Genesee Sun

Runners kick off Ten Ugly Men Festival

ROCHESTER – The Ten Ugly Men Festival was held at Genesee Valley Park on Saturday, July 21, and the Annual Ten Ugly Men 5km started the day-long festivities. 

The overall Men’s winner was Karl Savage of Ardmore, PA which is outside of Philadelphia.  Savage took the victory with a time of 15:34, which was 22 seconds faster than Leo Smith, who finished up with a time of 15:56.  Savage, a graduate of Saint Joseph’s University and a store owner of Jenkintown Running Company, was in town visiting his girlfriend’s family.  However, Savage is no stranger to racing in Rochester.  He competed in October of 2011 at the Run for Hospice where he finished 4th with a time of 15:06, and later that month he won the Pumpkins in the Park 5km with a time of 15:14.

In the women’s race, Christa Meyer, of Fairport, continued her roll of winning Rochester road races by taking Saturday’s title with a time of 17:33.  Since finishing fourth at the Buffalo Marathon, Meyer has now won the ALS 5km, Airport 5km, and the Firecracker 5miler.  Karen Blodgett, also of Fairport, was second in the women’s division with a time of 17:59. 

The Genesee Sun’s own Josh Williams finished 22nd overall with a time of 19:06.  The race had 364 finishers.  Along with the 5km race, the Ten Ugly Men festival consisted of kickball tournaments, volleyball tournaments, live music, food and drinks.