Traditionally, local 5K road racing has been dominated by men in their teens and early twenties, and the annual Firecracker 5K has been no exception. During four of the past five years, the race winner has been 21 or younger. But on Saturday morning it was the veterans who delivered the noteworthy performances at the Blue Ridge Road Runners’ sixth annual Firecracker 5K in Gypsy Hill Park. A total of 197 competitors finished the two-and-a-third laps that comprised the 3.1-mile race.
Keith Hawkins, 46, of Maurertown, VA, not only claimed the men’s overall title, but also annihilated the course record for his age group. Hawkins dueled silver-medalist Ryan Gundling, 30, of Staunton for the better part of two miles as both ran away from a group of teen high school standouts. Hawkins’ winning time of 16:45 was a whopping 2:16 faster than the previous record mark for the 46-55 age division, and he ended up nine seconds ahead of Gundling’s runner-up finish in 16:54. Matthew Denlinger, 16, of Bridgewater, was a distant third in 17:43, edging R.E. Lee rising senior Zach Kearney by three seconds for the men’s bronze medal.
The women’s race was a four-runner dogfight that wasn’t decided until the final lap as well. Courtney Moyer, 19, of Staunton won in 21:31, just four seconds ahead of silver medalist Allison Malecki of Brooklyn, NY. Fort Defiance sophomore Allison Alexander, 15, was third in 21:48, holding off hard-charging Tasha Harner of Verona for the women’s bronze medal by ten seconds.
In the age-division competition, again it was the elder male runners who shined brightest. In addition to Hawkins winning time, the next five finishers in the men’s 45-56 division recorded times among the ten fastest ever for the age group over the Gypsy Hill park 5K course.
Additionally, in the men’s 56 and older division, H.G. Bussard of Deerfield, 57, was the first runner ever in his age group to crack the 20 minute barrier with his winning time of 19:53. Runner-up Robert Fitzgerald and third-place John Bauman also recorded the second- and third-fastest times ever for the 56 and older men’s division.
In women’s age division competition, several near-record times were delivered. Rachel Drumheller recorded the second-fastest time ever in the women’s 30-36 division while Andi Miller clocked the second-fastest time ever for the 56 and older division.
The Blue Ridge Road Runner’s final 5K event of the summer will be the “Dog Days 5K” set for 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 7th, also in Gypsy Hill Park. Entry information can be obtained online at www.blueridgerr.com or via e-mail at brroadrunners@yahoo.com.
OVERALL CHAMPIONS: Keith Hawkins— 16:45 Courtney Moyer— 21:31
NOTE: The overall champions receive special awards and therefore are not included in the age division competition.
Complete Age Division Results
Girls’ 10 & Under Results 1 van Assendelft, Emily 32:31.00
Men’s 30-36 Results 1 Gundling, Ryan 16:54.00 2 Cook, Taulsa 17:58.00 3 Wright, Bryan 20:28.00 4 Mastrandea, John 21:26.00 5 Vivian, Pablo 23:20.00 6 Oxford, Gene 24:07.00 7 Sakshaug, Richard 24:08.00 8 Ballew, Darren 24:22.00 9 Brooks, Thomas 25:48.00 10 Payne, Truman 26:10.00 11 Bohart, Curt 26:51.00 12 Smith, Tim 28:21.00 13 Evans, John 29:32.00 14 Edwards, Dennis 31:19.00 15 Deitz, Andrew 31:32.00 16 Antis, Phil 33:59.00
