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Local runners prepared for 34th LHRR |
| One of the original intentions of the Litchfield Hills Road Race was for local runners to be able to take their place on the starting line next to the elite runners. The plan still works after 34 years. Sunday's race begins at 1 p.m. with a firing of the First Litchfield Artillery Regiment's cannon. In 1977, the first year of the race, there were 230 finishers. This year, 269 women are signed up in the 19-29 age group and 219 men in the 40-49 age group, testaments to the popularity of the race. Here's a look at how the various age groups shape up for Sunday. 11-and under male and female: Cal McKenna is out to win his third straight Mary B. Concannon Trophy as the first Litchfield 11 and under finisher. Randall Minervino, whose sister, Stacie, won the award in 1996, could challenge. Alana McKenna, Cal's sister, is also ready to run. 12-14 male and female: Litchfield Track Club runners Quinton Hoey of Watertown and Jackson Morrow of Harwinton will square off as friendly rivals. Connor Courtney of Litchfield and Daniel LaChance of Torrington are others to watch. For the girls, Natalie Wihbey, Megan Shipp and Sinead McKenna, all of Litchfield, should make a mockery of Gallows Lane in their quest for first place. 15-18 male and female: A field of 55 boys and 30 girls is ready to run. Litchfield High runners Cal Swomley and Ryan Gannon are in the division for the first time. Michael Vagnini of Woodbury and Thomas Woermer of Watertown will both bid for top honors. The girls race looks competitive with Claudia Ghisa of Watertown and Marisa Concilio and Eibhilin McKenna, both of Litchfield, mixing it up after their 1-2-3 finishes in the 12-14 age group last year. Michelle MacLeod of Litchfield, Erica Pakalnis of Waterbury, and Emily Normandin and Jodi Russo, both of Thomaston, are other top runners. 19-29 male: A highly-competitive field includes former Litchfield High runners Colin Gannon and Michal Dichter, and former top 10 finisher Robert Dwyer of Winsted. Lucas Meyer of Ridgefield, a former teammate of Dwyer's at Yale, is back after finishing second overall last year. Brian Hipsky, a former Concannon Trophy winner now living in Atlanta, is back to run as is former Concannon winner Matt Hula. Dan Lane of Goshen, Rich Klauber of Thomaston, and Spencer Sass and Jeremy Schmid, both of Litchfield, all run in college and should have fast times on Sunday. 19-29 female: Angela Carr of Torrington is back after taking a year off to be a mom, while sisters Stacie and Stephanie Minervino and Rebecca and Tara Schettler are all veterans of the race. Litchfield native Megan Persusse Oberman, now of Florida, could mount a challenge. 40-49 male: The local runners in this group are true veterans, not only of the LHRR but of races around the region. Boston Marathon finishers John McKenna of Morris and Dave Rockness of Litchfield are fully recovered and ready to go. The top three finishers from last last, Jeff Niedeck of Canaan, Jim Zoldy of Watertown and Bob Davenport of Litchfield are back, as are Roger Mahieu and Mike Main, both of Litchfield, Tom Filippini of Torrington and Thomas Brayton of Bethlehem. Former LHS track and field standout Bill Andrulis is sure to put on a good show. 40-49 female: Paula Brunetto of West Cornwall dominated the LHRR in her youth and will once again leave everything on the course. Others to watch are Liz Foster of Sharon, who was third last year, Susan Leigh of Litchfield, Laurie Filippini of Torrington, and Berta Andrulis Mette and Marcey Sass, both of Litchfield. 50-59 male: Pedro Cobos of Danbury, Matt Mette of Litchfield and Jeff Dingwell of Bethlehem are among the top runners. Race co-founder and local sports celebrity Bill Neller is back in the field as are Tom McLaughlin of Torrington, Rick O'Dell of Bantam and Jim Cardillo of West Kingston, R.I. O'Dell and Cardillo have run all 33 LHRRs. 50-59 female: A larger than usual field of 64 includes last year's second-place finisher Andrea Williamson-Hughes of New Canaan, Anna Willis of Torrington, Mae Hawley of New Hartford, Rosemary Lane of Goshen, Katie Modeen of Waterbury and Brigitte Ruthman of Sandisfield, Mass. 60-69 male and female: Runners who gave done every LHRR include Rick Evangelisti, Leo Kulinski, Bill Sweetman, all of Litchfield, Jeff Gallahue of Canton, Mass, Frank Tees of Clay, N.Y., and Gary McKenna of Wolcott. Fred Hudak of Torrington, Rich Hadden of Farmington, Bob Marum of Simsbury and Donald Smith of Watertown are all back, Top women include last year's winner Laura Bradshaw of Woodbury, Nanette Dean of Torrington and Ginny Chamber of Oakville. Joanne Bertrand of Litchfield and Jan McKeown of Prospect are back. 70-and-over male and female: The ageless Bill Borla of Torrington moves into the division and is a cinch to win it. Other locals include Ed Regner of Torrington, the oldest runner at 81, Dave Bacca of Torrington and Bob Wilton of Litchfield. The women include Annelise Monniere of Pleasant Valley, the race's oldest runner at 82, and the ageless Marathon Mary Smith of Bantam, last year's champion.
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