After having their number of finishers slip to a disappointing 60 on a beautiful day last August, the directors of the 2015 Mack’s Apples 5K Road Race saw that number nearly double in magnificent weather in Mack’s Moose Hill orchards in Londonderry Sunday afternoon, Aug. 30.
A total of 116 runners lined up to take on this year’s race – which is co-sponsored by Mack’s and the Greater Derry Track Club (GDTC) – with 14-year-old Forest MacKenzie of Deerfield winning the race in 16 minutes and 50 seconds and Londonderry High School coach and former cross-country and track and field athlete Becca McMahon ending the three-year reign of young Kalin Gregoire as the race’s female champion.
McMahon posted a time of 19 minutes and 35 seconds and finished ninth overall. Three-time champion Gregoire didn’t compete in this year’s event.
“We didn’t have a great turnout last year, and I don’t know why that was. But we’ll be right around double this year, and that’s great,” said race director and Greater Derry Track Club member Eldon Burkinshaw as the runners made their way through the orchards.
Londonderry residents and folks with connections to the town fared well in the race, with resident Elizabeth Stubbs winning the 13- to 16-year old girls’ division title (22:54), former Londonderry High running stalwart Dave Beauley winning the males’ 40-49 crown (18:01), and resident Heidi Letalien pacing the women in the 50-59 class (23:05).
Other Londonderry residents who finished in the top five in their respective age divisions included Aloisa Von Pichel, Kayla Von Pichl, Kevin Letalien, Lea Baum, Jasmine Brown, Ian Baum, Patrick Treanor, Kate Von Pichel, Pauline Sullivan, Stephen Young, and Barbara Finamore.