wasn’t the greatest baseball player or football 

player, and so for me, running is a nice example that I can 

provide for them.” Finally, he underscored the enticing 


PROFILE 

“runner’s high” that we are all so familiar with: “It’s such a 

euphoric high, right? I really feel good when I’m done, and 

I want to feel that, so that’s a motivator.” 

Like many of us, Molinaro’s path to a running career was 

indirect and perhaps even accidental. “I wouldn’t say I did 

a lot of physical exercise before,” he told me. “I started 

running in 2012, although I had been biking for about a 

year and half or two years before that. I was looking for 

something to do that took my mind off things and got me 

out of my normal routine, so riding a bike was perfect, and 

I was doing three days a week, 

anywhere between 10 and 15 

miles.” Apparently one long 

distance pursuit led to another: “I 

tell people I started running 

because I got lazy; I didn’t want 

to have to wake up in the morning 

and check the tires. For whatever 

reason, I just put on a pair of 

sneakers and said, ‘I’m going to 

try this.’ ” He began by running 

down his block, and soon set a 

goal of one mile. “Once I ran a 

mile, the rest was easy,” he said. 

STATS 

Fast-forward to 2016, and Molinaro has two half marathons 

under his belt, both completed on the Walkway Over the 

Hudson. “Running the half marathon was probably my 

most fulfilling personal accomplishment. I mean, I’ve won 

elections, and obviously I’m thrilled to be married to my 

wife, and I love my children, but running the half marathon 

the first time was by far the best individual, personal 

accomplishment of my life,” he told me. “The second half 

marathon I ran, I shaved 20 minutes off my time. Now I feel 

like I’ve got to break 2 hours, so I guess I have to [run the 

Walkway Half] again.” Stay tuned for 2017, because Molinaro 

may be shooting for a new PR. Also, you may want to 

keep an eye out at your next local road race because he 

revealed to me his propensity to race under the radar. “I 

sneak into races,” he said. “Many times, without sounding 

arrogant because of who I am, I sometimes don’t register, I 

just say I’m going to show up—people like to have the 

county executive there—and then I run. I have run several 

5Ks not registered, and nobody knows I’m there.” Luckily, 

his office provided me with some running photos, otherwise 

I might have had to scour the county in hopes of 

capturing him mid-stride on camera! 

Although Molinaro has conquered the half, he still encounters 

many of the same challenges and obstacles as the rest 

of us non–politicians. For instance, he may be able to run 

13.1 miles, but it is not all a walk in the park. “I love the half 

marathon until the last four tenths of a mile,” he told me. 

“In the Walkway Half, I know exactly the point where it’s 

no longer fun for me, and I want it over, and I’m struggling 

Years running: 4+ 

Weekly mileage: 12-16 miles 

Favorite race distance: 10K 

Favorite time of day to run: 8am 

Preferred surface: >40°: roads 

PROFILE 

pre-race routines or superstitions, like so many athletes 

do. “For whatever reason,” he replied, “I only run races 

in my Red Fox socks. I have Marist Red Fox socks—I’ve 

got about four pairs of them and, to date, I have not run 

a race without them. My lucky racing socks,” he said 

with a chuckle. “Maybe I should find someone who 

doesn’t mind those last four-tenths of a mile—I’ll 

borrow their socks!” 

In sum, speaking to our county executive about running 

was a powerfully humanizing experience and reiterated 

to me how much we, as runners, share in common. Like 

many of us, Molinaro feels a strong compulsion to run 

and derives a great deal of satisfaction from it. He likes 

to compete, but it’s not just about competition for him; 

it’s about staying fit and healthy for the sake of himself 

and his family and carving out a small time and space of 

peace in the midst of an often frenetic career and world. 

