And Charlotte's Runner of the Year is ...

... actually, I don't know yet. I can't decide on my own. I need your help.

Last year, Rebecca Thomason took the prize -- which is just "fame," unfortunately; I have no fortune to share -- while D.C. Luchessi and Jonathan Savage were honorable mentions (read about them here). This year? The jury's out.

So ... please point me in the right direction by submitting a nomination for 2010 Runner of the Year. It doesn't have to be someone who's fast. It doesn't have to be someone who runs a lot of races. The person simply needs to have a passion for running that is infectious, an unyielding dedication to the sport that makes others want to be better runners -- and better human beings. (The only requirement is that he/she reside in the greater Charlotte metropolitan area.)

I know you've got someone in mind. So shoot me an e-mail at tjanes@charlotteobserver.com.

Why was LKN Turkey Trot such a mess?

Last Thursday, I ran the Charlotte Southpark Turkey Trot 8K for the first time, after spending the previous two Thanksgiving mornings up in Huntersville at the Lake Norman Turkey Trot.

Sounds like I may have picked the right year to make the switch.

My 2008 and 2009 experiences in Lake Norman were positive. I ran my first 10K ever in '08, and then in '09, I ran the 5K with my daughter (who was doing her first 5K ever). The races were held on the Huntersville Business Park loop, and were great for runners who lived north of uptown and/or wanted something smaller than Southpark -- which attracted 8,000 participants this year.

For 2010, race director Zahid Buttar moved the event from the business park to Gold's Gym about five miles north, in Cornelius. Gold's was a new sponsor this year, and Buttar opted to make Gold's home base for the race.

The result, apparently, was a disaster. I've heard widespread complaints about the distances coming up very short, poorly marked courses, insane runner congestion, timing issues, unprepared volunteers, and on and on. One participant e-mailed me to declare it "the worst race in the world." The half-marathon winner, Tim Gruber, posted on my public Facebook page: "No one should run it next year, pathetic ... The most poorly organized race I have ever seen." Gruber was timed at 1:04:41, which would be just six minutes off the world record for that distance. (You can also read mounds of negative feedback on Active.com.)

Anyway, I was able to catch up with Buttar by e-mail today.

"This was a very difficult race for us, way different than our customary level of service," wrote Buttar, who is Orlando-based and is president and CEO of Epic Sports Marketing. "I have seen the vast majority of feedback and appreciate the opportunity to explain some stuff. (FYI we just finished a 3 hour meeting about the event.)"

Here is his point-by-point explanation of what happened:

1. Course - our course got changed 2 weeks prior to the event, we were forced to create a new course. We were misled about the size of some of the roads which caused a ton of congestion. Our solution is to modify the course for 2011, in all likelihood we won't be doing a half marathon unless we get 1 change we're looking for.
2. Food - we had nutella, bagles, bars, crossiants, oranges, electrolyte and water. The banana's at Costco and BJ's were green. We'd love to hear what NC runners like and we'll get it. They can email support@buttar.com to let us know.
3. Volunteers - we had 46 volunteers out there from the local schools. We were deficient in athletes helping out, we need athletes who are not running to step up and help.
4. Mile markers and turn arounds - we had both posted but it appears they were blocked by the mass of runners, our solution for next year is to have all mile markers and signage higher of the ground.
5. Set up - it was a zoo! We had a 50% increase in attendance from last year which stressed out packet pick up, registration and timing. There was no way to anticipate that kind of a rush, we ran out of alot of things. Our solution is to have 1 parking lot set up for the 5K and another lot set up for the 10K. No going into the gym for any reason.
6. Tshirts - this is always difficult. The process is we have to place the order by a specific day. So to help out we found a vendor in Huntersville and got the shirts from him. The cut off was 11/14 and when we made the order with 100% overrage. On Wed. during packet pickup we ordered another 200. We still ran out. Our solution for next year is to have the tshirts delivered on Monday, we'll sort them out on Tuesday so that all people who are guaranteed tshirts get theirs. We'll have extra but when they're gone, they're gone.
7. Awards - due to the number of athletes who showed up we didn't have all the athletes in the timing system until half way through the 10K finish! That delayed the results generation and I made the command decision to mail age group awards rather than give out the wrong awards. This is on our dime, not the athletes. Wed. of this week is when all the awards get mailed out.
8. Pacers - the pacer for the half marathon missed a turn. You can guess what happened then! Our solution is to have the pacers come 1 day early to do a dry run on the course so that mistake doesn't happen again.

Thoughts on the race? Or on the race director's explanation?

Run, walk, hike, bike, or swim for a cure

There are all kinds of worthy causes to support during the holiday season (and year-round). This is just one:

Laura King Edwards e-mailed me recently to tell me about her 12-year-old sister, Taylor King.

Taylor has run two 5Ks in the past two years -- the 2008 Jingle Jog and the 2009 Girls on the Run 5K -- despite the fact that she is completely blind and suffers from Batten disease, a fatal brain disorder.

"Her running prowess is just one of many examples of her inspiring courage and grit," says Laura. "As a runner myself, I wanted to find a way to translate the miles I accumulate into a happy ending for children like Taylor."

And so, Miles to a Miracle was born. This new campaign supports Taylor’s Tale, a nonprofit organization Laura and her family founded to help find a cure for Batten disease. To date, Taylor's Tale has raised about $250,000 for the search for a cure, Laura says.

Miles to a Miracle is an online portal integrated with our website and can be found here. People can support the search for a cure in a variety of ways, from running, walking, hiking, biking and/or swimming to other forms of aerobic exercise (10 minutes = 1 mile). You can also simply support the efforts of family members and friends.

The current goals, Laura says, are "to complete a virtual journey around the world for kids with Batten disease, and ... to raise $24,901, or one dollar for each of the 24,901 miles around the earth at the equator."

She adds: "Essentially a mini-Facebook site, Miles to a Miracle is also a fun way for people to network with other athletes/active people and share their own stories. Fundraising is encouraged but not required -- simply taking part in the fun and, by doing so, helping us spread the word about Batten is tremendous in itself!"

To register (or for more details), click here.

Great 1st (and last?) marathon for Bender

Charlotte's strong showing at major recent U.S. marathons continued last weekend with one of the strongest of the fall: Ryan Bender, a pharmacist for Carolinas Medical Center, finished third overall at Sunday's Philadelphia Marathon with a time of 2:25:10.

