It Was Nearly a Triathlon

There aren’t many things that interrupt cross country races.  Pretty much only lightning strikes will cause a cross country race to be cancelled.  So, when Hurricane Hanna blew through central Virginia Saturday morning, the race director of the Fork Union Military Academy Cross Country Invitational in Fork Union, VA never even blinked.  As the old saying goes, “Keep your powder dry”, the starter pistol fired right on time despite nearly 5 inches of rain being dumped onto the course before and during the race.  While some teams were prohibited from coming due to school officials making decisions for safety of travel during tough conditions, those that did attend were treated to the downpour, mud, and in some cases knee-deep flood waters as ravines became rivers. 

Dalton Kuhar (Fuqua School, Farmville, VA) couldn’t have been happier with the conditions.  While some complained about the rain and slop, Dalton smiled and ran.  Dalton ran hard through the puddles and mires and after having battled it out with another competitor for much of the race, Dalton surged ahead on the last straightaway but just before the finish line, was caught again and passed.  Dalton finished 10^th overall in the girls’ competition.

It was remarked after the race that all that was needed was a bike portion to add to the run and swim and it would have been a triathlon!

One Tough Dude

Leo Lightner (Rocky River, OH) continues to amaze, whether it be for his performances or his toughness.  This weekend (September 7) at the Groundhog Fall 50K in Punxsutawney, PA, Leo ran 7:48 for 93^rd place.   And, with a mile to go, Leo tripped and landed face first on the asphalt, cutting a deep gouge over his right eye.  A friend gave Leo a bandana to hold on his face and Leo continued on and crossed the finish line with a stream of blood down his face.  Leo required 5 stitches to close himself up but he crossed the finish line before he sought first aid.  It was also a PR on the course by 27 minutes.  At age 79, Leo was first place in the 70 and over category.

Steady and Strong

Rick Moyer (Reading, PA) was 5 minutes faster this year at the Groundhog Fall 50K in Punxsutawney, PA.  Despite the tough terrain and hot and humid conditions, Rick concentrated on proper nutrition and hydration through the race and in maintaining a constant pace, rather than make the self-admitted mistake of going out too hard and paying later that he had done previously.  Rick’s time of 5:33 placed him 29^th overall.

A Strong Finish Despite…

Caren Jew (Gaithersburg, MD) ran strong from start to finish at Saturday’s Groundhog Fall 50K in Punxsutawney, PA.  Caren ran a well paced race, concentrating on running even and steady and maintaining fluid and electrolyte intake while battling the hot and humid conditions.  Just short of the finish, when challenged for position by another competitor, Caren was able to step the pace up despite “trashed quads and blisters” to finish on an upbeat note in 7:44.

This entry was posted on Friday, September 19th, 2008 at 4:07 pm and is filed under Results. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.