Pennsylvanian Laura Onderko just didn’t outrun every female runner during this year’s Lobster Roll 5k road race. She outran every female racer in the event’s five year history. Her time of 19:28 set a new course record on July 25. This was Onderko’s first Lobster Roll 5k. She is an avid racer who competes in most local 5k races. Onderko especially enjoyed running the Boothbay Harbor course.

Onderko liked the course’s ocean view and running on the footbridge. During the race, Onderko was aided by running in a pack of other racers. The runners took turns leading their group over the 3.1 mile course through Boothbay Harbor..

“It’s definitely nice to run in a group,” she said. “We definitely helped each other out. When I felt strong I led the pack, and when I got tired somebody else went ahead.”

Onderko, 28, a medical student who lives in Quakertown, Pa,. said she typically runs between 5-8 miles a day. Her course record bested Lauren Perkowski, 15, of Plantsville, Conn. who finished second with a 20:44 time, and third place finisher Courtney O’Connor, 37, of Somerville, Mass. who ran the course in 21:53.

The top Lincoln County runner was Hannah Fake, 19, of Newcastle. She finished 10th in the women’s division with a 24:07 mark. The top Boothbay region racer was Kristen Gray, 44, of Boothbay Harbor who finished 11th with a 24:24 time.

In the men’s division, Chase Brown, 20, of West Boothbay Harbor, won with a 16:13 time. He defeated Boothbay Region High School track coach Nick Scott, 28, of Boothbay, who finished with a 16:38 time. Joey Paolillo, 15, of Boothbay Harbor finished third with a time of 18:01.

Brown took the lead for good at the three-quarter mile mark. His plan was to ease into the race for the first half mile and assess the field.

“I just took it easy to see where everybody was. And I took off from there,” said Brown, a former Boothbay Region cross country and track runner.

Brown usually runs in three races each year: Boothbay Harbor, Fourth of July 5k in Winthrop and the TD Beach to Beacon 10k in Cape Elizabeth. He runs six times a week totaling about 81 miles preparing for his races.

“My time was a little slow, but I’m not disappointed,” Brown said. “This is a fun race because it’s my hometown. It was nice to run a race that’s so important to the community.”

The Lobster Roll 5k began five years ago as a fundraiser to build a community track. This year’s race had 212 entrants who paid the $20 entry fee.

The Lobster Roll is not only an individual event, it also has a team format. Four teams competed for the championship. The Seahawk Track and Cross Country Alumni team won the event. The four-member team consisted of Brown, Robert Campbell, Bennett Scully, Drew Schmid and Tiffany Tsang. The alumni ran the course in a combined 53:19 time. The alumni defeated the Seahawk Cross Country and Track team who ran a 54:14. The second place team consisted of Scott, Paolillo, Kyle Ames, Tristan Mercer and Raymond Perry.

The Lobster Roll also recognized the winners in the following age groups: 14 and under, female, Elise Hocking, Wyndmoor, Pa., 21:57; male, Kyle Ames, Edgecomb, 19:35; 19 and under, female, Hannah Fake, Newcastle, 24:07; male, Robert Campbell, Boothbay Harbor, 18:03; 29 and under, female, Julia Merton, East Longmeadow, Mass., 22:10; male, Scott Isaac, Visalia, Calif., 18:49; 39 and under, female, Renee Lewis Holderness, N.H., 22:39; male, Jason Bigonia, Walpole, 19:08; 49 and under female, Julia Denney, Ankarra, Turkey, 23:11; male, Gene Hocking, Wyndmoor, Pa., 18:56; 59 and under, female, Ingrid Whitaker, Newcastle, 24:53; male, Ray Desmarais, Barrington, N.H., 21:42; 69 and under, female, Jane Marmack, San Marcos, Calif. 36:58; male, David Tiemann, Brunswick, 25:45; and 70 and over, female, Marinel Carbone, Skowhegan, 47:00; and male, Stephen Lozen, Shirley, Mass. 27:29.