It was the 27-year-old's first-ever marathon, and he walked away with $1,000 in prize money for his efforts. Nearly 9,000 runners -- including 30 others from the Charlotte region -- completed the race on a perfect running day (mid-40s, and partly sunny).

Bender, who ran track and cross country for Duquesne University in Pittsburgh earlier this decade, called his first 26.2 "a very humbling experience."

"The first 23-24 miles went smoothly, but I definitely hit the proverbial 'wall' during the final two miles and my pace slowed significantly," says Bender, who went to Indiana High School in Indiana, Pa., and has been running for about 18 years. But, "I was hoping to run about 5:30 pace and finish in the 2:25 range, so I was satisfied with how everything went."

As for the prize money, he says it's "a nice bonus and will help cover the cost of the trip up to Philadelphia and entry fee, but my main goal was just to finish my first marathon and be satisfied with how I ran."

Bender has raced occasionally in Charlotte during 2010. Among his other highlights this year: He won the Lungstrong 15K in Lake Norman last month, in 48 minutes flat; and the Charlotte Racefest Half Marathon in April, in 1:09:48.

"I have spent many years running through high school and college, and this was the last distance I had yet to race," Bender says of the marathon. "Although running will always be a part of my life, the amount of training leading up to this race took a lot of time and sacrifice, so I do not plan on continuing at this level."

So no other marathons in the foreseeable future for Ryan Bender?

"No. ... I know that doesn't sound very exciting, but running has been such a high priority for a long time and I'm looking forward to switching my focus to something else. Getting up at 4:30 a.m. for morning runs and eating dinner at 9 p.m. gets old after awhile. My wife is a saint for putting up with all of the running!"

Here are the results for the other Charlotte runners who finished the Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday:

Caleb Boyd, 28, Charlotte, 3:04:13
Theodore Frank, 46, Charlotte, 3:09:17
Gene Faller, 40, Salisbury, 3:09:17
Brian Donehoo, 42, Mooresville, 3:15:17
Daniel Fulco, 40, Charlotte, 3:21:24
Darren Zino, 39, Mooresville, 3:22:33
Joe Schlereth, 60, Pineville, 3:27:57
Julie Hartenbach, 24, Charlotte, 3:37:02
Eric Carlson, 33, Charlotte, 3:38:36
Dusti Jensen, 27, Charlotte, 3:38:38
Megan Parkinson, 27, Charlotte, 3:49:28
Sean Scott, 29, Charlotte, 3:49:34
Hilary Boutwell, 40, Matthews, 3:49:52
Richard Coughlin, 36, Charlotte, 3:52:33
Rob Hussey, 42, Waxhaw, 3:53:42
Tiffany Sandstrom, 28, Huntersville, 3:54:12
Siobhan Grant, 27, Charlotte, 3:58:46
Kyle Horgan, 35, Lake Wylie, 4:05:02
Joseph Bousaba, 23, Charlotte, 4:13:30
Maria Packard, 36, Charlotte, 4:15:34
Adam Brown, 40, Charlotte, 4:16:25
Petr Slivka, 21, Hickory, 4:23:06
Wendy Hussey, 40, Waxhaw, 4:27:34
Arthur Scott, 51, Mount Holly, 4:30:43
Richard Holmes, 34, Charlotte, 4:33:07
James Sharrett, 48, Mint Hill, 4:33:20
Garrett Deacon, 46, Charlotte, 5:05:57
Joanna Dougherty, 36, Charlotte, 5:08:48
Angie Hicks, 35, Waxhaw, 5:13:41
Cassandra Hale, 22, Gastonia, 5:22:48

Charlotte Southpark Turkey Trot news

Did you have trouble registering for the hugely popular Thanksgiving Day event last night? You weren't the only one. The online registration process was not working from about 6 p.m. Monday to 9 this morning -- but the issue has been fixed.

Says co-race director Scott Dvorak: "Here's what has happened. The timing company was under the impression that online was going down yesterday at 6 p.m., when it was actually today at 6 p.m.. I wasn't able to reach them last night to discuss it, so unfortunately, it was down for about 13 hours. I've since gotten ahold of them and had them put it back up. It will be available until 6 p.m. tonight ... as advertised. Obviously, I'm not happy that the situation has occurred and I've done my best to rectify it."

Dvorak says anyone who registered on or before Nov. 17 will be able to pick up their packet today, Wednesday or race day, at Bojangles' of SouthPark, 6555 Morrison Blvd. (across from SouthPark Mall); those who registered on or after Nov. 18 will have to wait until Wednesday or race day to pick up their packet.

Co-organizer Neil Howard tells me about 6,000 people are registered for Thursday's event, and that there will be NO race-day registration.

And we're off to the races...

A look at what's on tap over the next couple of weeks (scroll to the bottom for the latest updates):

Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25

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Uwharrie Running Club's FREE Turkey Trot

What: 4.2-mile run.
When: 7 a.m.
Where: Start and finish at the YMCA Park, 427 N. First St., in Albemarle.
Cost: FREE.
Of note: The casual event started 7 years ago with about 10 runners. Last year, 168 participated. ... The first 100 runners who bring canned goods for Stanly County Christian Ministries get a free "Turkey Trot" T-shirt.

Lake Norman Turkey Trot

What: Three races -- a half marathon, a 10K and a 5K.
When: Half starts at 7:30 a.m., 10K at 8, 5K at 8:05.
Where: Gold's Gym, 20420 W. Catawba Ave., in Cornelius.
Cost: $40 for the half, $25 for the 10K and $20 for the 5K through Nov. 21.
Of note: This is a new location and course for the event, now in its fifth year. In the past, the races were held in the Huntersville Business Park. The new site puts home base for the race at Gold's Gym, which is sponsoring the event. One thing will stay the same, though: It's a loop course, with 5Kers doing it once, 10Kers going around twice, and half marathoners circling the course four times.
Race website: Click here.

Charlotte Southpark Turkey Trot

What: The main event is an 8K race, but there's also a 5K "walk," a 1-mile "fun run," and 26.2-yard "tot trot."
When: The 8K race starts at 9 a.m.
Where: The course starts and finishes next to SouthPark Mall.
Why: A portion of race proceeds goes to Partners for Parks and the Sharon United Methodist Church Youth Ministry.
Cost: $25 for the 8K if you register online before Nov. 18; $27 thereafter (or $28 if you mail in your entry).
Of note: This is the 22nd year for the holiday tradition. ... In 2009, there were a total of 6,215 participants -- 4,215 in the 8K, 1,657 in the 5K walk, 343 in the 1-mile run and 233 in the kids' tot trot. In the 8K, the top male was Christopher Estwani in 24:48, while then-12-year-old Alana Hadley was the first female with a time of 29:37. ... Although race-day registration for 2010 is listed on the website as being $40, organizers say they will probably not be able to take late or race-day registration due to popular demand.
Race website: Click here.

