It’s not often you get to hear this about the annual Killingworth Road Race, but Saturday’s event was historic … as in what happened there never happened before. But what made the event so extraordinary is that few who witnessed it were all that surprised — and, guys, you might want to sit down before we explain.
Because for the first time in the race’s history … a woman won.
In fact, she won a race where she led from beginning to end.
Except this wasn’t just any woman. It was 30-year-old Elizabeth Fengler who, with brother Stephen, comprise “The Flying Fenglers,” and stop if you’ve heard this before. They’re a legendary pair of Connecticut runners who win nearly every state race they enter – including Killingworth in 2023.
At that time, Stephen set a record for the four-mile course (since broken) at 21:13, while Elizabeth won the women’s division in 25:03, finishing sixth overall.
But this time Stephen didn’t participate, skipping the race (at least, according to his sister) to spend the day at the beach, and why not? The morning was uncommonly unseasonal for August, with little or no humidity and temperatures in the low 60s. However, Elizabeth returned to join her boyfriend and best friend, who – like Fengler – are members of the Run 169 Connecticut Towns Society but who – unlike Fengler — needed to check Killingworth off their list of completed races.
“It’s a fun race, and I like it,” said Fengler, who’s run all 169 towns. “So I thought I’d like to do it over again.”
Except she didn’t just run the out-and-back course; she hammered it, outdistancing the field of 192 runners and beating runner-up Mike Zakosek to the finish line by six -and-a-half seconds. Fengler finished in 25:13.88; Zakosek in 25:20.19.
“I’m not surprised,” said Joseph Edelstein, who was eighth.
OK, so he’s her boyfriend. But others weren’t surprised, either.
“She flies,” said Bob Tumiski, another Run 169er. “I’ve never run a race where she hasn’t won.”
And he’s run 168 in Connecticut.
As she did three years ago, Fengler went to the front from the outset. But where she followed her brother to lead the opening charge in 2023, this time there was no Stephen nor anyone eager to push the pace. So Fengler built a substantial early lead with a 5:56 first mile … held off Zakosek when he joined her midway through the race … then left him behind when they hit the steep Wolf Hollow Road climb to Route 8.
She was never challenged thereafter.
“When I went out at the start,” Fengler said, “I thought, OK, nobody’s coming with me. And when nobody did, I thought, OK, then, let’s just go. The guy behind me was close later, and he caught me at a couple of points. But then I put on a surge, got separation on the hill and felt pretty strong at the end.”
As she crossed the finish line, she raised both arms with both index fingers pointed to the sky. Make no mistake, she was Number One.
“It was her race, not mine,” said Zakosek. “I used her as a pacer the whole way, and I felt great. But she’s a very good runner. No, she’s a great runner.”
While the morning belonged to Fengler, she wasn’t the only story. Zakosek was another. First of all, he’s 61, or more than twice Fengler’s age. Second, he didn’t start running until six years ago when he weighed … wait, 300 pounds? True story. He’s in the 170s now. And, third, he and his wife, Pam, are both from Davenport, Iowa, and in the midst of a nationwide tour of the U.S. where they plan to run races in all 50 states. Headed for Rhode Island on Sunday, they recently knocked off Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Connecticut, with New Jersey and Delaware ticketed for next weekend – a streak of seven races in seven states in 18 days.
Pam has seven states left, saving Hawaii and Alaska for last. Her husband, however, has more, with the two hoping to complete their cross- country challenge within two years.
“My wife wants all 50 states, so I’m just doing this for her,” said Zakosek, who ran a half-marathon last weekend. “It doesn’t matter to me. I’m just along for the ride.”
But there was more. Like …
- Cameron Hines. The 23-year-old finished fourth overall in 26.00.14, and was the first Killingworth finisher … for the second consecutive year. Hines, who placed third overall in 2025, bettered last year’s mark by over a minute and was joined Saturday by his brother Trevor, who also ran. “I had a great time,” said Hines. “But this is more about being with everybody. I’m from Killingworth, and my family’s from Killingworth. So this is nice.”
- Patrick Mulkern. The 37-year-old Clinton resident pushed sons Theo, 4, and Carter, 2, in a racing stroller the entire distance … including up the torturous Wolf Hollow hill. “I saw the elevation map on the website,” said Mulkern, who ran 16 miles Friday and is training for an October marathon. “And I thought: Well, what goes down must come up. Got to power up.” Mulkern & Sons finished 64th
- The aforementioned Tumiski. A cancer survivor, the 71-year-old Wallingford resident ran all four miles with his 11-year-old dog, Brady, who’s part Australian shepherd, part Huskie and part yellow lab. “He just likes being with me,” said Tumiski. “He’s my protector, and I’m his protector. It’s a great symbiotic relationship.” Tumiski is one race short of completing his 169 towns, while this was Brady’s 150th. “Man’s best friend, right?” asked a passerby. “He’s everyone’s best friend,” said Tumiski. “Especially mine.”
- And let’s not forget WTNH-TV meteorologist Gil Simmons. In what he estimated as his 13th or 14th Killingworth run, he finished 58th in 35:01.27, 11 seconds slower than last year. But let’s be honest: Who cares? He nailed his forecast calling for ideal morning weather, a prediction that had race organizer Chuck Langevin calling him “everybody’s hero.”
Of course, that was prior to the race. Afterward, Langevin was talking about the day’s heroine and for good reason: Elizabeth Fengler just made Killingworth history.
“What she did is great,” said Langevin. “And the fact that she led the entire way today? That’s a significant achievement. We support all kinds of runners here – men, women, children, old, young, even dogs – whether they’re in-state or out-of-state. Pretty much every demographic. But this … this is a great, great achievement.”
