Published: July 04, 2008 08:57 pm            

ISU runners Justin Kunz, Kayla Alexander win damp Fast Track Mile

TERRE HAUTE — The popular saying “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds” came to mind during the 26th annual Fast Track Mile on Friday.

It wasn’t snowing, hot temperatures were not a factor, but it was certainly cool, gloomy and rain pelted down steadily on the more than 300 runners that completed the Wabash Valley Roadrunners Club race through downtown Terre Haute.

And since this is Terre Haute, adding an unusual twist to this Fourth of July morning event was the inevitable train crossing Wabash Avenue, delaying the start of the men’s race.

But through all those obstacles a pair of Indiana State University runners, Justin Kunz and Kayla Alexander, were the overall winners of their respective races.

Kunz, 23, won for the first time in the men’s race, the sixth different men’s winner in as many years. Kunz (4:33.57) out-sprinted recent Terre Haute North graduate Zach Mayhew to the finish line by a winning margin of just 2.51 seconds. Northview graduate James Grounds was third, trailing by only 3.97 seconds.

Alexander, a junior-to-be at ISU, became a two-time winner in the race, also winning in 2007. Alexander’s winning time was 5:24.80, more than 17 seconds better than second-place finisher, North long distance runner Lindy Jones.

“Had to wait for a while … had a train go by,” Kunz said. Asked if the short train delay caused any problems, he added, “A little bit. Just kind of standing around at the line. Legs got a little heavy. Tried to stay loose.

“At the first quarter, two other boys were leading,” Kunz described how the race unfolded. “But about 600 meters in I took over and started pounding away. Just thought I’d get my speed work in today.”

Kunz was a standout performer while at ISU, graduating in May. He too could become a multi-winner of this race in the future, noting, “I’ll be sticking around Terre Haute … got a job.”

Alexander totally dominated the women’s race, her winning margin from the finish line — in front of Tempo Furniture — all the way back to Sonka’s.

“It feels pretty good,” she said of becoming a two-time winner. “It’s really a fun race … I think I said it last year, anyone can do it. It’s a mile. Even in the rain. It may not be the best conditions, but water doesn’t hurt.

“The roads were a little slippery, you had to be really careful. Especially along the [railroad] tracks. But you got to just race smart.”

Asked if she felt any pressure of winning the race for a second consecutive year, she admitted, “I wasn’t really sure how I was going to do today. I’ve been doing base, just long runs … getting ready for cross country at ISU. I just started doing speed work about a week-and-a-half ago.

“But it’s a mile … all speed, that’s all it is. It doesn’t matter if you have endurance or not. So I was a little worried about that. But you just have to go out and give it your all. Don’t look back until you cross that line.”

Although Alexander said “don’t look back”, she did sneak a peak behind her as she approached 14th Street.

“You don’t ever know, ‘cause even if you’re standing there at the starting line … you don’t really see anyone familiar competitor-wise,” Alexander explained. “You never know who’s training, you never know who has what kind of goal in mind. You never know how anything is going to end until you cross that line.”

Next up for the WVRR is the Kid’s Triathlon at Deming Park on July 12, followed by the Midnight 5K Run at Fairbanks Park on July 25.





Fast Track Mile

Men’s results

Overall

1. Justin Kunz 4:33.57, 2. Zach Mayhew 4:36.08, 3. James Grounds 4:37.54, 4. Josh Bedford 4:42.03, 5. Andrew Sullivan 4:45.15, 6. Brandon Query 4:51.84, 7. John Davis 4:51.89, 8. John Mascari 4:52.51, 9. Milton Brinza 4:52.68, 10. Brian Depasse 4:53.52, 11. Nick Dason 4:54.95, 12. Jeremy Kunz 4:56.47, 13. Robert Mayhew 4:58.03, 14. Ethan Page 5:05.64, 15. Morgan Goetschel 5:08.81, 16. Clayton Harlan 5:09.52, 17. Sam Bunch 5:12.22, 18. Brenden Longfellow 5:16.17, 19. David Bays 5:17.46, 20. David Tucker 5:17.45, 21. Brice Webster 5:19.79, 22. Ryan Lutes 5:21.52, 23. Andrw Kump 5:25.66, 24. Adam Burkett 5:26.58, 25. Chris Marietta 5:27.54.

