Red Shoe Barn

Fulford finds a way to win

KITTERY, Maine — A wrong early turn in Sunday's fifth annual Kittery Fire 5K road race didn't allow Kennebunk's Will Fulford to challenge his goal of 16 minutes, but it didn't deter the 23-year old from crossing the finish line first.

Fulford estimated that he ran about 3.4 miles instead of the customary 3.1 because of the confusion early on. The 2010 University of Southern Maine graduate crossed the finish line in 17 minutes, 44 seconds.

Eliot's Colby Nixon, 21, finished in second place (17:49), while 14-year-old Cameron Barth of Lee placed third (18:02).

"I probably lost about 20 seconds because I had to run all the way back," Fulford said. "I felt good. I was hoping for a pretty good time but the detour cost me, but I kind of just ran smooth into the finish."

Linda St. Laurent, 51, of Newmarket, hadn't ran a 5K this season until Sunday but won the women's division in a time 20:33. Laura Towle, of Dover, placed second (21:07) and Kittery's Alicia Marquis finished in third (21:15).

"We kind of missed the first turn but beside that, it was good; there was a nice pack of women to run out there with," St. Laurent said. "It was my first 5K of the year, so I never know what I'm going to do in my first 5K, so I was happy with it."

Fulford said that he got out to the pace he wanted to, as he and Nixon separated from the field quickly.

"I wanted to be around 16 minutes and I felt like I was in shape to get there," Fulford said.

Fulford led Nixon from the start of the race but began to put more distance between them in the final mile.

"I was kind of leading from the start and started to build a bigger lead in the final 800 (meters)," Fulford said. "I felt good enough; obviously it was a race I wanted to win."

Fulford ran long-distance track and cross country for USM, where he was a captain on the teams in his junior and senior year. He's kept himself busy since then by running in road races in Maine and is pleased with his progress.

"It's going pretty well; I've been training pretty heavy," Fulford said. "It's coming around."

Though St. Laurent hadn't run a 5K this year, she did finish second in the Red's Shoe Barn 5-miler in Dover last month. St. Laurent placed fourth in the Hampton Blossom 5-miler in Hampton Falls two weeks ago.

"I went conservative for the first mile and a half and then started picking people off," St. Laurent said.

Johnson defends title at Red's Shoe Barn 5-miler | SeacoastOnline.com

DOVER, N.H. — Returning to defend and win at Red’s Shoe Barn 5 Mile Road Race was New Hampshire’s runner of the year, and a second place finisher in last month’s challenging Eastern States 20 Miler, Jim Johnson, 33, of Salem, N.H., with a time of 25:25 — almost two minutes ahead of challenger Nathan Huppe, 31, of Dover, N.H., in 27:20. Dave Dunham, 47, from Bradford, Mass., who holds the course record, finished third in 27:49. For Johnson the victory was made sweeter by the fact he bested last year’s winning time by 31 seconds — but still short of Dunham’s 1996 course record of 24:12.

On the women’s side, Courtney Hawkins, 15, of Milford, N.H., won with a time of 31:57, an impressive time that is under USATF age-group guidelines. The course record held by former Newmarket, N.H. native and nationally recognized champion runner Lynn Jennings still stands at 26:10 (from 1999).

Karen Pattelena, 42, of Hollis, N.H., took second in 32:04, and Nancy Dunbar, 39, of Hanover, N.H., ran a close third in 32:15.

Maine runners were Matt, Sherburne, 10, of Wells, in 50:12, Samantha Hersom, 15, of Sanford, in 47:29, Jessica Hersom, 18, of Wells, in 48:31, Chris Pierko, 18, of Sanford, in 57:37, Emily Tucci, 28, of North Berwick, who placed second in her age group in 38:33, Jameson Voishnis, 26, of Berwick, in 38:19, Dan Verdick, 44, of Eliot, in 32:56, Carol Eastman, 60, of South Berwick, won her age group in 41:20, Paula Lepore, 63, of Berwick, in 46:33, Sheryl Hersom, 60, of South Berwick, in 56:12, Joe Hayes, 62, of Cape Neddick, in 40:09, Keith Kallberg, 65, of South Berwick, in 40:44 won his age group, Don Bessey, 65, of Kennebunkport, in 46:15, Tom Kelsch, 71, of Gorham, in 49:31 and Springvale’s standout Bob Randall, 74, who won his age group in 47:00.

Just like its major sponsor the Red’s Shoe Barn 5 Mile Road Race, now in its 30th year, has been putting its best foot forward year after year. But five years ago Red’s Shoe Barn wanted to release the planning of this event and turn it into a vehicle to raise money for community organizations — much like the very successful Yarmouth Clam Festival 5 Miler in neighboring Maine. Last year the race raised $7,000 for the HUB Family Resource Center according to HUB marketing director Suzanne Weete.

“This is a huge community event that raises much needed funds for extremely important organizations that serve thousands of people through various programs and services all dedicated to the goal of promoting healthy living,” said Weete.

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