HARRA Runner of the Season Standings

HARRA Vice President of Clubs, Roger Boak, released to club contacts Tuesday afternoon the first pass of the Fall Runner of the Season standings.

Invariably, there will be some corrections made - for example, moving the Tornados' Michelle Friedman from the 40-and-under Men to the Women's side of the ledger - but it does provide some insight on the Runner of the Season "Dash for Cash"!

A runner's final standing is determined by adding his or her top three (3) races together from the following five (5) Fall Series events -- the USA 10-Miler, the Koala/Luke's Locker Houston Half Marathon, the HMSA Classical 25K, the Methodist Sugar Land Hospital 30K and the Chevron Houston Marathon.

While there are many runners who have either run a.) just one (1) Series race and will run the 30K and the Houston Marathon or b.) two of the three Series races thus far and may run one of the remaining two, there are many who have run all three (3) so far.

Please note that the analysis offered below is based on information that is likely to find a few adjustments. Where I can identify those and make note of them, I will. However, the analysis is presented to stoke some excitement and discussion from the serious, competitive types and fans of the local road racing scene.

When you look at those runners, these are what the Runner of the Season standings look like:

Women under 40
1. Lisa Tilton-McCarthy, 39, ALRC, 226.56% ($125)
2. Olya Perevalova, 29, 224.90% ($90)
3. Debbie Rudisill, 37, BARC, 224.17% ($70)
4. Sara Collazos, 17, 201.19% ($60; would most likely decline to retain UIL eligibility)
5. Jennie Minken, 28, HS, 200.19% ($50)
6. Vera Balic, 35, BARC, 194.22% ($40)
7. Heather Thompson, 31, HS, 190.52% ($30)

Michelle Friedman, 23, of the Tornados Running Club, will likely vault into the top seven once she is moved over from the Men under 40 listing. In fact, she should move into the fourth position behind Tilton-McCarthy, Perevalova and Rudisill.

There are two (2) runners in this division who have run two races thus far that are likely to jump into one of the seven money positions -- Bayou City Road Runners' Allison Nadolski, 29, and the Houston Striders' Denise McFann, 29. Whitney Spannuth, 30, and Jennifer Brown (TOR), 31, could be factors if either one of them runs both the 30K and the Marathon.

Tilton-McCarthy's performance thus far is already the 7th best in the division since 2000. Perevalova and Rudisill both land in the top 20.

Women 40-49
1. Susan Walters, 42, TOR, 237.76% ($125)
2. Helen Grant, 43, HS, 231.79% ($90)
3. Jody Berry, 46, HS, 226.31% ($70)
4. Bonnie Jo Barron, 44, BCRR, 226.26% ($60)
5. Elizabeth Schwandt, 44, BARC, 225.55% ($50)
6. Melissa Hurta, 43, ALRC, 217.05% ($40)
7. Miriam Terc, 48, HS, 212.85% ($30)

This will be a really interesting and fun to watch through the remainder of the year. Why? There are eight (8) women - including Joy Smith, Caroline Burum, Heide Mairs and Suzy Seeley - who have run just one of the first three races and scored 70% or higher.

If Heidy Lozano were a HARRA member, it is very likely that Suzanne Day's division-best (since 2000) of 242.59% may have been in jeopardy. The top five (5) money positions above would land spots in the top 20 performances since 2000.

Women 50 and over
1. Sadie Greenman, 75, ALRC, 187.87% ($125)
2. Kathleen Mahon, 52, BCRR, 186.40% ($90)
3. Kathryn Vidal, 55, BCRR, 175.13% ($70)
4. Margaret Montgomery, 65, BARC, 170.75% ($50)
5. Donna Whitney, 52, BCRR, 169.79% ($30)

While it would be nice to cut the HARRA check now and give it to Ms. Greenman, it's likely not to happen.

