Montville Master's 10K Brings Out Veteran Runners

At 9 on Sunday morning, 40 runners and a handful of walkers crossed the line for the 24^th annual Montville Masters 10K (6.2 miles.) The race, which only allows entrants who are over the age of 40, is one of two certified Master’s 10K’s in Connecticut. The course winds along wooded town roads in the northwest corner of Montville, and people who have run the course give it credit for its tough hills.

Race founder Ron Dombrowski of the Mohegan Striders organization was in the crowd at the start line. He has run nearly each of the 24 races, skipping one year on account of a broken toe.

A Montville native, and a runner since 1978, he started the series out of a personal love for the sport. “I wanted to give running what it gave to me,” he said. He credits it with giving him exercise and health and freedom. 

The race had originally been the Joseph Pudlow race, a mile loop that started and ended at Camp Oakdale. Today’s course is the same except that the start line has moved three-quarters of a mile down the road in order to give it the 10K distance.

The race is put on by the Montville Parks and Recreation Commission as well the Rotary, which had volunteers timing and distributing water along the course with three Montville Police officers managing traffic. Several St. Bernard students were also there to lend a hand.

According to Dombrowski, the race receives donations from Mohegan Sun, Pepsi, Charter Oak Bank and local pizza restaurants. With the price of prizes, T-shirts and food, the race breaks even with the donations and race fees. Some racers note, however that there have been fewer runners on the course now than in years past.

AT THE START LINE, temperatures were warm, but humidity was low and a light breeze offered relief to runners. Conditions were better than last year’s damp heat, people agreed.

This year’s race went to 45-year-old Kevin Grant of Norwich, who crossed the line in 37:48. Forty-three-year-old Catherine Sikorski, also of Norwich, was the first woman finisher, putting down a 47:14 and taking ninth place overall. Each would receive a $50 prize and a trophy.

Grant, who teaches and coaches track in Plainfield, said that his busy schedule only allows him to race infrequently. He called the Masters a “tough, hilly course.”

“If I’d gone any faster the first half, I would have died,” he said.

It was Sikorski’s first time at the Masters, and she was not too impressed by the course topography.

“I like the hills,” she said, citing her time running at Catholic High School, where she ran hills all the time.

She now runs for “Team Hole in The Wall” to raise money for kids with illnesses; she has a son who was diagnosed with severe hemophilia.

ONE RUNNER WHO HAS BEEN at Masters from the beginning is Waterford native Pete Colonis, who just graduated to the 70-plus age division and is busier than ever with races. He geared up for this event with a champion’s breakfast of oatmeal, cranberries and walnuts.

The masters is his “warmup” for the 11.6-mile Kelley Ocean Beach Road Race on Aug. 6.

“This brings out the older runners and they’re tough,” he said.

OTHER NOTABLE FINISHERS included 53 year old T.J. Dooling, who won his division in 40:34 for a third place overall.

Sixty-three-year-old Tim Smith was not far behind in 41:50.

Seventy-five-year-old Ronald Guie took the 70-plus first place finish in a time of 58:54

A new course record was set by Geoff Eltherington, an 82-year-old who hammered out at 54:11 finish for 20^th place overall.