5th Annual Forest Park 4K XC Run

St. Louis, MO -- September, 11, 2010
(Results @ http://www.bigriverrunning.com/FPF_OPENwsplits.htm )

Rookie run for me on a XC course.  Rained heavily for two days prior to meet and the course a rainy, and soon to be muddy, mess.  Open division run first on a slate of 7 races that Saturday and the mud and water is flying everywhere on the first 250m of the course.  Run a solid race and finish 18th OA and second master's finisher behind 50 y/o phenom Dan Rooney.  Had a great time running on the grass and mud course.  XC racing is definitely challenging but alot of fun. 

Brandon runs later in the day and begins to establish his place as one of the top runners in MO high school ranks with a 7th place OA finish in the large school division.

-KHammes

28th Annual Jour de Fete

Ste. Genevieve, MO -- August 14, 2010

83 degrees, 96% humidity, and 71° dew point...a perfect morning to run up Maxwell Hill.  Event draws about 150 this year.  Kevin Hammes 3rd overall, myself 5th, and Steve Schmittzehe 6th as gang from down south sweeps the Male 45-49 Division (still one of my favorite post-race photographs).  Shannon Aldridge drops 5:00 minutes off his 2009 time.  FORCE!!  Myself and Kevin Hammes had been subjecting our wives to a heavy dose of racing over the past few weeks, so we took them downtown for a nice lunch and some girl-time at the festival.  Gave us a few extra hours to chat...about running.  Was a great day.

-KBramlett

Kevin Hammes, Kevin Bramlett, and Steve Schmittzehe

Male 45-49 Age Group Winners.

13th Annual Jackson Homecomer 5K

Jackson, MO -- July 27, 2010
(Results @ Cape Road Runners: http://www.caperoadrunners.org/results.htm )

Race takes place at 7:00 p.m. in the middle of summer.  Never sure exactly what you're going to get with the weather.  What is certain is that Race Director Shane Anderson will take pride in making all the details "just right" every year.  A unique and challenging course, dry-fit shirts, great awards, and all for a $10 entry fee.  We get sun and 83 degrees this year, and event draws about 200.  Kevin Hammes continues his roll with another overall win.  Wasn't sure what my old-man legs would have left after Saturday, but they bounce back enough to carry me to a 7th place overall finish.  Betsy Buffington wins the female overall.

-KBramlett

About 200 take off at the 2010 Jackson Homecomer 5K.

Overall wnner Kevin Hammes

Kevin Bramlett looking for room to run.  Also pictured is Tomoaki Nomi

Hoops for Life 5K

Cape Girardeau, MO -- July 24, 2010
(Results @ Cape Road Runners: http://www.caperoadrunners.org/results.htm )

Event raises about $7,500 for Pediatric Brain Tumor Research in memory of Sahara "Hoops" Aldridge as participaton grows to 325 on race day.  Wasn't enough for Race Director Shannon Aldridge to have us running the toughest, meanest 5K course in the area code; today he expects us to do it with the heat index pushing 90.  Kevin Hammes survives the hills and the heat to take first overall.  Cassie Kipper is the top female overall finisher.  Shannon does a great job in his rookie effort, and the event is sure grow each year.  Runners joined together to sing Happy Birthday to "Hoops" to cap off the morning.

-KBramlett



First Annual Hoops for Life 5K
(photo from Hoops for Life facebook page)

Event draws 325 participants
(photo from Hoops for Life facebook page)

Brandon Shemonia and Billy Leighton take overall winner Kevin Hammes
to the finish line. 

Happy Birthday "Hoops".
(photo from Hoops for Life facebook page)



Fight Back 5K / 10K

Cape Girardeau, MO -- April 10, 2010
(Results @ Cape Road Runners: http://www.caperoadrunners.org/results.htm )

Entered this race after three months of rehabbing an injured hamstring.  Testing my fitness prior to next week's Azalea Dogwood 5K run.  Beautiful day to run as weather is 55 degrees and sunny prior to the start of the 5K/10K races.  Beginning at Arena Park and running a 5K loop.  Bramlett running the 10K today so he gets to double up on the loop.  I feel good and run splits of 5:55/5:40/5:47/:28sec for a 17:50 finish and OA winner of 5K race.  Bramlett shakes off the pack during the middle of his second loop and wins the OA title in the 10K.  Great day for the CBEM team and we get some nice "goodies" in the bags for our efforts. 

 -KHammes

Scott Givens warms up the runners and walkers.  Where's the red, white and blue Uncle Sam duds?

Overall winners: Kevin Bramlett (10K) and Kevin Hammes (5K).



Southern Illinois 10K

April 2, 2011 was a great Spring morning for the running of the Southern Illinois 10K race.  This race is held in beautiful Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge located between Carbondale and Marion, Illinois in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  The route is familiar to many runners as it is the middle portion of the Fly with the Eagles Half Marathon course.  The course distance this year was just under 6.40 miles.

Kyle Monroe, a local ironman competitor, led this race from start to finish and gapped the second place finisher by over two minutes with his consistent splits.  This course consists of rolling hills and provides runners with a variety of running surfaces including blacktop, dirt trails and gravel roads.

Top 10 Overall Finishers:

1. Kyle Monroe, 27 Carbondale, Ill.  36:01
2. Kevin Hammes, 45 Scott City, MO 38:15
3. Blake Davenport, 23 39:05
4. Terry Okerson, 54 Metropolis, Ill  39:39
5. Austin Pryor, 17 Eldorado, Ill  39:39
6. Elijah McCormick, 15 Harrisburg, Ill  40:27
7. Gene Mesker, 52  40:43
8. Ethan Harris, 16    41:47
9. Jordan Craft, 29    41:49
10. Ron Moore, 42 Raleigh, Ill   42:11 

Overall Female Open Winners:

1. Karen Jackson, 22 Carbondale, Ill       44:08 and 13th overall finisher
2. Pamela Campbell, 52 Centralia, Ill       47:42 and 29th overall
3. Christine Reed, 25                               48:06 and 30th overall
4. Cheonae Kim, Murphysboro, Ill          49:14 and 32nd overall
5. Joanna Gilmore, 26 Carbondale, Ill      49:36 and 34th overall

Crab Orchard Wildlife Refuge, IL -- April 2, 2011
(Results @ River to River Runners: http://rrr.olm.net/results/si10k11oa.htm )

Psycho Wyco Run Toto Run 50K Trail Run

Cape Girardeau, Missouri native Bryan Kelpe placed first in the 2011 version of the Psycho Wyco Trail Run.  This race took place in Kansas.  Kelpe outran and outfoxed 90 other ultrarunners to complete the course in 4:31:06.  Bryan completed the 50K course more than 20 minutes ahead of the second place runner.

Congratulations on this outstanding accomplishment.

--KHammes