Sunday, June 4, 2017
Rothrock State Forest

by Mike Casper

mettle – vigor and strength of spirit or temperament; staying quality

It was uncharacteristically cool and a little breezy as runners showed for the challenging out-and-back route on Treaster Kettle Road on this overcast Sunday morning. As with last year, cool temps and gentle breezes kept up, with even a few drops of rain at one point, but all was concluded before heavier rains came later in the day.

Three runners came in under the previous course record, led by Andrew Sell, with Matt Balogh and Ben Hietsch vying for second place. Tari Elkin won the women’s race, with Kylee Ammerman and Samantha Weaver in second and third.

Kudos to 14-year-old Casey Ehlers, for whom this distance was twice his longest run ever. For Keith Henderson, who got back into running recently, this was his longest race in twenty years.

Two runners, Samantha Weaver and RJ Bascom, did the weekend double, coming off yesterday’s arduous Rothrock Trail Challenge to run the Treaster Kettle as well.

Patrick Singletary beat his own fastest time from 2009 by 52 seconds, Steve Baird took over 7 minutes off his time from last year, and Kylee Ammerman took 2 minutes off her 2016 time.

Special thanks to James Bascom for finish line assistance and to Heidi Loomis for picking up the post-race party sub rations from Subway.

Four people have run all of the “official” Tussey Teasers #1 through #4 (March 4 through June 4) so far, and three of these also ran the “bonus” (Feb. 4) Teaser #0. All four are in the running for a “grand prize” to be awarded on June 18 after the final Teaser, the Eager Seeger Half Marathon. Those four are: Steve Baird, Evan Bresler, David Lloyd, and Samantha Weaver.

A big thanks to CaliKline – RE/MAX Centre Realty, Appalachian Outdoors and Subway Restaurants for their support of the 2017 Tussey Teasers Series.

The final Tussey Teaser of the season, the Eager Seeger Half Marathon, will take place June 18. For details, visit http://tusseymountainback.com/events/tussey-teasers

Runners gathered at Colyer Lake conjure the Subway sub that will be waiting at the finish line

RJ Bascom and Casey Ehlers celebrate Casey’s longest run after the race

David Lloyd nears the finish line

Overall Order of Finish

Place  Name                   Town             State   Sex    Age   Time
————   ————                   ————             —————   ———    ———   ————
 1     Andrew    Sell         State College     PA      M      19  1:03:30
 2     Matt      Balogh       State College     PA      M      18  1:06:37
 3     Ben       Hietsch      State College     PA      M      20  1:06:48
 4     Patrick   Singletary   State College     PA      M      51  1:07:51
 5     Andy      Cunningham   Port Matilda      PA      M      39  1:12:32
 6     Bob       Shafer       Bellefonte        PA      M      36  1:15:16
 7     Alan      Effrig       State College     PA      M      38  1:21:59
 8     Evan      Bresler      PA Furnace        PA      M      33  1:22:09
 9     Matt      Smith        State College     PA      M      50  1:23:52
10     Robert    Shaver       Loganton          PA      M      56  1:24:40
11     Steve     Baird        State College     PA      M      39  1:28:38
12     Keith     Henderson    State College     PA      M      53  1:31:38
13     Tari      Elkin        State College     PA      F      28  1:31:49
14     Jacob     Gordon       Huntingdon        PA      M      29  1:41:32
15     Mike      Casper       State College     PA      M      58  1:42:11
16     Kylee     Ammerman     Bellefonte        PA      F      37  1:47:40
17     David     Lloyd        State College     PA      M      47  1:56:26
18     RJ        Bascom       Front Royal       VA      M      15  2:02:40
19     Casey     Ehlers       Rileyville        VA      M      14  2:03:10
20     Michael   Miller       Calvin            PA      M      61  2:06:10
21     Samantha  Weaver       Jersey Shore      PA      F      44  2:06:10