Saturday, Dec. 4

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Santa's Run for Hunger 5K

When: 9 a.m.
Where: The Millbridge Ruritan Building, 490 Sloan Road, in Mt. Ulla (midway between Salisbury and Mooresville).
Why: Proceeds will benefit Rowan Helping Ministries West.
Cost: $20 in advance, $25 on race day.
Of note: The course winds through rural countryside -- runners will only pass four houses and a dairy farm. ... All 5Kers will receive long-sleeve dri-fit race shirts. ... If you bring five canned goods, you will pay only $20 to register on race day. ... A half-mile fun run ($10) will be held at 9:45 a.m. ... Santa will be on hand for the event.
To register: Click here.

Saturday, Dec. 11

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Thunder Road Marathon

What: Full marathon, half marathon, and 5K races.
When: The half and full begin at 7:45 a.m.; the 5K starts at 8:15.
Where: Corner of North Tryon Street and East Fifth Street, in uptown Charlotte.
Why: The races benefit several local charities.
Cost: Entry fee structure is here.
Of note: In 2009, 1,411 runners completed the full, 3,002 finished the half, and 1,468 did the 5K.
Race website: Click here.

Saturday, Jan. 22

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Charlotte Running Company Trail Races

What: 4-, 9- and 13-mile trail races.
When: 9 a.m.
Where: The U.S. National Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, in Charlotte.
Why: Proceeds benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Cost: $25 for the 4-mile, $35 for the 9-mile and $45 for the 13-mile (goes up after Jan. 19 by $5). There's also a $5 on-site parking fee.
Of note: This is the second year for this event, which is now part of the Carolina Trail Run Series. ... According to the race website, "the majority of the course is a single track trail system in covered woods adjacent to the Whitewater Center." ... All pre-registered participants are guaranteed a long-sleeved race T-shirt. ... Hot chocolate and coffee will be served before the race; bagels, fruit and drinks will be served afterward.
Race website: Click here.

Details on the 2011 Palmetto200 Relay

Friends have told me that the Blue Ridge Relay Race -- a 208-mile team event that traverses the Blue Ridge and Black Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina -- is among the greatest running and bonding experiences they've ever had.

Registration for the fall event opens Dec. 1, but there's another opportunity to grab a bunch of friends for a similar experience in the springtime:

The Palmetto200 Relay is an endurance running relay event where teams of up to 12 people run 200 miles, broken up into 36 legs, from Columbia to Charleston, S.C. The race will be held April 8-9.

Co-organizer Brian Malak says "runners get to experience some of the most beautiful and historic scenery South Carolina has to offer, from the rolling hills in the midlands, to the coastal marshes and beaches of the low country, to historic downtown Charleston."

Last year, 37 teams competed in the inaugural Palmetto200. The winner? Team Crazy Legs, an six-man ultra team from Charlotte that finished in 25 hours and 35 minutes (average pace of 7:37 for the 201-mile course).

More information about the race can be found here. Registration is now open here. Cost is $800 for teams of 7-12 prior to Feb. 1 ($400 for teams of six or less); thereafter, fees are $1,000 for a full team and $500 for an ultra team. Sign-up deadline is March 10.

How Charlotte-area runners fared at OBX

Most runners don't have what it takes to run one sub-2:42 marathon in a lifetime. Charlotte's Bill Shires has now run TWO in the past six weeks.

Shires, 45, one of the top Masters runners in the area, followed up a 2:40:02 at the Twin Cities Marathon on Oct. 3 with a 2:41:35 at the OBX Marathon on Sunday. He finished seventh overall out of 1,661 finishers, and was the fastest 40-or-older racer by almost six minutes.

"I was expecting some really tough competition from Ulf Andre and Tommy Neeson. Both are very good Masters runners," said Shires (shown at left in a file photo -- i.e. not at OBX). "Ulf and I ran pretty much stride for stride until about 15 miles, where I got away from him at a water stop. For the next 11 miles, I was trying to keep the wheels from coming off the car." Andre, 43, of Hillsboro, finished in 2:47:25 and Neeson, 41, of Virginia Beach, ran a 2:48:58.

In between Twin Cities and OBX, Shires also ran a 10-mile race and a 5-mile race; with Sunday's finish, he was crowned the top Masters runner in the state by USA Track & Field for 2010 (third overall for the year) as well as 2010 Masters champion for the N.C. chapter of the Road Runners Club of America.

Here are results for the 77 other Charlotte-area runners who completed 26.2 in the Outer Banks last weekend:

