A Wednesday evening race is unusual —— even more unusual if that race is in its 100th running.

Mercer County QUAD celebrated its 100th event with Courtney's Ice Cream Race 5K Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. The QUAD series, including Strawberry Days 5K in Grove City, Chase at the Lake in Mercer in June and Fredonia 5K in July, has been a Mercer County tradition for 25 years.

The popular series celebrated this milestone with a record 110 gallons of ice cream consumed by 712 5K finishers and 126 kids. Kids 11 and under participated in a separate half mile run following the longer event.

Marathon legend Bill Rodgers was on hand to witness the occasion and to run with his friend and race director, Mark Courtney. Rodgers, age 60, won his age group with a finishing time of 21:39.

Rodgers, now a Boston businessman, has been inducted into both the National Track and Field Hall of Fame and National Distance Running Hall of Fame. During the 1970s, Rodgers won both the Boston and New York City Marathons four times each. Two of his Boston performances, including his personal best 2:09:27, set American marathon records. Rodgers also competed in the 1976 Olympic Marathon.

Despite his achievements and celebrity, Rodgers remains a gentle, unassuming man. He warmed up with the throngs on Cranberry Road, served as starter for the race, signed autographs following the event and posed for photos with age group winners long into the evening. Rodgers was genuinely interested in each person's run and delighted in speaking with a group of younger runners gathered around him after the awards ceremony.

Courtney's Ice Cream Race 5K is run on an almost flat out and back course just north of Grove City. The run starts and finishes at Grove City Medical Center and passes by Mark Courtney's home, where the post race all-you-can-eat ice cream buffet is held.

The level course combined with relatively cool temperatures to produce some fast finishing times. Kevin Pool won the men's race in 15:18 while Samantha Howard won the women's division with a finishing time of 18:18. Margretta Lutz broke her own two-week old American record for 79 year olds with a 29:22 finish.

In the kids' race, 11-year old Steven Biddle finished first with a time of 2:58 while Jordon Bon won the girls division with a time of 3:05 for the out and back half mile.

Each finisher at the Ice Cream Race 5K and kids' run earned finishers' ribbons and commemorative ice cream spoons to dig in to their choice of flavors and toppings at the post race buffet. Overall winners took home autographed Bill Rodgers posters while age group winners took home ice cream themed items such as bowls, sauces and scoops.

Those who competed in all four 2008 QUAD races were rewarded with commemorative towels. Top QUAD series finishers Kenneth Foster, fourth place at Ice Cream Race, and Christie Turak, second woman at Ice Cream Race, earned autographed books by Bill Rodgers.

Mark Courtney, who has run every one of the QUAD events, presented the two other 100-race finishers with $100 gasoline gift cards.

Saturday, 8:30 a.m.: Tom Murray-Cranberry Township Aquathlon, Cranberry Township. Run three miles, swim 400 meters, run two riles in North Boundary Park. 724-774-5746 or jkercovich@yahoo.comSaturday, 9 a.m.: Run in the Park 5k, Johnstown. Trail run through Powell Stackhouse Park. 814-254-4118Saturday, 9 a.m.: Run Around the Square 5K, Regent Square, Pittsburgh. 412-731-4456 or www.runaroundthesquare.comAug. 27, 6:30 p.m.: Stoneboro Fair Mile, Stoneboro. Run 2 loops on dirt track. 724-458-4435Aug. 30, 8:30 A.M.: Run to Break the Cycle 5K, Beaver. Scenic and challenging course. 724-775-2032 or annex@womenscenterbc.orgAug. 30, 9 a.m.: LHOT Run for Shelter 5K, Butler. Run through VA Medical Center Campus prevents homelessness. alane@ccpgh.orgAug.31: Nike Human Race 10K, Schenley Park, Pittsburgh. Register for free at nikeplus.com/humanraceSept. 1, 9 a.m.: Gatorade/ Steelers 5K Race, Fitness Walk and Kids Kickoff Run, Pittsburgh. 412-697-7713 or 5k@steelers.comLabor Day 5K Classic, Washington. Fast course. 724-222-0750 or labordayrace@yahoo.comSept. 1, 9:15 a.m.: Buhl Day 5K, Hermitage. 724-981-3700Sept. 6, 8 a.m.: Saxonburg Festival of the Arts 5K Saxonburg. Third race in Saxonburg Distance Series. 724-898-2525 or Shoes@RunPa.comSept. 6, 8 a.m.: Ikea-Montour Trail Half Marathon and 5K, Imperial. 724-695-2638 or www.montourtrail.orgSept. 7, 9 a.m.: Pizza Joe's 5K, New Castle. 800-860-JOES or www.pizzajoes.comSept. 13, 8:30 a.m.: Peanut Butter Festival 5K, New Bethlehem. 814-275-3929Sept. 14, 7 a.m.: Erie Marathon at Presque Isle, Erie. Also half marathon, half marathon race walk and 5K fun run. 814-898-4472 or www.eriemarathon.orgSept. 28, 8:30 a.m.: Richard S. Caliguiri/ City of Pittsburgh Great Race 5K, Pittsburgh. Early bird discount registration before September 5. 412-255-2493 or www.RunGreatRace.comSept. 28, 9:30 a.m.: Richard S. Caliguiri/ City of Pittsburgh Great Race 10K, Pittsburgh. The original run from Squirrel Hill to downtown. 412-255-2493 or www.RunGreatRace.comOct. 18, 9 a.m.: Buffalo Creek Half Marathon, Cabot. Start training now for this fast downhill run to Freeport. 724-898-2525 or register online at www.active.com

