Saturday, August 9, 2008, 8:00 a.m.

Race Highlights:

An unseasonably cool August morning and a highly competive field that featured many of the area’s best distance runners were the catalysts for record-setting performances at the third annual Dog Days 5K in Gypsy Hill Park on Saturday morning.  A total of 120 finishers—ranging in age from 3-year-old Logan Mayhew to 74-year-old Nancy Welker-- completed the final Blue Ridge Road Runner’s final 5K event in the park for the summer.

Matt Bailey, 20, of Weyers Cave, held off Turner Ashby H.S. senior Alex Ott, 18, to claim the men’s title in a new course record time of 15:47.  Steve Crowder, 35, of Fincastle was the men’s bronze medalist in 16:43.

In the women’s race, Nellie Anderson, 24, of Staunton claimed her second 5K title of the spring and summer series in the park in 18:44.  Her winning time not only placed her 14th overall, but was 2:05 ahead of runner-up Whitney Fulk, 17, of Weyers Cave, who clocked 20:49.   Rachel Boxley, 16, a junior at Wilson Memorial H.S., was the women’s bronze medalist in 21:52.

Bailey and Ott, former teammates at Fort Defiance H.S., ran side by side for nearly the first two miles.  Ott-- one of the state’s best high school runners-- used a strong surge to open a 15-yard lead, and looked in command of the race at that point.  But Bailey, a junior at George Mason University, made a strong charge up the armory hill to catch back up, and unleashed a strong finishing kick in the final 15 meters to edge out Ott, who also clocked 15:47, in a near photo-finish.  “I smiled when he attacked at the two mile mark,” Bailey noted, “because I knew we still had the hill on the back side of the park to come.  I figured that either he was just too strong for me today, or that he might be coming back to me later in the race.”  Ott credited Bailey’s final kick at the finish line as the deciding factor.  “He took me by surpise with it, and I just didn’t have enough time to react before we hit the finish line.”  Bailey’s time was seven seconds faster than his winning course record time at the Firecracker 5K a month ago.

Anderson was 36 seconds faster than her own women’s course record time of 19:20 set at the March Madness 5K earlier this year.  “I ran faster in college [at JMU],” noted Anderson, who wasn’t overwhelmed by her winning time despite the fact that she is one of only two women ever to break 20 minutes on the Gypsy Hill Park course.  “I’ve been fighting some nagging injuries this year, so I’m relatively pleased with my race today,” she said.

Records also fell in the age division competitions as Noelle Witherow (Girls’ 10 & under), Anderson (Women’s 19-29), Gail Hoilman (Women’s 46-55), Ott (Boy’s 15-18), and Bailey (Men’s 19-29),  all lowered the all-time best marks for their age groups.

While the local 5K road racing race season has ended, the Blue Ridge Road Runner’s will hold the annual “Cross County Run for Fun” half-mile and one-mile races for children in kindergarten through 5th grade on Saturday, October 25 at the Weyers Cave Community Center.  Race information and entry forms can be obtained via e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

OVERALL CHAMPIONS:

Men’s Winner:   Matt Bailey       15:47 (new men’s course record)
Women’s Winner: Nellie Anderson   18:44 (new women’s course record)

AGE DIVISION RESULTS:

Girls’ 10 & Under Results

 1 Witherow, Noelle        26:52— trophy winner
 2 Stenzel, Shelby         28:05— silver medalist
 3 Simmons, Lindsay        30:58— bronze medalist

Girls’ 11-14 Results

 1 Wilson, Emily           22:17— trophy winner
 2 Everett, Annie          25:04— silver medalist
 3 Simmons, Amber          25:07— bronze medalist
 4 Ward, Laura             26:44
 5 Drumheller, Michael     27:50
 6 Simmons, Alicia         29:10
 7 VanHorn, Allison        36:57

Girls’ 15-18 Results

 1 Fulk, Whitney           20:49— trophy winner
 2 Boxley, Rachel          21:52— silver medalist
 3 Sheridan, Kelly         22:38— bronze medalist
 4 Jackson, Jill           22:40
 5 Rogers, Petya           27:38

Women’s 19-29 Results

 1 Harner, Tasha           21:55— trophy winner
 2 Mancuso, Stefani        25:12— silver medalist
 3 Hartley, Sarah          28:50— bronze medalist
 4 Boxler, Abby            29:30
 5 Cook, Ashley            32:36
 6 Davis, Kimberley        41:01

Women’s 30-36 Results

 1 Siple, Emily            32:19— trophy winner

Women’s 37-45 Results - Women

 1 Pruitt, Krista          22:09— trophy winner
 2 Lasher, Cynthia         25:20— silver medalist
 3 Gauerke, Kelly          26:44— bronze medalist
 4 Stenzel, Tammy          27:25
 5 Sterrett, Lisa          29:16
 6 Fretwell, Lynn          29:28
 7 Hinnant, Beth Ann       30:17

