Tuesday's Courier Column: Locals excel at ‘Sunmart’ competition
After the early morning chill wore off, this past weekend produced some of the most pleasant conditions for training, racing or just cheering on trail runners at the 19th annual Texas Trail Endurance Runs Saturday in Huntsville State Park.
Otherwise known as “Sunmart”, over 40 runners from Montgomery County and Spring completed the multi-loop course covering either 50 or 31 miles.
Although veteran ultramarathoner Allen Wrinkle (8:47:28), 44, of Spring, posted the best time of the area’s six 50-mile finishers, it was The Woodlands’ Les Ellsworth who posted a 9:45:57. Ellsworth was one of three runners in 2008 to finish the longest distances at the four trail races held at Huntsville State Park.
Ellsworth, 54, ran the entire race with Houston’s Kimberly Pilcher and was less than a minute ahead of former Spring resident, 62-year-old Joe Barry, of Houston, who finished in 9:46:42. The trio also finished the Rocky Raccoon 100-Miler in February, the Hog’s Hunt 50K in April and the Rocky Raccoon 50K in November.
The Woodlands’ Pat Shannon, 57, who will participate in the 2009 Western States Endurance Run 100-miler next June, was second in his age group with a 9:44:13 finish.Magnolia’s John Powers, 45 (10:08:58), Spring’s Dawn Craig, 36 (10:41:34) and The Woodlands’ Lynnor Matheney, 49 (11:42:23) rounded out Saturday’s 50-mile finishers.
Craig covered 181 miles in three of the four Huntsville trail races as she also finished the Rocky Raccoon 100 and the Rocky Raccoon 50K.
In the 50-kilometer (31-mile) race, Spring’s Carlos Ortegon, 45, and a pair of 44-year-old residents of The Woodlands, Jim Harrington and Jerry Hayley, were the area’s first three finishers. Ortegon posted a sub 5-hour time of 4:57:01 while Harrington and Hayley followed in 5:02:33 and 5:14:31, respectively.
Hayley’s 20-year-old daughter, Amanda, won her age group in 6:14:22 as did The Woodlands’ Jim Braden. The 73-year-old, who stopped the clock in 5:55:57, was one of 11 men and women aged 70 and older to complete the 50K event.
Spring’s Sabrina Hurst, 29, and Mary Citro, 49, recorded book-end times around Hayley for the top three local women’s finishes. Hurst, who broke four hours at October’s Marine Corps Marathon, finished in 5:38:08 while Citro ran the entire way with Spring’s Gordon Mishler, 49, finishing in 6:15:44.
Hurst was third in her age group as was Porter’s Dora Topham. Topham, 63, finished in 7:12:35, just three minutes behind her husband, Lee.
The Woodlands’ Joel Barr, 56, was fourth in his age group with a time of 5:30:00 while Montgomery’s Joe Martinez, 39 (5:39:51), Spring’s Evan Stein, 49 (5:44:21) and Magnolia’s Daryl Lazauskas, 44 (5:53:42) all finished in under six hours.
What makes most runners happy is an accurate and safe course, the race to start on time, a pleasant, upbeat atmosphere, some post-race nourishment, quick results and, yes, a good-looking T-shirt.
Saturday’s third annual Willis Wildkat 5K and 1-mile Kids Fun Run, which supports the Willis High School Cross Country scholarship fund, is all that – whether you’re a competitive runner or the consummate recreational weekend race warrior.
The latter fits me, and that’s the reason you’ll find me at Saturday’s start at the Stow-A-Way Marina in Willis.
Race director Dana Fossmo hopes that the race’s change in venue won’t hurt this year’s turnout.
“It is a very nice course with many views of the lake,” said the Willis High School cross country coach. “It has some hills, so that will make it challenging as well.”
The race, which is currently $20 online and $25 on race day, had 48 finishers in the 5K and 15 youngsters in the Kids Run a year ago.
Entry fee for the kids run is just $3.
Montgomery High School assistant cross country coach Tim McGuire and former Sam Houston State classmate Richard Griffin teamed up to finish third in the men’s division on Sunday in Austin at the Decker Half Marathon Relay. The duo covered the hilly course in 1:32:51.
Former Diboll cross country coach Zach Johnson, 24, of The Woodlands was second overall in 2:16:38 at Saturday’s Jingle Jog 30K in Pearland while Porter’s Ashley Blackmon, 22, finished third in her age group at Saturday’s Baton Rouge Beach Marathon with a time of 4:21:51.
