The Finger Lakes Runners Club concluded our 2022 trail racing season with the Danby Down & Dirty on September 24th. The earlier-than-usual race date didn’t provide warmer weather and drier trails compared to previous years, but it was a nice morning in Danby State Forest nonetheless. Several runners completed their first trail race, with at least one completing her first race of any kind.
Results are on our race Web page, with detailed age-group breakdowns on Webscorer. Photographer Jamie Love once again captured the runners and volunteers in action and her photos are available to download from our Yogile gallery for free.
10K
81 runners finished the single-loop 10K after a few dropped down in distance mid-race. 16-year-old Banyan Love led all runners in 50:34, edging Griffin Erich by 7 seconds. Nora McIver-Sheridan, who also won the Ithaca 5&10, showed her off-road prowess by earning her second 10K win of the month in 52:25. 10-year-old Mckenzie Leonard was once again our youngest finisher as she completed her fifth Trail Circuit race this year. At 73, Tom Teeter was the day’s oldest finisher.
23K
The newly expanded longer course follows the 10K course for the first loop before runners tackle the full 8-mile Abbott Loop for their second circuit of the forest, completing 14.2 total miles with 2,600 feet of uphill. 2018 20K winner Dan Timmerman far outpaced the field to finish in 1:48:20. He also led all runners through 10K, splitting the first loop in about 44 minutes. The win was Timmerman’s fourth in five Trail Circuit races this year. Amelia Kaufman continued her hot streak to take the women’s crown in 2:13:50. Both winners also locked up perfect 300 scores in the Trail Circuit’s Pebblehead rankings and established baseline course records for the new 23K distance. 32 runners completed the 23K race.
Thank You
This race wouldn’t be possible without a dedicated volunteer crew. Thank you to the following individuals: Shane Eversfield for arriving early to help set up before running the 23K, then staying to help with cleanup afterward; Damian Clemons for driving 80 minutes to help with setup before running the 10K; Nancy Kleinrock and Steve Shaum for handing out bibs while fielding questions from runners, working at the Smiley aid station, and then helping to break down the staging area and pack up the van; Bob Swizdor and Tom Barron for handing out food and water at the Bald Hill Road aid station and directing runners where to go; Melissa Wallace for helping the timing team and sweeping the 8 miles of trail; and Adam Engst, Heather Cobb, and Jesse Koenecke for timing the race and helping pack things up.
We’ll have a separate recap of the Trail Circuit rankings announcing the winners, coming soon. For now, you can check the final standings on our dynamic leaderboard.
FLRC has one race remaining in 2022. Come celebrate 50 years of Ithaca’s Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning at Ithaca High School! After that, enjoy the holidays before we see you at the Winter Chill 5K series in the new year.
Happy trails!
Pete Kresock
Race Director, Danby Down & Dirty