Any one of 10 runners -- which includes Carole Uttecht (ALRC), Ursula Spilger (BCRR), Julie Rutledge (HS), Yong Collins (HS), Cindy Sosa (HH), Rosi Benitez (HF) and Gail Sabanosh (TTC) -- with an equivalent performance in one of the two final races will adjust the prize money standings.

An additional six runners - including Sabra Harvey (HS), Donna Sterns (HH), Billie Kay Melanson (HH), Eva Luckey (HMSA) and Nora Wilson (TWRC) - have run just one race with a 70% age grade performance or better.

Men under 40
1. Joe Oviedo, 30, TOR, 222.60% ($125)
2. Andrew Keller, 31, HS, 213.26% ($90)
3. David Minken, 28, HS, 210.79% ($70)
4. Jeff Eisele, 36, TOR, 206.41% ($60)
5. Chip Maxa, 26, HS, 205.05% ($50)
6. Simon Brabo, 30, BCRR, 191.69% ($40)
7. Justo Medrano, 24, TOR, 186.94% ($30)

Two names that traditionally are in this list -- Luis Armenteros and Brett Riley -- will not be factors as Armenteros would have to run both the 30K and the Marathon (not likely) and Riley, who posted a 2:37:02 in Chicago, hasn't run a Fall Series race in his ramp up to it and recovery from it.

Like Heidy Lozano above, one name that is missing from the list is Chevron Houston Marathon local invited runner, Ray Caesar Martinez, who finished 2nd in both the Half Marathon and the 25K.

There are six runners who have run two of the Series races thus far that are likely to run at least one more with an equivalent performance that would push them into the money picture. They are as follows: Ramiro Alvarado (ALRC, 160.30%), Fred Miller III (HS, 156.55%), John Yoder (HS, 153.96%), Scott Grischow (150.18%), Christopher Bittinger (BARC, 148.38%) and Leno Rios (TOR, 141.98%). (So, Joe, don't invest that money in IHOP stock just yet.)

I'd bet money on Alvarado, Miller, Yoder and Rios. I don't know anything about Grischow and Bittinger, Riley and Tommy King didn't run the 25K, but were mistaken by spectators as the front runners as they were out for a training run near the course on Sunday.

Men 40-49
1. Richard Fredrich, 49, TTC, 243.30% ($125)
2. Francisco Perez, 41, TOR, 242.44% ($100)
3. Gerardo Mora, 40, HMSA, 241.65% ($90)
4. Richard Peoples, Jr., 47, ALRC, 241.35% ($80)
5. Kevin Regis, 47, TOR, 229.01% ($70)
6. Mike Crowley, 42, BCRR, 215.45% ($60)
7. Martin Pesek, 46, BCRR, 212.20% ($50)
8. Jose Reyes, 40, TOR, 208.19% ($40)
9. Steve Schroeder, 40, HS, 205.67% ($30)

This division is far from settled.

The top performers from those that have run just two of the Series races thus far -- Terry Garrett (BCRR, 164.96%), Steven King (162.62%), Jack McClintic (TOR, 158.25%), Todd Gilbreath (BCRR, 157.26%) and Elias Deetlefs (HS, 155.64%).

Men 50 and over
1. Ben Harvie, 60, TTC, 248.43% ($125)
2. Ted Traynor, 57, HS, 245.78% ($100)
3. Kenneth Ruane, 65, 245.38% ($90)
4. Scott Bounds, 54, BCRR, 236.77% ($80)
5. Mark Anderson, 54, HMSA, 230.80% ($70)
6. Richard Vega, 60, TTC, 229.85% ($60)
7. Rich Siemens, 66, ALRC, 227.77% ($50)
8. Thomas Pasquini, 53, 224.29% ($40)
9. Dale Lee, 50, TTC, 223.14% ($30)

Expect the following two-race guys thus far to also be in the mix -- Ty Schmalz (ALRC, 157.66%), Ignacio Ybarra, Jr., (BARC, 156.64%) and Jim Braden (TWRC, 155.96%).