“It’s kind of fun,” he concluded, “I live in Red Hook, 

and so most of the time it’s a left or a right out my door, 

and that will take me either down a few rural roads or 

up through the village. I’ve seen houses being built, I’ve 

seen farms being plowed, I’ve seen pot holes that once 

were there and are now filled. It’s a nice way to take in 

my environment without being distracted or having to 

respond to people or react to questions. I like to experience 

what’s going on at ground level, so running is a 

great opportunity to just be with myself and take in 

what’s around me.” 

2016 Turkey Trot 

> Continued from Page 6 

Pavement painting. Bob Dinsmore and Dick Hall are 

busy re-designing the courses to accomodate the common 

start and finish lines. They could use a volunteer to help 

paint the course before the Turkey Trot. 

Race Day Registration. Last year, with the good weather, 

we could have used additional volunteers to process the 

race day registrants. Start around 7:00 in the AHS back 

lobby and end in time to see the start of the 5 mile and 2 

mile races if you are not running. 

Miscellaneous. There are a variety of miscellaneous 

volunteer jobs, such as Wednesday evening preparation, 

course set-up and take-down, food, etc. If you are open to 

any job, simply tell us on the DC Classic volunteer page. 

Volunteering at the Turkey Trot is fun and you get to help 

your fellow runners and their families have a wonderful 

experience! Plus, we really need you. 

And a good time will be had by all.... 

Lori Decker will be collecting non-perishable food, personal 

products, and clothing for area families in need. 

Hope you can be generous in helping others and donate 

some items to Lori's generous efforts, collected in 

front of the school. 

We hope to see you there, for a terrific start to your holiday 

season. 


PROFILE 

Janet Geary 

My name is Janet Geary, and I have been running competitively 

since I was in seventh grade. I always knew I was a fast kid, but 

I never thought I could be competitive enough to win races! I 

began track in middle school, then discovered high school cross 

country as an eighth-grader. I've trained all year round for the 

past five years and have improved my running form and my 

racing strategy, as well as my mindset. Luckily, I was pushed by 

all of my coaches, along with my family and teammates, to 

accomplish everything I aimed for. 

I am thankful to have 

an ability that so few 

are blessed with, so I 

do not take my gift for 

granted. 

Now, I am a senior captain of the John Jay High 

School cross country team; having a respected and 

responsible role such as this has been an honor. This 

season has been one of my best yet because I am 

more determined and motivated than ever before. I 

have learned to appreciate running, despite suffering 

through the pain, because in the end, all of my 

hard work pays off. I am thankful to have an ability 

that so few are blessed with, so I do not take my gift 

for granted. I always push my limits and put in my 

best effort in every workout and race. 

Running takes immense dedication, motivation, 

and strength. I believe that it has shaped me into the 

individual I am today; therefore, I plan to continue 

on this path and expand my abilities to reach new 

goals. My greatest accomplishment as a runner is 

challenging myself to overcome the obstacles that 

attempt to stop or slow me down. Nothing will ever 

prevent me from doing what I was meant to do... 

run. 


ARTICLE 

Learning to 

Rest 

>>> Beverly DeAngelis 

My greatest accomplishment as a runner was learning to rest. 

Accepting rest took more self-discipline and effort than undertaking 

a marathon. 

My relationship with rest came about from a pain in the butt. 

In midsummer, I discovered that my left glute hurt when I sat 

anywhere—the desk, the car, sometimes even the bicycle seat. 

And it always hurt for the first mile or two of a run. I kept it to 

myself and I continued to run. Just a few days per week, as this 

meant more days when I could bike or swim instead. I did 

yoga. I overcompensated with the foam roller. At weekly 

track practice, I would share the Internet’s latest myofascial 

release method executed with my purple lacrosse ball. That 

pain in my butt lingered. I discussed my pain in the butt with 

any athlete willing to discuss theirs. I sought massage and 

acupuncture and calmly ignored that four letter word “rest.” 

Who has time for rest? 

Accepting rest took more 

self-discipline and effort than 

undertaking a marathon. 

