Tri State
Hawkins repeats, Sober wins first GAR 15K title
Kevin Spradlin
Times-News Staff Writer
CUMBERLAND - After a good race, Jaron Hawkins usually will not analyze each
mile until a day or two later. If itıs a bad race, he will review his splits
immediately.
Hawkins can lay low today. The 25-year-old Frostburg resident cruised to his
second straight victory in the 27th annual Great Allegany Run 15K (9.3-mile)
run from Mount Savage to downtown Cumberland. After about a quarter of a
mile, the aspiring Marine Corps Marathon winner his goal race is Oct. 26
was out in front from the start. There wasnıt a single reason to look over
his shoulder.
Hawkins finished in 46 minutes and 58 seconds a pace of 5:03 per mile but
a full 70 seconds slower than last yearıs winning time. He led a field of
132 runners to the finish line, 12 more than last year. It was Hawkinsıs
eighth consecutive top 10 finish and third win overall. He also has two
runner-up finishes and two third-place efforts since 2001.
Jen Sober, 35, of McHenry, won the womenıs field in 61:59, a 6:40 pace, in
her first effort on the course and finished 18th overall. Sober said sheıd
been told before the start that the course was fast and it was difficult to
hold back from a fast first mile or two. She fell in line with most others
and went out in 6:09 significantly faster than her overall pace and her
slowest mile of the race.
Itıs so easy to go too fast at the start, Sober said, but added she was
more concerned about the strategy before the race than during it.
Sober said her training for the Savage Man Half-Iron Man Triathon last month
took some speed from her legs. Her short-term focus will include shorter
races to help reinstill the concept of leg turnover. Hawkins, meanwhile,
said his training is going in the opposite direction.
Itıs difficult, Hawkins said, to continue to push the body to exhaustion
without having a runner on his heels to require him to do so.
Itıs hard. Last year, I had (Virginian) Nick Gramsky lead me through the
first mile,Hawkins said. Knowing he was in the race and his credentials
I ran scaredı and was able to keep pushing the whole way. This year,
there was none of that. I kind of felt ... detached. Itıs very hard. Those
miles at the end start to get tough.
Hawkins went out fast his first miles were in 4:38, 4:44, 4:47, 4:54 and
5:03 but had no reason to work too hard for the win. Without aid of a
pacer or competition, his pace slowed to 5:06, 5:17, 5:18 and 5:25 (with
1:40 for the final 0.3 miles).
Hawkins said he has about 10 more days of hard training left before tapering
for the Marine Corps Marathon, in which he finished third in 2007. Hawkins
said he aimed to win last year but kept that goal to himself. This year
after the success of a personal best time of 2:25:34 heıs being a little
more open about his ambitions.
My goal for Marine Corps was to go down and fight for a win, Hawkins said
of the 2007 race. I think I told everyone (my goal was) top five. I put
myself in position to do that (win). Hopefully, I can make it happen this
time.²
Dennis Mickey, 43, of Ridgeley, W.Va., won the menıs masters title in 52:17
while Camille Blume, 47, of Cumberland, won the womenıs masters crown in
72:27. Grand Masters (over-50) division winners included Tom Ruckert, 56, of
Grantsville, in 57:56 and Patty Moulden, 55, of Mount Savage in 77:24.
Allegany High School sophomore Ian MacFawn, 15, of LaVale, overcame teammate
Luke Smith in the final 10 meters to win the 5K competition in downtown
Cumberland. They both finished with a clocking of 18:03 (5:49 pace), but the
edge went to MacFawn, a soccer player with superior speed.
Despite the runner-up finish, the result was a far better one for Smith, 14,
of Cumberland, compared to a high school meet he competed in on Tuesday. In
the Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference cross country championship meet
in Short Gap, W.Va., Smith finished a disappointing 25th in 19:58.
Fort Hill senior Amanda Twigg clocked a 19:50 (6:53 pace) to lead all female
finishers.
Complete results and race-day photos and video can be seen online at
www.tristaterunnur.com.