Kody Kubbs, 25, Charlotte, 3:11:39
Chris McFarlane, 27, Charlotte, 3:14:14
Andrew Dolan, 23, Cornelius, 3:20:35
Brandon Hillis, 30, Cornelius, 3:22:54
Mike Adams, 46, Wingate, 3:25:46
Mike Dlugos, 27, Charlotte, 3:30:58
Richard Belcourt, 52, Waxhaw, 3:34:50
Eric Anderson, 29, Charlotte, 3:38:58
Steven Franco, 37, Denver, 3:40:12
Fred Bryan, 43, Salisbury, 3:42:26
Gerald Hutchinson, 50, Charlotte, 3:43:23
Steve Eaton, 38, Hickory, 3:44:06
Elijah Lackey, 22, Hickory, 3:47:31
Elizabeth Maner, 46, Charlotte, 3:48:24
Joe Haines, 39, Hickory, 3:48:28
Brett Morris, 29, Cornelius, 3:50:01
Jason Balara, 35, Charlotte, 3:50:43
Vincent Pastore, 55, Mooresville, 3:51:25
Brian Smith, 39, Concord, 3:51:30
Matthew Andrews, 29, Charlotte, 3:53:18
Chad Baril, 32, Charlotte, 3:54:36
Chris Lariscy, 45, Hickory, 3:58:30
Kate Watts, 29, Charlotte, 3:58:31
Jaclyn Shell, 30, Charlotte, 3:58:35
Trish Kawa, 32, Charlotte, 3:59:03
Victoria Shannon, 37, Charlotte, 3:59:56
Marie Duty, 35, Charlotte, 3:59:56
Nick Brazee, 27, Kannapolis, 4:01:24
Matthew Tansky, 32, Huntersville, 4:01:45
Michelle Vanvliet, 19, Troutman, 4:01:45
Clark Loftin, 28, Denver, 4:02:36
Michael Furr, 38, Albemarle, 4:03:17
Earl Waddell Jr., 40, Huntersville, 4:03:17
Becky Philo, 39, Charlotte, 4:04:00
Tony Philo, 41, Charlotte, 4:04:01
Randy Peterson, 36, Charlotte, 4:05:16
Jade Laughlin, 27, Charlotte, 4:08:19
Mandy Franco, 35, Denver, 4:09:54
Jason Stonestreet, 28, Albemarle, 4:14:42
Trisha Proper, 39, Salisbury, 4:22:00
Kelly Bankston, 38, Charlotte, 4:24:26
Leah Grace, 33, Charlotte, 4:24:27
Steve Grace, 35, Charlotte, 4:24:28
Kai Linn, 32, Charlotte, 4:24:40
Amy McClelion, 36, Salisbury, 4:25:37
Marty Coulter, 37, Hickory, 4:28:54
John Teague, 50, Charlotte, 4:34:31
Ashley Widis, 36, Charlotte, 4:37:14
Marie Phillips, 28, Charlotte, 4:38:31
Tony Swegle, 28, Charlotte, 4:38:31
Brook Kempisty, 26, Indian Trail, 4:40:51
Michael Schulman, 24, Charlotte, 4:41:31
Tom Schumacher, 70, Matthews, 4:42:09
Jay Eckman, 35, Albemarle, 4:43:23
Eric Rysdon, 39, Charlotte, 4:43:39
Laura Rysdon, 38, Charlotte, 4:43:40
Chad Evans, 34, Albemarle, 4:44:32
Michelle Osbourne, 28, Albemarle, 4:45:47
Robert Stonestreet, 60, Albemarle, 4:46:34
Dirk Wuensche, 42, Tega Cay, 4:46:41
Cate Sheehy, 29, Charlotte, 4:53:06
Josh Houser, 23, Hickory, 4:53:35
Charlotte Walsh, 21, Hickory, 4:53:35
Ty Hitt, 39, Charlotte, 4:55:46
Randall Bullard, 34, Charlotte, 4:56:20
Stephanie Yewcic, 46, Huntersville, 4:59:46
Michael Utsman, 38, Charlotte, 5:04:23
Betsy Furr, 37, Albemarle, 5:12:26
Gregory Gilchrist, 49, Monroe, 5:23:52
Blake Lowder, 24, Charlotte, 5:32:37
Jeffrey Benfield, 52, Troutman, 5:32:47
Dawn Lazarony, 41, Charlotte, 5:33:35
Heather Gerheart, 29, Charlotte, 5:50:05
Sabrina Piercy, 34, Charlotte, 5:57:36
Steven Helmandollar, 37, Albemarle, 6:11:41
Julie Farragher, 36, Charlotte, 6:27:57
Julie Chaffin, 39, Indian Trail, 7:16:24

Charlotte has a great day in Richmond

Local runners continued to make an impact on major fall marathons over the weekend, as Charlotteans filled four of the Top 21 spots on the leaderboard at Saturday's SunTrust Richmond Marathon.

The top area finisher was Paul Mainwaring, 36, who ran a personal best of 2:35:10 about 11 months after finishing third overall at the Thunder Road Marathon in 2:38:16. He was seventh overall at Richmond, which boasted a much deeper field than Charlotte's event.

Paul provided a quick recap of his race in an e-mail to me this morning:

"I went through the half in 1:17:24, so I was right on schedule. ... As we hit the bridge back into the city at Mile 16-17, it started to become a bit of a grind. I was still hitting sub-six-minute miles, but having to work a bit harder. However, the crowd support here was great as we headed back through the city, and I was reeling in the odd runner, too, so was able to keep on pace.

"The last five miles are flat and fast. I was hoping to turn on the burners at this point, but it became more of a question of getting to the finish on pace rather than picking it up. I was relieved to finish right around my goal time."

Paul added that he would highly recommend the Richmond Marathon, noting a "great" course layout and "excellent" crowd support. He also wanted to give a few shout-outs:

"Special thanks to my coach, Tim Budic, who plans my training and advises me on race tactics. He is always spot on with his advice and his guidance was a huge part of my success in this race. Also to the Charlotte Running Club. Too many people to mention individually, but whether it be for support during workouts or company on long runs or recovery days, I can always count on being to able to find some awesome people to run with. Finally, to my family, which has to put up with me while I'm doing all my training!"

Three other Charlotte Running Club members finished under three hours: 27-year-old Jay Holder (2:40:28), 37-year-old Aaron Linz (2:41:32) and 29-year-old Alejandro Arreola (2:47:16). The area's top female finisher was Fort Mill resident Terri Marshall, 47, who ran a 3:24:41.

Here are the results for 65 other locals who finished the Richmond Marathon on Saturday:

Tom Ricks, 36, Charlotte, 3:04:41
Edward Morse, 47, Concord, 3:14:50
Patrick Joseph, 22, Cornelius, 3:18:41
Michael McWhirter, 28, Gastonia, 3:19:55
Rasmus Pedersen, 35, Charlotte, 3:22:47
Philip Ciccarello, 27, Charlotte, 3:23:18
Bryan Hurley, 42, Concord, 3:24:50
Naim Bouhussein, 47, Davidson, 3:24:52
Tim Gannon, 39, Charlotte, 3:28:44
Diane Lancaster, 45, Waxhaw, 3:31:50
Beth Pierpont, 46, Charlotte, 3:33:04
Brenda Morris, 37, Matthews, 3:34:47
Mark Ulrich, 37, Charlotte, 3:35:08
Jaclyn John, 33, Charlotte, 3:35:57
Brian Trotter, 36, Gastonia, 3:36:21
Judy McCarter, 43, Huntersville, 3:37:16
David Whitehead, 57, Salisbury, 3:39:26
Glenn Duffy, 47, Charlotte, 3:42:09
Aprille Shaffer, 52, Charlotte, 3:42:46
Amy Hannon, 39, Charlotte, 3:43:10
Jenna Drury, 37, Charlotte, 3:47:24
Wesley Wetmore, 37, Charlotte, 3:57:09
Brad Lower, 44, Fort Mill, 3:57:36
Charles O'Dell, 46, Charlotte, 3:57:46
Peter Steelman, 46, Charlotte, 3:58:36
Denise Burkard, 46, Charlotte, 4:01:45
Emma Evitts, 27, Charlotte, 4:04:23
Nicolae Turcanu, 40, Hickory, 4:05:38
Denise Hauser, 28, Charlotte, 4:05:39
Celeste Bailey, 36, Charlotte, 4:05:55
Cathy Lankford, 36, Charlotte, 4:06:27
Shelly Lee, 38, Charlotte, 4:09:21
Andy Brincefield, 36, Charlotte, 4:12:39
Scott Helms, 40, Charlotte, 4:12:49
David Gresty, 45, Mooresville, 4:13:48
Bryan Saldarini, 29, Huntersville, 4:13:49
Kendall Calvin, 43, Concord, 4:16:12
Kathy McRae, 48, Charlotte, 4:16:17
Denise Derkowski, 45, Charlotte, 4:16:38
Janet Morse, 43, Concord, 4:16:38
Holly Townsend, 40, Charlotte, 4:16:39
Kimberly Ward, 45, Waxhaw, 4:17:35
Randy Adams, 56, Gastonia, 4:17:36
Michelle Olaya, 33, Charlotte, 4:18:33
Paul Simica, 46, Huntersville, 4:18:36
Christopher Iacubucci, 24, Pineville, 4:22:14
April Caya, 30, Concord, 4:22:54
Laura Calvin, 35, Concord, 4:25:13
Cam Selvey, 41, Harrisburg, 4:30:05
Peyton Jensen, 34, Huntersville, 4:32:20
Michael Reimels, 35, Huntersville, 4:36:29
Trish Sexton, 37, Fort Mill, 4:37:50
Jenny Carlson, 32, Charlotte, 4:41:50
Elizabeth Wetmore, 37, Charlotte, 4:45:26
Michael Wilson, 27, Gastonia, 4:48:56
Jane LaVenture, 39, Matthews, 4:49:58
Carie Kahn, 43, Hickory, 4:51:51
Kathleen Belfiore, 49, Mount Holly, 4:54:53
Brian Robinson, 30, Huntersville, 4:55:42
Diane Coffin, 34, Charlotte, 5:00:44
Mitch Barnes, 52, Charlotte, 5:06:36
Norma McKee, 42, Gastonia, 5:10:39
Meg Meaher, 32, Charlotte, 5:29:08
Paul Linden, 53, Gastonia, 5:38:09
Heather Snavely, 39, Fort Mill, 5:49:25

Let Me Run caps its Fall 2010 season

Lori Klingman, vice president of Charlotte's Let Me Run, asked me to share with you her thoughts regarding the boys' organization's fall season.

Led by Klingman and LMR president Ashley Armistead, Let Me Run has grown steadily into a program that this fall reached 31 schools, a range of public, private and parochial institutions.

The six-week programs combine training for a 5K with lessons "focused on increasing self-acceptance and building healthy relationships." The most recent fourth-grade lesson plan, for instance, included topics ranging from "How to be competitive without putting the competition down" to "Real men show their feelings"; in fifth grade, there were lessons on energy, electrolytes and vitamins as well as sessions on drug awareness. There was also a similar middle-school curriculum.

Here's Lori Klingman's report:

Our fall season came to a screeching halt on Saturday, Nov. 6, with more than 130 boys participating in the Dowd YMCA 5K. Most of the boys also brought a parent, best buddy, or sibling so Let Me Run established quite a presence at the race.

The mood was jubilant, and the boys were all so excited to have "their" moment.... their time to shine. To see those sweaty faces when they cross that finish line will send chills down anyone's spine. I truly felt like my heart would burst.

I knew all those little knobby-kneed legs were shaking at the start line with anticipation. I know, too, that they were shaking at the finish line but for a different reason! How about that uphill finish?? Every boy that I spoke with made a comment about it. Some of the parents did as well, but I can't use those words here! :)

To fully recount this season, I would like to list the Top 10 things that were learned by boys, coaches, LMR staff and parents.

10. Rainy-day indoor practices can be a whole lot of fun.
9. Speed is something, but heart is everything.
8. New shoes will not make you faster, but it is nice to look good.
7. Boys are not non-communicative. Sometimes you just need to ask or open up a discussion.
6. Relay races are a great way to break up a three-mile practice run. Maybe adults should try it, too.
5. Birthday cake as a snack at practice is just fine. Calories are being burned by the second and everybody needs to celebrate sometime.
4. Never kid a kidder. If you are inauthentic, these boys will spot it from a mile away. Be real!
3. After two practices, camaraderie is established and a true team is formed.
2. Children smile when they run. Grown-ups grimace.
1. You will never, ever, ever be sorry that you crossed a finish line, so always push forward!

Words cannot express the gratitude that the LMR board and staff has for our many volunteers. Our volunteers are energetic, kind and generous.

I know that some used their own resources for snacks. I know that some coaches drove quite a distance to their respective school. I know that some coaches rescheduled work meetings and appointments. I know that ALL coaches made this season possible!!

We appreciate every single one of you and hope to see you in the spring. Don't worry. We will track you down..... :)

For more on Let Me Run, click here.

Run a very hilly 26.2 (for free, perhaps)

If you're tired of running "ordinary" marathons, if you'd prefer a rigorous test of fitness and magnificent mountain views, the National College Blue Ridge Marathon on the parkway may be just the race you're looking for.

This event, now in its second year, will start and finish in downtown Roanoke, Va. (about three hours north of Charlotte) on Saturday, April 16, 2011. The course boasts 3,620 feet of total elevation gain and 7,234 feet of total elevation change and has been dubbed "America's Toughest Road Marathon"; for comparison's sake, the rigorous Grandfather Mountain Marathon -- a point-to-point race -- has 2,884 feet of climbing and 1,847 feet of downhill.

For more on this unique spring marathon, watch this video:

Registration for the Blue Ridge Marathon is currently $80 through the end of the year. There's also a half-marathon that is now $65 to enter. Proceeds from the race will go to Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

For the second year in a row, readers of this blog can enter to win one free Blue Ridge Marathon registration courtesy of the Roanoke Regional Partnership. Just e-mail me at tjanes@charlotteobserver.com and explain in 50 words or less why a challenge like this appeals to you. Please put "Blue Ridge Marathon" in the subject line, and be sure to include your name, age, city of residence. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19. Good luck!

