Boilermaker 5K F55-59: Dehaan dominates in Utica heat

• Sue Dehaan wins in 23:31 (7:34/mi) — more than three minutes clear of the field in 84°F heat.
• Tight battle for silver: Leian Dinitto (2nd, 26:36), Deborah Mahar Garcia (3rd, 26:49), Mary Ellen Burstein (4th, 26:55), and Kimberly Smith (5th, 27:01) — four runners separated by just 25 seconds.
• Local flavor: Debbie Napoli and Sheila Horak, both of Utica, finished 12th (30:05) and 20th (32:03) on their home course.
• 116 finishers completed the F55-59 race on a warm July morning in Utica.

Sue Dehaan, 57, from Montreal, simply ran a different race than everyone else. Her 7:34/mi pace produced a 23:31 finish — a gap of 3:05 to the runner-up — in conditions that made every second hard-earned. With scattered clouds offering little relief and temperatures at 84°F, Dehaan's margin wasn't a photo finish; it was a statement.

Behind her, the race for the podium was genuinely gripping. Leian Dinitto of Barneveld, NY crossed in 26:36 to claim 2nd, but Deborah Mahar Garcia (Canyon Lake, TX) was only 13 seconds back in 3rd at 26:49. Mary Ellen Burstein (West Simsbury, CT) finished 4th in 26:55 and Kimberly Smith (Plattsburgh, NY) was 5th in 27:01 — meaning four athletes raced through the heat and finished within a quarter-minute of each other. Laurie Corbett rounded out the top six in 27:36.

The middle of the field showed plenty of fight as well. Bernadine Williams (7th, 28:16), Elizabeth Korrie (8th, 28:26), and Lauren Mattia (9th, 28:47) clustered within 31 seconds of each other, while Jill Alder (10th, 29:06) and Kristin Stuart (11th, 29:12) kept the pressure on just behind. Further back, Alicia Porter (15th, 31:30) and Dana Benson (16th, 31:31) were separated by a single second after 3.1 miles in the July heat — a reminder that racing never really stops, no matter where you are in the pack.