The 2026 CFJ Carousel 5K and Kids Fun Run brought 108 finishers, young runners, families, volunteers, and community supporters together at CFJ Park in Johnson City, New York for a morning of road racing and Carousel Day festivities.
The defining performance belonged to Elizabeth Predmore of Binghamton, who ran 18:16.69 and became the first athlete across the finish line. Predmore did not simply win the women’s division—she won the entire race overall.
Behind her, local teenagers filled the front of the field, returning competitors improved on previous Carousel performances, children and adults shared the same course, and participants ranging in age from eight to 79 completed the 5K.
2026 CFJ Carousel 5K Race Photos
Browse the complete 2026 CFJ Carousel 5K race photo gallery from CFJ Park in Johnson City. The gallery includes the starting area, two-loop road course, finish line, awards, Carousel Kids Fun Run, volunteers, families, and Johnson City Rotary Carousel Day.
Looking for yourself? Search the gallery for your bib number, race outfit, family members, or finish-line moment. Participants are welcome to share their favorite photographs and tag Confluence Running Events.
2026 Race at a Glance
Elizabeth Predmore Wins the Entire Race
Elizabeth Predmore established herself at the front and completed the 5K in 18:16.69, averaging approximately 5:54 per mile.
She crossed the finish line 39.29 seconds before the first male finisher, Connor Smith, making her the undisputed overall champion of the 2026 CFJ Carousel 5K.
Predmore entered the race with a strong 2026 season already underway. Earlier in the summer, she ran 18:26.83 at the PawFest on the Ave 5K, winning the women’s division and placing fourth overall. She also placed among the leading women at the 2026 Binghamton Bridge Run 5K.
At the Carousel 5K, she improved upon her PawFest time by more than 10 seconds and moved from being one of the first runners in the field to being the very first runner home.
Her performance was also a fitting lead-in to the Kids Fun Run. The young runners watching the awards and preparing for their own event saw a woman standing at the top of the complete results—not in a separate race, but ahead of everyone.
2026 CFJ Carousel 5K Top Finishers
Predmore led a top 10 that included three women, several teenage runners, a 10-year-old competitor, and three masters athletes.
| Overall | Runner | Hometown | Age | Time | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elizabeth Predmore | Binghamton, NY | 32 | 18:16.69 | 5:54/M |
| 2 | Connor Smith | Johnson City, NY | 16 | 18:55.98 | 6:06/M |
| 3 | Fareed Umar | Johnson City, NY | 18 | 19:46.65 | 6:23/M |
| 4 | Abby McHugh | Owego, NY | 18 | 20:01.79 | 6:28/M |
| 5 | Eli Dello | Vestal, NY | 10 | 21:32.30 | 6:57/M |
| 6 | Govinda Shabazz | Binghamton, NY | 43 | 21:36.64 | 6:58/M |
| 7 | Dana Zietz | Apalachin, NY | 41 | 21:46.17 | 7:01/M |
| 8 | Ting Fai Yeung | Vestal, NY | 36 | 22:13.80 | 7:10/M |
| 9 | Michael Carmine | Johnson City, NY | 52 | 22:14.46 | 7:10/M |
| 10 | Kelly Billingiere | Vestal, NY | 37 | 22:14.91 | 7:11/M |
Young Local Runners Lead the Men’s Field
The men’s race was led by a remarkably young group of athletes.
Connor Smith Wins the Men’s Race
Sixteen-year-old Connor Smith of Johnson City finished second overall and first among men in 18:55.98.
Smith also ran the Carousel 5K in 2025, placing fourth overall in 18:55.46. His 2026 time was nearly identical—only 0.52 seconds different—but this year it carried him to the men’s victory.
Smith is a Johnson City student-athlete who competes across multiple running and track events, adding another strong local performance to his developing record.
Fareed Umar Claims Second Among Men
Eighteen-year-old Fareed Umar of Johnson City placed third overall and second among men in 19:46.65.
Umar’s performance placed two Johnson City teenagers directly behind the overall champion and gave the host community two of the first three finishers.
Ten-Year-Old Eli Dello Finishes Fifth Overall
One of the most striking results belonged to 10-year-old Eli Dello of Vestal. Dello completed the course in 21:32.30, placed fifth overall, and became the third male finisher. He averaged 6:57 per mile against a field filled primarily with adult runners.
Returning Runners Build on Previous Performances
Previous-year results are most useful when they show how athletes are progressing. Several returning competitors produced meaningful 2026 performances.
Abby McHugh Moves Up to Fourth Overall
Abby McHugh of Owego finished fourth overall and second among women in 20:01.79.
McHugh ran 20:29.53 at the 2025 Carousel 5K, when she placed eighth overall and third among women. Her 2026 performance represented a 27.74-second improvement and moved her four places higher in the complete standings.
The result continued a strong period of racing for McHugh. She won the 2025 Owego Strawberry Festival 5K women’s division in 18:52.57 and the 2026 Running of the Bears women’s division in 19:43.84. She also qualified for the 2026 New York State Track and Field Championships as part of Owego Free Academy’s 4x800-meter relay team.
