Hats Off to Christopher Bittinger!
I've commented here on this blog before that I really admire people that try and step "outside of the box" and perhaps even their comfort zone. (And what was I thinking at the LP Run?)
Specifically though, I've made references to Luis Armenteros going and competing in "Open" events, such as collegiate track meets. And it was no surprise this past fall when Gabriel Rodriguez, Rudy Rocha and the Hedengren brothers competed at a Texas A&M cross country invitational relay contest.
38-year-old Christopher Bittinger of La Porte - and store manager of On The Run in Clear Lake - took part Saturday night in the 1,500 meters during the RunSport/Rice Twilight Meet at the Rice Track and Soccer Stadium.
Even though he finished last in the "B" race, I have great admiration for somebody that went out there lined up and competed against guys that were in many cases 15-18 years younger than he was. (In a road race, that's one thing. But, for me, on a track, that's another thing!)
Men 1500 Meter Run Late
1, Brett Olson, Rice, 4:05.03. (20 years old)
2, Ryan Halleck, Unattached, 4:05.75. (Kingwood HS last year)
3, Sam Sanchez, TAMU Corpus Christi, 4:06.83.
4, Brooks Lecompte, McNeese State, 4:08.04.
5, Jose Corona, TAMU Corpus Christi, 4:10.84.
6, Mitch Herz, Unattached, 4:16.42. (Senior at Grinnell College, Iowa last year)
7, Andy Stover, Unattached, 4:18.04. (Cypress Creek HS senior this year)
8, Chris Pine, Unattached, 4:26.28.
9, Chris Simair, Saskatoon, 4:29.29. (20 years old)
10, Chris Bittinger, Unattached, 4:33.79.
Men 1500 Meter Run Prime
1, Shadrack Songok, TAMU Corpus Christi, 3:48.31.
2, Kevin Ondrasek, Texas A&M, 3:52.34.
3, Damien Bateman, McNeese State, 3:53.03.
4, Marc Farris, Unattached, 3:53.23.
5, Jacob Cedertun, UT Arlington, 3:54.05.
6, Matthew Duncan, Unattached, 3:55.12.
7, Drew Haro, Unattached, 3:57.35.
8, Idilio Campos, UT Arlington, 3:58.71
9, Jason Penland, Oklahoma, 3:58.82.
10, Julian Acuna, Unattached, 4:03.06.
To give you an idea of how far Chris has come, when he first ran Run The Woodlands 5K on September 9, 2000, he was 8th in a field of 20 with a time of 22:20. Five and a half years later, last Saturday, April 22, 2006, he turned in his best performance in 16 RTW appearances - finishing 3rd in a field of 75 - with a mark of 17:29.
What makes it all the more encouraging is that Chris is as nice as the day is long. He shared with me for the first time at the Buffalo Wallow 6K this February (where I got to meet his wife and son) that he had lost approximately 100 pounds to get to where he is at today.
Chris, nice job!
Specifically though, I've made references to Luis Armenteros going and competing in "Open" events, such as collegiate track meets. And it was no surprise this past fall when Gabriel Rodriguez, Rudy Rocha and the Hedengren brothers competed at a Texas A&M cross country invitational relay contest.
38-year-old Christopher Bittinger of La Porte - and store manager of On The Run in Clear Lake - took part Saturday night in the 1,500 meters during the RunSport/Rice Twilight Meet at the Rice Track and Soccer Stadium.
Even though he finished last in the "B" race, I have great admiration for somebody that went out there lined up and competed against guys that were in many cases 15-18 years younger than he was. (In a road race, that's one thing. But, for me, on a track, that's another thing!)
Men 1500 Meter Run Late
1, Brett Olson, Rice, 4:05.03. (20 years old)
2, Ryan Halleck, Unattached, 4:05.75. (Kingwood HS last year)
3, Sam Sanchez, TAMU Corpus Christi, 4:06.83.
4, Brooks Lecompte, McNeese State, 4:08.04.
5, Jose Corona, TAMU Corpus Christi, 4:10.84.
6, Mitch Herz, Unattached, 4:16.42. (Senior at Grinnell College, Iowa last year)
7, Andy Stover, Unattached, 4:18.04. (Cypress Creek HS senior this year)
8, Chris Pine, Unattached, 4:26.28.
9, Chris Simair, Saskatoon, 4:29.29. (20 years old)
10, Chris Bittinger, Unattached, 4:33.79.
Men 1500 Meter Run Prime
1, Shadrack Songok, TAMU Corpus Christi, 3:48.31.
2, Kevin Ondrasek, Texas A&M, 3:52.34.
3, Damien Bateman, McNeese State, 3:53.03.
4, Marc Farris, Unattached, 3:53.23.
5, Jacob Cedertun, UT Arlington, 3:54.05.
6, Matthew Duncan, Unattached, 3:55.12.
7, Drew Haro, Unattached, 3:57.35.
8, Idilio Campos, UT Arlington, 3:58.71
9, Jason Penland, Oklahoma, 3:58.82.
10, Julian Acuna, Unattached, 4:03.06.
To give you an idea of how far Chris has come, when he first ran Run The Woodlands 5K on September 9, 2000, he was 8th in a field of 20 with a time of 22:20. Five and a half years later, last Saturday, April 22, 2006, he turned in his best performance in 16 RTW appearances - finishing 3rd in a field of 75 - with a mark of 17:29.
What makes it all the more encouraging is that Chris is as nice as the day is long. He shared with me for the first time at the Buffalo Wallow 6K this February (where I got to meet his wife and son) that he had lost approximately 100 pounds to get to where he is at today.
Chris, nice job!
posted by WalkSports.com | 9:17 PM
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