The Fastest Half on the Fastest Course in the Country

2021 Race Recap

On September 25, 2021, 100+ men and women lined up for Project 13.1, a half marathon at the speedy Rockland Lake State Park course Valley Cottage, NY. 

In the men’s race, Patricio Castillo (Mexico) took the first mile out quickly in 4:34 and never looked back, leading wire to wire in 62:14 (4:45 per mile) for the win.  Patricio’s agent Carlos Roa hinted that training had been going well and he had been recently logging 110-120 mile weeks leading into the half.  Patricio will toe the line at the NYC Marathon in less than 6 weeks.  Rounding out the top 5 prize spots were Johannes Motschmann 62:41 (Germany), Alvaro Abreu 63:29 (Dominican Republic), Dario Castro Perez 63:33 (Mexico), and Hesiqiuo Flores Romero 63:38 (Mexico), all achieving personal bests at the half marathon distance.

The women’s race played out similarly to the mens, as Susanna Sullivan took things out quickly in 5:15 through the mile before also running wire to wire in 70:49 (5:24 per mile) for the win.  Sullivan’s 1:10:49 ties her for #49 on the all-time US women's 1/2 marathon list and the 7th fastest this year, behind Sara Hall, Molly Seidel, Sarah Pagano, Emily Durgin, Stephanie Bruce, & Carrie Verdon.  Rounding out the top 5 prize spots were Molly Bookmyer 1:11:57 (USA), Beverly Ramos 1:12:01 (Puerto Rico), Annmarie Tuxbury 1:12:08 (USA), and Jessie Cardin 1:12:28 (USA), also all achieving personal bests at the half marathon distance.

A huge thank you to both Heartbreak Hill Running Company and McKirdy Trained for their support and help in making this event successful.

Click here to see full men and women’s results.

You can find links to photo albums below. Please credit the photographers!

Pepper Canese (@peppereddesigns)

Jacob Elijah (@evrythngimnotmademeevrythngiam)