Dana Zietz Returns With Remarkable Consistency
Dana Zietz of Apalachin finished seventh overall and second among male masters in 21:46.17. Zietz ran 21:44.12 in 2025, placing his two Carousel performances just 2.05 seconds apart.
Michael Carmine Reaches the Masters Podium Again
Michael Carmine of Johnson City placed ninth overall and third among male masters in 22:14.46. Carmine was also a masters award winner in 2025, making him another familiar local runner who returned to the Carousel podium.
Masters and Age-Group Performances Add Depth to the Race
The 2026 field included athletes across more than seven decades of life, demonstrating that community road racing can remain competitive and meaningful at nearly every age.
Male Masters Winners
- Govinda Shabazz, 43 — 21:36.64
- Dana Zietz, 41 — 21:46.17
- Michael Carmine, 52 — 22:14.46
Female Masters Winners
- Sonja Harris, 51 — 27:55.78
- Rhiannon Foster, 42 — 28:22.57
- Kayley Morgan, 40 — 29:33.28
Young Finishers Complete the Full 5K
Eight-year-old Ona Ward finished in 33:00.46, followed only 2.52 seconds later by fellow eight-year-old Grace Ward in 33:02.98.
Eleven-year-old Aria Buitron won the girls’ 10–15 age group in 30:40.62, while 13-year-old Dillon Smith won the boys’ 10–15 division in 30:42.98.
Competition Continues Through the Older Divisions
Seventy-seven-year-old James Miner completed the course in 32:59.01. Seventy-six-year-old Debbie Grassi won the women’s 70–79 division in 39:11.09.
Seventy-nine-year-old David Hawley finished in 43:13.38, while 75-year-old Greg Williams crossed the line in 55:31.16.
Their performances reinforce an important part of the event’s identity: the race can showcase an 18-minute overall victory while still creating a welcoming finish line for participants of every pace and generation.
Every Finishing Time Has a Story Behind It
The leaders naturally attract attention, but the CFJ Carousel 5K was never only about the first few runners across the line.
Some participants were completing their first organized 5K. Others were returning after an injury, illness, demanding season of life, or time away from racing. Some chased an age-group award, while others ran or walked alongside friends and family.
A results page records an official time and finishing place. It cannot record everything that happened before the starting line or explain what reaching the finish meant to each participant.
From Elizabeth Predmore’s overall victory to the final finishers completing the course at their own pace, all 108 participants became part of the 2026 race story.
View the Official 2026 CFJ Carousel 5K Results
Complete results are available through RunSignup and Falcon Race Timing. Use the official pages to review overall placement, gender placement, age-group standings, finishing time, and pace.
View Results on RunSignup View Falcon Overall Results View Age-Group Results
Live results should be treated as the official source for final finishing positions and any timing corrections.
Young Runners Take Over During the Carousel Kids Fun Run
After the 5K awards, attention shifted to the next generation during the Carousel Kids Fun Run.
Young participants traveled through the festival area, around the carousel, and back toward their own finish line. Each child experienced a starting signal, cheering spectators, a marked route, and a well-earned finisher medal.
For some children, it was their first organized running event. Others arrived ready to race after participating in previous kids runs, school programs, or active family events.
The Kids Fun Run introduces movement as something positive, welcoming, and connected to community. The goal is not only to identify the fastest child. It is to help every participant associate running with confidence, excitement, and accomplishment.
Running Leads Into Johnson City Rotary Carousel Day
The final 5K finish did not signal the end of the celebration. The race flowed directly into the Johnson City Rotary Carousel Day festival at CFJ Park.
Families remained in the park for vendors, food, entertainment, children’s activities, and time around one of Greater Binghamton’s most recognizable historic landmarks.
Greater Binghamton is known as the Carousel Capital of the World. The carousel at CFJ Park is the largest and most ornate of the area’s six carousels. Continued maintenance helps ensure that future generations can experience its music, movement, lights, and colors.
A portion of race proceeds supports Johnson City Rotary and its work to preserve the community. That connection gives the event a purpose larger than the finishing clock: participants gather to celebrate local history while investing in the future of the park and Johnson City.
Thank You for Making the 2026 Race Possible
A successful community race requires far more than a starting line, timing mats, and course markings. It depends on people and organizations willing to contribute their time, expertise, energy, and encouragement.
Thank you to the Johnson City Rotary for its partnership, community work, and Carousel Day celebration.
Thank you to the police officers, public safety personnel, course marshals, and volunteers who helped participants travel safely through Johnson City.
Thank you to Falcon Race Timing for professional timing and results management.
Thank you to everyone who assisted with packet pickup, registration, course setup, course markings, water, finish-line operations, awards, photography, the Kids Fun Run, and cleanup.
Thank you to the family members, friends, and spectators who encouraged the leaders, middle of the field, and final finishers with equal enthusiasm.
Most importantly, thank you to all 108 official finishers and every child who participated in the Kids Fun Run. You created a race that celebrated competition without losing sight of inclusion, local history, family, and community.
