Spooky Speed & Community Spirit: 2025 Halloween 13k & Relay Lights Up Endicott, NY
Spooktacular Fun at the 2025 Halloween 13k & Relay in Endicott, NY
Endicott, NY – October 26, 2025: It was a spooktacular Sunday for runners as the annual Halloween 13k and 2-Person Relay brought out big smiles, fast times, and plenty of costumes. This festive community race drew over a hundred participants to the Endicott Visitor’s Center and Union-Endicott High School, all eager to embrace the Halloween spirit. Families, friends, and runners of all ages turned out on a crisp fall morning, many in creative costumes ranging from superheroes to spooky ghouls. In addition to the main 13k (about 8 miles) and relay, the event even featured a 1/2-mile Kids’ Fun Run to ensure there was something for everyonefindarace.com. It was truly a celebration of fitness, fun, and philanthropyletsdothis.com, as participants not only raced hard but also supported a great cause.
Fast Finishes in the 13k Race
The 13k solo race saw some thrilling performances this year. Local runner John Salva (33, of Conklin, NY) blazed through the course in 44:46.99, averaging a swift 5:33 per mile pace. Salva’s sub-45 minute finish earned him the overall 13k title for 2025, improving on his runner-up finish from last year (he ran 45:33.95 in 2024)falconracetiming.com. He was pushed by a speedy field – second-place Eric DeHart (22) finished in 46:35.74, with Alex Craver (37) close behind in 46:54.54. Salva’s triumph was especially sweet, as he turned the tables after coming in 2nd in 2024falconracetiming.com. “I’ve been eyeing that win for a year,” John joked with a grin at the finish, basking in cheers from the hometown crowd.
On the women’s side, Emily Gunther of Vestal was the standout. Gunther (35) clocked an impressive 52:23.32 to be the first female finisher – fast enough for 8th place overall in the entire 13k field. Emily is no stranger to this race, and she delivered her best performance yet on this course. (In fact, she noted that the Halloween 13k is her favorite local race because “the costumes provide some comic relief” to the competitive atmospheretriplecitiesrunnersclub.org!) This year, however, Gunther was all business on the road – her 6:29/mile pace not only won the women’s division by a wide margin, but was one of the fastest female times in the event’s recent history. For context, the top female time in 2019 was 53:38falconracetiming.com, so Emily’s run at 52:23 was extraordinary. She shattered her own past performances (she ran 57:11 here as a 29-year-old in 2019falconracetiming.com) and beat the 2024 women’s winning time by nearly four minutesfalconracetiming.com. Following her in the women’s standings were Brieanne Smith (40) in 52:50 and Shelby Fisher (34) in 54:41 – terrific times that on many days could win, but Gunther was on another level this Halloween. Her dominant run crowned her the Overall Female Champion for 2025. “I felt great out there – must be the magic of Halloween!” Emily quipped, enjoying the festive mood after clinching her victory.
Relay Teams Bring Double the Fun
The 2-Person Relay competition added an extra layer of fun and teamwork to the event. Dozens of creatively named duos split up the 13k distance (each teammate running roughly 4 miles)findarace.comfindarace.com. The relay runners didn’t let the solo racers have all the glory – in fact, the fastest relay team finished not far off the top solo time! In the Mixed Relay (co-ed) division, team “THE MEGA POWERS” lived up to their name by blasting through the course in 53:48.29. The duo – Lauren Castellucci and Daniel Fassett – showed awesome chemistry, and their time was actually the fastest of any relay team overall this year. They managed to outrun even the winning all-male team, proving that mixed teams can be mighty. Taking second in the Mixed Relay were “Dalton Run Club” (54:22.71), followed by “The Sodeurables” in third (59:39.90).
In the Male Relay category, the team of “REARDON SEVERANCE” took the crown. Patrick Reardon and Dustin Severance – whose team name cleverly combined their last names – clocked 55:36.81 for the 13k relay exchange. They were pushed by “We Run For Mike,” who took second in 1:00:37, and by a heartwarming father-son duo called “A Father and Son.” That team featured Bryant and Mason Stewart (yep, a dad running with his son!), and they secured third place in the male relay with a 1:01:11 finish. The crowd gave a special cheer seeing a young son sprint to the finish with his father – a perfect example of the family fun this event inspires.
