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Saunders,
McManus run
away from pack
in Deary race
By Ron P. Coderre
The results of the 23rd running of the Deary Memorial Road Race were pretty much determined right from the firing of the starter’s gun at 9:05 a.m. at J.D. Cooper’s Restaurant in Putnam. From the onset, 25-year-old William Saunders of Wethersfield and 44-year-old Barbara McManus of Worcester threw down the gauntlet challenging the remainder of the 256 finishers to attempt to beat them.
Racing through the center of downtown Putnam at the top of the Pomfret Street Hill, both Saunders and McManus were on cruise control, well ahead of their nearest competitors.
Saunders, admitting that the heat and humidity were factors, finished well ahead of his nearest competitor posting a time of 26:42 for the 5-mile event. Luke Albertson of Norwich, a former Pomfret resident, finished in second place 42 seconds behinds Saunders in a time of 27:24. Third went to Albertson’s running buddy, Jeff Wadecki of Ledyard. He posted a time of 27:34.
McManus raced through the center of Putnam to the cheers of the crowds gathered at the top of the hill, looking fit as an Olympian and easily ahead of her nearest competitor Linda Spooner of Sturbridge, a regular in Putnam races. At the finish line McManus’ time was 33:36 good for first place overall in the women’s competition and 12th in the entire field. Spooner who finished 17th overall was 58 seconds behind the winner. Third place in the women’s field went to Pauline Frascone of Plainfield and Embellish Hair Salon in Putnam in a time of 36:13.
Running through downtown Putnam the order of the first five runners changed only slightly as the initial three runners maintained their positions. The only top five runner to lose ground was fifth-place finisher Brian Daigneau of Shrewsbury who lost the fourth spot to longtime Deary Race favorite and cousin to the Deary family, Breton Bonnette of Philadelphia.
Frascone, who represented the women of northeastern Connecticut very well, was struggling with the weather conditions coming over the top of Pomfret St. Hill but put it all together for a strong run over the final 2.5 miles.
The first Putnam finisher was 25-year-old Chris Palko who finished 10th in a time of 33:05. The first Putnam female to cross the finish was 28-year-old Carissa Ekholm in 34th place overall with a respectable time of 37:13.
Scott Deslongchamps of Putnam, who started his run at midnight and ran the 5-mile course 10 times, as his tribute to the Deary family and his belief in the fight against cancer, finished an amazing 22nd, posting a time of 35:43. His 50-mile effort raised more than $1000 in pledges for the Deary Cancer Fund at Day Kimball Hospital.
According to race organizers, the 23rd running of the race raised more than $60,000, bringing the overall total in support of cancer victims locally at more than $1 million.
RACE NOTES: Original founder of the race Jimi Gothreau finished 21st running with his friend Scott Deslongchamps… Local favorite 61 year old Wayne Jolley of Brooklyn continues to amaze, finishing 14th overall… Former Putnam football great Mike Herlihy was in town from Plymouth, Mass., and finished 15th… Local celeb, Monique Wolanin ran a strong race finishing 4th in the women’s division and 26th overall Another former Putnam resident, Rebecca Stockdale-Wooley, who was once a nationally ranked runner, finished 27th overall… Two local favorites, Dot Burnworth of Sawmill Pottery and Danny Goyette of Putnam Ford had strong performances… Dr. Marc Cerrone and his wife, Atty. Kate Cerrone were proud finishers, Marc in a time of 41:39 and Kate 59:29. Marc was on the stage at the Bradley Playhouse at 7:30 p.m. in The Sound of Music…Army Sgt. Andrew Zamagni of Putnam was home to run the race and finished a respectable 101st the same number as his Division…Father David Choquette, pastor of St. Mary Church in Putnam finished 130th overall, in time to say the 4:30 p.m. Mass. ..State Representative Mae Flexer of the 44th Assembly District was looking good coming over the top of the Pomfret St. Hill and looked good crossing the finish line…Finally congratulations to Jim St. Jean of Chase Graphics of Putnam and Putnam Rotarian Elizabeth Buzalski, who found time to stop and chat with friends as they plodded along the 5-mile route.
Results include:
1 - William Sanders, Wethersfield, 26:42.0; 2 - Luke Albertson, Norwich, 27:24.0; 3 - Jeffrey Wadecki, Ledyard, 27:34.0; 4 - Breton Bonnette, Philadelphia, 28:43.0; 5 - Brian Daigneau, Shrewsbury, 29:05.0; 6 - Chris Messier, Plainfield, 30:34.0; 7 - Jack Houlker, Danielson, 30:39.0; 8 - Steven Hamill, Brooklyn, 30:42.0; 9 - Eric Bonnette, Philadelphia, 31:00.0; 10 - Chris Palko, Putnam, 33:05.0; 11 - Matthew Rich, Woodstock, 33:13.0; 12 - Barbara McManus, Worcester, 33:36.0; 13 - Michael Zegarzewski, Norwich, 33:44.0; 14 - Wayne Jolley, Brooklyn, 34:07.0; 15 - Mike Herlinhy, Plymouth, 34:22.0; 16 - Kevin Poitras, N. Grosvenordale, 34:31.0; 17 - Linda Spooner, Sturbridge, 34:34.0; 18 - Larry Gentile, Holden, 34:36.0; 19 - Sean Saucier, Woodstock, 34:44.0; 20 - Gene Deary, Brooklyn, 35:07.0; 21 - Jimi Gothreau, Putnam, 35:39.0; 22 - Scott Deslongchamps, Putnam, 35:43.0; 23 - Roger Barrette, Woodstock, 36:07.0; 24 - Pauline Frascone, Plainfield, 36:13.0; 25 - Jeff Low, Pomfret Center, 36:20.0; 26 - Monique Wolanin, Pomfret Center, 36:24.0; 27 - Rebecca Stockdale-Woolley, Chaplin, 36:28.0; 28 - Kristopher Sortwell, Dayville, 36:33.0; 29 - Aimee Ahearn, Woodstock, 36:40.0; 30 - Frank Miceli, Barkhamsted, 36:43.0; 31 - Nicholas Mazzarella, Danielson, 37:01.0; 32 - Gary Renaud, Pomfret Center, 37:05.0; 33 - Rick Canavan, Pomfret Center, 37:07.0; 34 - Carissa Ekholm, Putnam, 37:13.0; 35 - Donald Frechette, Pomfret Center, 37:15.0; 36 - Robert Medeiros, Woodstock, 37:37.0; 37 - Kristen Lescault, N. Grosvenordale, 37:59.0.