(October 13, 2005) — One Olympic hopeful is out but a Canadian Olympian remains in as race director Pete Van Peursem puts the final touches on his 10th Run For Hospice 5K Saturday.

Sarah Schwald e-mailed Van Peursem Tuesday that she had wrenched her knee in a fast workout earlier in the day and will not be in this weekend's road race in Greece.

Schwald was second last year in 16:43. The year before, when she was recovering from a foot injury, she made a promotional appearance for Nike at the Katie Harper Memorial 5K in Perinton

"She's a real sweetheart," Van Peursem said of the 32-year-old Madison, Wis., resident and 1,500-meter specialist. "Everybody loves her. I feel terrible that she's hurt, but I'd still like her to come, expenses paid."

Meanwhile 24-year-old Emilie Mondor, Canada's second-fastest 10K runner ever and a 2004 Olympian, is confirmed and eyeing a sub-16-minute time. The race record is Kenyan Jacklin Torori's 16:05 in 2001.

Mondor was seventh in the Tufts 10K for Women Monday in Boston. She ran 5:20 pace for a 33:08. Her personal road best for a 5K is 15:19 (2003).

"My season started very slowly," she said by phone from her parents' home in Montreal. "I was really sick in December, but now I'm fine."

She bagged the summer track season to recover, and is focusing on fall road racing and cross country. The Run For Hospice offers only Canadian/American money, but first place is an attractive $1,000 and the open cash — courtesy of Strong Health — goes 10 deep, to $100.

"I'm coming to win," she said, " and maybe break the course record (16:05) with a sub-16. How does 15:45 sound?!

"Pete has been asking me to come and run his race for two years now. It's wonderful that he offers Canadian/American money, and it fits right in my schedule. It's a good race for a great cause."

Runner of the Year: Hospice and next month's Race With Grace 10K, will settle the closest chase for Rochester Runner of the Year in its seven years.

For the first time, money is on the line, and all 10 races count. The Runner of the Year's new managing committee — Rose Linscott, Roger Howe and Carolyn Kriesen — has landed Westside Tax Service as a cash sponsor for overall awards of $250, $150 and $100.

The men's leaders are Kevin Collins of Manlius (101 points), Dave Bradshaw of Walworth (92), Jason DeJoy of Henrietta (74) and three-time Runner of the Year Scott Bagley of Pittsford (62).

Women's leaders are Scottsville native Jill Skivington of Rochester (81), Beth DeCiantis of Rochester (78), Christa Downey of Perinton (68), Sarah Nazarian-O'Connor of Fairport (66), Judy Johnson of Manlius (59) and Heather Webster of Honeoye Falls (58).

Skivington, a professional singer who lived in Manhattan for two years, is a waitress at Two Vine restaurant in Rochester and studying at St. John Fisher College to teach high school English.

The Wheatland-Chili graduate (1997) has run all but one of the eight races in the series. Her finishes are 8-2-4-8-7-2 and 7. She skipped the Ten Ugly Men 5K in July.

Ironman Giblin: Monroe County Sheriff's Dept. court deputy Dan Giblin is close to completing a rare quintuple in marathoning — five races in one calendar year, four of them majors, each in 3 hours, 30 minutes or less.

"People think I'm crazy," says the 43-year-old Irondequoit resident, "but I know my body. I recover very quickly and I feel great."

Giblin started his marathon season with Cincinnati (3:19:32), then Boston (3:20:16), Rochester (3:09:15) and Chicago last week (a personal-best 3:05:29). He finishes up with a team of area police and firefighters in the New York City Marathon Nov. 6.

In between he's been a regular at the shorter stuff, like Johnny's Runnin' of the Green, the J.P. Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge and the Utica Boilermaker.

"I'm not sure about the Run For Hospice (Saturday )," he said. "Somebody said I'm in the running for an age group Runner of the Year award, so maybe I'll jump in."

Actually, Giblin is tied for fifth with five points and two double-points races left in a division that includes Rochester Marathon winner Scott Bagley (35), Gary Griffin (25) and John Van Kerkhove (15).

JCASTOR@DemocratandChronicle.com

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