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Saturday, June 11, 2011 -- Fairmont, WV / Marion County Adult Ed Center
Run to Read 5K - Run to Read Triple Crown #3 (iPO Event Id#: 13181)

2011: [Details] [Coverage] [Photos] [Overall Results] [Results by Class]

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5K Runs Deep

Photos by Julie Black with story by Jim Woolfitt.

Run to Read
The total numbers for the 13th annual Run to Read Races, both 5K and 15K, were down in 2011 but some impressive performances were recorded, especially in the 5K. The 15K started at 7:30am while the 5K started at 9:15am.

Four runners went under 18 minutes, the first time since 2007. (So many still standing 5K age group records were set in 2007 that the archive looks as if some mistake was made.) Sterling Snyder, 17:11.7; Travis Cyphert, 17:16.2; Neil Bland, 17:53.6; and Tony Hayes, 17:56.4; all ran sub 18's on the double loop 5K course.

Snyder's winning time ranks him 8th best since 2002 while Cyphert's runner up time is the 10th best since 2002 (when the course was certified). Hayes's time ranks him 8thbest in the event among those under 19 in the certified era. Snyder and Cyphert are from Morgantown. Third place finisher Bland is from Fairview while the fourth place finisher Hayes is from Fairmont.

Run to Read
Not only did the 5K run deep on the men's side (by Run to Read standards) but there close finishes for first and third. Snyder edged Cyphert by less than 5 seconds for the win, while Bland wheeled by Hayes for third with less than 3 seconds separating them.

Emma Harrison's winning time of 21:05.8 was the 5th best since 2002 and the 2nd best in the 19 & under category in the same time frame. Harrison is from Mannington while the 2nd place finisher Katie Kuba is from Buckhannon. Kuba's time was 23:03.9. Sue Heavner, 3rd overall, set a new master's record with her time of 23:40.2.

Heavner also set a new 45-49 age group record in the combo with her total time of 1:34:17.3 for both the 15K and 5K. Heavner is from Morgantown.

The 50-59 age group ran deep with Sandy Yocum and Peggy Corley both breaking the previous 50-54 age group record* of 25:54. Yocum's 25:02.3 ranks her best all time among grand masters, Corley's 25:53.3 ranks her 2nd and third place finisher Teresa Lyons now ranks 7th among grand masters in the 5K with her time of 26:36.7.

Run to Read
Jim Banks broke the 65-69 age group record with his time of 22:42.0. Banks had a trifecta as he also established age group records in the 15K, 1:12:04.8; and in the combo, 1:34:36.8. Jeff Efaw, 7th overall, recorded the 3rd best all time finish among grand masters as he finished the 5K in 20:39.1.

In the 15K, the first race, Laura Mason's winning time of 1:05:30.0 broke the 19 & under age group record and also ranks 6th best among 15K finishes. Both the winner, Mason, and runner Katie Kuba are from Buckhannon. Kuba finished in 1:09:48.8 Third place finisher Sue Heavener's time of 1:10:37.1 ranks 4th best among masters since 2002. (Heavner went to take 3rd in the 5K while Kuba recorded another 2nd in the 5K).

Sandy Yocum , fourth overall, ran a 1:14:26.6 which puts her 2nd all time among female grand masters. Also making the top ten list for grand masters was Teresa Lyons whose time of 1:17:43.6 ranks 7th all time.

Impressive performances in the 15K were recorded by Ron Hamric, Jim Banks (mentioned previously) and Jim Bailey. Hamric's time of 1:01:57.9 ranks 2nd best all time among grand masters. Hamric finished 4th overall. Bailey set a new 70-74 age group mark with his finish of 1:21:09.9.

Run to Read
Winning the 15K on the men's side was Daniel Murphy of Morgantown in a time of 1:00:41.6. Fairmont's Brian Menzies finished 2nd in 1:01:30.4 followed by Christopher Pirie of Morgantown who was a close 3rd running a time of 1:01:34.5. Pirie ran a strong 5K (20:29.5 to Menzies' 21:11.8) to claim combo honors with a total time of 1:22:04.0. Menzies was 2nd with a combined time of 1:22:42.2.

Fourteen men completed both races Katie Kuba used her two 2nd place finishes to claim combo honors among women with a combined time of 1:32:52.7. Sue Heavner used third places finishes in both the 15K and 5K to claim the 2nd best combo time among women, 1:34:17.3. Seven ladies finished both races.

Another event record was broken in the combo (those running both the 15K and the 5K) by Sandy Yocum as her combined time of 1:39:28.9 set a new mark in the 50-54 age group. Like Yocum, Sue Heavner set age group records in both the 5K and the combo.

Melanie Yergovich of Fairmont won the 5K walk in a time of 37:26.7 while Waynesburg's Linda Keller was 2nd in 39:34.3. Fairmont's Rudy Vincent was the first male finisher with a time of 38:26.1.

Sandy! Run to Read
Seventeen walkers, up from last year, finished the 5K walk. 102 runners finished the 5K while 53 runners finished the 15K. The 15K total was the lowest since 2001.

Congratulations to Sue Heavner and Jim Banks, winners of the first annual Run to Read Triple Crown. This age-graded competition consists of the Run to Read half Marsthon, the Run to Read 15K and the Run to Read 5K. Those 2 will receive free entry to all 3 events next year.

Thirteen runners ran all 3 and will receive a free technical shirt on January 8, 2012, the date of the next half marathon. Those unable to get their shirts then will be able to claim them at the LVMC (Literacy Volunteers of Marion County) office beginning on January 10.

Triple Crown Results are posted on iPlayOutside. Those completing the triple crown need to check to make sure their name is listed. If not, please contact Jim Woolfitt at run2read@yahoo.com to make sure you will get a shirt.

LVMC thanks all of our race sponsors, Town of Pleasant Valley, MCPARC, our local Pepsi distributor, Wesbanco, MVB and State Senator Roman Prezioso. Thanks go out to the Marion County Police Reserves and the Fairmont Police Department. We appreciate all of our volunteers without whom this event would not be possible.

The Run to Read Races benefit Literacy Volunteers of Marion County (LVMC), a United Way agency. LVMC provides free tutoring to adults and children in reading, math and ESL (English as a second language). LVMC works closely with the GED class at the Marion County Adult Ed Center.

Tentative plans are to "write" the final chapter of the 15K in 2012 and replace it with a 10K in 2013. The 10K would become part of the Triple Crown. It would start at 8 and the 5K would start at 9. Stay tuned.

*Any mention of records or top ten lists is for the Run to Read Races events, not a state, national or world record.

Get more info. on the Run to Read Triple Crown Series page.