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Tom Robinson

Jermyn resident outdistances age Tom Robinson Keeping score

Forget that the concept of finishing – and winning a marathon – should never look easy.

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If you can get past that and believe there are supremely dedicated athletes who can make a 26.2-mile race seem like it is routine to them, you probably are not looking for a senior citizen to be the one providing the evidence.

Do not make the mistake that winning your age group in the marathon 14 straight years is ever as simple as 73-year-old Tony Cerminaro of Jermyn makes it seem.

It is just that Cerminaro is willing to put in the hard work to make it look easy.

While others gasped, wheezed and collapsed in the moments after finishing the run from Forest City to Scranton October 11, Cerminaro stood comfortably and talked about his latest race, his fondest memories of road racing through the years and the challenges that still awaited him.

Cerminaro was 39:51 faster than any other runner age 70 or older and would have won the 65-69 age division and finished second in 60-64.

“You’ve got to work at it,” Cerminaro said. “I do what I’m supposed to do.”

In the weeks leading up to the race, that meant testing himself at the speed he planned to run on race day.

“I do a lot of speed work,” the former Boston Marathon age group champion said. “I run eight to 10 miles at marathon pace at what I felt I could do today.”

In the last few days before the race, Cerminaro was done with his distance work. But rest to this 73-year-old meant working as a soccer referee running around the field with the area’s top high school athletes keeping up with their game.

All things considered, Cerminaro just may be the most impressive athlete in Lackawanna County.

Done with his annual local showcase after remaining unbeaten in his age group in the history of the Steamtown Marathon, Cerminaro is getting ready to defend another age-group title. The next race on his schedule is the 47th annual JFK 50 – as in 50 miles – at Hagerstown, Md. November 21.

Cerminaro finished the 50 miles in 9:28:47 a year ago. That was good for 247th overall out of the 927 running fanatics who completed the course and more than two hours and 15 minutes ahead of the next runner out of the seven 70-and-over who were able to finish the race.

In his age group, runners are trying to add as little time as possible to their finishes each year. But, don’t rule out Cerminaro finding a way to do better.

His Steamtown Marathon time was faster than a year ago by nearly three minutes.

“I’m getting better instead of worse,” Cerminaro said.

That simply does not make sense. But Cerminaro is willing to do what he has to do to make it a possibility.

Tom Robinson writes about area sports for The Times Leader Scranton Edition.