When I wasn’t running, cycling, swimming, or kayaking, I 

tried to grab a book and head for my hammock. It was while 

reading A Life Without Limits: A World Champion’s Journey 

by Chrissie Wellington that I came to understand the need for 

rest. After every race season, Wellington takes four weeks off 

with no attempt to run or bike or swim. She replaces it with 

other activities that are just plain fun. In her case, a lot of them 

are daring and extreme, but she completely casts aside the 

three disciplines of the triathlon. 

My adventure with rest was not easy. I postponed it to 

complete one last race: the Josh Billings Run Aground Triathlon: 

a 27-mile bike, five-mile kayak, and six-mile run, which, if 

done solo, makes you an “iron person.” My butt was really 

sore after the kayak leg, and I failed to break four hours overall, 

but I finished less than one minute behind the first-place 

female in the 60-and-over age group. 

This race is now a must-do in 2019. It is one of the many things 

I pondered during my rest, which at first felt well-deserved, 

but in a couple of days was driving me crazy. I survived by 

revisiting my relationship with my mountain bike. I developed 

a new appreciation for late-day sunsets at the Millbrook co-op. 

A lot of my long run routes began to seem silly when I completed 

them in an hour on the bike. I recycled all of my old running 

shoes, since I presumed they were contributing to my condition. 

Without shoes, I could not break the deal and run. I visited 

ShoeKicker and saved the page but never clicked the order box. 

And then, there was the social isolation that creeps in from missing 

too many Saturday morning runs. It is as bad as working 

straight weekends forever. 

Four weeks have gone by, and my rest has finally come to an 

end. I have new shoes. I am slower. I have to remind myself of 

posture and to suck my tummy in. It feels a bit like learning to 

run all over again. 


PAGE 13

37th Knights of 

Columbus 

Holiday Run 

SATURDAY, 

DECEMBER 3, 2016 

 

5 mile at 10:30 AM 

 

KIDS 1 MILE at 10:00 AM 

LOCATION Knights of Columbus Hall, Route 9D, Wappingers 

RACE DAY REGISTRATION Opens at 9:00am 

PRE-REGISTRATION Deadline November 30, 2016 

AWARDS 

WOMEN 

Up to 18, 19-29, 30-39, 

40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+ 

MEN 

Up to 18, 19-29, 30-39, 

40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+ 

KIDS 

Up to 7, 8-10, 11-13 

RACE FEES 

MEMBERS 

$10 Online Pre-Registration 

$10 Mailed Registration 

Race Day $18 for 5 mile; kids $10 

NON-MEMBERS 

$12 Online & Mailed Pre-Registration 

Race Day $18 for 5 mile; kids $10 

Please, no walkers, roller blades, baby 

strollers, dogs, or headphones 

Name: __________________________ 

Date of Birth: ___ / ___ / ___ 

Age on race day: _____ 

Knights of Columbus member: Y N 

Race: 5 mile KIDS 

Tee: S M L XL 

Gender: M F Phone: ( ____ ) _____ - ________ 

Address: _________________________________ 

________________________________________ 

E-Mail: __________________________________ 

I know that running and road racing are potentially hazardous activities. I will not 

enter this race unless I am medically able and properly trained. I assume all risks 

associated with this event, including but not limited to, falls, contact with other 

participants, the effects of the weather including low temperature and/or 

precipitation, traffic, and the condition of the road, all such risks being known and 

appreciated by me. Having read this waiver and knowing these facts, in 

consideration of accepting this entry, I, the undersigned, intending to be legally 

bound, for myself, my heirs, executors, and administrators, waive and release any 

and all claims for damages I may have against the Mid-Hudson Road Runners 

Club, Town of Wappingers, sponsors, Race Director, and their agents, employees 

representatives, successors, and assigns, from any and all liabilities, claims, 

demands, and causes of action whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from my 

participation in this event. I also release my rights to any photos, videos, images, 

etc. taken of me during this event. 

