KAUNEONGA LAKE – It’s been six years since the last Allyson Whitney 5K, but the Peace Love Run Reunion race returned last Saturday with over 300 runners lacing up that day. Many of whom have run the race since its inception in 2012. Cheers and clapping could be heard from supporters as runners and walkers took their first steps across the starting line.

“We are thrilled to be back home! When this started as a tribute to my daughter Allyson, who passed from a very rare aggressive cancer, this was a tribute run. We had 500 [runners] that first year and it was amazing and it’s still just a beautiful turnout. But the icing on the cake for me is now all her friends are here with their babes. It’s such a full circle moment for us,” shared Allyson’s mother and COO of The Allyson Whitney Foundation, Barbara Strong. Seventy-five of the runners who participated in the race were children.

 The foundation is all volunteer based. This year the Allyson Whitney Foundation celebrated one million in giving and will soon surpass that figure by the end of 2026. 

Damion Freer-Preston walked in his first Allyson Whitney 5K back in 2014 when he was just 14 years old, in honor of his sister Alexis “Lexi” Bivins who lost her battle with a rare cancer at 16. “It was important for me to do this in honor of Lexi,” he said.  His grandmother Angela shared, “Although he’s still hurting from the loss, he [Damion] is giving back to those who helped.” The race route was lined with an impactful visual reminder of why everyone was running: tribute signs featuring the photographs of loved ones currently fighting cancer and those who tragically lost their battles.

James Gann of Narrowsburg was the top finisher overall in a time of 18:58. Fifteen-year-old Jamieson Crawley ran a 19:48 to finish in second place saying that he likes to run local races because they’re fun and he wants to stay in shape for soccer. Kristy Sigelakis of Jeffersonville was the top women’s finisher running the course in 21:56, with Emily Casey finishing in 22:20 and Meg Gavin finished in third with a time of 22:29.

On the turnout and support of the race Barbara Strong said, “We’re blessed and we’re thankful and we really have to have gratitude in the midst of tragedy.”

For full race results visit:  https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/Overview/214921