Cape Woods Extravaganza XC 5K

Cape Girardeau, MO -- June 9, 2012  (Results @ Cape Road Runners: (http://www.caperoadrunners.org/results.htm)

The former Spring Classic to benefit the Cape Girardeau Police Department's K-9 Unit gets a new venue and a new look for 2012.  The third race of the Grand Prix Series moves off-road to the grassy grounds of The Osage Center for the inaugural Cape Woods Extravaganza Cross Country 5K.


Cape Road Runners present a check for $1,600 to the Cape Girardeau PD K-9 Unit.
(photo from Cape Road Runners)

There was an audible buzz in the local running community the days and weeks leading up to the event as several road racers openly expresssed some apprehensions for the unfamilar.  Fortunately, the race day field of 68 would include a few prominent harriers from the college and high school ranks to show the way.  Southeast Missouri State and OVC standout Chris Loseman would lead the pack from the gun as he coasted to a 16:12 overall win.  Maryville University's Ashley Schmittzehe returns home to take the female overall.  The first year Saint finishes in 22:02.  Norte Dame Regional HS stars Adam Raines (19:14) and Jacob Cieslewicz (20:00) finish third and fourth overall.

50-59 age groupers Ron Rosati and Lisa Dohogne remain perfect with another 100 points each as they plow through the Grand Prix competition.  The series heats up with the weather in July as two events (The Capaha Classic and Hoops for Life 3) are sure to shake out and shape up the standings.

--KBramlett

OVERALL AND AGE GROUP WINNERS
MALE OVERALL: Chris Loseman (16:12)			FEMALE OVERALL: Ashley Schmittzehe (22:02)
01-11	Nathan Phelps (24:14)		01-11
12-14	Aaron Bible (32:19)		12-14	Lily Schell (29:49)
15-18	Adam Raines (19:14)		15-18	Abby Pfaff (24:39)
19-29	Stephen Pobst (18:56)		19-29	Kate Wayman (23:24)
30-39	Matt Miller (21:10)		30-39	Jennifer Maroscher (23:23)
40-49	Paul Schell (20:02)		40-49	Kelly Potter (28:16)
50-59	Ron Rosati (21:25)		50-59	Lisa Dohogne (28:19)
60-69	Jackie Mosley (21:59)		60-69	Renee Brown (28:35)
70-99	Ron Ruminer (29:22)		70-99

Field of 68 hit the grass for the 2012 Cape Woods Extravaganza. (photo by Marcy Ambler)

Overall Winner: Chris Loseman. (photo by Marcy Ambler)

Second Place Overall: Former Sikestonian Stephen Pobst. (photo by Marcy Ambler)

Female Overall Winner Ashley Schmittzehe battles for posistion
with 50-59 Age Group Winner Ron Rosati. (photo by Marcy Ambler)

Friends Stephanie Blest, Kelly Hannenburger, and Kate Wayman sweep the Female 19-29 Age Group.
(photo from Kate Wayman)

2nd Annual Guatemala Missions 5K Run/Walk

Jackson, MO -- May 26, 2012 (Race photos available from Goddard Photography: http://www.goddardphotographyonline.com/p776453584)

80 runners and walkers converged at the St. Paul Church/School in Jackson, Missouri on May 26th for a great cause.  Guatemala Missions supports much needed activities and Cindy Drewett and her group of volunteers once again put together a nice course and race experience for all involved.

It was not hard to get warmed up prior to the race as the temperature was 76 degrees with the normal Missouri humidity rearing its head.  The out-and-back course gave the runners a nice downhill run to begin their 5K quest.  The course of rolling hills was challenging but not overly brutal and provided just enough of a variance to make things interesting from a racing aspect.

Overall Winners were Nicole Bolen and Kevin Hammes with times of 21:22 and 17:39 respectively. Ken Peters dominated the 60 and over age division with a solid time of 30:04. 

