Front Royal Kiwanis 5K
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Warren County Middle School, Front Royal, VA

There are currently five active running races held in Warren County, Virginia each year, and in 2007 it turned out that two of those five fell on the same date for the first time. On Saturday 19 May, a few hours after the Virginia Happy Trails Running Club's rugged Massanutten Mountain Trails 100 Mile Run got started in the western part of the county, forty-two less masochistic (some might say "smarter") runners showed up at Warren County Middle School in Front Royal for the seventh running of the Front Royal Kiwanis 5K. These folks were treated to pleasant 60° temperatures under beautiful blue skies as they strode past the almost-dismantled Avtex Fibers plant and up the hill to the campus of Randolph-Macon Academy overlooking the town. One could gaze west towards the Massanutten Mountain ridge and think, Glad I'm only running 3.1 miles today instead of 100!

As 9:00 AM arrived and the race got underway, Warren County High School's Andrew Turner dashed out into the lead, followed closely by Warren County Junior High's Blake Sheffler. Patiently trailing them down West 15th Street was 33-year-old Karsten Brown, making his fifth Kiwanis 5K appearance. Brown snuck past the 13-year-old Sheffler at the half-mile mark, but the other teenager proved much more difficult to track down. Turner, 15, sped through the largely downhill first mile in a blistering 5:20 and betrayed few signs of letting up on the long straightaway up Kendrick Lane. It wasn't until the climb up to Randolph-Macon's north gate that Brown finally managed to catch Turner, near the halfway point.

Quickly opening up a comfortable gap, Brown huffed and puffed his way down to the turnaround on Chowning Hall Drive and back out of the campus, finally reaching the finish line back at WCMS in 17:11. Turner hung in to take second overall, setting a personal best of 18:01 and breaking the event record for males aged 15 to 19. Last year's runner-up, Mike Meadows of Martinsburg, overtook Sheffler to finish third overall and earn the male Masters honors with an 18:51 finish. Considering that Meadows recently turned 50 years old, this was actually one of the best performances in race's history. Close to half a minute later, Sheffler had to hold off his father, Loren, to finish fourth in 19:17, setting a new 14 & under event record in the process. The elder Sheffler crossed the line just a few steps behind.

Just ten women participated in this year's 5K, with only Colleen Snyder of Linden having run the race before. But Winchester's Vicky Krossman has been a regular on the Shenandoah Valley running scene for years, and it was no surprise to see her leading the women's field in her first visit to the Kiwanis 5K. The 38-year-old easily outpaced her competition to finish first in 23:36. Second overall went to the top female Warren County finisher, 16-year-old Ashleigh Pryor, who ran a 25:19. Amy Youmans, an eighth grader at Daniel Morgan Middle School in Winchester, was third in 26:59. The battle for the female Masters award came down to two youthful-looking Charlotte DeHart Elementary School staffers, Peggy Fishel and Susan Gano. The duo entered the middle school parking lot together, but as they came down the final stretch, Fishel, 49, leapt ahead of Gano, 48. The two crossed the finish line in 30:16 and 30:17 respectively.

Other notes: Front Royal's Sue Cobb became the Kiwanis 5K's first-ever finisher in the women's 60 & over division, setting an event record (obviously) of 38:56... The race director split the advertised men's 60 & over age group into 60-69, 70-79, and 80 & over divisions in order to recognize the three oldest participants. 69-year-old Joe Waltz of Front Royal ran the second fastest time for anyone 60 or over in the event's history, finishing in 24:38. 72-year-old Terry McCarthy's 27:22 was easily the best Kiwanis 5K performance by a runner in his seventies. And four-time participant Bob Atkins, 81, became the race's first-ever finisher in his eighties... Of the seven participants who also ran the poorly-attended 2006 race, Colleen Snyder showed the most improvement, dropping close to a minute and a half off her '06 time to finish in 34:52. Stephen Armstrong's 23:42 performance was 36 seconds faster than last year, and Kenneth Morris ran a 21:17 this year to better his '06 finish by 32 seconds... Jim Shaughnessy, meanwhile, followed up his 21:41 finish in '06 with another 21:41 finish... Snyder, Brown, and Myron Kremer each finished their fifth Kiwanis 5K, joining Neal Riemenschneider (absent this year) as the only runners with five finishes under their belts. Atkins and Fred Franklin both have four finishes to their credit... Thirty of this year's forty-two participants were running the race for the first time.

Race director Terry Leckie, hosting the event as a fundraiser for the Front Royal Kiwanis Club, did his usual excellent job. (Thankfully the "Leckie Curse", which brought rain to the first three editions of the 5K, has long since been broken!) Assisting with the race were various volunteers from the Kiwanis and the Shenandoah Valley Runners, including Tammy Batcha, Jim Cobb, Ed Greco, Mike Laing, Candy Lang, Brandi Leckie, June Newcomb, and Alexander Snyder. Also providing financial assistance were race sponsors Harry A. Dean Jr. of the Crawford Insurance Agency, Richard L. Mason of Edward Jones Investments, local dentists Harry H. Heard III and Craig A. Zunka, and State Farm Insurance agent Bill Powers Jr. Many thanks to all involved, and hopefully the race will return in May 2008... and maybe some of those 100 mile runners will come to their senses and choose the shorter race next year!

