PROVIDENCE DUO SCORES; JOHNSON SAYS SHE’S DONE WITH DUNNE

 

by De Sert Rose

 

 

     Through the years it can be said that the Dynamic Duo has had more talent participate than any co-ed race in this area.  That includes the Turkey Trot, Stockadeathon, Silks & Satins, etc.  Distaff names like Hewig, Dodge, Kramer, Herold, McTague, Ostrander, Simone, Aiken, Predmore, Fazioli, Herman, Cox, et al dot the leaderboard.  Fastest men of all time include Gaige, Williams, Orvis, Keenan, Sgambelluri, Delfs, Irwin, Bush, Ohlsson, Rodriguez and others too numerous to mention.

     Occasionally the top talents hook up together to set records which some would deem unbreakable.  Hewig-Gage, Hewig-Denning, Bush-Ostrander, Delfs-Simone, Williams-Dodge are several tandems that have run together in recent years.

     But Duo 2004 was blessed with something past Duos have not seen—-cool, dry weather.  This brought out the best in some of the most talented teams ever put together.  “Lean and mean” Kate Twarog blew into town with her Providence college teammate Patrick Moulton and showed she meant business right away.  Kate went out hard, picked it up and kicked it in as she beat a star-studded female field which included Elizabeth Maloy (Georgetown), Daniel Schaub, Caroline King and Jillian King (all from Scotia), Caitlin McTague (Princeton), and Stacy Kramer (Binghamton).  Kate’s 36 second lead on the field was not really needed as Patrick “blazed” a 14:23 and destroyed J. R. Gaige’s and Kevin Williams’ course record by 30 seconds.  The Twarog-Moulton squad also broke Lori Hewig’s and J. R. Gaige’s thought-to-be unbreakable course record by 1 second.  It’s plain to see Kate will be returning for her senior year in the best shape of her life.

     As usual, the under 36 age group had the most entries and the most talent.  The Shenendehowa boys always seem to know a lot of fast women and this year was no exception.  Daniel Schaub “scorched” a 17:54 and handed off to Scott Mindel only 3 seconds in arrears of Elizabeth Maloy.  Scott collared fellow Plainsmen Jake Gurzler and the Schaub-Mindel team won the prestigious under 36 age group by 17 seconds. In winning, Scott and Danielle broke Rick Bush and Dana Ostrander's 1997 under 36 standard.

     It was heard this fall that the 2003 Shenendehowa cross country team was the best squad ever assembled in the history of New York State cross country.  It seems to be true when one gazes at the performances of some of their runners in the Duo (Mindel, 15:05; Gurzler, 15:25; Alex Grout, 15:51; Ryan Gaedje, 15:52; and Phil Roach, 16:05).  Where would Dan McManaman fit in?

     The 37-45 age group was overwhelmed by Twarog and Moulton but some area pundits were salivating over what could have been.  How about the Twarog-Moulton squad against a Jen Kramer-John Mortimer team?  John is

Jen’s coach.  Imagine, two ex-Colonie teammates, one getting back to star-status and the other having the best season of her life.  Add Patrick and John (7th in the Olympic Trials steeplechase) to the mix and it would have been the matchup of all time.    

     Chad Davey and Susan Lander became first-time winners in the 46-54 category and Tom Constantine and Caitlin McTague also won their first Duo.  Tom and Caitlin won the 55-63 age group.

     Shaker youngster Chris Manico and Donna Choiniere came to the Town Park without partners.  Colonie coach Mike Caccuitto, an expert in the art of matchmaking, put the two together and the result was victory in the 64-72 age group.

     Ed Menis and wife Laurie Hoyt love the Duo.  They have young children and have difficulty watching them when they run a race together.  But with the Duo’s unique format, Laurie ran and Ed Babysat; then Ed ran and Laurie did the same.  The end result; the Hoyt-Menis squad won their 4th Duo; this time in the 73-81 category.

     Colonie coach Mary Ann Johnson usually runs the Duo with Chris Dunne. But Colonie coach Tom Greene came calling and Mary Ann dropped Chris like a bad habit.  This tale had a happy ending as Tom and Mary Ann posted their first Duo victory in the 82-90 age group.

     Paul Bennett wins every Duo he runs in.  So does Nancy Nicholson.  So when the two of them teamed up, the predictable happened—-victory in the 91-100 category.

     After a hiatus of several years, Saratoga standouts Jeff and Lanny Lutzker won their 2nd duo, this time in the 100-108 age group.

     Finally, in the 109+ category, Anny and Wade Stockman won their 11th Dynamic duo over the hard-charging team of Stu and Kathy Hoffman.

     Well, the mailman was delivering the mail so the mailman didn’t deliver but even though Mark Mindel missed his first Duo in the post-dead ball era, we again want to thank the people who were able to help out and made this year’s Duo a success.  First, thanks to Don Myers and the Colonie Recreation Department for sponsoring this event.  Also, kudos to

Bob Oates, Sandy Morley, Karl Steffen, Lynne Ogren, Natalie Greene, Nancy Nisiewicz and Martha DeGrazia for their generous help.

     Next year, when August 8 rolls around and the men tee it up first, we hope to see you all there.