AGE GROUP WINNERS
Male: U15 1: Luke Wendel - 29:12 2: Wyatt Gerard - 31:18 3: Hunter Wendel - 36:49	Female: U16 1: Audra Steffens - 29:13 2: Maci Smith - 30:24 3: Bailey Steffens - 32:20
Male: 15-19 1: Riley Talbut - 17:50 2: Alex Bolen - 20:56 3: Luke Mueller - 27:51	Female : 16-19 1: Winter - 23:59 2: Abby Hartman - 27:50
Male: 20-29 1: Tyson Stoverink - 18:37 2: Joe Strauser - 25:17 3: Josh Barrett - 26:22	Female: 20-29 1: Valerie Drewett - 25:03 2: Megan Kessee - 27:54 3: Jessica Estes - 28:15
Male: 30-39 1: Lee Clinton - 24:38 2: Matt Steffens - 26:02 3: Lane Dynneson - 44:07	Female: 30-39 1: Lindsey Clinton - 21:30 2: Becky Bockelman - 27:05 3: Jamie Brothers - 30:48
Male 40-49 1: Blake Gerard - 22:10 2: Michael Keillor - 24:44 3: Matt Wendel - 36:50	Female: 40-49 1: Joan Mayberry - 26:30 2: Shari Smith - 30:28 3: Elainna Froemsdorf - 31:29
Male 50-59 1: Gary Laurentius - 26:50 2: Brad Schwab - 27:22 3: Gary Loos - 27:55	Female 50-59 1: Carol Winter - 42:27 2: Kathy Tuschhoff - 32:56
Male: 60 and up 1: Ken Peters - 30:04 2: Bill Burlison - 46:07	Female: 60 and up 1: Michal Burlison - No time provided

Photography was provided by Goddard Photography and Childcare was provided by the St. Paul Youth Group.  Thanks much to both for providing their services.  Overall, the course was well marked-out as well as accurate and the race director provided plenty of course support for the runners.  Overall winners received plaques and gift certificates to Missouri Running Company and age group winners received medallions.  I would recommend this race to others in the community.  Thanks to all who took their personal time to provide this event to the local running community.

--KHammes

2012 Overall winner Kevin Hammes



2012 Steamboat Triathlon

Cape Girardeau, MO -- April 29, 2012 (Results @ SplitMaster Timing: http://www.splitmastertiming.com/assets/Steamboat%20Tri%20Final%20Time%202.pdf )

April 29, 2012 was a beautiful Spring day and over 200 athletes of all abilities came together at the Cape Bubble for the Steamboat Triathlon, one of Cape's two annual multisport events.  The Steamboat Triathlon has a history of jumpstarting the outdoor triathlon season for many of the multisport athletes in the Cape Girardeau area.

Over 200 individuals and teams prepare for the start of the 2012 Steamboat Triathlon. (photo from Brigitte Kinnaman)

Race Director Patrick Watson did a great job organizing the event and, as with most outdoor activities, surprises come up at the last minute.  Downtown construction on Broadway Street forced a minor change to the run portion of the triathlon and the bike course was also altered from 2011.  Many athletes took advantage of the change in the biking course from last year and cranked out some incredible times on the 15.5 mile course. 

This race consists of a 450 meter swim in the Cape Bubble pool then moves outside for a 15.5 mile bike course and finishes off with a 5 mile run down and around the river area of Cape Girardeau.   OK.  Enough of the preliminary information.  Now for the race results.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Jay Orr............The amount of time it took to read his name was approx 1/2 of one second.  What?  Why does that matter?  Well, as Paul Harvey used to say, "And now for the rest of the story."

Jay Orr, who resides in the St. Louis, Missouri area, is a former collegiate distance runner and now a seasoned Master's multisport competitor.  He competes for the strong Swim,Bike,Run team in the St. Louis area. 

