Over 200 Runners Compete in 39th Annual Coal Cracker 10K/Fun Run

On Saturday, over 200 runners competed in one of the toughest and oldest races in Schuylkill County.


The 39th Annual Coal Cracker 10K/ Fun Run was held Saturday in the borough of Shenandoah.

The race this year has been organized by a new committee of local volunteers after previous race directors, Tom Talerico and Danny Lewis retired.  The committee in conjunction with Healthy Shenandoah, an affiliate of Schuylkill County's Vision, have assumed responsibility of the race.

A Kids Fun Run sponsored by the Chill Out Ice Cream Parlor started at 9:00am with almost 50 participants.  There was no official winner of the 1 1/2 mile race around the borough but each participant received a medal as they crossed the finish line.

At 10:00am, nearly 180 runners participated in the 10K.  The first runner across the finish line was Alex Epler, 32, of Robesonia with a time of 37 minutes and 55 seconds, and the first female to finish was Whitney Heydenreich, 31, of Danville.

After the race, a party was held next to the Polish American Fire Company with local food favorites such as Kowalonek's, Vernalis', and Mrs. T's Pierogies along with other local vendors.