Fernando Cabada wanted to finish in the top 10 in Sunday's Utica Boilermaker Road Race.
He didn't.
He was 12th in 46:10, but he did earn $1,000 as the top American in the field, thanks in part to his friendship with a Utica family.
Cabada, a native of Fresno, Calif., learned about the Boilermaker at a Syracuse race in 2005 from Utica native Carlo Cuccaro. He'd been itching to come here ever since.
“I'd really like to be in the top 10 and be the first American,” Cabada said. “I'm in good shape, but I'm not good in humidity and on hills.”
Both of which are a big part of the Boilermaker.
Cabada, who ran at Virginia Intermont College and now lives in Boulder, Colo., was supported by the Cuccaro family during the race, including Carlo, a school psychologist in Fulton, his wife, the former Kim Joswick of New Hartford, and their children, Caroline, Olivia and Andrew.
Nick Arciniaga of Rochester Hills, Mich., was the second American man (46:23) and Nate Jenkins of Lowell, Mass., was third (47:48).
Zoila Gomez, 11th overall in the women's open in 53:03, again was the top American woman, and also won $1,000. Former Geneseo State star Melissa White was second (53:11) and Heidi Wolfsberger was third (53:54).
The second and third American men and women won $500 and $300, respectively.
Cabada said one of his goals is to show young American runners - he's 26 - that they can run with the Kenyans and Ethiopians in the Boilermaker.
“Every year, they see the Africans up there, and they think they're unstoppable,” he said. “That's why I wanted to finish in the top 10.”
Gomez, who was sixth last year in 50:52, when the entire race was much faster, was 11th overall this time in 53:03.
“I train where it is very dry conditions,” said Gomez, who lives in Alamosa, Calif. “The humidity (today) has a lot to do with the times. Still, it was a good race, a good effort. You couldn't ask for a better day.”
White, who has run the Boilermaker several times, said the humidity did bother her.
“I think it took a lot out of my quads,” she said. “I couldn't make that extra step.”
White was 10th overall last year, when she also was second American to Gomez and finished in 52:34.
