I help put on a lot of races but this is my favorite – because it’s in my hometown of Fountain Hill and ALL o fthe Yassos help out along with former mayor Steve Repasch and his family including 17-year-old Marisa Repasch who has done this race a record 17 times! We had 14 Yassos volunteering and 8 of them doing the race including my nieces – 8-year old Maizy Tucker Yasso and 24-year old Elizabeth who won her age division. My wife Laura won her age division as well. We knew it was goign to be a fun day and great race even before the gun went off. How can you miss when the Star Spangled Banner segues into Funkytown?

A big THANK YOU to St. Luke’s Hospital and Health Network for generously supporting our event. And thank you to our very generous donors as well as those who contributed to our raffle & goody bags. Without the big donations, we would not be able to award foru $1,000 scholarships. CONGRATULATIONS to our four 2009 recipients of the four $1,000 George Yasso and James Skelly Scholarships. You are so deserving.

And thanks to you – the runners, walkers and volunteers who make this event what it is, a rite of summer in the borough of Fountain Hill. The starting temperature at 9 am was 72° with 82% humidity that quickly went down to 64% by 10 am when we had the awards ceremony preceded by an awesome raffle – 40 prizes! – and post-race spread of real food. Showers were available to all and the pool was open until well past noon for anyone who wanted to do a true cool down.

We tied last year’s record turnout of 220 registered entrants. The field was almost evenly divided between males and females. We had a record number of youth this year; 35 who were age 19 & under. Starting in 2010, we will change the 19 & under age division to a 14 -19 age division and award FIVE (!) deep AND award medals to ALL youth finishers under 14 years of age! We are proud of our 5K kids!

If you have questions or notice errors in the race results, please let me know. The 2010 race date will be announced next spring. Stay tuned!

Photo: Winners in the Women’s 20-24 age division, from left to right: 3rd place Haleigh Duggen, 2nd place Heather Lappi, and 1st place my niece Elizabeth Yasso.