FREEPORT – The flashing blue lights of a police escort accompanied Josh Zolla until two blocks remained in the race, then left him on his own.
A 25-year-old resident of Freeport, Zolla absorbed the cheers of his hometown crowd, put on a burst of speed — not that it was necessary, for the nearest runner was hidden somewhere in the fog down Main Street — and broke the tape to win the 34th annual L.L. Bean 10K Road Race on Monday morning.
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Pointing both index fingers skyward, Zolla pulled up and took several deep breaths. Having run this race since he was a teenager, having finished second a year ago, made winning it particularly sweet.
“Lifelong dream,” he said. “It was hard, being out solo, trying to stay confident.”
Runner-up Jonathan Kieliszak of New York City finished 37 seconds behind Zolla. Kennebunk native Erik Nedeau, 39, of Nobleboro was third in 34:51.
Slightly more than a minute after Nedeau came in, Sheri Piers of Falmouth finished her race, fourth overall and the first woman. Neither of the winning times — 32 minutes, 47 seconds for Zolla and 36:06 for Piers — threatened any course records, but then, the soupy fog presented its own particular challenge.
“It was sticky,” said Piers, 40. “I was right on pace for where I wanted to be for three, three-and-a-half (miles), then I got to the hills and … well, this race is a grind.”
Piers won the women’s race by more than a minute over Meredith Anand, a native of Edgecomb who now lives in Connecticut. Third place went to Freeport’s most famous resident, Joan Samuelson, 54, whose time (38:59) was good for 22nd overall in the record-breaking field of 1,191.
Samuelson called Zolla, an assistant coach for the Freeport High cross country and indoor and outdoor track teams, “an amazing mentor for the kids in this town. He’s had some challenges with his youth and he’s found running.”
The biggest of those challenges was, before his senior year in high school, losing his father. Paul Zolla died of cardiac arrest at 47. He had done some weight training and was beginning to explore running, “doing hill repeats, getting into the best shape of his life,” Josh said. “And that’s when he passed away.”
In running, Josh already had found a way to slim down from his burly days of junior high — “He was a doughboy,” said Freeport head coach Brian Berkemeyer — when he stood 5-foot-6 and tipped the scales at 195 pounds. Running also provided a coping mechanism for his grief.
“It almost felt like you’re carrying on his dream, but you’re doing it for yourself, too,” he said. “Usually, parents will pressure you into something you don’t really want to do, but we had that connection. And it’s a connection that I feel like I can live on with him.”
Piers trains with Zolla and four other members of the Dirigo Running Club. They meet twice weekly at the high school track in Westbrook.
“He is a hard worker, that guy,” said Piers, a high school cross-country coach herself. “Kristin (Barry) gives us all the workouts and he does whatever she says. And I’ll tell you, she puts some nasty workouts together. He does it without complaint.”
Zolla led from start to finish Monday morning at a pace of 5:17 per mile, slower, because of the humid conditions, than his planned pace. In such times, he said, you have to rely more on your gut than your watch.
“One of those hard days,” he called it. “Of course, it’s a memory thing, with my father.”
The favorite holiday for father and son wasn’t Christmas and Thanksgiving or birthdays. It was the Fourth of July. Barbecue at Lake Highland. Go out on an uncle’s boat. Return to Freeport for fireworks.
“So this day is really special for me,” Zolla said. “I’ve always wanted to win it for him.”
Those fingers pointing skyward? Turns out Zolla, even after the police car turned off the course, wasn’t alone after all.
Staff Writer Glenn Jordan can be contacted at 791-6425 or at:
gjordan@pressherald.com
Twitter: GlennJordanPPH
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