The Woodlands’ Pamela Paling, 41, just missed winning hardware after finishing fourth in her division with a time of 1:54:35 during Saturday’s Cajun Country Half Marathon in Lafayette, La.
Otherwise known as “Sunmart”, over 40 runners from Montgomery County and Spring completed the multi-loop course covering either 50 or 31 miles.
Although veteran ultramarathoner Allen Wrinkle (8:47:28), 44, of Spring, posted the best time of the area’s six 50-mile finishers, it was The Woodlands’ Les Ellsworth who posted a 9:45:57. Ellsworth was one of three runners in 2008 to finish the longest distances at the four trail races held at Huntsville State Park.
Ellsworth, 54, ran the entire race with Houston’s Kimberly Pilcher and was less than a minute ahead of former Spring resident, 62-year-old Joe Barry, of Houston, who finished in 9:46:42. The trio also finished the Rocky Raccoon 100-Miler in February, the Hog’s Hunt 50K in April and the Rocky Raccoon 50K in November.
The Woodlands’ Pat Shannon, 57, who will participate in the 2009 Western States Endurance Run 100-miler next June, was second in his age group with a 9:44:13 finish.Magnolia’s John Powers, 45 (10:08:58), Spring’s Dawn Craig, 36 (10:41:34) and The Woodlands’ Lynnor Matheney, 49 (11:42:23) rounded out Saturday’s 50-mile finishers.
Craig covered 181 miles in three of the four Huntsville trail races as she also finished the Rocky Raccoon 100 and the Rocky Raccoon 50K.
In the 50-kilometer (31-mile) race, Spring’s Carlos Ortegon, 45, and a pair of 44-year-old residents of The Woodlands, Jim Harrington and Jerry Hayley, were the area’s first three finishers. Ortegon posted a sub 5-hour time of 4:57:01 while Harrington and Hayley followed in 5:02:33 and 5:14:31, respectively.
Hayley’s 20-year-old daughter, Amanda, won her age group in 6:14:22 as did The Woodlands’ Jim Braden. The 73-year-old, who stopped the clock in 5:55:57, was one of 11 men and women aged 70 and older to complete the 50K event.
Spring’s Sabrina Hurst, 29, and Mary Citro, 49, recorded book-end times around Hayley for the top three local women’s finishes. Hurst, who broke four hours at October’s Marine Corps Marathon, finished in 5:38:08 while Citro ran the entire way with Spring’s Gordon Mishler, 49, finishing in 6:15:44.
Hurst was third in her age group as was Porter’s Dora Topham. Topham, 63, finished in 7:12:35, just three minutes behind her husband, Lee.
The Woodlands’ Joel Barr, 56, was fourth in his age group with a time of 5:30:00 while Montgomery’s Joe Martinez, 39 (5:39:51), Spring’s Evan Stein, 49 (5:44:21) and Magnolia’s Daryl Lazauskas, 44 (5:53:42) all finished in under six hours.
What makes most runners happy is an accurate and safe course, the race to start on time, a pleasant, upbeat atmosphere, some post-race nourishment, quick results and, yes, a good-looking T-shirt.
Saturday’s third annual Willis Wildkat 5K and 1-mile Kids Fun Run, which supports the Willis High School Cross Country scholarship fund, is all that – whether you’re a competitive runner or the consummate recreational weekend race warrior.
The latter fits me, and that’s the reason you’ll find me at Saturday’s start at the Stow-A-Way Marina in Willis.
Race director Dana Fossmo hopes that the race’s change in venue won’t hurt this year’s turnout.
“It is a very nice course with many views of the lake,” said the Willis High School cross country coach. “It has some hills, so that will make it challenging as well.”
The race, which is currently $20 online and $25 on race day, had 48 finishers in the 5K and 15 youngsters in the Kids Run a year ago.
Entry fee for the kids run is just $3.
Montgomery High School assistant cross country coach Tim McGuire and former Sam Houston State classmate Richard Griffin teamed up to finish third in the men’s division on Sunday in Austin at the Decker Half Marathon Relay. The duo covered the hilly course in 1:32:51.
Former Diboll cross country coach Zach Johnson, 24, of The Woodlands was second overall in 2:16:38 at Saturday’s Jingle Jog 30K in Pearland while Porter’s Ashley Blackmon, 22, finished third in her age group at Saturday’s Baton Rouge Beach Marathon with a time of 4:21:51.
The Woodlands’ Pamela Paling, 41, just missed winning hardware after finishing fourth in her division with a time of 1:54:35 during Saturday’s Cajun Country Half Marathon in Lafayette, La.
posted by WalkSports.com | 8:14 PM
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