Signature: ________________________________ 

Parent’s signature if under 18 

Make checks payable to Mid-Hudson Road Runners Club Send registration by mail to Pete Sanfilippo, 8 Carmine Dr., Wappingers, NY 12590 

For more information, contact Pete Sanfilippo at petesan8@gmail.com or (845) 297-7950

RACE RESULTS 

5K Winners 

>> Overall Male Winner 

Jamie Stroffolino 

Hometown: Stormville, NY 

Age: 30 

Time: 16:04.93 

>> Overall Female Winner 

Melissa Strange 

Hometown: Pawling, NY 

Age: 53 

Time: 18:23.08 

Half Marathon Win 


John Lee 

Hometown: Poughkeepsie, 

Age: 22 

Time: 01:14:37.05 


Annie Gould 

Hometown: Stormville, N 

Age: 22 

Time: 01:33:19.70 


ners 

Y 

NY 

Kids 1 Mile Winners 


Brendan Meyer 

Hometown: Poughkeepsie, NY 

Age: 12 

Time: 06:07.09 


Sabrina Mongon 

Hometown: Lagrangeville, NY 

Age: 12 

Time: 07:01.87 

PAGE 16

ARTICLE 

Pain and 

Your Brain 

>>> Justin Feldman, DPT 

Feldman Physical Therapy & Performance 

There is something great about running—the idea of not needing 

any equipment; the ease of access to the sport; the enjoyment 

of being outside, alone with your thoughts—that just 

makes it an amazing sport. 

There is also something about running that makes it addictive 

and sometimes leads to overdoing it a bit, like putting in too 

many miles or training through a minor injury, ache, or pain, 

that often makes us, as runners, prone to a little bit of pain. Ask 

anyone who runs regularly how he or she is doing, and the 

person will often catalog a litany of minor aches and pains, 

then say, “But other than that, great!” 

As a physical therapist, I often see people when that pain has 

become a bigger problem and is getting in the way of their 

training. They have tried every YouTube exercise, dipped into 

ice baths and hot tubs, read every back issue of Runner’s 

World, and scoured all the running blogs for a cure. Then they 

try the “other” stuff—like Tylenol, Advil, and Aleve; sometimes 

even stronger prescriptions—and when none of them 

work, in a last-ditch effort they end up in our office crying, 

“Help!” Well, I’m here to educate some of my friends in the 

running community about that dreaded pain. 

system check of your whole body to see how everything feels 

before you start your run. For me, this means doing one or two 

Turkish get-ups on each side and walking around. As I do this, I 

take note of how everything feels, and if anything doesn’t feel 

quite right, I spend a few minutes addressing it. The idea is that 

by addressing these things before running, my brain, and yours, 

will feel less threatened as you run. 

Moral of the story? The next 

time you have pain, 

remember that your 

brain is worried 

and trying to 

look out for 

you. So give 

it some 

reassurance, 

and you’ll 

enjoy your 

next run 

much more. 

When people experience pain, the first thing they should 

realize is that the pain they feel is a signal from their brain that 

something in the area that hurts is being asked to do more than 

it can handle, or—and this is the important part—possibly 

more than their brain thinks it can handle. 

When your brain is feeling threatened and scared by pain, the 

first step in stopping the ache is to put your brain at ease. There 

are a few easy ways to do this, the first one being to remove the 

stress of training by simply going for a fun run with friends, no 

technology allowed. That’s right, leave your Garmin, iPhone, 

Android, iPod, drone—anything you run with other than 

clothes and shoes—at home. Don’t worry if there isn’t a digital 

record of your run; it still happened, and you still get credit. 

The next step is to drop out all of those pain medications. Not 

only do they mask symptoms and sometimes make your brain 

more fearful, but some of them will also weaken your tendons, 

making them more prone to various issues. Instead, create a 

pre-run routine that gets your brain running and provides a 


ARTICLE 

WALKWAY MARATHON WEEKEND 2017 

Walkway 

Over the 

Hudson 

Races 

>>> Susanne O’Neil 

Walkway Marathon race organizers are gearing up for year 

three of the Walkway Marathon Weekend. Be sure to save the 

dates of June 10-11, 2017. Dutchess County Government will 

again partner with the race and will host the Think Differently 

Dash on Saturday, June 10 at 10 a.m. The Think Differently 

Dash is a one-mile run/walk for those with special abilities. 

