800 ‘Girls On The Run’

In 15th Celebratory Race

The two Lee sisters from Delaware Academy in Delhi, Eleanor, 10, and Jillian, 16, crossed the finish line, first and second respectively, a few minutes ago at the 15th annual “Girls on the Run” 5K that began and ended at Cooperstown’s Clark Sports Center.   The girls led some 800 others from 30 schools (45 teams in all; some schools have more than one) in five counties, Otsego, Delaware, Montgomery, Chenango and Schoharie.  A delighted mom, Rose Lee, was at the finish line handing out medals to the winners.  No, she said, she doesn’t have any training secrets to share, only perhaps that 28 girls from Delhi trained and participated together, promoting companionship and competition.   At right, sons Jake, 5, and Mac, 1, participate in comfort – mom Erin O’Leary of Oneonta provides the woman-power.  The organizer, Jill Feury of Cooperstown, whose daughter Charlotte, 10, competed, said the number or runners is on a par with other leading years, reflecting a need for the event, and the self-esteem building in the training, which begins each fall, leading up to the event.  “Where there are cuts in other programs,” Feury said, “they depend more on our programs.”  (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)