Race Reports

The 2026 Kelly LaBare 5K brought 242 runners to Otsiningo Park in Binghamton for the 29th running of one of the Southern Tier’s most recognizable road races. Confluence Running Elite athlete Daniel Schaffer captured the overall victory in 15:22, returning a decade after winning the same race as an 18-year-old—and running three seconds faster in 2026. Elizabeth Predmore led the women in 18:16.

Beyond the winners, the results reveal some remarkable stories of longevity and improvement. Steve Esposito completed his 19th Kelly LaBare 5K and remains one of the area’s fastest runners, while John Salva ran faster at age 34 than he did on the same course a decade earlier. Andrew Cloke broke 16 minutes at age 41, Donnell Davis improved by exactly two minutes in one year, and Shelby Fisher continued a multi-year progression that has taken more than a minute off her time.

We dig into the 2026 Kelly LaBare 5K results, compare performances across previous years, highlight rising young runners, longtime competitors and age-group standouts, and look at the history that has made the Kelly LaBare 5K an important part of the Binghamton and Southern Tier running community.

Week 4 of the Healthy Kids Running Series took place on Mother’s Day, making the morning even more special. Families gathered to cheer on young runners, celebrate movement, and enjoy a race day filled with smiles, encouragement, and plenty of proud moms at the starting line and finish line.