THE WINNERS of the 2014 North Reading 5K Turkey Trot, (Nicole Roberts and Mark Rollfs kneeling above), were the recipients of the annual Fred Keyes award winner given in memory of the late NRHS teacher and avid runner. Standing, from left: Mark Bisognano, president of the North Reading Hall of Fame; Michelle, Mike, Fred, Joe, Doug and Brendan Keyes and Joe Davis, Turkey Trot race director. (Bob Turosz Photo)
By BOB TUROSZ
NORTH READING — It’s things like the Turkey Trot that make North Reading special and North Reading loves its Turkey Trot.
For the sixth consecutive year, the snowy streets of North Reading were alive with runners, joggers, walkers and kids being pushed in baby carriages on Thanksgiving morning as the largest crowd ever stepped off from Ipswich River Park at exactly 8 a.m. for a fun–filled 5K early morning jaunt to make room for those extra servings of pie and stuffing for dinner.
This year’s field of 1,480 set a record, eclipsing last year’s field of 1,200 for a worthy cause, benefiting North Reading High School athletics. So although 1,082 runners crossed the finish line on Thursday, in a way the student/athletes of NRHS were the real winners. In six short years, the Turkey Trot has become an annual event, with the elementary schools competing to win a trophy and a cash prize for the most runners signed up. The number of 1,480 was just 20 short of the race’s self–imposed cap of 1,500, the maximum number organizers have set to keep the Trot manageable.
RACE WINNER Mark Rollfs of North Reading won the sixth annual Turkey Trot in 15:49. (Bob Turosz Photo)
Most of the runners were from North Reading and environs but several hailed from as far away as New York, Pennsylvania and Maine. Mark Rollfs of North Reading was the first to cross the finish line in 15:49, a blistering pace of 5:05 per minute. Nicole Roberts, a 2014 graduate of NRHS and current student at Amherst College beat all other female runners in 18:47, two minutes faster than last year’s female winner. Rollfs and Roberts were the recipients of the Fred Keyes Award, given in memory of the late NRHS teacher and avid runner.
The first 55 runners to finish the course were:
1. Mark Rollfs, 15:49; 2. Nicholas Roig, 17:36; 3. Ryan Kerrigan, 17:40; 4. Chris Soucy, 17:51; 5. Brendan Carter, 18:04; 6. Eli Spicer, 18:13; 7. Ian Hunt, 18:44; 8. Matthew Dimauro, 18:45; Jerry Sancinito, 18:46; 10. Nicole Roberts, 18:47; 11. Sam Capobianco, 18:50; 12. Ryan Cristiano, 18:53; 13. Noah Spicer, 18:57; 14. Matthew Greatorex, 19:03; 15. Stephen May, 19:34; 16. Rachel Mitton, 19:38; 17. Jamie Wilson, 19:40; 18. Ryan Donegan, 19:42; 19. Justin Bruzzese, 19:45; 20. Michael Giuliana, 19:47; 21. Andrew Shedd, 19:47; 22. Luke Harmeling, 19:54; 23. Steve Quinn, 19:56; 24. Joe Capalbo, 19:59; 25. Peter Audier, 20:05.
Also, 26. John Brzezenski, 20:07; 27. Mike Connelly, 20:09; 28. Alex Fusco, 20:12; 29. Anthony Johnson, 20:14; 30. Trish Bourne, 20:20; 31. Bis
NORTH READING’S NICOLE ROBERTS, a freshman at Amherst College, finished ahead of all other female runners in the Turkey Trot in 18:47. (Bob Turosz Photo)
Celso, 20:27; 32. Kim Song, 20:29; 33. Liam Hunt, 20:29; 34. Nick Carpenter, 20:30; 35. Spencer May, 20:35; 36. Jack Meaney, 20:45; 37. Jake Doucette, 20:47; 38. Dave Singer, 20:47; 39. Scott Warren, 20:53; 40. Seth Wing, 21:05; 41. Tom Frost, 21:13; 42. Mark Donegan, 21:21; 43. Steven Yates, 21:28; 44. Thor Kirleis, 21:34; 45. Anthony Dambrosio, 21:37; 46. Jason Dinapoli, 21:38; 47. Anthony Tramontozzi, 21:44; 48. Peter Massicotte, 21:50; 49. John Angelesco, 21:51; 50. Holly Vietzke–Lynch, 21:57; 51. Eric Hastings, 21:58; 52. James Danis, 22:03; 53. Erick Trickett, 22:04; 54. Joseph Wallace, 22:05; 55. Will Bolton, 22:10.
Complete results are posted on www.racewire.com.
