Tony Clement (18) won the Run For Your Luck 5K in downtown Hagerstown on Saturday morning. Justin Cole (19) finished second. (By Joe Crocetta/Staff Photographer / March 17, 2012) |
HAGERSTOWN —
It would have taken a lot more than luck to take down Tony Clement on the streets of downtown Hagerstown.Clement, 25, of Williamsport, convincingly won the St. Patrick’s Day “Run for Your Luck” 5K on Saturday morning. He covered the 3.1-mile course in 15 minutes and 21 seconds, averaging 4:58 per mile.
Roughly 500 runners and walkers participated in the festive event.
“It was an amazing event, perfect for this holiday,” said Clement, who seems to have a knack for showcasing his exceptional speed and endurance at the holiday 5Ks.
He said Saturday’s race was his first since Thanksgiving day, when he won Hagerstown Community College’s Turkey Trot 5K. He also is the defending champion at Williamsport’s Fourth of July “Run for Freedom” 5K.
“I kind of expected to win today,” Clement said. “But it gives me confidence for the next one. It’s another brick in the wall for training.”
Justin Cole, 23, of Hagerstown, was the runner-up in 16:01, while Zachary Newman, 29, also of Hagerstown, placed third in 17:15.
“I was with (Clement) for the first half of the race, but I was tired from last weekend,” said Cole, who placed second at the Chambersburg Half Marathon a week earlier. “But it was still a great workout day. I’m looking forward to running some fast times in the summer.”
Emily Ward, 16, of Hagerstown, was the female champion in 19:09. Haley Linkenhoker, 26, of Hagerstown, was the runner-up in 19:47, and Dani Mason, 39, of Hagerstown, placed third in 20:12.
“I loved the course and the weather was perfect,” said Ward, who’s a standout track and cross country runner at North Hagerstown High School. “It was just a fun event.”
But it was more than just a fun run for Ward, who took the lead from Linkenhoker in the second half of the race.
“I was just going to do it for fun, but then my competitiveness kicked in,” Ward said.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Community Free Clinic of Washington County.
“I wish there would have been more participants,” said Jaime Dick, the race director. “The goal was 600, but I’m not disappointed. We made money, we didn’t lose money. The ultimate goal was to raise money and awareness for the Community Free Clinic, and we did that.”
St. Patrick’s Day “Run for Your Luck” 5K
Saturday in Hagerstown
Males (top 25): 1. Tony Clement 15:21; 2. Justin Cole 16:01; 3. Zachary Newman 17:15; 4. Andy Mason 17:18; 5. Austin Schetrompf 17:32; 6. Matt Martino 17:36; 7. Matt Elgin 17:39; 8. Daniel Hockensmith 18:00; 9. Mitchell Swope 18:15; 10. Patrick Jones 18:20; 11. Danny Mowers 18:27; 12. John Tracey 18:29; 13. Alex Thaggard 18:44; 14. Jeff Delauter 18:48; 15. Nicholas Wolfe 18:50; 16. Chad Merrill 18:57; 17. Stephen Malcolm 19:03; 18. Tyler Smith 19:08; 19. Scott Draper 19:22; 20. Randy Lohman 19:39; 21. Jeremiah Downie 19:40; 22. Wayne Bennett 19:49; 23. James Curtis 19:58; 24. Jonathan Slick 20:05; 25. Jonathan Erb 20:11.
Females (top 25): 1. Emily Ward 19:09; 2. Haley Linkenhoker 19:47; 3. Dani Mason 20:12; 4. Misty Lowman 20:20; 5. Michey Moody 20:23; 6. Emily Simmons 20:29; 7. Kathleen Luzier 20:42; 8. Katie Myers 20:55; 9. Maureen Hall 20:57; 10. McKenzie Fox 22:13; 11. Shannon Martin 22:44; 12. Rachel Ward 22:53; 13. Alexandra Henry 23:53; 14. Camryn Harper 23:53; 15. Tara Horst 24:54; 16. Karen Deneen 25:24; 17. Jessica Freiss 25:25; 18. Corrina Ricker 25:27; 19. Liz Tondo-Ciucci 25:31; 20. Ashley Rippeon 25:34; 21. Holly Desmarais 25:59; 22. Michele Smith 25:59; 23. Brandi Baith 26:00; 24. Jennifer Erb 26:01; 25. Natalie Hershey 26:07.