Men’s 37-45 Results 1 Campbell, Courtney 18:28.00 2 Pritchett, Eric 19:53.00 3 Russell, Mark 20:25.00 4 Buchanan, Ricky, Jr. 20:51.00 5 Crawford, Jeff 21:21.00 6 Sipe, Jeremy 22:12.00 7 Giegel, John 22:18.00 8 Fuller, Geoff 22:38.00 9 Atkins, Jimmy 22:53.00 10 Bunch, Daniel 23:07.00 11 Wagoner, John 23:09.00 12 Liccione, Shaun 23:24.00 13 Meeks, David 23:58.00 14 Wade, Matthew 24:31.00 15 Sprouse, Sean 24:57.00 16 Weller, Robert 25:33.00 17 Hite, Patrick 25:47.00 18 Siemers, Troy 26:36.00 19 Diduch, Kent 33:40.00
Men’s 46-55 Results 1 Denlinger, Dwight 18:50.00 2 Kidd, Mike 19:06.00 3 Hawkins, Charles 19:21.00 4 Riley, Douglas 19:55.00 5 Michael, Gary 20:23.00 6 Hughes, Tom 20:45.00 7 Yates, David 20:58.00 8 Daugherty, Mark 21:02.00 9 Mancini, Larry 21:43.00 10 Wrenn, Douglas 22:19.00 11 Wright, Ray 23:09.00 12 Lightner, Paul 24:06.00 13 Harris, Kevin 24:47.00 14 Barrett, Michael 25:22.00 15 Jesalva, Armie 26:18.00 16 Byerly, Thomas 27:17.00 17 Smith, Kevin 27:43.00 18 Overholtzer, Jeff 27:57.00 19 Trainum, David 29:03.00 20 Capuano, Matt 29:11.00 21 Coltrane, Phillip 30:35.00
Men’s 56 and Older Results 1 Bussard, H.G., Jr. 19:53.00 2 Fitzgerald, Robert 20:54.00 3 Bauman, John 21:25.00 4 Norris, Michael 23:51.00 5 Smith, Doug 23:54.00 6 Gillies, George 24:30.00 7 Knowles, Bob 24:35.00 8 Gorsica, John, III 26:01.00 9 Root, Stanley 26:50.00 10 Sakshaug, Rick 27:06.00 11 Welder, Paul 31:18.00 12 Atkins, Roger 32:17.00 13 Wood, Henry 32:38.00
Complete Overall Results
1 Hawkins, Keith 16:45.00 2 Gundling, Ryan 16:54.00 3 Denlinger, Matthew 17:43.00 4 Kearney, Zack 17:46.00 5 Campbell, Zach 17:51.00 6 Cook, Taulsa 17:58.00 7 Byerly, Dalton 17:59.00 8 Jones, Mike 18:18.00 9 Campbell, Courtney 18:28.00 10 Denlinger, Dwight 18:50.00 11 Gillock, Price 18:58.00 12 Kidd, Mike 19:06.00 13 Phillips, Andrew 19:15.00 14 Hawkins, Charles 19:21.00 15 Clark, Preston 19:29.00 16 Cales, Phillip 19:38.00 17 Brogan, Damon 19:39.00 18 Phillips, Mark 19:40.00 19 Pritchett, Eric 19:53.00 20 Bussard, H.G., Jr. 19:53.00 21 Riley, Douglas 19:55.00 22 Adkins, Alex 19:59.00 23 Michael, Gary 20:23.00 24 Russell, Mark 20:25.00 25 Wright, Bryan 20:28.00 26 Whitfield, Matthew 20:32.00 27 Denlinger, John 20:34.00 28 Hughes, Tom 20:45.00 29 Buchanan, Ricky, Jr. 20:51.00 30 Fitzgerald, Robert 20:54.00 31 Martin, Zac 20:57.00 32 Yates, David 20:58.00 33 Daugherty, Mark 21:02.00 34 Crawford, Jeff 21:21.00 35 Grove, Zak 21:22.00 36 Fink, Zach 21:23.00 37 Dodson, Brendan 21:24.00 38 Bauman, John 21:25.00 39 Harner, Dillon 21:25.00 40 Mastrandea, John 21:26.00 41 Capuano, Joey 21:28.00 42 Moyer, Courtney 21:31.00 43 Malecki, Allison 21:35.00 44 Mancini, Larry 21:43.00 45 Alexander, Allison 21:48.00 46 Melton, Shawn 21:51.00 47 Harner, Tasha 21:58.00 48 Lambert, Liam 22:02.00 49 Sipe, Jeremy 22:12.00 50 Giegel, Tyler 22:15.00 51 Giegel, John 22:18.00 52 Lyle, Bradley 22:19.00 53 Wrenn, Douglas 22:19.00 54 Allen, Melissa 22:27.00 55 Fuller, Geoff 22:38.00 56 Peters, Brett 22:51.00 57 Atkins, Jimmy 22:53.00 58 Davis, Amanda 22:56.00 59 Sheets, Jacob 22:58.00 60 Stoops, Tamara 23:00.00 61 Siemers, Calvin 23:03.00 62 Bunch, Daniel 23:07.00 63 Dennhardt, Michelle 23:08.00 64 Wagoner, John 23:09.00 65 Wright, Ray 23:09.00 66 Austin, Jared 23:11.00 67 Yurish, Colin 23:16.00 68 Rizzo, Kable 23:17.00 69 Lambert, Justin 23:19.00 70 Drumheller, Rachel 23:20.00 71 Vivian, Pablo 23:20.00 72 Liccione, Shaun 23:24.00 73 Wills, Mary 23:26.00 74 Perkins, Caroline 23:29.00 75 Norris, Michael 23:51.00 76 Smith, Doug 23:54.00 77 Meeks, David 23:58.00 