Projo Running Blog

Providence Journal sports writer Carolyn Thornton blogs the Rhode Island running scene.

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At 42, Hillery's still got what it takes, wins Willow Tree Half Marathon

7:20 PM Sun, May 03, 2009 | Permalink
Carolyn Thornton

She was the first of Ray Treacy's Irish recruits at Providence College in the mid-1980s.

Now, she is 42, the mother of three teenagers and a fourth-grade teacher at Pleasant View Elementary School in Providence.

And yesterday, about two decades removed from her days with the Lady Friars, Trish Hillery showed that she's still got what it takes, knocking off defending champion Madeleine Marecki for the women's title at the Willow Tree Half Marathon, held as part of the Cox Providence Rhode Races today in downtown Providence.

Journal photo/Carolyn Thornton
Trish Hillery

"For me, that wasn't a great time," Hillery said of her 1:26:39 performance. "Three years ago, I ran 1:20. But I was training for marathons back then. Now I'm 42 and feeling 42. It is true once you pass 40, you start to slow down a bit. But I had a blast. It was great."

Running the first several miles with Rhode Runner Sports training partner Laura Pagnozzi of Scituate, Hillery said she took a conservative approach to yesterday's race.

"The half-marathon is a little bit out of my comfort zone," she said, shortly before dashing off to catch her twin sons Liam and Kieron's soccer game in Rehoboth, Mass. "I'm more of a 5K runner, so I always get nervous for the half. So I went out comfortably for the first five miles. Then there was a big hill at like 6 or 7, so I started to work it on that. We got into a nice rhythm and I saw the two girls [Marecki and Jilane Rodgers] who were maybe 200 meters ahead of me. And they were working together, so I just slowly started picking them off.

"Once I was on the bike path, I was on a really nice rhythm," Hillery continued, "and then when we got up on the bridge coming back, I tucked in right behind them. As soon as we came off the bridge, I was able to pass them, and my finish felt really good the last mile and a half."

Marecki and Rodgers, both Brown graduates, finished 2-3, respectively, followed by Pagnozzi in fourth.

TOP HALF-MARATHON FINISHERS
MEN - 1, Eric Lonergan, 1:15:09; 2, Patrick Moulton, 1:17:21; 3, Robert LaPlante, 1:17:58; 4, Steven Brightman, 1:19:56; 5, Christopher Smith, 1:20:48; 6, Don Henderson, 1:20:55; 7, Andrew Gallant, 1:21:09; 8, Jonathan Corsini, 1:21:30; 9, Chris Fox, 1:21:45; 10, Steve Boedeker, 1:21:58.
WOMEN - 1, Trish Hillery, 1:26:39; 2, Madeleine Marecki, 1:27:06.62; 3, Jilane Rodgers, 1:27:06.75; 4, Laura Pagnozzi, 1:28:07; 5, Claire Gadrow, 1:31:04; 6, Mimi Dowd, 1:31:09; 7, Lauren Leslie, 1:32:03; 8, Leah Becki, 1:31:46; 9, Monika Garofano, 1:32:51; 10, Dawn Varnum, 1:32:54.