About 350 runners competed in the Mission Hill Road Race on Oct. 1. The race is in memory of beloved Kevin Fitzgerald, who was a state rep. from Mission Hill. The race, which was attended by Mayor Thomas Menino and organized by Mission Hill Neighborhood Housing Services, raised funds to maintain Kevin Fitzgerald Park.
Peter Clarke, a galloping 18-year-old, won the race in 17 minutes, 35 seconds. That is a terrific time on a tough 5K course, which is Mission Hill’s version of Heartbreak Hill. Ross McAndrews was second, finishing 3 seconds after Clarke.
Local runner Rob Martin completed the race in 21 minutes. In his younger years, Martin was a track star at Blue Hills Regional Hill School in Canton.
Joe McClean, 22, finished the race in 21 minutes, 38 seconds. Joe is the son of former Mission High School basketball great Jimmy McClean and Cathy (Leonard) McClean.
Other noteworthy runners who completed the race were Boston City Councilor Mike Ross and distinguished former Mission Hill mailman Mitch Hilton. Hilton started the race like a rabbit, running stride-for-stride with the elite runners, but he finished slowly.