It only figured that heavy rains fell just hours before they set off on Sunday for the third annual Fay-Man Day of Races, held at Fayetteville-Manlius High School.
Aside from the more traditional 5K “Race of Champions”that featured many top F-M stars, past and present, and 101 runners overall, there was also the three-mile “Muddy Hornet” event, where contestants made their way through a military-style obstacle course with muddy trenches, walls and tunnels.
Back on dry ground, it was Syracuse’s Oliver Crain claiming the male title at the Race of Champions. Crain covered the 5,000 meters in 18 minutes, 43 seconds, pulling away from Syracuse’s Justin Fiene, who was second in 19:12.
Then the third-place finisher emerged – and it was a woman. Tina Hunt, who hails from Stanley, blazed to the female title in 19 minutes, 49 seconds, beating all but two men in the field.
Behind Hunt, the next two women’s finishers were former F-M standouts Heather Martin (now a sophomore at Georegtown), who finished in 20:30, and Alana Pearl (about to head to Connecticut), who crossed the line in 20:31. Trish Young, also hailing from Manlius, finished 10th overall, and fourth among the women competitors, in 21:13.
Two more Hornets greats finished fifth and sixth, respectively, as Kyle Harbour posted 20:20 and Andrew Berge’ (heading for the University at Buffalo) was one second behind in 20:21. Another F-M graduate, Charlie Beeler (now at Cortland State), finished in 20:57 and took ninth place overall.
The second 10 finishers:
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Owen Tinkler, Clinton, 22:00
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Michael Magee, Manlius, 22:02
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Zack Kelley, Manlius, 22:02
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Patrick Mast, Syracuse, 22:07
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Jason Fingerman, Liverpool, 22:16
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Taylor Kacur, Red Creek, 22:19
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Karen Beckman, Fayetteville, 22:14
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Mackenzie Ross, Baldwinsville, 22:26
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Amber Williamson, Fayetteville, 22:31
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Yakob Kelley, Manlius, 22:34
