June 10, 2018
Rothrock State Forest
by Mike Casper

mettle – vigor and strength of spirit or temperament; staying quality

It was a misty April day in mid-June as runners gathered at Colyer Lake, prepared to climb the spiny Treaster Kettle Road to Bear Meadows and then return. Not long after the start, the rains came and stuck around, if eventually lightening up a bit. The road surface was a little muddy but the cool conditions kept the runners comfortable.

Loc O and Matt Balogh came within a minute of the course record set last year by Andrew Sell, with Steve Templin placing third. Balogh and Alan Effrig each took more than 2 minutes off their 2017 time.

Diane Swauger paced the women’s field, with Amy Hobson and Haley Heath tying for second.

Five runners have run all of the “official” Tussey Teasers #1 through #4 (March 3 through June 10) so far, and one of these also ran the “bonus” (Feb. 3) Teaser #0. All five are in the running for a “grand prize” to be awarded on June 17 after the final Teaser, the Eager Seeger Half Marathon. Those five are: Evan Bresler, Jacob Gordon, David Lloyd, Jim Maras and Steve Templin.

A big thanks to CaliKline – RE/MAX Centre Realty, Appalachian Outdoors and Subway Restaurants for their support of the 2018 Tussey Teasers Series.

The final Tussey Teaser of the season, the Eager Seeger Half Marathon, will take place on June 17. For details, visit http://tusseymountainback.com/events/tussey-teasers

             Runners at Colyer Lake stand ready for the climb up Treaster Kettle Road to Bear Meadows and back

                             Diane Swauger led the women’s field in style and earned a Mr. Goodbar trophy


                                                Victoria Maras and her dad, Jim, completed the run together


                                                   David Lloyd didn’t mind the day’s soupy conditions



Overall Order of Finish

Place First     Last          Age  Sex  Town           State  Time
----- -----     ----          ---  ---  ----           -----  ----
  1   Loc       O             41    M   Williamsburg     PA  1:04:27
  2   Matthew   Balogh        18    M   State College    PA  1:04:30
  3   Steve     Templin       45    M   Muncy            PA  1:11:52
  4   Patrick   Singletary    52    M   State College    PA  1:15:52
  5   Alan      Effrig        38    M   State College    PA  1:19:25
  6   Doug      Shunk         36    M   State College    PA  1:19:37
  7   Evan      Bressler      34    M   PA Furnace       PA  1:30:05
  8   Llew      Williams      60    M   Sinking Spring   PA  1:31:58
  9   Diane     Swauger       42    F   Port Matilda     PA  1:36:51
  10  Jacob     Gordon        30    M   Huntingdon       PA  1:38:01
  11  Ron       Burket        58    M   Philipsburg      PA  1:38:54
  12  Amy       Hobson        22    F   Bellefonte       PA  1:40:52
  13  Haley     Heath         22    F   LaFontaine       IN  1:40:52
  14  Zach      Hobson        22    M   Bellefonte       PA  1:41:08
  15  Regina    Lozinski      39    F   Port Matilda     PA  1:41:17
  16  Victoria  Maras         20    F   State College    PA  1:42:27
  17  James     Maras         56    M   State College    PA  1:42:27
  18  David     Lloyd         48    M   State College    PA  1:58:06