More than 600 Participate in Steel Rail Races

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Matthew Ferraro was the first runner across the finish line at the MountainOne Steel Rail Marathon.
 
Ferraro clocked a time of 2 hours, 41 minutes flat on the Ashuwilticook Rail Trail course.
 
He finished a little more than five minutes ahead of runner-up Nick Reid (2:46:15).
 
Simone Veale won the race's women's division in a time of 3:18:42. She beat out Jill Hussain, who covered the course in 3:27:23.
 
The fastest marathoner on Sunday was Stephen Gulley, a hand cyclist, who clocked a time of 2:15:03.
 
The 26.2-mile circuit was covered by 150 finishers ranging in age from 18 (William Hanley in 14th place) to 72 (Ric Nudell, who finished in 6:04:47).
 
The day also featured a half-marathon and an 8-kilometer race.
 
Mark Rabasco won the half-marathon in 1:18:41, edging Vincent Gauthier (1:22:38).
 
Kat Morrissey placed third overall in 1:23:43 and first among women in the half-marathon, which had 213 finishers.
 
Abigail Chaloux was the fastest woman in the 8K, crossing the finish line in 35:52, six seconds ahead of Caroline Kessler; the two women were ninth and 10th, respectively, overall in a field of 171 finishers.
 
Peter Hale had the fastest 8K time, 27:42. Erik Kessler was second in 30:32.
 
More than 600 people registered for Sunday's races, a record for the Berkshire Running Foundation event. Runners from 24 different states signed up to run.
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More Than 1,100 Complete Holiday 5K

iBerkshires.com Sports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Pittsfield’s Abigail Geurds was the fastest female finisher in the 4th of July 5K on Friday morning.
 
Geurds covered the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) course in 17 minutes, 51 seconds to place 26th overall.
 
The race saw 1,141 competitors finish the out-and-back course from Wahconah Street south to the intersection of South Street and West Housatonic and back to Wahconah Park.
 
The top finisher overall was Steve Dowsett of Newburyport, who ran a time of 15:12 to finish three seconds ahead of runner-up Alex White of Dalton.
 
Finishers at the event ranged in age from Pittsfield’s Eamon Doyle, 7, who ran a time of 26:34, to Pittsfield’s Allan Bates, 76, who finished in 23:05.
 
The race was organized by the Berkshire Running Center and sponsored by Berkshire Health Systems.
 
Complete results are available here
 
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