OVERALL RESULTS

42 Finishers
Place NAME              AGE SEX CITY, STATE          TIME      PACE  IN SEX  AWARD
1.  Karsten Brown      33  M  Front Royal, VA     17:11.7    5:32   1st    1st M Overall
2.  Andrew Turner      15  M  Linden, VA          18:01.2    5:48   2nd    2nd M Overall
3.  Mike Meadows       50  M  Martinsburg, WV     18:51.1    6:04   3rd    1st M Masters
4.  Blake Sheffler     13  M  Front Royal, VA     19:17.4    6:13   4th    1st M 14 & Under
5.  Loren Sheffler     38  M  Front Royal, VA     19:18.9    6:13   5th    1st M 35-39
6.  Nathan Betcher     18  M  Luray, VA           19:22.3    6:14   6th    1st M 15-19
7.  Steven Higgs       17  M  Luray, VA           19:45.2    6:21   7th    2nd M 15-19
8.  Bill Senseney      58  M  Charles Town, WV    20:38.3    6:39   8th    1st M 55-59
9.  John Shelburne     45  M  Winchester, VA      20:57.8    6:45   9th    1st M 45-49
10. Kenneth Morris     38  M  Middletown, VA      21:17.5    6:51   10th   2nd M 35-39
11. Fred Franklin      56  M  Linden, VA          21:21.5    6:52   11th   2nd M 55-59
12. Myron Kremer       50  M  Winchester, VA      21:23.5    6:53   12th   1st M 50-54
13. Steve Thomas       42  M  Winchester, VA      21:38.4    6:58   13th   1st M 40-44
14. Jim Shaughnessy    46  M  Winchester, VA      21:41.8    6:59   14th   2nd M 45-49
15. Eric Olson         53  M  Front Royal, VA     22:18.9    7:11   15th   2nd M 50-54
16. Rick Hart          44  M  Stephens City, VA   22:22.3    7:12   16th   2nd M 40-44
17. Nathan Shelburne   14  M  Winchester, VA      23:29.6    7:34   17th   2nd M 14 & Under
18. Vicky Krossman     38  F  Winchester, VA      23:36.6    7:36   1st    1st F Overall
19. Stephen Armstrong  59  M  Winchester, VA      23:42.7    7:38   18th   3rd M 55-59
20. Matt Bunting       30  M  Hedgesville, WV     23:50.8    7:41   19th   1st M 30-34
21. Richard Bell       45  M  Winchester, VA      24:16.7    7:49   20th   3rd M 45-49
22. Mark Lovecky       49  M  Winchester, VA      24:16.9    7:49   21st
23. Paul Haecker       42  M  Winchester, VA      24:34.7    7:55   22nd   3rd M 40-44
24. Joe Waltz          69  M  Front Royal, VA     24:38.0    7:56   23rd   1st M 60-69
25. Ashleigh Pryor     16  F  Front Royal, VA     25:19.6    8:09   2nd    2nd F Overall
26. Mike Batcha        53  M  Macon, GA           25:51.1    8:19   24th   3rd M 50-54
27. Amy Youmans        14  F  Winchester, VA      26:59.4    8:41   3rd    1st F 14 & Under
28. Dan Broznak        23  M  Stephens City, VA   27:14.3    8:46   25th   1st M 20-24
29. Terry McCarthy     72  M  Leesburg, VA        27:22.1    8:49   26th   1st M 70-79
30. Dennis Wilson      53  M  Martinsburg, WV     28:20.9    9:07   27th
31. Peggy Fishel       49  F  Whitacre, VA        30:16.8    9:45   4th    1st F Masters
32. Susan Gano         48  F  Cross Junction, VA  30:17.7    9:45   5th    1st F 45-49
33. Kevin Olson        20  M  Front Royal, VA     31:49.7   10:15   28th   2nd M 20-24
34. Melissa Gibson     27  F  Bristow, VA         32:04.1   10:19   6th    1st F 25-29
35. Carl Olson         20  M  Front Royal, VA     32:12.2   10:22   29th   3rd M 20-24
36. Cameron Hirsch     15  M  Middletown, VA      32:31.2   10:28   30th   3rd M 15-19
37. Colleen Snyder     51  F  Linden, VA          34:52.1   11:13   7th    1st F 50-54
38. Robert Ilardi      44  M  Inwood, WV          35:35.8   11:27   31st
39. Anne Powell        29  F  Front Royal, VA     38:56.1   12:32   8th    2nd F 25-29
40. Sue Cobb           61  F  Front Royal, VA     38:56.3   12:32   9th    1st F 60 & Over
41. Bob Atkins         81  M  Winchester, VA      41:14.0   13:16   32nd   1st M 80 & Over
42. Anita Latorre      38  F  Linden, VA          42:18.2   13:37   10th   1st F 35-39

