Showing up is the win: Middletown Springs celebrated its 4th annual Strawberry Jam Fun Run

By Emily Pratt Slatin

Middletown Springs laced up and leaned into tradition Saturday morning as the fourth annual Strawberry Jam Fun Run welcomed runners of all ages beneath a soft, overcast sky that kept things cool and mercifully un-scorched.

Now in its fourth year, the event raises money for local education—and gives the town a chance to gather, cheer, and celebrate summer with sneakers and strawberries.

With the scent of ripe berries in the air and cheers echoing off the surrounding hills, participants took on either a 5K or 10K course, both winding through Middletown Springs’ rolling backroads—routes where cows outnumber cars, and probably always will. The turnout was strong, with dozens of runners, walkers, and enthusiastic onlookers lining the quiet stretches of road, many decked out in strawberry-themed gear.

“This is what Vermont is all about,” said volunteer organizer Matt Heering, who helped with timing and logistics. “The whole town shows up—runners, families, fire department volunteers from Middletown Springs and Tinmouth, people handing out water—everyone’s just here for the good of it.”

In the women’s 5K, Katie Presau clocked a blazing 19:54, clearly more focused on her stride than the free fruit at the finish. Cara Bailey followed with a time of 24:45, trailed closely by Eva Friend at 25:43.

On the men’s side, Sam Filloramo took first at 23:03. Paul Sussman placed second at 26:24, and Ed McGann rounded out the podium at 30:53.

Those who braved the longer 10K faced a tougher climb—both literally and figuratively. Zaley Deleonardis-Page led the women with a time of 54:21, followed by Jessica Billingsby at 57:26 and Nadia Tarbell at 1:11:45. Among the men, Stephen Davies posted the fastest time of the day: 52:01. Ben Eden and Matt Poi followed closely at 56:24 and 56:35, respectively.

Kids sprinted barefoot across the grass, dogs flopped under the shade of the registration tent, and neighbors passed around water cups and local gossip like it was just another Saturday.

“This isn’t about competition,” one volunteer said, offering a high-five and a paper cup to a winded runner. “It’s about community and showing up for the school.”

The Fun Run started years ago as a modest fundraiser for local education. It has since grown—not into a spectacle, but into something more enduring. Parents jogged alongside their kids. Retirees walked with calm resolve. Teenagers ran full tilt just for the joy of it while old friends shouted encouragement from lawn chairs and porch swings.

By noon, the road had emptied out. The signs came down. The Bluetooth speaker went quiet. But in Middletown Springs, where nothing is disposable and everything is personal, the echoes linger.

The Strawberry Jam Fun Run continues to be less about the distance covered and more about who shows up—and why. Because here, showing up is the win.

Emily Pratt Slatin (she/her) is a writer and photographer living with her wife on a retired dairy farm in Middletown Springs. Her work can be found at RescueGirl557.com.