Author: Andy Sandrik

Summer didn’t say goodbye. She just packed up her things and left. I read this on social media and while it gives me a chuckle, it hits close to home because my body is still recovering from the sudden change in weather. I’m sniffling, sneezing, and hacking, but also REALLY excited because we’ve entered the best time of year to go for a run: Fall. First and foremost, this is the prettiest time of year. All you have to do is take a look at the trees around you, loaded with myriad leaves of vibrant colors. Animals are scurrying to…

Saturday, Sept. 17, in Scottdale Runners: 64 Winner: Selby Bell, Mount Pleasant, 18:03; Top Female: Bethany Campbell, Scottdale, 20:52 Local.News Finishers Chambersburg: Zach Johle (32:38) Philadelphia Distance Run 5K Sunday, Sept. 18, in Philadelphia Runners: 823 Winner: Shaojie Wang, Tucson, Ariz., 15:18; Top Female: Georganne Watson, Phoenixville, 17:35 Local.News Finishers Chambersburg: Bill Dann (19:04, 1st in 50-54 AG) Fayetteville: Wing Lam Cheung (23:46) DC Half Sunday, Sept. 18, in Washington, D.C. Runners: 2,228 Winner: Samuel Dowd, Washington, D.C., 1:07:42; Top Female: Kerry Allen, Washington, D.C., 1:16:58 Local.News Finishers Chambersburg: Andrew Feldman (1:26:53), Leila Reese (1:44:44), Cher Shu (2:15:51), Deanna Quintana (2:58:24) Nissley Vineyards 5K Sunday, Sept. 18, in Bainbridge Runners: 159 Winner: John Herron, Shelburne Falls, Mass., 20:19; Top…

I can run on the trails. I can run at night. I can run downtown. I can run on vacation. I can run on a whim. I can run anywhere I want, by myself, without fear or distraction. I wish I could say the same about my own wife and daughter, and women everywhere. But as we learned, once again sadly, with the abduction and murder of runner Eliza Fletcher in Memphis, Tenn., women are still living their lives as targets. The running community came together to “finish” Eliza’s run, which was heartwarming, but it only softens the blow of…

Bird-in-Hand 5K Friday, Sept. 9, in Bird in Hand Runners: 875 Winner: James Weaver, Denver, 16:45; Top Female: Maggie Freeman, Millstone Township, N.J., 21:45 Local.News Finishers Chambersburg: Shawn Coldsmith (24:36, 2nd in 50-54 AG), Mark Ward (25:37), Brad Etchberger (31:22) Bird-in-Hand Half Marathon Saturday, Sept. 10, in Bird in Hand Runners: 1,409 Winner: Michael Hiestand, Williamsport, 1:17:58; Top Female: Elizabeth Doherty, Lancaster, 1:27:02 Local.News Finishers Chambersburg: Mark Ward (2:10:04), Tesa Stinson (2:25:43) Lock 2 Lock 10K Saturday, Sept. 10, in Williamsport, Md. Runners: 18 Winner: Anne Khatcheressian, Fredericksburg, Va., 44:05; Top Male: Christopher W. Smith, Hagerstown, Md., 52:57 Local.News Finishers Chambersburg: Craig Leisher (3rd male in 54:47) Greencastle: Conni Miller (1:51:54) Lock 2 Lock Half Marathon…

Saturday, Sept. 3, in Gaithersburg, Md. Runners: 884 Winner: Chris Moen, Bethesda, Md., 16:58; Top Female: Azalea Brunsdon, Gaithersburg, 17:21 Local.News Finishers Greencastle: John Economos (29:39, 3rd in 70+ AG) Charlottesville Women’s Four Miler Saturday, Sept. 3, in Charlottesville, Va. Runners: 838 Winner: Cleo Boyd, Charlottesville, Va., 21:36 Local.News Finishers Chambersburg: Olivia Colli (29:11) Bull Dam Trail Run 10K Sunday, Sept. 4, in North East Runners: 41 Winner: James Tupper, North East, 1:02:09; Top Female: Anie-Pier Samson, Yaphank, N.Y., 1:13:07 Local.News Finishers Waynesboro: Megan Brace (2:09:21) Charles Street 12 Sunday, Sept. 4, in Towson, Md. Runners: 1,193 Winner: John Reniewicki, Baltimore, Md., 1:02:50; Top Female: Meaghan Murray, Baltimore, Md., 1:12:37 Local.News Finishers Chambersburg: Carrie Svoboda (2:35:20)

As she scanned over my treadmill data, my wife made quite the observation: I completed exactly zero outdoor runs in July. I was a little surprised, sure, but I can’t say I was shocked. This machine has become somewhat of a security blanket for me. I can watch TV and listen to music, all in an air-conditioned room with a fan pointed directly at me. Controlling the pace is easy, water is just a reach away, and if I do run into trouble, there’s an off switch. Too hot outside? Too cold? Too dark, too rainy? The treadmill is right…

Run Wild for Wildwood 10K Saturday, Aug. 27, in Harrisburg Runners: 59 Winner: Alejandro Davila, Harrisburg, 43:35; Top Female: Samantha Tregea, Harrisburg, 43:58 Local.News Finishers Chambersburg: Deanna Quintana (1:26:00) Moonlight Falls Marathon Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 27-28, in Davis W.Va. Runners: 69 Winner: Matt O’Reilly, Lawrence, Kan., 3:10:18; Top Female: Melissa Overly, East Sparta, Ohio, 4:19:02 Local.News Finishers Greencastle: Rachel Scheitrum (5:24:19, 3rd in 40-49 AG) Hellbender Half Marathon Sunday, Aug. 28, in Bear Gap Runners: 140 Winner: Brendan Shearn, Philadelphia, 1:11:04; Top Female: Nicole Boyle, Phoenixville, 1:33:45 Local.News Finishers Fayetteville: Amanda Kaiser-Jones (2:29:32)

Editor’s Note: This week, we welcome Foot Notes/Andy Sandrik to Local.News. Andy is a Central Pa. “sports guy” who writes the Foot Notes column. He will be featured bi-weekly. With a beer in one hand and a game controller in the other, it almost felt like I was in college again. And then one of the guys brought up his back pain, before another fellow started talking about his CPAP machine. Of course I had to jump in about my high cholesterol. I was the oldest one at the party, so I could have bombarded them with a list of…