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Kyle Cashin leads a group of runners up Navy Road at the start of the first annual Hither Hills Off-Road Half Marathon. Photos by Brett Mauser

Race winner Kyle Cashin picks up a pair of furry friends, Max and Ginger, to escort him the final few meters to the finish line.

Montauk - The first annual Hither Hills Off-Road Half Marathon was different than any of the many road races that the East End will host this summer. The path to victory was indeed a path, weaving around trees and up and down hills for 13.1 miles.

Kyle Cashin, a native of Reading, PA, and brother of race organizer Ed Cashin, left no question who would go down in history as the debut winner. He jumped out in front early on Sunday and stayed there through the hills of the Hither Woods Preserve, a course that he traversed in one hour, 31 minutes and 43 seconds to take first place.

Cashin chatted with fellow competitors as the pack made the ascent up Navy Road and veered right into the woods. Mere meters into the beginning of the trail portion of the race, Cashin was alone in front. He held the lead for the rest of the 13.1 mile journey. His advantage over the field stood at two minutes as he hit the four-mile water station. The Reading, PA, native only built on his lead from there. By the time he emerged from the wooded area along the shore of Fort Pond Bay, he could put it in cruise. As he neared the finish line, he was greeted by his dogs, Max and Ginger, who escorted him to the tape, which he hit at the 1:31:43 mark.

Cashin has cut his teeth mostly on the triathlon circuit. He has completed more than 25 Ironman triathlons, winning the overall title twice and his age group twice more. He has also participated in 10 24-hour mountain bike races, six New York City Marathons, as well as other distance races. Cashin was proud to take part in the off-road race because it helped raise money for the Paddlers For Humanity East End Catastrophic Fund, which dedicates funds to families dealing with hunger, illness or financial stress.

"It's for such a good cause," said Cashin, whose brother Ed coordinated the race. "It was a beautiful run. You can't beat it. The views of the bay are just amazing. For that alone it's worth it. It was awesome. It was a tough course though."

New York City's Melanie Potson fought through hills and uneven terrain to take first place in the women's category.

The race for second was a tight one but Southampton's Jim MacWhinnie pulled away from Jason Hancock, also of Southampton, down the back stretch. MacWhinnie crossed the finish line at 1:35.51, a second ahead of Hancock, alongside whom he ran the entire race. Dylan Schlott of Sag Harbor finished fourth (1:38:19) and was followed closely by Mike Bahel (1:39:04), owner of Body Tech Health & Fitness in Montauk and Amagansett.

Melanie Potson, a New York City resident, ran neck and neck with East Hampton's Paul Hamilton throughout the race and took ninth place ahead of her running partner by a second. Potson was also the first woman across the line, posting a time of 1:51:08. The race varied greatly from the Hamptons Marathon, which she ran last fall.

"On the road it's a lot easier," she said. "You still have your hills, but there's nothing like off-road. You have the rocks, steep hills, the sand, the sea breeze in your face – it's a lot more rugged and very challenging."

Potson joined HamptonTri, a program in which athletes are trained by fitness experts such as Schlott or Ed and Kyle Cashin. She finished more than six minutes ahead of the next female competitor, Sharon McCobb of East Hampton. "I don't think there's a more beautiful place in the country personally, especially Montauk," Potson said. "You're out there and you're looking over the ocean during half the run. It really is beautiful."

Race organizer Ed Cashin echoed her sentiments. "This is one of the most scenic courses you're going to find on Long Island," Cashin said. "It's beautiful. We're blessed with these local trails that are sitting right on the water. They're accessible, they're easy to find, it's incredible. We get the best of everything here."

Race organizer Ed Cashin previews the course during a pre-race speech at Navy Road Park.

While all entrants arrived back at Navy Road Park safely, Cashin discovered first-hand that the course featuring downed trees, rocks and in some places railroad tracks, to go along with 3,000 feet of elevation change, can be treacherous. An hour into the race, Cashin landed hard after being thrown from his bike. He was taken by paramedics to Southampton Hospital where he was treated for three broken ribs, among other injuries. According to co-organizer Scott Bradley, Cashin returned to work on Monday.

With his efforts, Paddlers for Humanity raised over $140,000 for its selected charities as well as families in need. Among its accomplishments was the grant of financial scholarships to children at the Children's Learning Center of the East End, the purchase of anesthesia equipment for the Southampton-based International Surgical Mission Support, which provides medical care for those in impoverished countries, and financial support that led to the completion of the aquatic center at the Montauk Playhouse Community Center.

The fundraising has been almost exclusively through paddling events, such as the 18-mile voyage from the Montauk Point Lighthouse to Block Island. The half-marathon is a different adventure entirely.

"We're looking to expand our reach locally and our awareness," Cashin said. "We do a lot of good and raise a lot of money. So far we have had a really good donor base and we've had a good response to everything we've done so far. We want to increase our participants and have more local participants get involved with our charity."

More than three dozen runners got an up-close look at the Hither Woods, which showcases rolling hills and beautiful views of the bay.

Southampton's Jim MacWhinnie finished in second place overall in a time of 1:35:51.

HITHER HILLS OFF-ROAD HALF MARATHON
Rank Name Time
1. Kyle Cashin 1:31:43
2. Jim MacWhinnie 1:35:51
3. Jason Hancock 1:35:52
4. Dylan Schlott 1:38:19
5. Mike Bahel 1:39:04
6. Larry Costantino 1:43:21
7. David Whelan 1:49:53
8. Brendan Mims 1:50:49
9. Melanie Potson 1:51:08
10. Paul Hamilton 1:51:09
11. Rob Rosen 1:51:44
12. Bill Garry 1:51:56
13. Don Roth 1:52:08
14. Marty Ross 1:53:42
15. Charlie Marder 1:54:55
16. Thomas Cohill 1:55:48
17. Dan Farnham 1:56:58
18. Sharon McCobb 1:57:17
19. David Pitches 1:59:09
20. Dermot Quinn 1:59:14
21. Caroline Cashin 2:01:11

East Hampton's Bill O'Donnell.

22. Dan Ingegno 2:01:13
23. Kim DaSousa 2:07:22
24. Don Mancuso 2:10:24
25. Cecilia McCall 2:11:02
26. Eric Cohen 2:13:35
27. Kevin Harrington 2:15:04
28. Bill O'Donnell 2:15:29
29. Tim Treadwell 2:16:30
30. Anita Bugan 2:15:31
31. Billy Mooney 2:16:53
32. Christie O'Hara 2:19:34
33. Cheryl Keller/Jackie Ross 2:20:28
34. Brian Mowhan 2:23:37
35. Laura Kelly 2:29:39
36. Rikki Furman 2:24:21
37. Andrew Walsh 2:34:24
38. Joseph Kommer 2:39:24