Leventhal and McKee emerge as Firecracker 5K champions at Pleasant Mount

PLEASANT MOUNT — Nearly 100 runners of all ages and abilities gathered in Pleasant Mount on Independence Day to kick off the summer running season.

The Firecracker 5K is held every 4th of July in this quiet northern Wayne County hamlet. It serves both as a fundraiser for the local Boy Scout Troop and as the official start of the annual holiday festivities.

“What a great day for a celebration up here in Pleasant Mount!” exclaimed Susie Atcavage, one of the race organizers. “We’re very pleased with the turnout and how everything went. This race is growing every year and we couldn’t be happier.”

Honesdale’s own Tiffany Leventhal was top finisher among the women, while Nathaniel McKee of Charlottesville (VA) captured the overall crown.

The Firecracker 5K is just the first of many races this summer. The Penny House 5K was also recently held in Lake Ariel, an event that raises funds for the local volunteer fire company.

Next up is the Dr. William Perkins Memorial Run, which takes place at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Dyberry Township.

One of the region’s oldest and most popular races, the Perkins Run is set for Saturday, July 15. This challenging 5K will be celebrating its 37th anniversary and is a key fundraiser for the Honesdale High School’s cross country program.

On the course

Folks began arriving bright and early in Pleasant Mount for this year’s Firecracker 5K.

While the vast majority of runners and walkers live nearby, competitors from as far away as New York, New Jersey and even Virginia also made the trip.

The course measures 3.1 miles, beginning and ending at Samuel Meredith Park just in front of the Community Center. The scenic country layout is mostly flat and fast, but does feature a couple of rolling hills that make things interesting.

A lifelong runner and 2000 graduate of Honesdale High School, Leventhal has been participating in the Firecracker 5K for at least a decade. She looks forward to the experience each summer and is always impressed with the way the event is organized.

“They always do such a great job here,” Tiffany said. “This race seems to get bigger and better every year. Everybody is just so friendly. They make it really easy on you.”

Leventhal got off to a solid start and then cruised to yet another fantastic finish. She crossed the finish line in a time of 24:38, good for seventh overall and first in the women’s division.

“My main goal was to finish!” Tiffany said with a laugh. “I really just wanted to have fun and be competitive. I’m pretty happy with my time, but I enjoyed it and that’s the biggest thing.”

Madalyn Borders of Carbondale earned runner-up honors, stopping the clock at 25:52. Rounding out the Top 5 for the women were: Katie Moro (26:59), Maribeth Gutierrez (27:16), Jenny O’Day (30:30).

On the men’s side of the bracket, McKee was dominant right off the line. A standout runner at Charlottesville High School in Virginia, the 17-year-old is once again laser-focused on a state medal.

“I really like the course,” said Nathaniel, who is a captain of his varsity cross country team back home. “The hills weren’t too bad and it was kind of fun running on the dirt road.”

McKee has been training hard for his upcoming senior season. And, despite being on vacation, he still wanted to do some running. So, he found the Firecracker 5K online and signed up.

He and his Dad, Guian, a professor at the University of Virginia, got up early on the morning of the race. They hopped into their car, drove an hour north and both competed. In fact, this dynamic father-son duo finished 1-2 in the overall standings.

“Pleasant Mount is a nice little town,” said Nathaniel, who’s been averaging about 55 miles per week since school recessed for the summer. “It was an awesome experience. The people are great and we had a lot of fun.”

McKee took the overall race title with a blistering time of 16:45. Guian placed second in 19:19. The rest of the front five were: Benjamin Gillespie of Lancaster (19:30), Johnathan Conlogue of Forest City (19:46) and Thompson’s own Owen Price (19:59).

Looking ahead

A total of 93 runners and walkers took part in the 2023 Firecracker 5K.

Proceeds from the race go toward sending members of Pleasant Mount’s Boy Scout Troop 407 to summer camp each year.

“I think everything went great,” said Chrissy Franceski, the event’s co-chair. “We just about doubled our pre-race sign-up total and we’re hoping to keep growing.”

Next on the agenda for local runners is the Perkins Run, scheduled for this coming Saturday. The race goes off at 8:30 a.m. at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.

For more information or to sign up, please visit perkinsrun.com.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Pleasant Mount 5K raises money for local Boy Scout Troop