Katie Misurca | McClelland Miscellanea

Nick Carleo, Pat Fullerton, and Jacob Johns close together one mile into the YK 5K

Glarius Rop nips Mengistu Nebsi for the YK 10-mile title

(Newburyport MA) That’s three straight for Pat Fullerton in the Yankee Homecoming 5K race.

I’ve seen all three of them and from the same vantage point (Cushing Museum on High Street), which is a mile into the race. The first year Pat had a fifty yard lead there and won easily. The last two years pretenders have been with Pat at the one-mile mark. However, in all three years, Pat has never taken his foot off that fast pace and before long he gains separation and the win. The separation this time around was twenty-six seconds.

Two recent high school grads Nick Carleo (Newburyport) and Jamison Koeman (Whitinsville Christian) finished second and third.

The end of the ten-mile race Tuesday night’s race in Newburyport was extremely close between Glarius Rop (AIC/Kenya) and Mengistu Nebsi (New York City/Ethiopia). Glarius appeared first in the very short final stretch but soon Mengistu was in the same final stretch. Glarius looked to have plenty left and did. My pictures below show what that finish looked like.

Glarius looks for his challenger

Glarius knows he has enough left to win

Abu Kebede Diriba (Ethiopia) took third and Eric McDonald (Plaitstow NH) fourth.

Laura Paulsen was the first woman finisher in the 10-mile race

All of the first four finishers were in place after a mile. Abu completed the course within ten seconds of the top two but Eric was a distant minute after.

Warm night for the runners but cool enough to make it enjoyable for the viewers.

The first females in the 5K were Deirdre Martyn (UMass Amherst/North Andover) and Christina Mattola (Peabody).

Last year’s 10-mile women’s winner (Katie Misurca) finished a close second to Laura Paulsen. At the one-mile mark little separated the two of them. Laura (Cambridge) ended 18^th overall while Katie (Gloucester) was 19^th.

Meagan Nedlo (Salem MA) was the third woman in the 10-mile.

The finish line was changed this year. It had been ending in the parking lot at Newburyport High School near the stadium field. This year it was out in front of the school.

It was good to see Nick Carleo in the field. No money involved but I’m betting that sooner or later the former Clipper will win the YK 5K.

Race results from Cool Running

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)