Thorn Hill 5K, July 20: Sean Gallagher, 1st Overall M, 17:04; Christopher Short, 2nd Overall M, 17:37; Sue Mittermeier, 1st Overall W, 20:34; Alex Gambill, 2nd Overall W, 20:50; Z, 1st 30-34 M, 18:30; Erin Lopresti, 3rd Overall W, 22:22; Jana Lake, 1st Masters W, 22:55; William Coughenour, 1st 35-39 M, 19:10; Nick Minich, 1st 16-19 M, 19:13; Chris Matessa, 2nd 16-19 M, 19:19; Mitch Radella, 1st 40-44 M, 19:41; Barry Mittermeier, 1st 50-54 M, 19:48; Todd Roberts, 3rd 40-44 M, 20:15; Wesley Roberts, 3rd 13-15 M, 20:23; Curt Grimm, 1st 55-59 M, 20:59; Chris Bise, 3rd 35-39 M, 21:12; Brian Connell, 2nd 45-49 M, 21:52; Jeff Cypher, 3rd 45-49 M, 22:06; Jason Gallagher, 2nd 25-29 M, 22:20; Mark McCullough, 2nd 55-59 M, 22:44; Kate O'Connor, 1st 25-29 W, 22:51; Cindy Grimm, 1st 55-59 W, 23:08; Debbie Deddo, 1st 50-54 W, 23:29; Sharyl Relic, 2nd 50-54 W, 23:50; Robert Dummer, 1st 20-24 M, 23:57; Carleen Burns, 3rd 50-54 W, 24:03; Patricia Neubert, 2nd 55-59 W, 24:17; Pam Kristoff, 3rd 40-44 W, 26:07; Joanna Sutton, 1st 35-39 W, 26:52; Tracey Kachurka, 1st 30-34 W, 26:58; Cyndie Delucia, 2nd 35-39 W, 27:06; Deena McHenry, 3rd 35-39 W, 27:36; Chelsea Mihm, 1st 16-19 W, 28:12; Heather Oros, 2nd 25-29 W, 28:20; Kim Regan, 1st 45-49 W, 30:19; Gloria Couiceres, 2nd 30-34 W, 30:30; Margretta Lutz, 1st 70+ W, 30:40; Cindy Maro, 2nd 45-49 W, 31:12; Bonnie Connell, 3rd 45-49 W, 31:23; Evan Deddo, 2nd 9 and Under M, 34:59; Joan Guffey, 1st 60-64 W, 35:41; Aryn Mitcaletti, 3rd 30-34 W, 40:17; Bob Pawloski, 20:41; Matt Marshall, 21:17; William Marsh, 21:20; Kyle Connell, 21:21; Philip Mathew, 21:23; John Limbacher, 22:33; Dave Nelson, 22:40; Graham Bitzer, 22:45; Daniel Lynch, 22:50; Jim Heltzell, 22:53; Paul Dibucci, 22:56; Josh Boudreau, 23:05; Bruce Hall, 23:18; Mike Gorrio, 23:24; Bob Markovich, 23:41; David Bowser, 23:52; John Pristas, 23:53; John Minich, 23:58; Cindy Waltemire, 24:05; Robb Fort, 24:56; Bruce Conway, 25:15; Joe Herbolich, 25:21; Carl Hill, 25:30; Richard Waltemire, 25:34; Kyle Deddo, 27:30; Hal Martin, 27:45; Brian Marton, 28:23; Josh Heil, 28:43; Michael Waltemire, 29:12; Peggy Sibenac, 30:21; Rick Waltemire, 30:53; Patrick Fort, 31:30; Annie Wiest, 31:44; Denny Lemmo, 31:59; Krista Salera, 32:08; John Guffey, 32:29; Alan Balla, 32:59; Daena Dibucci, 33:12; Sally Sawyer, 33:27; Ken Deddo, 35:06; Judy Lyle, 35:14; Oksana Laprade, 36:35Send comments and suggestions: Patricia Neubert, 435 Cherry Valley Rd., Saxonburg, PA. 16056. Phone 724-352-4395. Email bigp16@connecttime.net