78 Lightner, Alex 23:59.00 79 Lightner, Paul 24:06.00 80 Witherow, Noelle 24:06.00 81 Oxford, Gene 24:07.00 82 Houlbrooke, Conner 24:07.00 83 Sakshaug, Richard 24:08.00 84 Grau, Facundo 24:09.00 85 Nunez, Nocha 24:13.00 86 Murphy, Shelley 24:13.00 87 Fuller, Kerry 24:22.00 88 Ballew, Darren 24:22.00 89 Robertson, Kayla 24:26.00 90 Gillies, George 24:30.00 91 Wade, Matthew 24:31.00 92 Becker, Rachel 24:33.00 93 Miller, Kelci 24:34.00 94 Knowles, Bob 24:35.00 95 Callison, Lindsay 24:42.00 96 Harris, Kevin 24:47.00 97 Sprouse, Allison 24:53.00 98 Sprouse, Sean 24:57.00 99 Ward, Anne 24:58.00 100 Landes, Megan 25:04.00 101 Barrett, Michael 25:22.00 102 Nunez, Sophia 25:23.00 103 Long, Cynthia 25:25.00 104 Gauerke, Kelly 25:32.00 105 Weller, Robert 25:33.00 106 Hite, Patrick 25:47.00 107 Brooks, Thomas 25:48.00 108 Comisford, Jessica 25:56.00 109 Harman, Jenny 25:57.00 110 Gorsica, John, III 26:01.00 111 Ward, Laura 26:09.00 112 Payne, Truman 26:10.00 113 Jesalva, Armie 26:18.00 114 Thompson, Carolyn 26:18.00 115 Yurish, Cooper 26:26.00 116 Siemers, Wesley 26:28.00 117 Siemers, Troy 26:36.00 118 Sutler, Holly 26:37.00 119 Ballew, Stephanie 26:39.00 120 Hanger, Jennifer 26:40.00 121 Root, Stanley 26:50.00 122 Bohart, Curt 26:51.00 123 Clark, Grant 26:55.00 124 Miller, Justin 26:57.00 125 Shand, Jamie 27:03.00 126 Sakshaug, Rick 27:06.00 127 Coltrane, Elizabeth 27:07.00 128 Eltzroth, Lindsey 27:12.00 129 Armstrong, Erin 27:13.00 130 Swisher, Laura 27:14.00 131 Byerly, Thomas 27:17.00 132 Peters, Sarah 27:18.00 133 Carpenter, Crystal 27:23.00 134 Temple, Stephanie 27:32.00 135 van Assendelft, Laura 27:33.00 136 Pyle, Lori 27:42.00 137 Smith, Kevin 27:43.00 138 Alanko, Nicole 27:44.00 139 Wade, Derek 27:56.00 140 Overholtzer, Jeff 27:57.00 141 Lightner, Sara 28:02.00 142 Miller, Andi 28:05.00 143 Smith, Tim 28:21.00 144 Pierce, Michele 28:31.00 145 Trainum, Bess 28:33.00 146 Lloyd, Karman 28:34.00 147 Pierce, Mark 28:35.00 148 Coffey, Una 28:35.00 149 Reed, Rachel 28:37.00 150 Richter, Jill 28:37.00 151 Britos, Silvia 28:38.00 152 Huffer, Amy 28:40.00 153 Trainum, David 29:03.00 154 Godette, Becky 29:07.00 155 Pentz, Julia 29:10.00 156 Capuano, Matt 29:11.00 157 Wimer, Haili 29:17.00 158 O'Gorek, Megan 29:22.00 159 Evans, John 29:32.00 160 Noel, Shelby 29:33.00 161 Payne, Shelley 29:37.00 162 Ballew, Collin 29:39.00 163 Moore, Rachel 29:50.00 164 Denlinger, Lydia 30:06.00 165 Cook, Heidi 30:07.00 166 Coltrane, Phillip 30:35.00 167 Hannon, Teresa 30:48.00 168 Moyers-Jarrells, Missy 30:55.00 169 Harris, Sherri 31:11.00 170 Bunch, Martha 31:16.00 171 Welder, Paul 31:18.00 172 Edwards, Dennis 31:19.00 173 Deitz, Andrew 31:32.00 174 Mastrandea, Colleen 31:37.00 175 Funk, Tamara 31:40.00 176 Denlinger, Vickie 31:42.00 177 Bowles, Elizabeth 31:58.00 178 Kincheloe, Megan 32:13.00 179 Atkins, Roger 32:17.00 180 Goodloe, Luanne 32:29.00 181 van Assendelft, Emily 32:31.00 182 Wood, Henry 32:38.00 183 Koplin, Nancy 33:20.00 184 van Assendelft, Cady 33:32.00 185 Diduch, Kent 33:40.00 186 Robertson, Michelle 33:43.00 187 Ward, Teresa 33:45.00 188 Antis, Phil 33:59.00 189 Johnson, Amy 34:02.00 190 Antis, Katie 34:05.00 191 Russell, Holly 34:31.00 192 Daniel, Tracy 35:10.00 193 Shifflett, Ginger 35:17.00 194 Wills, Zachary 36:02.00 195 Wimer, Wendy 36:20.00 196 Swartz, Andrea 49:25.00 197 Bussard, Vanessa 51:40.00
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Saturday, July 3, 2010, at Gypsy Hill Park