2026 Results – The Year of the Draft

The NFL did their best to disrupt CtC ’26 by effectively closing down Point State Park with their draft event, but with a minor rework of the finish to PPG Plaza the ride went on. A healthy group of just about two dozen riders departed the Liberty Bell Friday morning intent on testing themselves on the iconic cross-Pennsylvania journey. In what has become a more common (but no less impressive) feat, first finisher Jeff Koontz came in sub-24 hours with a time of 23h 40m. Patrick Conneely finished second just a few hours later at 27h 20m, and Chad Umble, with more than a handful of finishes at CtC to his credit, slid in just under 30 hours for third. I heard tale of a couple riders coming in from Boston to ride (Aoife & Mark) and we had a recumbent rider up to the challenge (Larry G.) In total I have a count of 17 finishers and 5 DNF.

1. Jeff Koontz 23h 40m
2. Patrick Conneely 27h 20m
3. Chad Umble 29h 54m
T4. Jason Graham 35h 15m
T4. Jordan Wilson 35h 15m
T6. James Schwartz 36h 12m
T6. David Turner 36h 12m
8. Jim Kriebel 36h 57m
9. John Dummer 39h 34m
10. Greg Jacobs 42h 22m
T11. Aoife Troxel 43h 27m
T11. Mark Vollinger 43h 27m
13. Caleb Gallus 64h 33m
14. Larry Griffith 65h 32m
T15. Zachary Hoffman 67h 04m
T15. Steven Thiel 67h 04m
17. Ryan Montag 79h 40m

DNF Avery Payette — McKeesport
DNF Bruno Catrambone — III Connellsville
DNF Gabe Markowitz — Connellsville
DNF Joseph Wendel — Connellsville
DNF Declan Ope — Breezewood

As always, thanks and congratulations to everyone who has the courage and sense of adventure to show up and keep this crazy little event alive each spring! Yinz are the best! Please let me know of any errors or omissions in these results by text or at crushthecommonwealth@gmail.com. Until next year…