by Annah Chaya
Frank Healey
Frank Healey originally became involved in running in 2000 and joined his eldest daughter on
her runs. He also used running as a way to stay healthy and maintain his weight.
“A friend of mine was doing a local marathon, and I went down to watch him and just kind of
decided that I would like to try that as well,” Healey said. “So, the following year I did the half
in Allentown for the first time.”
He continues running the St. Luke’s Half and other races to keep up his streak as a legacy runner
with St. Luke’s. He said the bands and the Parkway are his most memorable parts of the course.
Healey finished the 2022 race with a time of 2:25:17.
Bill Kaiser
Bill Kaiser, from Scott Township, Pennsylvania, has been running the half marathon since 1999.
Kaiser started his running career during high school and decided to restart running again when he
grew older to help his health.
He uses the St. Luke’s race to help maintain his base throughout the winter and to help him
prepare for future races in the fall season.
“It [running] forces you to have time to yourself and discount everything that’s going on in your
life, which I found to be a great stress reliever and to stay mentally healthy,” Kaiser said.
The St. Luke’s race in 2015 was one of Kaiser’s favorite races because it was the first half
marathon he ran with his daughter, her first half marathon.
Kaiser finished the St. Luke’s race with a time of 3:18:52.
Scott Lowry
Scott Lowry, who moved to Dallas, Texas, after living in the Kutztown area has been running for roughly the past 25 years with St. Luke’s being his first half marathon.
Lowry took up running to bring a healthy lifestyle change into his life and to stay social with others. After living in many different places around the country, running certain races — specifically the St. Luke’s Half — has been a reunion for Lowry.
“Even when life takes you in different directions, I see St. Luke’s as a reunion. I’m always
amazed at who I bump into at that event after 23 years of running,” Lowry said.
Lowry enjoys the entire course, noting a “great mix of terrain, the stadium finish, the rolling hills, and the bands.” Lowry also acknowledged the amazing volunteer and crowd support in helping bring together the St. Luke’s Half Marathon.
Lowry finished the St. Luke’s half marathon with a time of 1:44:45.
Sarah Monte
Sarah Monte started running marathons and half marathons once she moved back to the United States after living in Europe for roughly a year and wanted to kick-start a healthy lifestyle. She signed up to run a marathon in Alaska with a team who was raising money for leukemia.
After training for some time with a team in Nashville, they recommended her to the St. Luke’s half marathon since it was halfway through her marathon training and would be a good base to see where she was at with her training. Since then, Monte has continued to run St. Luke’s Half no matter where she is at with her training.
Monte, who has lived all across the United States, travels to the Lehigh Valley each year for the race and has since made it a family affair by getting her niece and nephew to participate in
running.
“The biggest reason I come back is I love the run and it’s beautiful,” said Monte. “Also my family all live in the Lehigh Valley, and I live in Nashville, Tennessee, right now.”
Monte finished the St. Luke’s race with a time of 2:16:41.
Andre Nortje
Andre Nortje has been running since he was 15 years old. Nortje, who grew up in South Africa before moving to the United States, has been running half marathons and marathons since his early twenties and has participated in the St. Luke’s Half Marathon since 1998.
He started competing in the St. Luke’s race after subscribing to the Runner’s World magazine and seeing the race advertised.
“They used to always advertise as one of the top half marathons in the country,” Nortje said. “So that’s what kind of motivated me to run it and to go and see what it was like.”
Despite dealing with the typical aches and pains of running, physical rehab, and ACL surgery which led to Nortje walking the half marathon one year, he has never missed or dropped out of a race throughout his entire running career.
“It’s a nice-sized race and people are always very pleasant. It’s nice to see people living healthy
lives,” he said.
Nortje finished the St. Luke’s Half with a time of 1:58:51.
Philip Salen
Philip Salen began running while he was in medical school for both physical and mental health, especially to prevent the possibility of being diagnosed with diabetes, which his father had just been diagnosed with. Salen also uses running as a form of stress relief.
“I get to reflect on the day and how the day is going and the issues in my life, which seem big, seem to be more manageable and very bright,” he said.
Salen, who does some of his training around the Lehigh Parkway, enjoys the connection the race has to the Lehigh Valley.
“For me, this race is so local and allows the opportunity to run and then look at the Little Lehigh,” said Salen. “It’s so beautiful.”
Salen finished the St. Luke’s Half with a time of 2:03:42.
Andy Scappaticci
Andy Scappaticci started running while he was in graduate school. Distance running has since become a part of his routine. Another part of his routine has been continuing on the St. Luke’s Half legacy runner list.
“I just can’t imagine not doing it at this point,” Scappaticci said.
While running allows for a physical outlet, it also allows for a mental outlet where he finds himself able to clear his head and find his focus.
“I like running by myself, but I just enjoy the event so much and I feel very fortunate that we have such amazing places to run in Allentown and Lehigh Valley,” Scappaticci said.
Scappaticci finished the St. Luke’s Half with a time of 1:56:22.
Thomas Thielen
Thomas Thielen started running in his late twenties to support his health while also still maintaining enough time to devote to other activities.
After living in Chicago and participating in races there, he decided to continue his passion for running in the Lehigh Valley.
For Thielen, his passion continued despite the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he was excited to get back into the race as the half marathon had been part of his springtime routine.
“Everybody’s always rooting you on and it’s very motivating to be in it,” said Thielen. “All those people come out and cheer everybody on so that it’s really a great race.”
He now participates in the St. Luke’s Half every year alongside his oldest son.
Thielen finished the St. Luke’s Half with a time of 2:19:56.
Mary Young
Mary Young started her training for her first race after a friend mentioned wanting to visit her in the Lehigh Valley and run a 5K. Her training consisted of going on a few runs a week while also taking care of her three young sons.
She continued running to benefit her health and manage her weight. Young also enjoys the camaraderie of the running world.
Young currently lives in Philadelphia. She still makes sure she is able to come up to the Lehigh Valley for the St. Luke’s Half each year.
“It’s like it’s like a contest for me now, you know like the last man standing,” said Young. “I’m a legacy runner, so I have to do it.”
Young finished the St. Luke’s Half with a time of 3:07:17.