PLEASANT MOUNT — The air temperature was already pushing 80 degrees at 7:30 a.m. when more than 200 runners and walkers gathered at the starting line on the 4th of July.
Moments later, the gun sounded and the 14th annual Firecracker 5K was officially underway. The event is held each year on Independence Day in Pleasant Mount and benefits Boy Scout Troop 407.
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“It’s definitely a little warm, but other than that it’s a great day,” said race organizer Ellen Rosenfeld. “We’re so happy with the turnout. It looks like it might end up being our biggest race ever.”
This year’s Firecracker 5K attracted participants of all ages and abilities, some coming from as far away as Florida and New Mexico. However, it was two local runners who ended up stealing the spotlight.
More: Honesdale’s Amy Neugebauer completes the 100th marathon of her career
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Kyle Curtis of Bethany was the overall race winner, posting a time of 19:06. Tiffany Leventhal of Honesdale was the top female finisher, stopping the clock at 21:07.
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“We’re very grateful for all the support we receive from the community each year,” Rosenfeld said. “We absolutely couldn’t do this without our sponsors and volunteers.”
There and back
The 2026 Firecracker 5K started and finished at Samuel Meredith Park in the heart of downtown Pleasant Mount.
The event was organized and hosted by Boy Scout Troop 407 and featured a scenic but challenging 3.1 mile course. Runners and walkers proceeded north on the Great Bend Turnpike, then turned around at the halfway point and headed for home.
More than 200 runners and walkers gathered in Pleasant Mount on the 4th of July to take part in the 2026 Firecracker 5K. This marked the 14th year for the event.
On Saturday, Curtis rocketed off the starting line en route to the overall title. An experienced distance runner and teacher at the Preston School, Curtis maintained a snappy 6:09 pace throughout the race.
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The men’s top 10 also included: Landon Buselli (19:46); Jack Dippilito (20:21); Joey Cardascia (20:46); Blake German (21:09); Jack Lilburn (21:11); Bryan Smith (21:25); Stephen Glynn (21:44); S. Buselli (21:59); R. Lesjack (22:56).
Leventhal has been a dominant force on the local running scene for many years. She also teaches at Preston and is an enthusiastic supporter of the Firecracker 5K.
Tiffany Leventhal of Honesdale was the first woman across the finish line at the 2026 Firecracker 5K. The event was held on the 4th of July in Pleasant Mount.
“Great course and great people!” she exclaimed after her latest individual win. “That’s why I keep coming back every summer. I owe a lot to Kaitlyn Kloss, the Western Wayne phenom. She paced me for the first two miles, but then I was finally able to pull away.”
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Rounding out the women’s top 10 finishers were: Kaitlyn Kloss (21:29); Joy Montgomery (23:45); Heather Keller (24:24); Leah Lemon (24:21); Susan Branco (24:59); Jen Tamblyn (25:26); Brittany Kratz (25:46); I. Buselli (25:57); Martha Curtis (26:22).
Summer race calendar
Next up on the local running slate is the Dr. Williams Perkins Memorial, which is set for Saturday, July 11 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Dyberry Township.
The Perkins Race schedule includes a traditional 5K, but also features a mile run and a quarter mile fun run for children. All the action gets underway at 8:30 a.m.
In addition, the 2026 Wayne County YMCA 5K will take place Saturday, August 22 at the Daniel J. O’Neill Sports Complex on the campus of Honesdale High School.
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Rounding out the summer calendar is the Hawley Public Library “Run to Read 5K,” which will be held on Saturday, October 7 at Bingham Park in Hawley.
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: The 2026 Firecracker 5K attracted record numbers in Pleasant Mount