RESULTS BY DIVISION

FEMALE OVERALL
#  NAME              AGE SEX CITY, STATE          TIME      PACE   O'ALL  IN SEX
1. Vicky Krossman     38  F  Winchester, VA      23:36.6    7:36   18th   1st
2. Ashleigh Pryor     16  F  Front Royal, VA     25:19.6    8:09   25th   2nd

MALE OVERALL
1. Karsten Brown      33  M  Front Royal, VA     17:11.7    5:32   1st    1st
2. Andrew Turner      15  M  Linden, VA          18:01.2    5:48   2nd    2nd

FEMALE MASTERS (40 & over)
1. Peggy Fishel       49  F  Whitacre, VA        30:16.8    9:45   31st   4th

MALE MASTERS (40 & over)
1. Mike Meadows       50  M  Martinsburg, WV     18:51.1    6:04   3rd    3rd

FEMALE 14 & UNDER
1. Amy Youmans        14  F  Winchester, VA      26:59.4    8:41   27th   3rd

MALE 14 & UNDER
1. Blake Sheffler     13  M  Front Royal, VA     19:17.4    6:13   4th    4th
2. Nathan Shelburne   14  M  Winchester, VA      23:29.6    7:34   17th   17th

MALE 15-19
1. Nathan Betcher     18  M  Luray, VA           19:22.3    6:14   6th    6th
2. Steven Higgs       17  M  Luray, VA           19:45.2    6:21   7th    7th
3. Cameron Hirsch     15  M  Middletown, VA      32:31.2   10:28   36th   30th

MALE 20-24
1. Dan Broznak        23  M  Stephens City, VA   27:14.3    8:46   28th   25th
2. Kevin Olson        20  M  Front Royal, VA     31:49.7   10:15   33rd   28th
3. Carl Olson         20  M  Front Royal, VA     32:12.2   10:22   35th   29th

FEMALE 25-29
1. Melissa Gibson     27  F  Bristow, VA         32:04.1   10:19   34th   6th
2. Anne Powell        29  F  Front Royal, VA     38:56.1   12:32   39th   8th

MALE 30-34
1. Matt Bunting       30  M  Hedgesville, WV     23:50.8    7:41   20th   19th

FEMALE 35-39
1. Anita Latorre      38  F  Linden, VA          42:18.2   13:37   42nd   10th

MALE 35-39
1. Loren Sheffler     38  M  Front Royal, VA     19:18.9    6:13   5th    5th
2. Kenneth Morris     38  M  Middletown, VA      21:17.5    6:51   10th   10th

MALE 40-44
1. Steve Thomas       42  M  Winchester, VA      21:38.4    6:58   13th   13th
2. Rick Hart          44  M  Stephens City, VA   22:22.3    7:12   16th   16th
3. Paul Haecker       42  M  Winchester, VA      24:34.7    7:55   23rd   22nd
4. Robert Ilardi      44  M  Inwood, WV          35:35.8   11:27   38th   31st

FEMALE 45-49
1. Susan Gano         48  F  Cross Junction, VA  30:17.7    9:45   32nd   5th

MALE 45-49
1. John Shelburne     45  M  Winchester, VA      20:57.8    6:45   9th    9th
2. Jim Shaughnessy    46  M  Winchester, VA      21:41.8    6:59   14th   14th
3. Richard Bell       45  M  Winchester, VA      24:16.7    7:49   21st   20th
4. Mark Lovecky       49  M  Winchester, VA      24:16.9    7:49   22nd   21st

FEMALE 50-54
1. Colleen Snyder     51  F  Linden, VA          34:52.1   11:13   37th   7th

MALE 50-54
1. Myron Kremer       50  M  Winchester, VA      21:23.5    6:53   12th   12th
2. Eric Olson         53  M  Front Royal, VA     22:18.9    7:11   15th   15th
3. Mike Batcha        53  M  Macon, GA           25:51.1    8:19   26th   24th
4. Dennis Wilson      53  M  Martinsburg, WV     28:20.9    9:07   30th   27th

MALE 55-59
1. Bill Senseney      58  M  Charles Town, WV    20:38.3    6:39   8th    8th
2. Fred Franklin      56  M  Linden, VA          21:21.5    6:52   11th   11th
3. Stephen Armstrong  59  M  Winchester, VA      23:42.7    7:38   19th   18th

FEMALE 60 & OVER
1. Sue Cobb           61  F  Front Royal, VA     38:56.3   12:32   40th   9th

MALE 60-69
1. Joe Waltz          69  M  Front Royal, VA     24:38.0    7:56   24th   23rd

MALE 70-79
1. Terry McCarthy     72  M  Leesburg, VA        27:22.1    8:49   29th   26th

MALE 80 & OVER
1. Bob Atkins         81  M  Winchester, VA      41:14.0   13:16   41st   32nd

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