Together, we are so proud to organize this special event and 

encourage everyone to get involved, either as a participant or 

as a supportive race buddy. For more information on participating, 

go to https://walkwaymarathon.org/think-differently-dash. 

Registration opens on Tuesday, December 6. 

NEW RACE ROUTES 

On Sunday, June 11,, The Walkway Full and Half Marathon, 

along with the Mid-Hudson Road Runners Club 5K, will 

return to the Marist College campus. This year, the full and 

half marathon will have a new route, which will head across 

the Walkway Over the Hudson during the first half of the 

race — and we’ll have a rocking musical band at the end of 

the race. We are going to celebrate our PRs with great food, 

drink, and dancing at the finish. Be sure to share with friends 

and spread the word. Registration opens Tuesday, December 

6 at https://walkwaymarathon.org/. 

The Walkway Over the Hudson is getting new comfort stations and running water! Due 

to construction beginning April 2017, the Mid-Hudson Road Runners 5K route will be 

changed to accommodate the construction on the west (Highland) side of the span. 

More information to follow. 


PICTURES 

2016 Think Differently Dash 

>> June 11, 2016 

CAPE/DC 

Color Run 5K 

>> September 10, 2016 

Marathon Project at the 

Hartford Marathon 

>> October 8, 2016 

The race was a fundraiser for the Marathon 

Project of the Council on Addiction Prevention 

& Education of Dutchess County, Inc. 

(CAPE/DC). The runners ran through powders 

of many different colors at various 

stations along the course. The winner was 

Yaser Hadine, age 19, in a time of 20:57.4. The 

first female was Mackenzie Jarvis, age 17 and 

9th overall. 

Marathon Project students and mentors who attended the 2016 Hartford Marathon. 

Six ran the half marathon, 17 ran the 5K, and 9 ran the Marathon Relay in 

two teams. Three ran the full marathon: Doug Needham, age 51, in 3:36:07, 

Walter Espinoza, age 17, in 3:38:00, and Joey Taylor, age 17, in 5:09.38. 

For more information about the Marathon 

Project, contact Nicole Alger at 

the Council on Addiction Prevention 

and Education of Dutchess County at 

845-765-8301, ext. 101 

or email nalger@capedc.org 


RACE RESULTS 

Billy Goat Run 

October 10, 2016

CLUB 

August 2016 Meeting Minutes 

Club Officers Present 

Keith Axelrod, Fred Policastri and Erika Abraham 

At 7:10 pm, the meeting commenced. 

Minutes of 7/7/201 

Accepted as written for the Newsletter per protocol. 

Other 

Keith recounted his first MHRRC meeting, which was about the 

Dutchess County Classic, and his later 2:01 half marathon time, 

which was his first race. Paul Cassito convinced him to become the 

club’s VP, then the race director for the Classic some 11 years ago. 

Treasurer’s Report 

Given by Keith in the absence of Pat DeHaven. Listed were our 

balances and expenses in our Classic and club bank accounts. Major 

expenses were related to the Run for Heroes races. Report was 

accepted per protocol. 

and board members will discuss the issue. Keith will give a later 

update. 

New Business 

Keith gave an update on the major issues of the DC Classic. The 

expo will be held inside the school and only paid sponsors will be 

allowed to participate. Joan will have a big outside tent for food. 

We will use lightweight tables from the school. Scoring equipment 

will be moved inside the lot at the town hall. Bill Rosenberg will 

do the course change movements and move the start back accordingly. 

Road closures signs need new adjusted times on them. Bill 

and Becky will handle the volunteer database. The kids’ race will 

be electronically timed. Deborah will score the half and needs help 

there. 

The meeting adjourned at 8:40 pm. 

