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Andrew Blaich and Barbara Byrne cruised to victories in the annual New Year's Day SIAC Sober Up Run at frigid Clove Lakes Park. Blaich toured the three-mile course in 17:10, easily outlasting second place Luis Oyola (17:54). A-Born Etchison (18:30), Frank Connelly (18:43) and Spencer Ellis (18:52) rounded out the top five finishers.

Byrne won the women's division in 21:01, well ahead of second place finisher Alma Ramos (23:29). Rita Dougherty (23:43), Melissa Iken (24:55) and Donna Johnson (25:39) were second through fifth for the women.

Temperatures dipped below 20 degrees on a clear day for the year-opening race, and Andrew Blaich added new meaning to the phrase "winning comfortably" by stopping at the first turn to tie his shoe, while still winning impressively. Sal Perry made a successful return to the Fun Run series, after a notable absence. Who's Sal Perry, you ask? There's a story behind him, much too long to describe here.

Alma Ramos took another step in her road to recovery from illness and injury, capturing second place today. Her day was completed happily with a successful battle against her Excel spreadsheet problems, I have learned. Tony Celentano was involved in a parking lot vehicle mishap before the race. I was egged on to write of him as a latter day Mr. Magoo, but I prefer to give Tony the benefit of the doubt until I get all the facts. And besides, I ride the train with him sometimes; I'm not looking to make an enemy here.

Thanks to Tommy Hart for the after race hot drinks. Happy and Healthy New Year to all, as we look forward to an exciting year of racing.

Place	Last Name		Time	Pace	
1	Andrew	Blaich		0:17:10	0:05:43
2	Luis	Oyola		0:17:54	0:05:58
3	A-Born	Etchison	0:18:30	0:06:10
4	Frank	Connelly	0:18:43	0:06:14
5	Spencer	Ellis		0:18:52	0:06:17
6	David	Panza		0:19:00	0:06:20
7	Steve	Woitkowski	0:19:15	0:06:25
8	Stephen	Hook		0:19:53	0:06:38
9	Richie	Orazem		0:19:59	0:06:40
10	Daniel	Bisceglie	0:20:09	0:06:43
11	Brian	Cunningham	0:20:19	0:06:46
12	Scott	LaMorte		0:20:54	0:06:58
13	Barbara	Byrne		0:21:01	0:07:00
14	Scott	Hall		0:21:40	0:07:13
15	Bobby	Guidera		0:22:40	0:07:33
16	Alex	Liberatore	0:22:40	0:07:33
17	Ernie	Beach		0:22:41	0:07:34
18	Sal	Perry		0:22:41	0:07:34
19	Carl	Fiorillo	0:22:42	0:07:34
20	Ken	Pickell		0:22:48	0:07:36
21	Charlie	Marchese	0:22:48	0:07:36
22	John	Wowk		0:22:48	0:07:36
23	Jason	Hart		0:22:48	0:07:36
24	Alan	Fairbrother	0:23:12	0:07:44
25	Jim	Van Name	0:23:25	0:07:48
26	Alma	Ramos		0:23:29	0:07:50
27	Larry	Araneo		0:23:40	0:07:53
28	Rita	Dougherty	0:23:43	0:07:54
29	Bill	Allert		0:23:43	0:07:54
30	Marty	Baldassano	0:23:49	0:07:56
31	Paul	Acosta		0:23:50	0:07:57
32	Tony	Guadagno	0:24:03	0:08:01
33	Steve	Maluk		0:24:09	0:08:03
34	Dan	O'Sullivan	0:24:50	0:08:17
35	Trevor	George		0:24:54	0:08:18
36	Melissa	Iken		0:24:55	0:08:18
37	Rich	Re		0:25:07	0:08:22
38	Joe	Feldstein	0:25:10	0:08:23
39	Tom	Carroll		0:25:12	0:08:24
40	Steve	Kiell		0:25:39	0:08:33
41	Donna	Johnson		0:25:39	0:08:33
42	Tony	Celentano	0:26:13	0:08:44
43	Paul	Forster		0:26:31	0:08:50
44	Lawrence Moss		0:26:54	0:08:58
45	Kathy	Truscelli	0:26:54	0:08:58
46	Patrick	Mangus		0:27:14	0:09:05
47	Mike	Garone		0:27:17	0:09:06
48	Gabriella Annetta	0:27:18	0:09:06
49	Lisa	Rigolini	0:27:28	0:09:09
50	Ruth	Fairbrother	0:28:21	0:09:27
51	Ben	Navarrete	0:29:02	0:09:41
52	Jimmy	Hart		0:29:05	0:09:42
53	Bonni	Moss		0:30:48	0:10:16
54	Maureen	Noland		0:30:48	0:10:16
55	Marie	Garone		0:36:09	0:12:03