Running events with a Christmas theme began when the calendar flipped to December, and a new race, the Running with the Reindeer 5K, led off the local events with a big field in Havre de Grace.
About 450 runners followed Matthew Cutrona, of Wilmington, Del., to the finish line at Tydings Park Sunday. He ran 17:35, and Michael Wright, of Ridley Park, Pa., finished 21 seconds behind him in second.
Runners from Bel Air took the top three places in the women's race. Lauren Greenberg ran 21:10 to win by 9 seconds over Kelly Machala and 21 seconds over Stephanie McCartney.
Age-group winners were: Emma Bowditch (24:49) and Brendan Balthis (21:54) in under 14; Stephanie McCartney (21:31) and Brett Cook (20:14) in 14-18; Jordan Cohn (22:57) and Michael Wright (17:56) in 19-29; Kelly Machala (21:19) and Rafael Dela Cruz (18:18) in 30-39; Mardiny Ung (22:34) and John Thomas (18:41) in 40-49; Nancy Hill (24:15) and Epi Camacho (18:55) in 50-59; Sharyn Slick (26:18) and David McCorquodale (25:07) in 60-69; and Yates Mormann (45:26) and Jim Durkin (24:41), over-70.
RASAC Charity Run
Duane Christy placed sixth in the Havre de Grace race in 19:39 after winning the RASAC Charity Run 5K two hours earlier in Bel Air. The races were part of a tripleheader Sunday for Christy, who also finished second in 20:35 in a 5K in Glassboro, N.J., at 1 p.m.
Christy, 48, of Havre de Grace, led a small field in the Charity Run with a 20:21. Chester Wrobel finished second in 22:29, and Sam Chan, third in 22:34. Donna Lewis led the women in 22:53 with Katie Rinehart second in 28:17.
In other races ...
Douglas Ripley (20:37) and Kaitlyn Heinly (24:57) were winners in the One World Run 5K on Nov. 19 in Norrisville. The race raised $4,000 for the Project Aids Orphans in Kenya.
Shawn Loper, of Bel Air, was the runner-up in the Towson University Turkey Run 5K Nov. 20, clocking 17:17. Jason Guarino, of Abingdon, placed sixth among the 156 finishers in 19:20. Shannon Lynch, of Jarrettsville, was third among the women in 22:27.
Billy Steele, of Conowingo, won the 5K race of the PNC Bank Run for MS in Wilmington Nov. 24. He clocked 15:43. Duane Christy placed third in the 45-49 age group in 19:15.
Jeff Damiano, of Bel Air, was 95th among 1,579 runners in the 102nd Run for the Diamonds in Berwick, Pa., Nov. 24. He completed a hilly 9-mile course in 57:49 for sixth in 30-34.
Sam Chan, of Forest Hill, placed second in the 45-49 age group in the Huffin Puffin for Stuffin and Pumpkin Pie 5K, a race named with remarkable assonance in Rehoboth Beach, Nov. 26. He ran 20:29 for 18th among 383.
Kirk Ingold, of Bel Air, ran 3:53:59 in the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon on Dec. 4. Lisa Gesualdo, of Bel Air, ran 4:17:23 in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon on Dec. 4.
Collegiate indoor track
Towson freshman Elizabeth Tauber (John Carroll) ran 18:27.3 to finish sixth in the 5,000 meters at the Naval Academy Lid-Lifter Meet Dec. 1. Towson's Evan Campbell (Fallston) placed third in the high jump at 5-5 and ran on the Tigers' third place 4x400 relay team. Shannel Shivers (Aberdeen) placed fifth in the shot put at 39-6 and third in the weight throw at 49-6.
In the Bison Opener at Bucknell University Dec. 3, UMBC junior Amanda Deller (Aberdeen) opened her junior season with a second place in the shot put at 46 feet. She also placed fifth in the weight throw at 49-9 3/4.
Patrick Hairfield, of UMBC, placed eighth in the 800 in 2:00.81, and Brian Pendleton, competing unattached, took fourth in the long jump at 21-10 3/4 and sixth in the triple jump at 45-9 3/4.
Coming races
Dec. 10: Santa's Sleigh 5K, Arena Club, Bel Air, 8:30 a.m., 410-459-1234.
Dec. 11: RASAC Run to Mama 5 Miler, Susquehanna State Park Mill, 8 a.m., 410-272-4128.
Dec. 18: RASAC Holiday 5K, Boulton Street at Route 24, Bel Air, 8 a.m., 410-879-0018.