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Photo of provided St. Luke’s Half Marathon by Michael Drabenstott
ALLENTOWN, Pa. – It was a day for history at the 40th running of the St. Luke’s Half Marathon as men’s winner Alex Price ran the fastest time since the current incarnation of the race in 2001, a personal best 1:07:16. Only two other runners since 2001 have run under 1:08.
Price, 30, Bethlehem, Pa., took over three and a half minutes off his 2022 winning time of 1:10:52. And he did so just under four weeks after he and his wife welcomed their first child, Bennett, into the world. “The race went really well for me,” he said. “I’ve had some time to adjust to a new schedule, but the body overcomes and adapts. Dad strength is a real thing. I’m just so grateful for everything.”
Price bested 2023 champion Corey Mullins (1:09:42). The race record of 1:04:48 was set by John Kagwe, 1:04:49 on March 26, 1995.
In the women’s race, Emily Hume, 40, Easton, Pa., posted her second career victory in the half with a time of 1:20:38. She also won in 2019 with a time of 1:18:45. She said winning the race was a bit of redemption after having to drop out of the Jersey City Marathon on April 14. “I was a late entrant. This race originally wasn’t on my schedule,” she said. “It’s the end of my spring season so my goal was to just go out and run hard, cross the finish line and have fun today.”
The 2024 St. Luke’s Half Marathon and companion 5k saw nearly 2,200 entrants racing through Allentown. Cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 50s gave way to sunny skies and more warmth as the morning progressed. Both races started at 18th and Linden streets near William Allen High School and ended at J. Birney Crum Stadium.
“It’s a privilege to work with a volunteer race committee and over 500 volunteers on the course to produce a day that truly celebrates the spirit of running,” said Leslie Billowitch, co-race director and president of the Lehigh Valley Road Runners, which produces the fully volunteer-run event each April. “Especially considering this is our 40th year for the half, it’s a tribute to all of the runners and volunteers who have made the event one of the must-do distance races in the mid-Atlantic each spring.”
Over the 40 years, the race has raised over $800,000 to promote running and fitness programs for youth and adults in the greater Lehigh Valley. “We have an amazing running community here,” Billowitch said. “We’re grateful that we can give back to the sport that gives us so much.”
Top 5 males
Alex Price, 30, Bethlehem, Pa., 1:07:16
Corey Mullin, 26, Easton, Pa., 1:09:42
Chris Cabret, 26, Orlando, Fla., 1:14:17
Jeremiah Reinhart, 26, Bethlehem, Pa., 1:14:46
Mark Latvakoski, 20, Hyde Park, Utah, 1:16:37
Top 5 females
Emily Hulme, 40, Easton, Pa., 1:20:38
Abby Rustay, 25, Hellertown, Pa., 1:26:01
Eileen Cody, 32, Bethlehem, Pa., 1:26:14
Bryanna Urban, 27, Lititz, Pa., 1:27:40
Elizabeth Rodriguez, 28, Allentown, Pa., 1:28:43
Complete St. Luke’s Half Marathon awards: https://d368g9lw5ileu7.
Complete St. Luke’s Half Marathon results: https://runsignup.com/Race/
A total of 560 runners – the most since 2015 — took part in the St. Luke’s 5K. Nicholas Denniston, Easton, Pa., won the men’s race in 17:40. Barbara Perevalov, Bethlehem, Pa., was the top female in 22:23.
Men’s 5k winners
Nicholas Denniston, 27, Easton, Pa., 17:40
Thomas Duffy, 44, Blandon, Pa., 17:51
Cole Orloski, 13, Allentown, Pa., 18:05
Women’s 5k winners:
Barbara Perevalov, 21, Bethlehem, Pa., 22:23
Liliana Michalska, 12, Easton, Pa., 22:31
Helen Yiu, 30, Allentown, Pa., 23:04
St. Luke’s 5k awards: https://d368g9lw5ileu7.
5k results: https://runsignup.com/Race/
The St. Luke’s race weekend also featured the St. Luke’s Youth Run on Saturday, April 27, in Allentown’s Little Lehigh Parkway which featured over 400 youngsters aged 4-13.
One of the oldest half marathons in the country, the St. Luke’s Half Marathon had its origin in 1977 with a full marathon organized by the Lehigh Valley Athletic Association, a predecessor to the LVRR. It was switched to a half marathon in 1984 and has been run continuously every spring except for a canceled race in 1996 and COVID-19 cancelations in 2020 and 2021.