Most people who compete in the triathlon scene knows exactly who he is as he consistently finishes at/near the top of standings in his races.  Jay likes to compete in the Steamboat Triathlon.  I am not sure how many times he has competed but I do know it is at least 6 times.  Why?  Because he has been the runner-up at this event 5 times prior to this year.  He was back again in 2012 working to capture the elusive title of Overall Champion.  And this year he accomplished his goal.  And what a finish it was with Jay's elapsed time from start to finish an exceptional 1:16:56.9.  One half of one second back was Andrew Person of Kirkwood, MO with a chip-time elapsed time of 1:16:57.4.  Amazing!

Jay Orr makes a haul by adding awards for fastest bike and run split to his Overall win. (photo from Brigitte Kinnaman)

The women's overall title was also a good battle.  Jennifer Meyer of St. Louis, Missouri came in first with a time of 1:28:37 to edge out Cape Girardeau's "premier" lady triathlete Brigitte Kinnaman who posted an elapsed time of 1:29:41.  Both of these women finished in the top 20 overall finishers in this deep and talented field.

Overall Female: Jennifer Meyer. (photo from Jennifer Meyer)

Female Second Place Overall and top local female finisher Brigitte Kinnaman.

The top local male finisher from the Cape Girardeau area was Taylor Vaughan.  He finished 6th overall and first in his age group with a time of 1:22:50 and looks to be primed for another strong triathlon season in 2012.

6th Overall and top local male finisher Taylor Vaughan prepares to dismount as he heads
into the transition area to begin his run.

Overall Relay Team Winners: Team Hoops for Life -- Barbara Mueller (swim), Shannon Aldridge (bike),
and Kevin Hammes (run).

One half of one second.  Transition time adjustments, not slowing to take water at a water stop, one small hesitation prior to beginning another portion of a three event competition.  There are alot of ways to make up or lose one second.  Congratulations to Jay for finding the one additional second he needed to win the title.  Great job to him and the scores of other athletes who competed in the 2012 edition of the Steamboat Triathlon.  It was a great success.   The newly formed SEMO Tri Team of Cape Girardeau and the St. Louis based Swim/Bike/Run team both competed well as indicated by the many impressive individual times with many age-group winners from each respective team.

Top 20 Overall Finishers:  2012 Steamboat Triathlon

1. Jay Orr, St. Louis, MO  1:16:56.9
2. Andrew Person, Kirkwood, MO  1:16:57.4
3. Michael Ross, Paducah, KY   1:20:03
4. Elias Hunerdosse, La Harpe, IL  1:21:00
5. Kyle Ryan, Paducah, KY  1:22:33
6. Taylor Vaughan, Cape Girardeau, MO  1:22:50
7. Randy Murdick, Imperial, MO  1:23:52
8. Doug Havlin, St. Louis, MO  1:24:36
9. William Moore, Paducah, KY  1:25:22
10. Chris Beuer, Eureka, MO  1:26:06
11. Matthew Parris, St. Charles, MO  1:27:20
12. David Welker, Cape Girardeau, MO  1:27:59
13. Team Hoops For Life (Mueller-Aldridge-Hammes)  1:28:25
14. Ken Pettry, Ballwin, MO  1:28:32
15. Jennifer Meyer, St. Louis, MO  1:28:37
16. Jason Banderman, Cape Girardeau, MO  1:28:57
17. Steve Sterling, Paducah, KY  1:29:12
18. Dennis Kempf, Jackson, MO  1:29:15
19. Chris Martin, St. Louis, MO  1:29:19
20. Brigitte Kinnaman, Cape Girardeau, MO  1:29:41

---KHammes

34th Annual Dogwood-Azalea Festival 5K

Charleston, MO -- April 22, 2012 (Results @ Fleet Feet St. Louis: http://www.ffstl2.com/races/dogwood-azaela/2012-overall.htm )

A few passing showers to wet eveyone down and a little wind to cool everyone off.  Not enough to deter one of the largest turnouts (242 finishers) in years.  A different year and a larger field does little to change the overall result.  Bryan Kelpe once again is first to cross the finish line.  Bryan claims the top spot for the third time in four years with a 16:53, knocking 11 seconds off his 2011 time.  Denver, Colorado's Ashley Blanchard proves that training at altitude has its benefits as she is the class of the female field finishing in 22:13.  With Southeast Missouri's only certified 5K course, chip timing, and overall organization, Wayne and Debbie Corse, as always, deliver a first-class event.

