Runners, walkers help the homeless
Nov. 24—ASHTABULA — Giving thanks was at the forefront of many of the more than 260 runners and walkers who participated in the Main Avenue Miracle Mile on Thursday morning.
Many were thankful for recovering from medical conditions, others were happy to have family members in town to celebrate the holiday, while still others were excited to run a good time on a chilly Thanksgiving morning.
The 25th edition of the event was a fundraiser for the Samaritan House homeless shelter.
Samaritan House Director Steve Sargent said he is deeply appreciative to the community for attending the race every year and raising money to keep the shelter running smoothly.
"This is our only big fundraiser of the year," Sargent said.
He said the race helps defray some of the costs of running the shelter. Sargent said the race comes at a good time of year as the cold weather often leads to more people needing shelter and a corresponding increase in costs.
Bob and Nicole Stasny were especially thankful on Thursday morning as the husband and wife team from Ashtabula are both on the mend after suffering strokes.
Bob Stasny used to run the race, starting in 2005, but a shift change at work has changed his ability to run. Nicole Stasny is usually assisting her son Chris Stasny in administering the race.
Bob Stasny had a stroke in June and he said it took thee months to diagnose and he was out of work till recently.
Nicole Stasny was with her son Chris on November 8 and he recognized the signs of a stroke and drove her straight to the emergency room. She was hospitalized for a day and is working on rehabilitation to get full movement back in her right hand.
"I'm just thankful we could do it (walk the mile), and do it together," she said.
Jacob Mirabell, a senior at Kent State University and Geneva High School graduate, had a strong cross country season helping his Golden Flashes to a 20th place finish at the NCAA Division I Regional Cross Country meet earlier this month.
Mirabell recently ran a 4:15 mile time trial, then took some time off to recover before indoor track. He was more than ready for the downhill competition on the Main Avenue course, finishing the distance in 4:26.
"I can't be mad at that," he said of his time. Mirabell hopes to reduce his mile time to between 4:06 and 4:08 this spring and then attempt to be in the low, or sub four minute, range down the line.
"That is a long time away," he said.
Mirabell said he will be concentrating on the mile this winter during indoor track with a few 3,000 meter races sprinkled in to the mix.
Mirabell beat Edgewood High School graduate Granison Hill, who is a freshman at Governor's State in Illinois. Hill said he had some injuries that slowed his performance some this year but he was third man the Governor's State team that finished third in its conference.
Lydia Randolph, a runner at Trine University in Indiana and a graduate of Edgewood High School, won the women's race with a time of 5:20. She focuses on the 10,000 meter run but training for the 2024 track season will be a bit different this year.
She said she will be concentrating on speed work and racing shorter distances this year before switching to the longer races. Randolph said she is excited about the new approach.
Mallory Yeung, formerly Kreider, who ran for Ohio State University and was a state champion at Edgewood High School, returned to a race she won on numerous occasions for the first time in many years.
She ran a 5:35 mile which she said was about what she thought she was capable of at this time.
Travis Isenberg, a former Miracle Mile champion and Edgewood High School graduate, returned to the race for the first time in five years and finished fifth in a time of 4:55.
