Nicora won't let 2003's error get the best of her this time around

The Hubbard resident will be seeking to break one hour -- for real.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HUBBARD -- Whatever Staci Nicora's finishing time turns out to be in today's Peace Race, it likely will be a lot better than last year's -- at least on paper.
Nicora, 28, of Hubbard, who made her Peace Race debut last year, was listed as finishing in 488th place and last in the final results of overall finishers in the 10-kilometer (6-mile) run with a time of 2 hours, 52 minutes, 24 seconds.
She was listed just behind of Kim Kenetz of Cranberry Township, Pa., who finished in 1:10:29.3.
But Nicora said her actual time was much better -- about 1 hour, 12 seconds -- and that her friend and running partner, Sara Benson, 29, finished just a few seconds behind her but that Benson's time wasn't even listed in the final results.
"I have no idea why [that happened]," said Nicora, a Ursuline High (1995) and Youngstown State (2000) graduate. "I have no clue why I ended up last. I know that it wouldn't have taken me that long [to finish] and there were people after [me]."
Laughs it off
But she laughs about the error and dismisses it lightly even though, "Everyone I know that read the article made fun of me."
But she is determined to prove her real capabilities this year and hopeful that her time will be recorded accurately this time.
"I will be running again this year," said Nicora, a sales representative for Ross Laboratories. "I haven't improved much from last year, but hopefully it will be better than last year's time.
"I'm running just for fun. It is a good cause; it's nice to get the whole Mahoning Valley together for a project."
Nicora said Benson, who ran cross country and played basketball at Ursuline, invited her to run in last year's Peace Race.
"That was my first Peace Race," she said. "My friend [Sara] just had a baby a few months before and she said 'Let's get out there.' She wanted to get back into shape. We wanted to get out there and enjoy the day and do something different, and that actually started me running more."
Micheline for Benson
Benson, a 1993 Ursuline graduate and also a YSU graduate, won't be running today.
"She ended up having another baby," said Nicora. "[But] we got a couple of friends involved in running."
One of them, Mary Lou Micheline, 28, a Hubbard High graduate, will join Nicora today.
Nicora, who played basketball, soccer and softball while at Ursuline, hadn't done much distance running prior to last year's Peace Race.
"That was my longest run [ever]," she said. "Since then I have done more [miles]."
Nicora has expanded her running program over the last year along with other friends, including Micheline.
"If [Micheline] and I hadn't started running together, she wouldn't be running the Peace Race this year," said Nicora. "We asked her last year, but she didn't run because she didn't feel that confident."
But whereas last year Nicora and Benson decided to run close together the entire Peace Race, Nicora and Micheline probably will go their own ways.
"We'll probably end up separating, but we will start together," said Nicora. "We've been competing in a lot of 5ks and we did a 10-mile this summer."
Their training program and preparation should give them a shot at breaking the 1-hour mark.
Last year's overall 10k winner was Jim Jurcevich of Columbus, in 29 minutes, 15.3 seconds, while the top 10k women was Anjanette Arabian of Rocky River (34:27.8). The 2-mile winner was Bob Daniluk of Girard in 10:51.8.
kovach@vindy.com