--KBramlett

OVERALL AND AGE GROUP WINNERS
MALE OVERALL: Bryan Kelpe (16:53)			FEMALE OVERALL: Ashley Blanchard (22:13)
00-09	Nathan Phelps (23:10)		00-09	Ricki Vaughan (30:30)
10-14	Gavin Walls (21:01)		10-14	Sophia Sjogren (27:02)
15-19	Alex McCrite (18:59)		15-19	Taylor Duenne (25:52)
20-24	Cody Green (18:22)		20-24	Jessie Duenne (25:22)
25-29	Ryan Heaton (21:07)		25-29	Ashley Spencer (23:55)
30-34	Brandon Heath (21:55)		30-34	Laura Logan (24:06)
35-39	Jason Renaud (21:10)		35-39	Myra Gunn (22:41)
40-44	Barry Ladd (20:31)		40-44	Sherry Austin (27:38)
45-49	Steve Schmittzehe (19:55)		45-49	Melanie Fraga (23:49)
50-54	Kevin Bramlett (18:36)		50-54	Jeanie Asher (23:52)
55-59	Bill Bird (25:08)		55-59	Mary Jane Whitehead (30:31)
60-64	Wayne Corse (22:10)		60-64	Marilyn Bell (32:02)
65-69	William James (33:45)		65-69	Pam Donofrio (46:41)
70-79	Ron Ruminer (27:47)		70-79	Peggy Griggs (38:17)
80-99	Bill Burlison (43:21)		80-99

Overall Winner Bryan Kelpe. (A couple more wins and they may have to name the
overall award "The Bryan Kelpe Trophy.)

Illinois River to River Relay

Southern Illinois -- April 21, 2012 (Results @ Illinois River to River Relay: http://rrr.olm.net/results12.html)

In the realm of long-distance endurance races, the novelty of the Illinois River to River Relay is difficult to top.  Each year, over 300 teams of eight apply for 250 spots and the opportunity to race 80 miles across the southern tip of Illinois from the Mississippi to Ohio Rivers.  With nine major divisions and a dozen special divisions (including corporate, club, military, etc.), the event draws a diverse field of 2000 experienced, intermediate, and novice runners from across the country.

On race day, the teams gather at 6:15 a.m. on McGee Hill near Wolf Lake.  The first leg begins in thirty-minute waves.  Each runner will complete three legs consisting of distances between 2.5 and 4 miles.  The rolling course includes paved and unpaved roads, through rural areas, small towns, and Shawnee National Forest, finishing on the banks of the Ohio River in Golconda.  In between legs, many runners must pull double-duty by transporting teammates to and from the exchange areas. (Speaking of "double-duty", rumour is that Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s pit crew has nothing on Marcy Ambler when it comes to changing a flat.)

This year, the SEMO area is represented by three quality teams.  The "Has Beens" compete in the challenging Open Division.  The collection of former collegiate teammates and friends bring home an impressive second place overall award finishing just minutes off the winning pace with a time of 7 hours, 35 minutes and 25 seconds.

The Has Beens featuring Danny Stults, Chad Sierman, Mark McNamara, Adam Shupe, Brandon Karcher,
and Jared Tanz.  (Photo from Danny Stults)

The Missouri Running Company Masters, running in the Masters Division, also claim a second place spot.  The men finish with a time of 9 hours, 22 minutes, and 3 seconds.  The Cape Road Runners Womens Team also turns in a solid performance.  Their 10 hour, 49 minute, 32 second time places them in the middle of the overall pack and fourth in the Womens Division.

