Pace Setter : January 2025

Fleet Feet Elite Men and Women Shine in Stockade-Athon By: Mark Mindel

The newly-formed Fleet Feet Elite Women’s and Men’s squads had outstanding performances in the 48th Annual 15k Schenectady Stockade-Athon.

The women, mostly former high school area running stars, were formed from the Capital Region Elite Women (CREW) and swept the top five spots in the race.

Cara Sherman Udvadia, the former Mohonasen and University of Albany star, won the race with a late surge over her former Great Dane teammate, Amanda Chambers, a Colonie high school star in a PR time of 53:50.  Cara also won the race in 2021 and 2019.

Chambers, normally a track competitor, made an outstanding debut in her initial 15k race in 53:55 and led the race up until Vale Park.

Completing the sweep by Fleet Feet Elite were former Schalmont star, Kerry Flowers in 55:48; Karen Bertasso Hughes (56:11), a Scotia and Union College grad who won the race in 2022; and Tricia Wardwell Longo (56:12) who starred locally at Shenendehowa. Jill Omicinski, who lives in Niskayuna, rounded out the squad with a 61:14 effort.

Both Karen and Tricia were coming off huge efforts at the Chicago Marathon a month earlier.

The Men’s team, meanwhile, put in a solid third place effort behind the winning Run Club team and runner-up ARE.

Former RPI star Ben Fazio led the Fleet Feet Elite Men with a 9th place finish in 48:51 followed by Keith Machabee, 16th in 50:12; Austin Turner, 53:24; Ryan Udvadia, 53:48; Josh Korn, 53:52; and John Longo, 56:09.

Ryan Udvadia, himself a record-holder at U Albany, won the race last year in 47:33. Ichabod Crane grad John Longo was ninth last year in 50:00.

And as we head into 2025, the Fleet Feet Elite squads offer a glimpse of good things to come as Turner and Flowers dominated the 3rd annual First Day 5k at Saratoga, January 1, both winning titles. Turner, also an RPI grad, clocked 16:28 for the win while Flowers prevailed over the women’s field in 18:05.

Mark Mindel is a long-time runner, coach and track official. He won the Montreal Marathon in 1979 and he founded the Schenectady Stockade-athon, winning three of the first four and running the first 43 consecutively. Mark was recently inducted into the Greater Capital Region Track HOF and is currently a Fleet Feet Vikings Marathon Coach.