For the Female Relay teams, the “GHOULS ON THE RUN” emerged victorious – a fitting name for Halloween champions! The pair of Chris McCloe and Jessica Palombaro ran 1:13:46.80 to win the women’s relay division. They embraced the ghoulish theme and the competitive spirit, beating out strong efforts from teams like “Martino/Oumessaoud” (1:18:34) and “Team Beth” (1:23:48) who took second and third in the female category. Ghouls on the Run, adorned in matching witch hats, crossed the finish holding hands – truly embodying team camaraderie. From punny names to speedy times, the relay teams brought enormous energy to the race. Other crowd-favorite team names included “Fast and Not So Fast,” “Turtle and the Hare,” “Running Dead,” and the festive “Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins.” (Yes, costumes for both cotton-headed and ninny-muggins were spotted!) Each team seemed to have as much fun with their theme as with the run itself.
Costumes, Community & Halloween Cheer
One thing that sets the Halloween 13k apart is its lighthearted, community-oriented atmosphere. Costumes are encouraged – in fact, there are awards for the best individual and group costumesfindarace.com. This year’s participants did not disappoint: we saw runners dressed as everything from pumpkins and pirates to characters from Mario Kart. A trio of friends ran as the “Three Blind Mice” (complete with canes and mouse ears), and at least one T. rex was reportedly spotted trotting along the course to everyone’s amusement. The costumed runners added color and humor to the day – as Emily Gunther herself has said, the costumes provide “comic relief” that makes this race extra specialtriplecitiesrunnersclub.org. At the finish line, race organizers handed out prizes for the top costumes, which drew almost as many cheers as the running awards. It’s not every day you see a batman cape fluttering or a witch’s broom swishing as athletes sprint to the finish!
Beyond the race results and outfits, the Halloween 13k is beloved for its strong community spirit. Dozens of volunteers (many in costume, too) served as road marshals and manned water stations, handing out drinks and Halloween candy to fuel the runners. Local spectators lined parts of the course, some with spooky decorations and signs (“👻 You’re Scaring those PRs!” read one supportive sign). The whole morning felt like a giant Halloween block party mixed with a competitive run. Longtime race director Rachel Johnson thanked the community for coming together, noting that this event is as much about camaraderie as it is about running fast.
Charity and cause are at the heart of it all. The Halloween 13k isn’t just for fun – it’s a fundraiser that supports Team HopeFull, a local nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of people with Prader-Willi Syndrome and developmental disabilitiesfindarace.comfindarace.com. All net proceeds from the race go toward Team HopeFull’s mission (for example, helping create meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with special needs in Broome County)findarace.comfindarace.com. This year’s race carried on that tradition of giving. Runners know that by participating, they’re literally going the extra mile for a good cause. “Running, community spirit, and making a difference – it’s the perfect combo,” one participant said on social media, reflecting on the day.
As the 2025 Halloween 13k and Relay wrapped up, there were plenty of reasons to celebrate. John Salva and Emily Gunther earned serious bragging rights with their stellar wins, and relay teams like The Mega Powers, Reardon Severance, and Ghouls on the Run added their names to the event’s honor roll. But beyond the podium, every finisher – whether an elite runner or a costumed jogger – contributed to the upbeat, festive vibe that makes this race a highlight of the fall running calendar. With candy, costumes, and personal bests in the books (and perhaps a few sore legs the next day), participants unanimously declared the day a monster success. Happy Halloween and happy running! We can’t wait to see what creative costumes and fast times haunt the streets of Endicott again next yearrunguides.comfindarace.com.
Sources: Official race results from Falcon Race Timing; RunSignUp/FindARace event detailsfindarace.comfindarace.com; Triple Cities Runners Club interview (E. Gunther)triplecitiesrunnersclub.org.
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