Women’s 46-55 Results

 1 Hoilman, Gail           24:04— trophy winner
 2 McCracken, Anieta       26:16— silver medalist
 3 Fanok, Deborah          28:44— bronze medalist
 4 Snell, Carolyn          30:34
 5 Ciszek, Cheryl          42:06

Women’s 56+ Results

 1 Welker, Nancy           31:13— trophy winner
 2 Martin, Mary            31:27— silver medalist
 3 Welder, Krista          34:27— bronze medalist
 4 Matysek, Barbara        42:48
 5 Witherow, Jane          56:11

Boys’ 10 & Under Results

 1 Stenzel, Kyle           28:11— trophy winner
 2 Ciszek, Thomas          42:06— silver medalist
 3 Mayhew, Logan           56:09— bronze medalist

Boys’ 11-14 Results

 1  Pruitt, Charlie         19:48— trophy winner
 2  Byerly, Dalton          20:10— silver medalist
 3  Boeckman, Calin         20:55— bronze medalist
 4  Ware, Adam              21:39
 5  Gauerke, Danny          23:47
 6  Chrisman, C.J.          24:30
 7  Capuano, Joey           24:50
 8  Pierce, Nick            26:46
 9  Pelaccio, Jesse         29:33
 10 Ware, Joseph            30:42

Boys’ 15-18 Results

 1  Ott, Alex               15:47— trophy winner
 2  Kearney, Zack           17:09— silver medalist
 3  Ott, Adam               17:34— bronze medalist
 4  Phillips, Andrew        17:52
 5  Griffin, Brandon        18:39
 6  Pierce, Mark            18:48
 7  Corbin, Nick            18:53
 8  Vega-Gomez, Kelvin      19:19
 9  Pettit, Connall         19:20
 10 Anhold, Chris           19:27
 11 Pollard, Aaron          19:32
 12 Wright, Greg            19:36
 13 Shobe, Aaron            19:39
 14 Stewart, Caleb          21:07
 15 Thorne, Chris           23:35
 16 Davis, Steven           23:43
 17 Ullrich, Andrew         27:24

Men’s 19-29 Results

 1  Alonso, Daniel          16:55— trophy winner
 2  Johnson, Paul           17:08— silver medalist
 3  Ullrich, Danny          18:24— bronze medalist
 4  Stewart, Daniel         18:49
 5  Falk, Daniel            20:15
 6  Hochstetler, Gabrie     20:24
 7  Metcalfe, Stephen       20:43
 8  Lambert, Justin         20:47
 9  Ullrich, Albert         21:58
 10 Coffey, Eric            22:06
 11 Peters, Brett           22:28
 12 Davis, Carthon          41:01

Men’s 30-36 Results

 1  Crowder, Steve          16:43— trophy winner
 2  Wyrick, Ben             17:06— silver medalist
 3  Cook, Taulsa            18:02— bronze medalist
 4  Alentado, Anthony       18:26
 5  Russell, Mark           19:55
 6  Ritchie, Clark          20:58
 7  Tinkham, Cory           21:26
 8  Coffey, Isaac           22:12
 9  Obaugh, Bryan           23:53
 10 Oxford, Gene            24:02

Men’s 37-45 Results

 1  Ott, Tom                19:38— trophy winner
 2  Pritchett, Eric         19:52— silver medalist
 3  Kennedy, Karl           20:42— bronze medalist
 4  Reid, Robert            21:07
 5  Welliver, Sean          21:09
 6  Haworth, Lee            21:46
 7  Fitzgerald, William     26:54
 8  Stenzel, Rob            28:00
 9  Capuano, Matthew        28:57
 10 VanHorn, Keith          36:58

Men’s 46-55 Results

 1  Riley, Doug             20:12— trophy winner
 2  Cash, Louie             21:08— silver medalist
 3  Hawkins, Charles        21:51— bronze medalist
 4  Bussard, H.G.           22:23
 5  Wright, Ray             23:26
 6  Gauerke, Spike          24:08
 7  Gillies, George         24:13
 8  Jackson, Terry          24:31
 9  Wilson, Stephen         27:15
 10 Ullrich, Thomas         27:42
 11 Suter, Bill             38:05

Men’s 56+ Results

 1 Gorsica, John III       25:49— trophy winner
 2 Proctor, Butch          27:51— silver medalist
 3 Welder, Paul            29:21— bronze medalist
 4 Wood, Henry             32:11
 5 Allen, Jay              33:19
 6 Snyder, David           42:49

COMPLETE OVERALL RESULTS:

