While many people chose to spend the long weekend relaxing and enjoying the warm weather, GraVoc employees Dan Vassallo and Katrina Gravel did quite the opposite. Instead, they competed in the KeyBank Vermont City Marathon, which took place Sunday morning in Burlington, Vermont. Vassallo won the event in a time of 2 hours, 24 minutes and 9 seconds, crossing the line four minutes ahead of the second place finisher. This win follows Vassallo’s victory in the Philadelphia Marathon last November, where he set a personal best of 2:21:28.
In post-race interviews, Vassallo indicated that the weather at the time of the race significantly impacted his performance. Though the morning started off cool and rainy, the clouds broke mid-morning and the temperature quickly rose, along with the humidity, making for less-than-desirable running conditions. “The sun came out and, from there, I was like, ‘Oh, no,’” Vassallo told the Burlington Free Press. “But that’s part of the game — running in May in New England.” Many other runners reported similar reactions to the heat, and most of the top athletes did not hit their best times.
Vassallo was positive about the amount of support he received along the way, both during the race and in the months leading up to it. “In addition to the city of Burlington and the race committee that treated me extremely well, it’s a great feeling to have GraVoc and a lot of our customers support my running career in addition to my professional career.” Vassallo noted. “I have no delusions about how running sometimes gets in the way of work, and I’m extremely grateful for everyone’s understanding and support as I continue my double life as an athlete.”
Associate Katrina Gravel also participated in the event, making her marathon debut in a time of 3:01:17 and finishing 10th overall for women and 2nd in her age division. GraVoc President Dave Gravel and Vice-President Cathy Gravel made the trip to Burlington to cheer on their employees. No word yet on whether there will definitely be a GraVoc Associates relay team at next year’s Vermont City Marathon, but the chances are looking good.