Thunder Road seeking volunteer help

If you're not running the Charlotte marathon on Saturday, Dec. 11, this is your chance to help out:

The Charlotte Track and Triathlon Club is working with the Thunder Road Marathon to provide 20 volunteers who will help set up the finish-line corral and the post-race water/recovery drink and food areas, and later help runners as they finish (e.g. by retrieving timing chips, offering heat blankets, awarding medals, or assisting with food and beverages). Volunteers also will be responsible for keeping the area clean.

If you're interested in helping out, contact Lana at piggytork@carolina.rr.com.

PLANNING TO RUN THUNDER ROAD?

Anyone could look at the Thunder Road Marathon map and go run the course between now and race day on Dec. 11.

But here's a way to get to know the route that also doubles as a way to get to know some other local Thunder Roadies: This month, Run For Your Life will lead a pair of group runs that cover the first and second halves of the course, over two weekends. A $15 registration fee covers both sessions, and it becomes a better deal when you consider RFYL will throw in a technical T-shirt and provide water along the way.

The first half of the course will be previewed this Saturday, and the second-half sneak peek is Saturday, Nov. 20. Runners will meet at 6:30 a.m. at the Dowd YMCA (400 E. Morehead St., on the edge of uptown), and begin running at 7.

Click here to register, or e-mail Dexter Pepperman at dexter@runforyourlife.com if you have questions.

2 students run 12 miles to fight cancer

From David Long at Cannon School in Concord:

Two Huntersville teenagers had an idea to help fight cancer and decided to run with it.

Stephanie Schauder and Tim Gruber will join friends and supporters on Friday, Nov. 12, in running 12 miles from Presbyterian Hospital in Huntersville to Cannon School in Concord, where both are students, to raise $12,000 for Relay for Life of Mooresville/Lake Norman.

Stephanie has supported Relay for Life since her father was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer two years ago. Her father passed away last January.

“During this difficult time, I began to see how many people were affected by this disease,” said Stephanie. “I knew I needed to do something to help other cancer patients and their families.”

She started her own Relay for Life team at Cannon School, Cougars Fighting Cancer, to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Last year, the 25-member team raised nearly $7,000.

Last summer, as Stephanie considered ways to meet her $12,000 fundraising goal, her friend Tim proposed that they run from their homes in Huntersville to Cannon School as a fundraiser for Relay for Life. The idea grew from there, and they are now planning the run, dubbed Cannon Runs for Cancer Research, with officials from event sponsors Cannon School and Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville.

Stephanie, Tim and friends will start running at 11 a.m. at Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville, which is a short distance from their homes. The run is open to anyone who would like to participate and there will be several pick-up points along the route until Stephanie and Tim arrive at Cannon School at 1 p.m.

Participants may:

• Run from Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville to Cannon School in Concord, a distance of 12 miles
• Run five miles to Cannon School, joining 12-mile runners at the Harris Teeter at Poplar Tent Road and Harris Road in Huntersville
• Run a 5k on Cannon School’s campus
• Take part in a fun run/walk at Cannon School

The number of runners joining Stephanie and Tim will grow until all participants gather to run up the driveway of Cannon School together.

Cannon Head of School Matt Gossage and Tanya Blackmon, president of Presbyterian Hospital Huntersville, will kick-off the event. Dave Wottle, a gold medal runner from the 1972 Summer Olympics, is the keynote speaker. He is dean of admissions and financial aid at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn.

Registration for the event is $20, which includes a long-sleeve T-shirt. An event schedule and registration details can be found here. People can donate here.

Locals shine at the Marine Corps Marathon

Great news from Washington, D.C.: Charlotte's Alice Rogers ran a 2:51:14 at the Marine Corps Marathon Sunday to land a spot on the leaderboard as the fifth overall woman out of 8,671 female finishers.

The 32-year-old, a graduate of Myers Park High and UNC-Charlotte, placed 82nd overall out of nearly 22,000 total finishers. She hit the half at a blistering 1:22:47 and averaged a 6:33 pace over the full 26.2. This was Alice's third marathon; she ran a 3:14:28 at Thunder Road last December.

In an e-mail to me this morning, she wrote: "I felt great for 16 miles, PR'd at the half. When I passed a Kenyan, I realized I was probably going a little too fast and was going to feel some pain! And sure enough, the last 10 miles were tough. But great crowd support, and when you have Marines screaming at you -- 'You can do it, ma'am! Go!' -- it's hard not to try your best."

Other top performances by Charlotte runners: Meghan Fillnow, 27, posted a 3:03:56 and was the 17th overall woman; Michelle Hazelton, 26, finished right behind her, in 3:04:17. Alice, Meghan and Michelle are all members of the Charlotte Running Club.

Here are official finish times for the 233 greater Charlotte-area runners who completed Sunday morning's race. (For the searchable results database, click here.)