Kevin Spradlin can be reached at kspradlin@times-news.com.
Kevin Spradlin
Times-News Staff Writer
CUMBERLAND - After a good race, Jaron Hawkins usually will not analyze each
mile until a day or two later. If itıs a bad race, he will review his splits
immediately.
Hawkins can lay low today. The 25-year-old Frostburg resident cruised to his
second straight victory in the 27th annual Great Allegany Run 15K (9.3-mile)
run from Mount Savage to downtown Cumberland. After about a quarter of a
mile, the aspiring Marine Corps Marathon winner his goal race is Oct. 26
was out in front from the start. There wasnıt a single reason to look over
his shoulder.
Hawkins finished in 46 minutes and 58 seconds a pace of 5:03 per mile but
a full 70 seconds slower than last yearıs winning time. He led a field of
132 runners to the finish line, 12 more than last year. It was Hawkinsıs
eighth consecutive top 10 finish and third win overall. He also has two
runner-up finishes and two third-place efforts since 2001.
Jen Sober, 35, of McHenry, won the womenıs field in 61:59, a 6:40 pace, in
her first effort on the course and finished 18th overall. Sober said sheıd
been told before the start that the course was fast and it was difficult to
hold back from a fast first mile or two. She fell in line with most others
and went out in 6:09 significantly faster than her overall pace and her
slowest mile of the race.
Itıs so easy to go too fast at the start, Sober said, but added she was
more concerned about the strategy before the race than during it.
Sober said her training for the Savage Man Half-Iron Man Triathon last month
took some speed from her legs. Her short-term focus will include shorter
races to help reinstill the concept of leg turnover. Hawkins, meanwhile,
said his training is going in the opposite direction.
Itıs difficult, Hawkins said, to continue to push the body to exhaustion
without having a runner on his heels to require him to do so.
Itıs hard. Last year, I had (Virginian) Nick Gramsky lead me through the
first mile,Hawkins said. Knowing he was in the race and his credentials
I ran scaredı and was able to keep pushing the whole way. This year,
there was none of that. I kind of felt ... detached. Itıs very hard. Those
miles at the end start to get tough.
Hawkins went out fast his first miles were in 4:38, 4:44, 4:47, 4:54 and
5:03 but had no reason to work too hard for the win. Without aid of a
pacer or competition, his pace slowed to 5:06, 5:17, 5:18 and 5:25 (with
1:40 for the final 0.3 miles).
Hawkins said he has about 10 more days of hard training left before tapering
for the Marine Corps Marathon, in which he finished third in 2007. Hawkins
said he aimed to win last year but kept that goal to himself. This year
after the success of a personal best time of 2:25:34 heıs being a little
more open about his ambitions.
My goal for Marine Corps was to go down and fight for a win, Hawkins said
of the 2007 race. I think I told everyone (my goal was) top five. I put
myself in position to do that (win). Hopefully, I can make it happen this
time.²
Dennis Mickey, 43, of Ridgeley, W.Va., won the menıs masters title in 52:17
while Camille Blume, 47, of Cumberland, won the womenıs masters crown in
72:27. Grand Masters (over-50) division winners included Tom Ruckert, 56, of
Grantsville, in 57:56 and Patty Moulden, 55, of Mount Savage in 77:24.
Allegany High School sophomore Ian MacFawn, 15, of LaVale, overcame teammate
Luke Smith in the final 10 meters to win the 5K competition in downtown
Cumberland. They both finished with a clocking of 18:03 (5:49 pace), but the
edge went to MacFawn, a soccer player with superior speed.
Despite the runner-up finish, the result was a far better one for Smith, 14,
of Cumberland, compared to a high school meet he competed in on Tuesday. In
the Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference cross country championship meet
in Short Gap, W.Va., Smith finished a disappointing 25th in 19:58.
Fort Hill senior Amanda Twigg clocked a 19:50 (6:53 pace) to lead all female
finishers.
Complete results and race-day photos and video can be seen online at
www.tristaterunnur.com.
Kevin Spradlin can be reached at kspradlin@times-news.com.
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