Over One Thousand Compete in BY BILL BULL & MARGARET LIVSEY BERWICK, PA--Record entrants and finishers were recorded for the second year in a row in the Run for the Diamonds (9 miles), a Thanksgiving Day tradition. With over 1,100 starters and exactly 1,093 finishers, the race committee was very thankful for computer-chip timing! This was the first year the chips have been used at this race. Mike Mykytok of Ramsey, NJ came to the race once before and settled for second place that year. The experience of learning the course was invaluable this year. Mykytok learned that it is very difficult to play catch-up on the course. Big leads at the five-mile mark almost always hold up. "My whole plan was to go out hard and tough on the hill and make the others catch me," Mykytok said. It did hold up, but not before Mark Stallings of Millersville University made it interesting. "The downhill was my strong area and that's where I tried to make up ground," said Stallings. He did catch Mykytok around the 6½-mile point and the two ran neck and neck for the next two miles. Both runners agreed the energy Stallings used to catch Mykytok had a lot to do with the final outcome. "He had to exert a lot of energy to catch me," said Mykytok. "He just went off and I just missed hanging with him, but I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I expended a lot catching up to him," said Stallings. The third male was Ed Schlichter of Chambersburg. The women's race was the exact opposite of the men's. Debbie Grossman (Shavertown) and Heidi Wolfsberger (Riverside and Moravian College) battled through the first five miles. At this point, 47-year-old Grossman slowly pulled away for a 45-second victory. "I never saw her after that. I just kept my pace. It's what I always do. The day was perfect. The whole town is out to cheer. The crowd is terrific. They push you to the finish," said Grossman. The third female was former Berwick High School and Messiah College star, Becki McClintock. McClintock had the best finish place ever of any Berwick High School graduate, male or female. The first seven finishers, male and female, received diamond rings and diamond pendants, respectively. The Masters diamond winners were Greg Cauller and Debbie Grossman. The Veterans Diamond winners were Dave Horvath and Deborah Gebhardt. The Senior Diamond winners were Ed Whitlock and Joan Miller. Whitlock recently set the world marathon record for the 70-and-older age group with a time of 2:59. The Berwick Marathon Association would like to thank the Borough of Berwick and Briar Creek Township for their huge support. We would also like to thank all the volunteers. Without you, the race could not be run. Thanks also go to the thousands of spectators who line the course. Your energy and knowledge of the sport help bring the runners back year after year. We would also like to thank Burger King, the Berwick Hospital Center, and the many other sponsors who help make this race possible. And lastly, we would like to thank all the runners for supporting this historic race. Ninety-four down, six more to one hundred!
2003 AWARD WINNERS MALE Overall 1. Michael Mykytok 45:41 Masters 1. Greg Cauller 50:39 Veterans 1. David Horvath 54:07 Seniors 1. Ed Whitlock 57:25 15 and Under 1. Bobby Micikas 54:43 16-19 1. Jadrien Deibler 51:10
1. Christopher Wadas 50:30 25-29 1. Scott Karwacki 53:19 30-34 1. Steven Oliver 50:42 35-39 1. Robert Broekhuis 52:25 40-44 1. Paul Leonard 51:40 45-49 1. Mark Will-Weber 52:10 50-54 1. Tom Carter 55:55 55-59 1. Paul Szymonski 58:34 60-69 1. Maraden Urmanec 63:04 70 and Over 1. Richard Hause 68:48 FEMALE Overall 1. Debbie Grossman 54:23 Masters 1. Debbie Grossman 54:23 Veterans 1. Deborah Gebhardt 68:43 Seniors 1. Joan Miller 81:57 15 and Under 1. Megan Peterson 67:07 16-19 1. Elizabeth Hennip 62:07 20-24 1. Emily Bilbow 61:07 25-29 1. Aimee Shebest 60:36 30-34 1. Marie Sandrock 62:47 35-39 1. Lori Kingsley 60:33 40-44 1. Ann Sick 61:26 45-49 1. Joyce Stevens 66:13 50-59 1. Sharon Davies 70:34 60 and Over 1. Christiane Torchia 90:05 |