 1     Bailey, Matt            15:47
 2     Ott, Alex               15:47
 3     Crowder, Steve          16:43
 4     Alonso, Daniel          16:55
 5     Wyrick, Ben             17:06
 6     Johnson, Paul           17:08
 7     Kearney, Zack           17:09
 8     Ott, Adam               17:34
 9     Phillips, Andrew        17:52
 10    Cook, Taulsa            18:02
 11    Ullrich, Danny          18:24
 12    Alentado, Anthony       18:26
 13    Griffin, Brandon        18:39
 14    Anderson, Nellie        18:44
 15    Pierce, Mark            18:48
 16    Stewart, Daniel         18:49
 17    Corbin, Nick            18:53
 18    Vega-Gomez, Kelvin      19:19
 19    Pettit, Connall         19:20
 20    Anhold, Chris           19:27
 21    Pollard, Aaron          19:32
 22    Wright, Greg            19:36
 23    Ott, Tom                19:38
 24    Shobe, Aaron            19:39
 25    Pruitt, Charlie         19:48
 26    Pritchett, Eric         19:52
 27    Russell, Mark           19:55
 28    Byerly, Dalton          20:10
 29    Riley, Doug             20:12
 30    Falk, Daniel            20:15
 31    Hochstetler, Gabriel    20:24
 32    Kennedy, Karl           20:42
 33    Metcalfe, Stephen       20:43
 34    Lambert, Justin         20:47
 35    Fulk, Whitney           20:49
 36    Boeckman, Calin         20:55
 37    Ritchie, Clark          20:58
 38    Reid, Robert            21:07
 39    Stewart, Caleb          21:07
 40    Cash, Louie             21:08
 41    Welliver, Sean          21:09
 42    Tinkham, Cory           21:26
 43    Ware, Adam              21:39
 44    Haworth, Lee            21:46
 45    Hawkins, Charles        21:51
 46    Boxley, Rachel          21:52
 47    Harner, Tasha           21:55
 48    Ullrich, Albert         21:58
 49    Coffey, Eric            22:06
 50    Pruitt, Krista          22:09
 51    Coffey, Isaac           22:12
 52    Wilson, Emily           22:17
 53    Bussard, H.G.           22:23
 54    Peters, Brett           22:28
 55    Sheridan, Kelly         22:38
 56    Jackson, Jill           22:40
 57    Wright, Ray             23:26
 58    Thorne, Chris           23:35
 59    Davis, Steven           23:43
 60    Gauerke, Danny          23:47
 61    Obaugh, Bryan           23:53
 62    Oxford, Gene            24:02
 63    Hoilman, Gail           24:04
 64    Gauerke, Spike          24:08
 65    Gillies, George         24:13
 66    Chrisman, C.J.          24:30
 67    Jackson, Terry          24:31
 68    Capuano, Joey           24:50
 69    Everett, Annie          25:04
 70    Simmons, Amber          25:07
 71    Mancuso, Stefani        25:12
 72    Lasher, Cynthia         25:20
 73    Gorsica, John III       25:49
 74    McCracken, Anieta       26:16
 75    Gauerke, Kelly          26:44
 76    Ward, Laura             26:44
 77    Pierce, Nick            26:46
 78    Witherow, Noelle        26:52
 79    Fitzgerald, William     26:54
 80    Wilson, Stephen         27:15
 81    Ullrich, Andrew         27:24
 82    Stenzel, Tammy          27:25
 83    Rogers, Petya           27:38
 84    Ullrich, Thomas         27:42
 85    Drumheller, Michaela    27:50
 86    Proctor, Butch          27:51
 87    Stenzel, Rob            28:00
 88    Stenzel, Shelby         28:05
 89    Stenzel, Kyle           28:11
 90    Fanok, Deborah          28:44
 91    Hartley, Sarah          28:50
 92    Capuano, Matthew        28:57
 93    Simmons, Alicia         29:10
 94    Sterrett, Lisa          29:16
 95    Welder, Paul            29:21
 96    Fretwell, Lynn          29:28
 97    Boxler, Abby            29:30
 98    Pelaccio, Jesse         29:33
 99    Hinnant, Beth Ann       30:17
 100   Snell, Carolyn          30:34
 101   Ware, Joseph            30:42
 102   Simmons, Lindsay        30:58
 103   Welker, Nancy           31:13
 104   Martin, Mary            31:27
 105   Wood, Henry             32:11
 106   Siple, Emily            32:19
 107   Cook, Ashley            32:36
 108   Allen, Jay              33:19
 109   Welder, Krista          34:27
 110   VanHorn, Allison        36:57
 111   VanHorn, Keith          36:58
 112   Suter, Bill             38:05
 113   Davis, Kimberley        41:01
 114   Davis, Carthon          41:01
 115   Ciszek, Thomas          42:06
 116   Ciszek, Cheryl          42:06
 117   Matysek, Barbara        42:48
 118   Snyder, David           42:49
 119   Mayhew, Logan           56:09
 120   Witherow, Jane          56:11