Missouri Running Company Masters: Ron Rosati, Bill Kutz, Doug Ambler, Gene Magnus,
Joe Windeknecht, Steve Schmittzee, Dwayne Hadler, and Glen Williams.  (Photo from Glen Williams) 

Cape Road Runners Womens: Sarah Eftink, Chell Jannin, Jessica Rosati, Myra Gunn,
Roxanne Magnus, Melanie Neeling, Marcy Ambler, and Brigitte Kinnaman.  (Photo from Glen Williams)

For a chance to throw your rock into the Ohio, area runners are encouraged to include The Illinois River to River Relay on their "bucket list".

-KBramlett

Missouri Runnning Company provides banners for Masters and Womens Team vans. (Photo from Brigitte Kinnaman)

3rd Annual Howard Aslinger Foundation 24/12 Endurance Run/Walk

Cape Girardeau, MO -- March 16 & 17, 2012 (Results @ Cape Road Runners:  http://www.caperoadrunners.org/Results/2012/aslinger.pdf )

Athletes from fifteen states began converging on Arena Park in Cape Girardeau the evening of March 16, 2102 for the 3^rd Annual Howard Aslinger Foundation Endurance Run.  This unique 24-hour endurance-event features a flat 0.98 mile loop offering both the experienced and novice runners the opportunity to test their limits.  Ultra-running enthusiast have started to take notice, as participation continues to grow, both in numbers and in quality, each year.  As a result, this weekend’s activities raise over $10,000 for the Foundation’s scholarship fund.

Runners choose to compete in either an overnight or daytime 12-hour event, or for the full 24-hours.  In addition, the 2012 Cape Road Runners Grand Prix Series continues with a Midnight 5K.  Unseasonably warm temperatures make for a pleasant, but at times foggy, overnight.  Lots of liquids and sunscreen are mandatory throughout the following day.

Phil Marra (48) from St. Louis rings up 110.44 miles to claim the overall win.  Karen Gall (51) from South St. Paul, MN is the top female with 97.05 miles.  Scott Winkler (49) of Murray, KY and Cape Girardeau’s Bryan Kelpe (34) both exceeded the century distance with 100.37 miles.

Jen Eichelberger (40) from Carbondale, IL bested the 12-hour field with 68.3 miles.  Another local, Jason Niswonger (38) of Jackson, posted the highest mileage of male runners with 63.98 miles.  A total of thirteen participants passed the 50 mile marker:

NAME	AGE	HOMETOWN	MILEAGE
Jen Eichelberger (F)	40	Carbondale, IL	68.30
Jason Niswonger (M)	38	Jackson, MO	63.98
Travis Johnson (M)	32	Scott City, MO	58.86
Mike Samuelson (M)	46	Lakeland, TN	58.06
Emmanuel Foster (F)	53	Republic, MO	57.23
Suzanne Kenyon (F)	46	St. Louis, MO	53.34
Tim Burke (M)	43	St. Louis, MO	52.95
Wayne Nelson (M)	45	Rochester, MN	51.45
Patricia King (F)	46	St. Peters, MO	50.20
Matt Miller (M)	35	Cape Girardeau, MO	50.18
Frank Dietiker (M)	38	Cape Girardeau, MO	50.18
Gene Magnus (M)	44	Cape Girardeau, MO	50.18
Renee Bull (F)	38	Carterville, IL	50.18

The Midnight 5K saw Oak Ridge cross country all-stater Ethan Seyer run away from the field of 97 to win the Male Open Division and overall with a time of 17:57.  Brigitte Kinnamon’s 20:31 PR is the standard for the Female Open Division.  Other division winners:

NAME	DIVISION	HOMETOWN	TIME
Steve Schmittzehe	Male 40-49	Cape Girardeau, MO	20:12
Marcy Ambler	Female 40-49	Cape Girardeau, MO	23:39
Ron Rosati	Male 50-59	Cape Girardeau, MO	21:53
Lisa Dohogne	Female 50-59	Cape Girardeau, MO	27:04
Mitch Gerber	Male 60-Over	Cape Girardeau, MO	23:55
Michal-Sue Burlison	Female 60-Over	Advance, MO	51:32

--KBramlett