Last Night for a Good Run
SARATOGASPRINGS, N.Y.>> Just like clockwork weather was again a factor at the Saratoga Arts First Night 5k and Saratoga Springs High School running standout Kelsey Chmiel was once again the top female finisher.
The only New Year’s resolution is that the Blue Streak senior will run as a collegiate runner next year, but once again will be defending her title as an open category runner, covering the course in 16 minutes, 30.9 seconds Monday night, in front of almost 1,000 other runners on the final night of 2018.
“First Night is definitely fun,” Kelsey Chmiel said. “I think being at night kind of makes it a little more fun to, so I always like to come here and run hard.
“I’ve always just liked to race in the rain, when its cooler out it’s just easier for me to run in it I think.”
Chmiel came across the timing system mats in 12th
place overall and followed a group of other college runners lead the pack Monday night.
Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute assistant cross country Coach Ben Fazio took the top honor, winning in 14:55.7 with Engineer senior Sean O’Connor on his heels in second at 15:01.9, junior Jake Kloman third overall at 15:26.4 and junior John Capobianco fourth at 15:28.5.
“They guys who were second, third and fourth are all some of my guys right now, so we had some good representation,” Ben Fazio said. “The course was a little bit hillier than I expected, I should have known that, Saratoga is not really all that flat. The rain made things a little slippery, but it could be a lot worse for Dec. 31, so I’ll take it.”
Fazio, a 2017 RPI grad, made the most of his first Saratoga Arts First Night 5k on the Skidmore campus.
“I know those guys are fit right now, obviously, so the race plan was to just kind of work together for the most part and then in that last half-mile or so kind of see who has it today,” Fazio said.
The Engineers have made the trip to Skidmore as part of First Night for several years and this year it was chance for the elder statesman of the group to give it a try.
“We’ve had a good back and forth about it,” the 23-year- old current Troy resident said. “A couple of them came up last year and I think the year before. That was their idea and it sounded like something fun to do, so I thought I would tag along.”
Fazio walks the walk or runs the run when it comes to racing.
“I try to still compete pretty frequently and luckily right now I am able to,” Fazio said. “They’ve got a break with school so I’ve been able to get in a couple of races recently.
“It comes second to that, I wasn’t able to race much in the fall because we had meets every weekend. I try to when I can.”
High school and collegiate coaches look to plan mid- break competitions to keep their athletes skills sharp and their conditioning intact, something Fazio wasn’t worried about.
“I know for a fact that they put in a lot of good training in over the break and they’re getting workouts done on their own,” Fazio said. “It’s more just a good chance for them to get together and have some fun with it.
“A lot of times the competitions in the collegiate season get pretty serious, so to have an event where you can enjoy it a little bit more is always good.”
In keeping with things on the lighter side, Fazio may have to ask a favor to display his 1st place award on the RPI campus.
“I don’t have an office,” Fazio said. “I might have to text the head coach to see if he wants to do something with it, egg them on a little bit.”
Complete results are available on-line at www. saratogian.com/sports