Dave Knavel, 25, Charlotte, 3:12:58
J Nicholson, 41, Charlotte, 3:16:29
Dalena Custer, 28, Charlotte, 3:17:55
Richard Heinrich, 48, Mooresville, 3:20:41
Michael Nalevaiko, 46, Charlotte, 3:23:52
Eric Orozco, 38, Charlotte, 3:24:03
Stase Vonsiatsky, 31, Charlotte, 3:25:44
Randy Cockerham, 57, Charlotte, 3:27:19
Douglas Ellison, 53, Charlotte, 3:28:19
Bucky Cline, 62, Salisbury, 3:28:41
Jeffrey Carwile, 37, Charlotte, 3:28:47
Bill Moran, 44, Waxhaw, 3:29:37
Jason Weathers, 32, Charlotte, 3:31:00
Brad Wickard, 31, Cornelius, 3:31:28
Lisa Mulvey, 24, Charlotte, 3:32:04
Joe Schlereth, 60, Pineville, 3:32:04
Shaun Tooley, 32, Fort Mill, 3:33:56
Will Hayes, 32, Charlotte, 3:34:22
Whitney Hetzel, 43, Weddington, 3:34:23
Joe Tindale, 31, Rock Hill, 3:37:47
Tru Filyaw, 36, Charlotte, 3:38:25
Douglas Grant, 34, Huntersville, 3:39:24
Kristen McConkey, 40, Waxhaw, 3:41:16
Allison Rooney, 40, Gastonia, 3:41:30
Charles Lee, 49, Charlotte, 3:45:46
Laura Oberbauer, 37, Charlotte, 3:45:47
Ryan Huff, 26, Charlotte, 3:46:54
Ben Redman, 35, Charlotte, 3:47:12
John Leader, 57, Charlotte, 3:51:05
Ashley Armistead, 41, Charlotte, 3:53:32
Janie Cook, 44, Charlotte, 3:53:48
Meredith Henderson, 28, Charlotte, 3:54:24
Julie Miller, 24, Gastonia, 3:55:24
Lori Klingman, 37, Charlotte, 3:59:40
Emily Brown, 26, Charlotte, 3:59:46
Cathy Bortz, 48, Charlotte, 4:00:55
Deniele Carwile, 33, Charlotte, 4:00:59
Danny Devries, 43, Charlotte, 4:01:13
Melisa Sorenson, 27, Troutman, 4:01:16
Matthew Reinhard, 40, Charlotte, 4:01:39
Michael Linnert, 40, Charlotte, 4:01:45
Shawn Panther, 36, Charlotte, 4:02:21
Chris Payne, 33, Waxhaw, 4:02:46
Dena Jordan, 35, Charlotte, 4:02:59
Sara Dumond, 38, Charlotte, 4:03:34
Jeff Waterhouse, 48, Huntersville, 4:03:37
Rian Schill, 36, Charlotte, 4:04:17
Karen Bryan, 49, Charlotte, 4:04:46
Mark Gibbons, 49, Huntersville, 4:05:55
Mark Robeson, 39, Charlotte, 4:08:29
Scott Jones, 35, Charlotte, 4:09:31
Ryan Watson, 30, Charlotte, 4:09:36
David Meigs, 25, Charlotte, 4:10:28
Melissa MacIver, 39, Charlotte, 4:11:31
Bevin Jett, 48, Charlotte, 4:13:28
Devitt Rogers, 53, Charlotte, 4:13:29
David Brown, 42, Belmont, 4:13:41
Scott Bortz, 46, Charlotte, 4:15:35
James Nebus, 58, Charlotte, 4:15:43
Jonah Smith, 31, Fort Mill, 4:16:19
Terry McCabe, 50, Charlotte, 4:16:48
Justin Mohl, 33, Charlotte, 4:17:00
Chris Sadler, 36, Charlotte, 4:17:49
Winn Elliott, 42, Charlotte, 4:18:26
Kathy Lee, 47, Charlotte, 4:18:41
Jim Bales, 44, Charlotte, 4:19:06
Jennifer DeCurtins, 27, Charlotte, 4:19:08
John Lewis, 42, Charlotte, 4:19:31
Bridget Lewis, 41, Charlotte, 4:19:33
Erica Muschamp, 25, Charlotte, 4:19:51
William Talford, 38, Rock Hill, 4:19:59
Lisa Helms, 37, Monroe, 4:20:58
Bruce Hui, 61, Mooresville, 4:21:39
Eric Plott, 49, Charlotte, 4:23:01
Paul Garberina, 41, Charlotte, 4:23:02
Ryan Klar, 35, Charlotte, 4:23:24
Matthew Sandness, 30, Huntersville, 4:24:16
Charles Gallman, 45, Gastonia, 4:24:53
Carol Amrani, 39, Hickory, 4:25:04
Elizandra Pierre, 31, Charlotte, 4:25:09
Marty Baker, 44, Charlotte, 4:25:10
Jose Borbor, 35, Charlotte, 4:25:15
Dustin Wilson, 32, Concord, 4:25:56
Gregory Yeager, 46, Salisbury, 4:26:39
Mike McGlinchey, 59, Charlotte, 4:27:07
Matt Rollins, 42, Charlotte, 4:27:22
Tim Vanderkamp, 37, Charlotte, 4:28:05
Brian Woods, 30, Charlotte, 4:28:51
Adam Berusch, 46, Charlotte, 4:29:18
Thomas Baysinger, 32, Charlotte, 4:31:20
Vail Carter, 58, Charlotte, 4:32:04
Cindy Rosenthal, 49, Matthews, 4:32:12
Charles Jacobs, 28, Charlotte, 4:32:42
Darren Gilbert, 40, Charlotte, 4:32:54
Steven Sanford, 46, Charlotte, 4:33:02
Greg Davis, 37, Charlotte, 4:33:52
Geoff Hickman, 38, Charlotte, 4:34:26
Emily Barrett, 29, Charlotte, 4:34:54
Trevor Hehn, 24, Huntersville, 4:35:59
Amheric Hall, 45, Charlotte, 4:36:29
Brooke Dunlap, 32, Huntersville, 4:37:45
Michael Benjamin, 20, Waxhaw, 4:38:09
Michael Griffin, 41, Charlotte, 4:38:34
Stephen Mendoza, 41, Charlotte, 4:38:59
Sunshine Padilla, 34, Hickory, 4:39:15
Brian Adams, 44, Cornelius, 4:39:51
Frank Schall, 27, Charlotte, 4:41:10
Vicki Scott, 50, Mooresville, 4:41:16
Mark Grubich, 41, Waxhaw, 4:41:46
Mark Huntley, 30, Charlotte, 4:42:24
Holly Davis, 30, Charlotte, 4:44:19
Erin Burns, 32, Charlotte, 4:45:53
Michael Lash, 18, Matthews, 4:46:35
Christopher Mann, 31, Charlotte, 4:47:26
Brett Ferguson, 53, Cornelius, 4:47:32
Melissa Oyler, 32, Waxhaw, 4:47:45
Tanner Bacon, 28, Charlotte, 4:48:13
