Finish Lyme 5K 2026: Results, Photos & Lyme Awareness in Endwell, NY

The Finish Lyme 5K returned to Highland Park in Endwell, New York, on Saturday, August 15, 2026, bringing runners, walkers, families, volunteers, and supporters together for a morning built around movement, community, and Lyme disease awareness. The fifth annual event supported Southern Tier LYME Support, Inc. and its work to provide education, prevention resources, support, and financial assistance for people affected by Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.

A Community 5K With a Bigger Purpose

The Finish Lyme 5K is more than a road race. Southern Tier LYME Support uses the event to help spread awareness of Lyme disease, share prevention information, connect people with resources, and raise money for its scholarship fund. Following the 2026 event, the organization reported more than 75 runners and said the race raised needed funds for the scholarship program.

The scholarship provides financial assistance to eligible residents of the Southern Tier of New York and Northern Tier of Pennsylvania for Lyme and tick-borne disease testing and/or treatment. The fund honors the lives and legacies of Dilon Dickerson and Keara Mitchell.

Who Ran the 2026 Finish Lyme 5K?

The official results show a distinctly local field. Finishers came from Binghamton, Endicott, Vestal, Apalachin, Owego, Johnson City, Chenango Forks, Greene and other nearby communities, along with participants from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Massachusetts and Long Island. The youngest listed finisher was 5 and the oldest was 72.

The results also show something that matters in a community race: people finishing together. Several same-surname participants crossed within seconds of one another, including the Bennett, Niebel, Possemato and Mitchell entries. That mixture of competitive racing, youth participation, walking, and shared finish-line experiences gives the event a much broader identity than the top of the results alone.

Familiar Faces & Local Running History

A look beyond this one result sheet shows that many Finish Lyme participants are already woven into the Southern Tier running community.

• Brian Cashman, the 2026 Finish Lyme champion in 18:16.52, was also second overall at the 2026 Dash for Acceptance 5K in 17:02.17. See the Dash for Acceptance results.
• Emily Gunther, the 2026 women’s winner in 20:14.32, has been a consistent front-running presence locally. She finished second among women at the 2026 Dash for Acceptance 5K, won the women’s field at the first 2026 Tom Hamlin January Freeze race, and led the women’s 30-39 division at Forks XV. See the January Freeze results.
• Eric Maki, fifth overall at Finish Lyme at age 64, has a deep local racing resume that includes the Binghamton Bridge Run, Vestal XX and the Tom Hamlin January Freeze series. He won the men’s 60+ division at the 2024 Vestal XX and remained near the front of the masters field in 2025 and 2026.
• Kathy Purtell, third woman at Finish Lyme in 25:14.31, is another familiar regional racer. Recent results include Forks XV, 4 on the 4th, the Tom Hamlin January Freeze series, Running of the Bears and Tioga Old Home Day, where she won the women’s 50-59 division in 2026.
• Sonja Harris of Owego has also been a frequent presence around the region, with 2026 finishes at the Carousel 5K, Owego Strawberry Festival 5K, 4 on the 4th, Cutters 5K and other community events before lining up at Finish Lyme.

Those histories matter because a local 5K is not an isolated morning. It sits inside a year-round network of races, clubs, causes, families and repeat participants who keep showing up for one another.

A Personal Connection to the Mission: Kaethe & Dane Mitchell

One of the strongest connections between the 2026 field and the purpose of the event appears near the end of the results. Kaethe Mitchell and Dane Mitchell of Binghamton finished within a second of one another, in 1:17:58.10 and 1:17:58.73.

Public community sources identify Dane and Kaethe as the parents of Keara Mitchell, one of the two people whose life and legacy are honored by Southern Tier LYME Support’s scholarship fund. Kaethe has also been publicly active with Southern Tier LYME Support and Lyme-awareness advocacy in the Binghamton area. Their presence in the 2026 field gives the event’s mission a very personal connection to the people on the course.

Read more about Kaethe Mitchell’s Lyme-awareness advocacy and Keara’s story.

2026 Finish Lyme 5K Results

The official Falcon Race Timing results list 77 finishers, with participants ranging in age from 5 to 72. That broad range reflects the event's welcoming run/walk format while still producing strong competition at the front of the field.

View the complete 2026 Finish Lyme 5K overall results or view the official age-group results.

Finish Lyme 5K Photo Gallery

Browse more moments from the Finish Lyme 5K in the race photo gallery below.

Lyme Prevention Tips for Runners and Walkers

Runners, hikers, walkers, coaches, and families spend a lot of time outdoors, which makes tick awareness especially relevant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends practical steps to reduce tick bites when spending time around wooded, brushy, or grassy areas:

• Use an EPA-registered insect repellent according to the product directions.
• Consider clothing and gear treated with 0.5% permethrin, following label instructions.
• Avoid high grass and brush when practical and stay near the center of established trails.
• After outdoor activity, check your body, clothing, children, pets, and gear for ticks.
• Shower soon after returning indoors; the CDC recommends showering within two hours when possible.
• Remove attached ticks promptly and correctly.

For medical guidance after a tick bite or if symptoms develop, contact a healthcare professional. You can also review the CDC's Lyme disease overview and tick-bite prevention guidance.

Southern Tier LYME Support in the Community

The Finish Lyme 5K sits inside a much longer community effort. Southern Tier LYME Support has worked for years on education, advocacy, support groups and public outreach across the region.

• In 2018, a partnership between Southern Tier LYME Support and Binghamton University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences received a $7,500 Ross Fund grant for the “Into the Lyme Light” project, focused on awareness, prevention, early detection, testing and treatment education in Broome County.
• Southern Tier LYME Support and Binghamton University co-sponsored major Lyme disease conferences in 2018 and 2019. The 2019 event drew well over 200 registrants and brought together researchers, healthcare providers and community members.
• In 2025, the organization marked its 10th anniversary with a Lyme conference at Tioga Downs featuring six professional presenters, including representatives from Binghamton University’s Tick-borne Disease Research Center.
• The organization continues to hold public support-group meetings, participate in community events such as Maple Fest, and use outreach projects—including its Roberson Museum “Home for the Holidays” tree—to put Lyme-disease information in front of the broader public.
• At the 2025 Marathon Maple Festival, Southern Tier LYME Support president Myron Swarts raised more than $700 for Lyme awareness through the festival’s pancake-eating fundraiser.

Learn more about Southern Tier LYME Support, its scholarship fund, meetings, educational resources, and ways to support the organization.

Looking Ahead to the Next Finish Lyme 5K

Whether your goal is to race for a personal best, walk with friends and family, support someone affected by Lyme disease, or learn more about tick-bite prevention, the Finish Lyme 5K gives the Southern Tier running community a meaningful reason to come together. The 2026 results show that the event is supported by both familiar local racers and people with a direct connection to its mission.

Visit the Finish Lyme 5K race page on RunSignUp.