Nearly 2,000 Women Crossed the Finish Line Despite Rain in Downtown Albany Next Year’s Event Scheduled for May 30, 2026
(Albany, N.Y.) – Sheets of rain poured down on downtown Albany the morning of Saturday, May 31, but the energy was anything but soggy at the 47th annual Delightful® Run for Women, presented by Sara Lee® Delightful® Bread. More than 1,730 determined participants crossed the start line with smiles, cheers, and sheer grit—proving once again that this is more than a race: it’s a movement.
Headlining the morning’s triumphs was 26-year-old Molly Born, originally from Lake Quivira, Kansas and now racing with the Puma Elite Running team out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Born not only won the race—she shattered the course record. Her finish of 15:31 bested the longstanding 2015 mark of 15:38 on a legendary course set by Emily Chebet of Kenya, cementing her place in the Run for Women’s history books.
Born’s Puma Elite teammate Jessica McGorty, originally from Addison, New York, just outside Corning, secured second place with a strong time of 15:57, holding off a competitive field. Just behind her, Amy Davis-Green, who placed second last year, returned to the podium in third with a time of 16:04—this time while 12 weeks pregnant. Her performance, a mere 19 seconds off her 2024 finish, continued the family legacy, as her mother, Nan Doak-Davis, placed second in this same race back in 1987. And we can’t wait to see what the third generation can do!
In the Masters division (40 and older), local runner Karen Bertasso-Hughes of Selkirk, NY, led the pack with a time of 18:11. She entered the Masters age group after last year’s race, so this win ends an impressive year of racing as a new Masters athlete. Dana Bush of Saratoga, NY followed in second at 19:20, with Sascha Scott of Syracuse, NY placing third in 19:38.
While the rain soaked the city, it couldn’t put a damper on the pageantry. News10ABC’s Lydia Kulbida had the honor of starting the race, and then jumped into the corral herself to run alongside hundreds of women from across the country. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan joined the opening ceremony to cheer on participants, recognizing the unique power this race holds for individuals of all backgrounds and athletic levels.
From the very first stride, Born and McGorty surged ahead, with Born clocking her first mile at a solid 5:17 uphill into a headwind. By mile two (10:16), Born had built a commanding lead with a 5 minute mile, an even faster final mile followed by a blistering last .1. Spectators caught just her silhouette as she crested the final hill, flying down Washington Avenue toward the finish line near Albany City Hall to roaring cheers.
Top Capital Region finisher Cara Udvadia of Clifton Park crossed the line at 17:15, followed closely by Emily Bush (17:18) and Keira Rogan (17:32), both 18 and hailing from Saratoga Springs. Bush is a freshman at Providence College, while Rogan just finished her freshman year at Hamilton College. This was the first year that Bush, and her mother, Dana, who won 2nd in the Masters, were able to compete as a mother-daughter team.
While most runners hailed from across New York State, the race also welcomed athletes from Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C., which simply demonstrates a national celebration of women’s wellness and determination.
This year also honored a group of remarkable women who have run every single edition of the race since it began. Denise Herman (69, Saratoga Springs), Cindy Kelly (75, Albany), and Bernadette La Manna (74, Albany) completed their 47th race in person this year, finishing at 40:57, 59:04, and 46:32 respectively. Linda Campbell, also a 47-year participant, completed the race virtually this year. All four were recognized during the awards ceremony and presented with special gifts celebrating their dedication.
This year’s oldest runner is Laddie Toney, at 83 years young, from Warrensburgh, NY.
Simone Freeman was honored with the Greatest Endurance Award this year. The 54 year old from Albany recently underwent heart surgery, and started the race, not sure if she would be able to finish. Mile after mile, she kept going and crossed that finish line as a triumphant victory. Freeman proves that the greatest accompaniments in running aren’t always about speed, but simply refusing to give up. Freeman’s reason to run Saturday was to honor her late sister, Joy.
“The rain may have been relentless, but so were our runners,” said Kristen Hislop, Event Director of the Delightful® Run for Women. “Today showed just how powerful, determined, and united this community is. Whether chasing records, personal bests, or simply the joy of movement, every participant embodied the spirit of this event. This Run continues to be a force of empowerment—through every drop of rain and every mile of progress.”