Respectfully submitted by Erika Abraham 

Old Business 

Keith reported on his Run for Heroes races, which went well and 

included over 400 runners. Profits made will be shared with a charity 

and scholarships for people interested in military service. Of concern 

was an unpleasant incident regarding a state trooper who wanted to 

participate by pushing his disabled son in a “racing chair.” Keith will 

check into the legality of having disabled entrants in racing chairs 

September 2016 Meeting Minutes 


Keith Axelrod, Fred Policastri, and Erika Abraham 

At 7:12 pm, the meeting commenced, following a pizza break. 

Minutes of 8/4/2016 

Accepted as written for the newsletter. 

races. However, certain racecourses cannot accommodate such 

participants. 

The meeting adjourned at 8:25 pm. 



Not given due to the Treasurer’s absence. 

Old Business 

Pete spoke about his Mama’s and Papa’s 4K, which went well despite 

a much lower turnout. 

New Business 

Keith gave an update on the upcoming Dutchess County Classic. Bill 

and Becky have measured and moved the finish line to the town hall 

entrance and off the road completely, as well as marked the course. 

Flaggers are still needed for traffic control. Water station needs were 

clarified. Bibs, medals, ribbons, and trophies have been ordered. 

Some ads have been in the Poughkeepsie Journal and on Facebook. 

Certificates for insurance will be handled by Fred, with two days 

needed for Arlington High School. T-shirts will be in men’s and 

women’s sizes. Awards ceremony will be held in the gym. We have 

to research and get expert information from knowledgeable people if 

we want to consider having disabled participants in some of our 


CLUB 

October 2016 Meeting Minutes 


Fred Policastri, Pat DeHaven, and Erika Abraham 

At 7:15 pm, Fred started the meeting after a pizza break. 

Minutes of 9/1/2016 

Not read by secretary, but approved per protocol as published online 

and in the club newsletter. 


Given by Pat, who summarized our Sept. 2016 deposits and credits, 

checks and debits, listing our balances in the club account and the 

Classic account. Our biggest expense is $1,650 for the storage locker 

for another year. We have $6,500 outstanding in Classic pledges. It 

will cost $2,000 to renew our RRCA liability membership. Report 

was approved as given per protocol. 

Old Business 

Fred spoke on Linda’s Schlathaus 5K, noting that volunteers were in 

short supply. A concern/question was raised about traffic on the 

road area where the kids’ race is held. Pete reported on his Sports 

Museum 5K, with tons of food left over, but few runners. Race date 

will change to Aug. 26, 2017, with the Mama’s & Papa’s 4K probably 

not being held in 2017. A concern was raised as to why more club 

members do not support club races. It seems that Facebook and 

Twitter, and not the club website, are used for race calendar listings. 

Becky suggested handing out our club race calendar at all races. Joan 

gave a recap on her Classic food tent issues. A problem with the 

bagels vendor made her want to change suppliers. This and other 

food-related issues need to be further discussed with Keith. 

New Business 

Deborah spoke about bib orders, recommending D-Tags for the 

Turkey Trot, Winter Run and Ed Erichson races and B-Tags for 

summer races and all else. Pat suggested spending about $5,000 

for bibs. Deborah will give Pat her ordering information. Deborah 

also spoke about changes needed at the Turkey Trot, i.e. Planning 

Committee and Coordinator for course route and traffic/parking 

information. Due to safety concerns, the finish line for all races 

must be moved to the back of the school, staggered race starts are 

needed, and a 30-minute timeframe is needed for the kids’ race 

finish. Irv spoke about the Turkey Trot and will be away 10/21 – 

11/3/2016. He needs all volunteers. Irv needs two race directors 

this year to help him and to take over next year when he will be 

away for Thanksgiving. 

Upcoming Races 

Newburgh Bridge 5-miler on 10/9, Billy Goat 5K on 10/16, and 

Knights of Columbus Holiday Run 5-miler on 12/3. 

The meeting adjourned at 8:15 pm

Fall 2016 Draft 3

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