Age-group winners

1-5 — Jace Russell (236) 8:38.1

6-9 — Chandler Atterson (144) 7:10.5

10-14 — Morgan Goetschel (15) 5:08.8

15-18 — Zach Mayhew (2) 4:36.0

19-24 — Justin Kunz (1) 4:33.5

25-29 — Nick Dason (11) 4:54.9

30-34 — Aaron Gadberry (38) 5:41.9

35-39 — David Vasquez (30) 5:30.1

40-44 — Chris Hogue (84) 6:31.7

45-49 — Charles Minor (41) 5:45.1

50-54 — Mark Achenbach (31) 5:30.8

55-59 — David Minor (52) 5:58.9

60-64 — Paul Spinner (139) 7:04.9

65-69 — Clayton Harlan (16) 5:09.5

Women’s results

Overall

1. Kayla Alexander 5:24.80, 2. Lindy Jones 5:42.07, 3. Danelle Readinger 5:51.18, 4. Nicole Thiede 5:59.26, 5. Emily Cotterman 6:01.14, 6. Kylie Lippencott 6:02.64, 7. Amanda Metternich 6:08.42, 8. Kristy Lippencott 6:10.26, 9. Sydney Dickerson 6:10.46, 10. Katie Shew 6:13.93, 11. Liz Marietta 6:14.27, 12. Brianne Steppe 6:19.26, 13. Kim Rhodes 6:19.94, 14. Heather Schmeling 6:20.53, 15. Jordan Cresgy 6:22.39, 16. Katie Mullican 6:31.36, 17. Mallory Sanders 6:31.91, 18. Chanli Mundy 6:32.96, 19. Brenna Bell 6:33.23, 20. Audrey Smiddy 6:36.68, 21. Mariyam Houston 6:37.57, 22. Melissa Porter 6:38.16, 23. Lindsay Welker 6:38.46 24. Carson Smith 6:41.37, 25. Selina Cox-Humbles 6:41.934.

Age-group winners

1-5 — Addison Readinger (89) 8:25.2

6-9 — Alli Meyer (67) 7:44.4

10-14 — Nicole Thiede (4) 5:59.2

15-18 — Lindy Jones (2) 5:42.0

19-24 — Kayla Alexander (1) 5:24.8

25-29 — Heather Schmeling (14) 6:20.5

30-34 — Danelle Readinger (3) 5:51.5

35-39 — Micah Thompson (27) 6:44.2

40-44 — Kristy Lippencott (8) 6:10.2

45-49 — Gretchen Ettling (48) 7:11.4

50-54 — Laura Swart (52) 7:22.3

55-59 — Carol Pabst (74) 7:54.3

60-64 — Sharon Nelson (76) 7:58.1

65-69 — Sue Cass (138) 11:52.7



Fast track Mile winners

(formerly known as Mayor’s Cup Mile)

Overall male, female champions

1982 — Tony Nading and Denise Weinhoeft.

1983 — Tony Nading and Amanda Willhite.

1984 — Tony Nading and Teri Wiser.

1985 — Marty Jones and Teri Wiser.

1986 — Brad Cooper and Debbie Anderson.

1987 — Barry Schnieders and Meg McElroy.

1988 — Tony Nading and Meg McElroy.

1989 — Mike Eup and Meg (McElroy) Schnieders.

1990 — Todd Messer and Mellissa Utterback.

1991 — Kyle Hobbs and Meg (McElroy) Schnieders.

1992 — Darcy Jones and Christi Olson.

1993 — Chad McCullough and Ruth Ozmun.

1994 — Kevin Sullivan and Ruth Ozmun.

1995 — Chad Smith and Ruth Ozmun.

1996 — Chad Smith and Danelle Leaf.

1997 — Rick Sluder and Angie Menser.

1998 — Chad Contri and Michelle McIntosh.

1999 — Paul Risch and Alyssa Pittman.

2000 — Chad Contri and Angie Bruecker.

2001 — Jason Gunn and Angie Bruecker.

2002 — Chad Contri and Cassie Hunt.

2003 — Chad Contri and Cassie Hunt.

2004 — Dustin Strosnider and Cassie Hunt.

2005 — Jeff Simonich and Cassie Hunt.

2006 — Andrew Sullivan and Amy Hamilton.

2007 — Lucas Roscoe and Kayla Alexander.

2008 — Justin Kunz and Kayla Alexander

        

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