Rounding out the top ten overall finishers are as follows:
1 Molly Born (Chapel Hill, NC) 15:31
2 Jessica McGorty (Chapel Hill, NC) 15:57
3 Amy Davis-Green (Lake Orion, MI) 16:04
4 Annamaria Kostarellis (Fayetteville, AR) 16:28
5 Cleo Boyd (Charlottesville, VA) 16:36
6 Rachel Schilkowsky (Providence, RI) 16:38
7 Cara Udvadia (Clifton Park, NY) 17:15
8 Emily Bush (Saratoga Springs, NY) 17:18
9 Keira Rogan (Saratoga Springs, NY) 17:32
10 Emily Burns (Slingerlands, NY) 17:41 The Masters (over 40) Overall Winners:
1 Karen Bertasso-Hughes (Selkirk, NY) 18:11
2 Dana Bush (Saratoga Springs, NY) 19:20
3 Sascha Scott (Syracuse, NY) 19:38
4 Meg Versteegen (Schenectady, NY) 19:50
5 Danielle Hoffmann (Schenectady, NY) 20:00 The top 5 Age Graded, allowing for age differences:
1 Molly Born (Chapel Hill, NC) 15:31
2 Beth Stalker (Chestertown, NY) 22:11
3 Margaret McMahon (New York, NY) 20:15
4 Jessica McGorty (Chapel Hill, NC) 15:57
5 Lori Kingsley (Wysox, PA) 20:43 Full 5K results may be found here.
All run participants received a commemorative performance shirt, Delightful® and Freihofer’s® products, a medal, and the opportunity to participate in the most empowering event in the region, if not nation.
The Training Challenge this year celebrated more than 250 women from the Capital Region, and more virtually, who performed this 5K with determination and passion, delivering themselves across the finish line with grace. Many cried, some laughed, but even more hugged and gave each other a high-five as they accepted their completion medal with pride. For many this was a personal goal, and the race finish time is just a testament to their strength and determination.
Get your favorite sneakers on and lace up for next year; registration for the 48th annual Delightful® Run for Women to be held on May 30, 2026 in downtown Albany, will open soon.
For more information on the Annual Delightful® Run for Women, the annual Kids’ Run, and the Capital Kids 3K, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Albany/DelightfulRunForWomen. More information can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.
Thank you to the various organizations supporting this event: Adirondack Beverages, Albany Braces, Athletic Brewing, BBL Hospitality, City of Albany, Concord Lifestyle, DGS – City of Albany, Garelick Farms, Hannaford, Hilton Garden Inn Albany Medical Center, HydraPak, Magna 5, Monster Energy, OrthoNY, Penske, Raven Events, Recovery Sports Grill, Sanavi, Telescope Casual Furniture, Towne Law Firm, Uncommon Grounds, and Whip My Butta Organics. And thank you to our Training Challenge sponsors, CDPHP, and Thornton Wealth Management. This year’s media partners include iHeart Radio, 99.5 TheRiver, and CBS6Albany.
About Delightful® Run for Women. For 47 years, the Delightful® Run for Women has set the pace for healthy participation in and recognition of women in sports, while inspiring generations of women to experience the benefits of exercise and nutritious eating. The annual event invites our nation’s top female runners to compete head to head. They run on a closed road course among thousands of women from walkers to Olympians, each challenging themselves on the picturesque 3.1-mile race. For more information, visit the RunSignUp page.
About Bimbo Bakeries USA. Bimbo Bakeries USA is a leader in the baking industry, known for its category leading brands, innovative products, freshness and quality. Our team of 20,000+ U.S. associates operates approximately 60 manufacturing locations in the United States. Over 11,000 distribution routes deliver our leading brands such as Arnold®, Artesano®, Ball Park®, Bimbo®, Boboli®, Brownberry®, Entenmann’s®, Little Bites®, Marinela®, Mrs Baird’s®, Oroweat®, Sara Lee®, Stroehmann® and Thomas’®. BBU is owned by Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo, S.A.B de C.V., the world’s largest baking company with operations in 34 countries.