Summer Sizzler #3 - 5K
April 30, 2003

               Women have been close before. As recently as 2001 when both Debbie Gould and Dana Hachigian finished second, as well as in the early years of the Summer Sizzlers; in 1982, when Nancy Conz ran the 8K course record of 26:56 only to be topped by Steve Snover’s 25:41, and again in 1989 when Nicole McGilpin ran 19:31 on the 5K course only to be edged by Gavin Daly’s 19:24.  
                But the inevitable finally happened. After 24 years, a woman has won a Summer Sizzler.  
                Mary Ferraro, who was the first women in the season opening Barney Day race two weeks ago, made Summer Sizzler history by forcing a fast early pace which neither almost senior Richard Clark (2^nd in 21:00) nor the speedy Joe Fois (3^rd in 21:19) could maintain. Racing over the Forest Park trails with abandon, Mary steadily pulled away from all challengers to finish in 20:27, slicing another 31 seconds off the age 26 record she had set in her first effort on the Harrier cross country course. Only a handful of women have ever run faster, and none by very much.  
                Elizabeth Duquette continued her masterly winning ways with a 2^nd place 23:30 while Kristin Ashe returned to the Sizzlers with a 24:05 3^rd place effort.

Results