October might've been dry, but the accolades poured in: Chicago Marathon, Jack St. Clair, and More

October might’ve been the driest on record for Philadelphia, but for us, the amazing performances were flooding in. Our runners took on everything from Belmont Plateau’s Parachute Hill to the Windy City and Hartford, and the Insurance Capital of the World, Hartford and came out with some cash, hardware, and personal bests. Here’s a look at how the team represented nationwide this month:

Hartford Half Marathon – October 19th

Ethan Hermann opens our rundown with a decisive victory at the Hartford Half Marathon, clocking a 1:05:17 to secure 1st place. After covering the first 5K in 15:44, Ethan picked up the pace, dropping strong miles of 4:44, 4:57, and 4:43. He maintained a blazing pace over the final 10 miles in 49:30, crossing the finish with a comfortable lead. In the 5K, Vicente Iglesias ran a solid race of his own, finishing in 15:53 for 5th place and preparing for the PRTC 5K Time Trial on November 8th.

Jack St. Clair XC Championships – Belmont Plateau, October 11th

Our men’s and women’s teams took on the challenging Belmont Plateau for the USATF Mid-Atlantic XC Championships. This race carried high stakes, with each winning team eligible for a $500 prize and an additional $500 grant from USATF for travel costs to Club Nationals.

Women’s Race Recap: The women’s team faced last year’s champions, Liberty Track Club, and secured victory with a tactical team effort. Ellen Feringa led PRTC, crossing as the 1st female in 22:17, followed closely by Maria Seykora, who took 2nd in 22:21. Angie Petrichenko, Elaine Estes, and Steph Benko finished within the top 10, giving the women’s team a total of 22 points to secure the win with an 11-point margin.

Women’s Team Results:

  1. Ellen Feringa – 22:17, 1st place

  2. Maria Seykora – 22:21, 2nd place

  3. Angie Petrichenko – 22:59

  4. Elaine Estes – 23:16

  5. Steph Benko – 23:34

  6. Zarah Kayhan – 25:17

  7. Kenzie Himelein-Wachowiak – 26:46

  8. Lilly Smith – 26:59

  9. Emily van Assendelft – 28:02

  10. Cynthia Cuiule – 28:03

  11. Leah Mele – 29:37

Men’s Race Recap: While the men’s team faced no direct competition, they held nothing back. Paul Matuszak led the team with a time of 27:18, and was closely followed by Bo Shepherd and Jon Russell in 3rd and 4th place, respectively. Jordan Payne and Kevin Hudson rounded out the scoring lineup, securing a strong showing for the club.

Men’s Team Results:

1. Paul Matuszak – 27:18

2. Bo Shepherd – 27:45

3. Jon Russell – 27:53

4. Jordan Payne – 28:00

5. Kevin Hudson – 28:20

6. Chris Mateer – 28:29

7. Ryan Galiczynski – 30:57

8. Connor Harriman – 32:49

9. Adam Moffitt – 33:16

10. Nicholas Cardamone – 33:46

Army 10-Miler – Washington D.C., October 13th

In Washington D.C., several PRTC runners took on the Army 10-Miler, bringing home personal bests and solid times.

Army 10-Miler Results:

  • Jason Norat – 55:36, PR

  • Matt Bruner – 57:50, PR

  • Roni Teich – 58:51

  • Andy Potocek – 1:00:00, PR

Chicago Marathon – October 8th

PRTC’s contingent in Chicago showcased a fantastic mix of marathon debuts, PRs, and resilient finishes. Eric Reitinger returned to the marathon with a stellar time of 2:33:16, placing just shy of his personal best. Making her marathon debut, Emily Dooley crossed the line in an impressive 2:52:10. Rachael Wittmer claimed a 5-minute PR, while Emily Lawson celebrated both her marathon finish and passing the bar exam.

Chicago Marathon Results:

  • Eric Reitinger – 2:33:16

  • Emily Dooley – 2:52:10, PR

  • Rachael Wittmer – 3:04:29, PR

  • Steph Fulmer – 3:05:12

  • Sergio Salgado Ibanez – 3:15:11

  • Matt Grieshaber – 3:16:03

  • Emily Lawson – 3:29:12

Steamtown Marathon – Electric City, PA, October 8th

In his marathon debut, Luke Myers took to Steamtown with a fantastic finish of 2:25:06, placing 3rd. Luke’s closing miles, which were run in sub-5:20 pace, demonstrated his impressive endurance and racing strategy.

Wineglass Half Marathon & Marathon – Corning, NY, October 8th

In Corning, New York, representatives of PRTC’s road racing team put in strong performances. In the half, Steph Benko blazed her way to a 1:17 - good enough for a minute PR and 3rd overall and Austin McGinley clocked an impressive 1:10. Rebecca Nichols finished her marathon in 2:56, taking second in her age group.

Wineglass Results:

  • Austin McGinley – 1:10 (Half Marathon)

  • Steph Benko – 1:17 (Half Marathon, 3rd female), PR

  • Cindy George – 1:26 (Half Marathon)

  • Rebecca Nichols – 2:56 (Marathon, 2nd in age group)

  • Meg Feehan – 3:18 (Marathon)

A Running Tour of the United Kingdom

Globetrotter, Chirs Campangola trotted his way around the United Kingdom in October.

On October 6th, Chris shook off the jet lag to run 1:21:19 at the Cardiff Half Marathon in Wales. After day trips to Edinburgh and York, Chris made his way to London where he ran the Royal Parks Half. After a fast finish Chris ran within 12 seconds of his time from the weekend prior to a time of 1:21:31. Oh the places you go!

From marathon debuts to XC wins, October kept us busy and showed us that the hard work is paying off. The team is ready to take on the New York Marathon, Philly Marathon Weekend, and USATF Club XC Nationals in Tacoma, Washington.

Kevin Brandon