NEWS FLASH! The Last Runner Has Left The Pool!

It was a hot one at Saturday’s George Yasso Memorial 5K in my hometown of Fountain Hill. Not only did the runners take a dip in the community pool after the run but many took a dip before the run too.

Our 2011 event saw many firsts:
The first two finishers were women! Congrats to Kathleen Jobes and Rosie Mascoli.
A Fountain Hill first: Longboarders competed in their own division.
We had absolutely zero women in the 35-39 age division in the race.
Record heat (but not record humidity).
More raffle prizes than ever before; 36.

Congratulations to our 60 (!) age division winners and 36 (!) raffle prize winners. We are proud to have one of the largest pecentage of walkers in a Lehigh Valley 5K as well as an impressive number of kids taking part; almost 20% of our entrants were 19 or younger.

And congrats to our five scholarship winners: Our 2011 outstanding college-bound scholar athletes: Bryan Redding (Penn State), Matt Mayrosh (University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg), Hawaou Doukoure (Bloomburg), Izel Dickerson (Moravian) and Alexander Akabogu (Penn State at Hazleton).

A big THANK YOU to St. Luke’s Hospital and Health Network for generously supporting our event. Additionally, thank you to our charitable donors who help make this event – 12 years running – the continuing success that it is. Thanks to Richard Master of MCS Industries for his support and raffle contributions. Also, a big thank you to Mike Kipila Service Station for his generous support. Thank you to the Borough of Fountain Hill, the Police Department, Public Works Department, the Volunteer Fire Department and St. Luke’s Rescue and Transport Service. as well as the Fountain Hill Democratic Club and the Liberty Girls and Boys basketball teams for volunteering and all other family and friends who gave of their time, talent and energy to make our event a continuing success. Thank you to the runners, and walkers who make this event what it is, a fun and healthy rite of summer in the borough of Fountain Hill.

The Morning Call newspaper did a terrific piece on the event including a wonderful photo essay that is available on their website. The 47 photos captured the morning perfectly. Take a look at the photo gallery at: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=128629320503898 (The photos are also available for purchase too.)

Our Facebook page has numerous race day photos including pix at the awards ceremony of the 60 age division winers (3 in each 5-year age division):

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.10150263857234573&type=1

If you took any photos at the event, please add them to the Facebook page, GEORGE YASSO Memorial 5K Run & Walk 2011: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=128629320503898

A special thank you to my buddy Dave Bock, the longboarding paparazzi, who did this race video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UzMsDvJr6o

Race results are accessible on our Facebook page as well as at www.bartyasso.com, www.realendurance.com and www. athlinks.com. Here is a direct link:

http://www.bartyasso.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/GBY5K2011RESULTS.pdf

If you have questions or notice errors in the race results, please contact us at georgeyasso5k@gmail.com. The 2012 race date will be announced next spring. Stay tuned via our Facebook page and twitter hash tag #georgeyasso5K

It’s always fun to see what other shave to say about my book. One fan, Sean Hollick did a little informal book report you can findon youtube. 

From Sean: I hope you dont mind but i made a quick video about your book on YouTube you can watch the video here: http://tinyurl.com/dge8tz 

I enjoyed your book sooo much the only thing that sucked about it was the last page! I wish it would have gone for a thousand more pages  
 
Hope you dont mind me making this video. 

Thanks Sean!

After a whirlwind trip to the Cleveland Marathon and before I leave for Bermuda tomorrow morning I made a very quick trip to Portland, Maine and spoke at the Maine Running Company. (Saucony was kind enough to give 50 of my books away to the first 50 people who showed up.) Thanks to Blaine at  RunToWin for making the video: