First Yankee Homecoming, first win for Derry's Risteen

Aug. 4—NEWBURYPORT — It's been quite the past couple of years for runner Emilee Risteen of Derry, N.H.

In 2019, she ran her first ever marathon in Chicago — where a few years prior she had graduated college from Moody Bible Institute — and finished in 4:03:59.

Flash forward to this past April at the Boston Marathon, and the 26-year-old Risteen finished 33rd among more than 10,000 women with a time of 2:42:25.

It's been a tremendous leap of improvement, aided by coach Abby Stanley and a lot more free time dedicated to running due to the pandemic.

And now, Risteen can add a Yankee Homecoming title to her vastly growing list of accomplishments. She was the women's winner in 1:03.10, which beat out second-place Beth Dollas of Amesbury who finished in 1:07:48.

"It was a little tough out there," said Risteen. "The conditions, the heat, was a little bit. But hey, no excuses. I was going for a time and I didn't get it, but we just pick up and keep trying to go harder next time."

Risteen went to high school at Concord Christian Academy in Concord, N.H., where she now is the track coach. She was always into running, but really started to take it seriously during the pandemic.

That's when she found Stanley out in California, who not too long ago let her know about the Yankee Homecoming races.

And for her first time — despite the tough heat — it's safe to say that Risteen will be leaving with fond memories of Newburyport.

"That was so much fun," said Risteen. "It's an honor, and I'm just thankful for a healthy body to be able to run. I loved all of the little kids out there cheering you on, that was my favorite part.

"I couldn't go for the time I wanted, and I learned that around Mile No. 3. So then I just had to play it smart so I could finish the race."

As for the men's race, there is a local flavor in Whirlaway Running's Ruben Sança, who won his fifth Yankee Homecoming 10-miler.

He is a long-time runner in the Merrimack Valley, having won the Feaster Five Road Race several times.

Sanca made the final right turn through the Newburyport High parking lot Tuesday evening, with nobody even remotely close behind him, the former Cape Verde Olympian pumped both of his fists together and let out a joyous scream.

It's clearly not getting old for the now four-time Yankee Homecoming 10-mile race champion.

Sança, who recently moved to Salisbury with his family, officially crossed the 10-mile finish line in 51:02, good for a 5:07 pace and more than a full minute ahead of second-place finisher Ezra Mutai of Springfield (52:27).

But the hot evening, as it has the last four times the Lion's Club has hosted a 10-mile race as part of the Yankee Homecoming festivities, belonged to Sança. He was trailing Mutai for the first five miles, but some hometown course knowledge and the will to claim his beloved hometown road race yet again pushed him through.

"It's just been a long year, and at the beginning of the race I knew I was gapped pretty well," said Sança. "But knowing the course well, I just tried to relax and try to reel him in slowly. and every mile I knew the gap was getting shorter, and eventually I just went for it around Mile 6 and didn't look back."

Including the 2020 virtual Yankee Homecoming 10-mile race, this is Sança's fourth straight title.

The course, and the desire to win, keeps bringing him back.

And it helps when you have more than 2,000 runners — and thousands more spectators lining the course — cheering you on every step of the way.

"I really love the course here," said Sança, who is training for the Hartford Marathon in October. "There are hills at Mile 5, Mile 7 and Mile 9, so you have to really think your way through. It definitely feels good to win."

And strictly based on times, it seems like Sança is only getting better with age. When he won for the first time in 2018, his time was 51:26. and when he repeated the following year, his winning time was over 53 minutes.

Will anyone be able stop him winning his fifth in a row in 2023?