Matthew Houchins, 20, Charlotte, 4:48:30
Ben Baker, 26, Mooresville, 4:49:05
Jamie Laymon, 35, Rock Hill, 4:49:48
Michael Dennis, 31, Charlotte, 4:50:28
Samuel Carrara, 34, Charlotte, 4:50:31
Molly Almquist, 27, Charlotte, 4:50:43
Michael Fink, 37, Cornelius, 4:50:53
Emily Harris, 35, Charlotte, 4:51:33
Joshua Baker, 30, Concord, 4:51:50
Ravi Loganathan, 42, Charlotte, 4:52:24
Colleen Sands, 20, Charlotte, 4:52:28
James Sands, 52, Charlotte, 4:52:28
Danielle Angell, 36, Davidson, 4:52:55
Michael Angell, 43, Davidson, 4:52:56
Rob Chen, 42, Huntersville, 4:53:06
Staci Sanders, 39, Charlotte, 4:53:23
Patrick Harder, 46, Charlotte, 4:53:31
Adriana Santolla, 21, Fort Mill, 4:54:21
Andrew Bayuk, 43, Indian Trail, 4:54:54
Calogera Becker, 49, Fort Mill, 4:55:11
Jeff Dyke, 43, Charlotte, 4:55:21
Heidi Limbrunner, 34, Fort Mill, 4:56:21
Monica Johnson, 36, Charlotte, 4:56:36
Kristin Rogentinelee, 43, Charlotte, 4:56:36
Sarah Stamper, 29, Charlotte, 4:56:36
Allen Holloway, 36, Charlotte, 4:57:49
Colleen Steele, 41, Charlotte, 4:58:00
Ashley Cannon, 37, Davidson, 4:58:24
Henrik Ernst, 29, Charlotte, 4:59:37
Arthur Scott, 51, Mount Holly, 4:59:48
Brian Foote, 49, Charlotte, 5:00:09
Alisa Icenhour, 28, Charlotte, 5:01:25
Ryan Icenhour, 32, Charlotte, 5:01:26
Roberta Vassell, 36, Charlotte, 5:01:28
Daniel Stowe, 58, Charlotte, 5:01:33
Tal Goldberg, 37, Huntersville, 5:02:00
Karen Dukes, 48, Charlotte, 5:02:33
Scott Schenzer, 35, Charlotte, 5:03:18
Ali Roberson, 22, Charlotte, 5:03:41
Amy Grybush, 39, Charlotte, 5:03:50
Stephan Rothwell, 40, Huntersville, 5:07:52
Kenny Brown, 34, Charlotte, 5:08:36
Brandon Belote, 26, Charlotte, 5:08:49
Charles Montgomery, 37, Charlotte, 5:09:13
Mary Countryman, 44, Indian Trail, 5:11:11
Rick Begovich, 36, Charlotte, 5:11:52
Callista Henson, 51, Charlotte, 5:12:01
Kristen Race, 41, Waxhaw, 5:12:27
Jeanette Kantor, 40, Charlotte, 5:12:57
Mary Clark, 37, Charlotte, 5:13:11
Frank Wenz, 43, Charlotte, 5:14:05
Amanda Leong, 27, Charlotte, 5:14:11
Patrick Rogers, 24, Charlotte, 5:14:15
Shannon Klar, 33, Charlotte, 5:14:54
Jim Stout, 49, Matthews, 5:15:18
Aubrey Arant, 56, Charlotte, 5:15:48
Melissa Holer, 27, Charlotte, 5:15:58
John Lee, 41, Charlotte, 5:16:05
Amy Davis, 33, Charlotte, 5:16:14
Judy Osborn, 57, Charlotte, 5:16:45
Lorna Chandlee, 24, Charlotte, 5:18:28
Stephanie Fulton, 25, Concord, 5:18:54
Anne Koester, 32, Huntersville, 5:20:07
Heather Pacey, 20, Matthews, 5:20:10
Whitney Wilson, 20, Cornelius, 5:20:10
Blair Bryan, 49, Charlotte, 5:20:22
Jason Dorn, 20, Charlotte, 5:21:33
Andrew Matznick, 24, Charlotte, 5:21:33
Kyle Thomas, 27, Charlotte, 5:21:33
Carol Mancini, 50, Harrisburg, 5:21:36
Lisa Keller, 40, Charlotte, 5:22:31
Duncan Brewer, 54, Charlotte, 5:23:23
Tyler Menz, 23, Charlotte, 5:23:25
Kathryn Maltarich, 30, Charlotte, 5:24:34
Tracey Scheid, 48, Huntersville, 5:25:36
Jim Dewey, 43, Waxhaw, 5:26:06
Harry Harden, 52, Charlotte, 5:29:20
Cathryn Walling, 53, Charlotte, 5:29:32
Woratep Yunyongkul, 33, Charlotte, 5:31:12
Alisa Chintakananda, 30, Charlotte, 5:31:13
Adam Bohlen, 29, Matthews, 5:31:54
Katherine Lynch, 24, Concord, 5:36:30
Steven Kerr, 47, Fort Mill, 5:37:23
Soonthorn Ativanichayaph, 35, Charlotte, 5:39:12
Ronnie Taylor, 33, Rock Hill, 5:39:59
Andrew Goodman, 38, Charlotte, 5:40:51
Lee Donton, 39, Waxhaw, 5:42:35
Stephanie Jenkins, 33, Charlotte, 5:42:36
Deallen Nourse, 35, Charlotte, 5:42:48
Jennifer Weidlich, 35, Charlotte, 5:42:48
Kimberly Reeves, 23, Matthews, 5:43:01
Justin Angotti, 24, Charlotte, 5:45:13
Alec LaFontaine, 23, Charlotte, 5:45:13
Kathleen Keating, 24, Charlotte, 5:45:52
Sherry Crump, 34, Fort Mill, 5:47:20
Daniel Keller, 41, Charlotte, 5:47:43
Nathan Kelt Kelty, 21, Waxhaw, 5:48:08
Anne Linto, 45, Waxhaw, 5:48:09
David Linto, 41, Waxhaw, 5:48:09
Jeffrey Humbert, 48, Waxhaw, 5:50:50
Darlene McMiddletonnya, 42, Fort Mill, 5:52:47
Jason Winslow, 38, Charlotte, 5:55:18
John Rissanen, 56, Matthews, 5:55:44
Quyen Tran, 28, Charlotte, 5:58:12
Joe Aleman, 65, Charlotte, 5:58:39
Steven Wright, 45, Charlotte, 5:58:53
Jodie Strong, 27, Charlotte, 5:59:15
Thomas Brown, 39, Tega Cay, 6:01:08
Roy Cadenhead, 63, Matthews, 6:06:27
Dan McNeil, 29, Charlotte, 6:09:00
Jennifer Vanderkamp, 35, Charlotte, 6:17:55
Kelly Darden, 25, Charlotte, 6:29:17
Michael Cato, 37, Charlotte, 6:34:31
John Spikes, 70, Charlotte, 6:37:52
Aaron Smith, 61, Charlotte, 6:44:36
Elizabeth Hollingsworth, 27, Charlotte, 6:52:23