December 12
Running Roundup: RUNNER’S NOVEL PRIZE—AN APARTMENT
While some people run for the money, Lt. Richard Smith, a 25-year-old career Navy officer, ended up running San Francisco’s Fleet Week Challenge 5-Miler on October 18 for a room with a view.
The rather unique grand prize presented in a random drawing among racers was an apartment at Bayside Village at South Bay for a year.
Smith is a navigator aboard the USS Gray, home-ported on Treasure Island.
In other Fleet Week Challenge results, Dave Ottaway, 27, finished first in the open division with a 25:14, while Sharon Swann, 37, took the women’s title with a 29:37. Second place in the men’s division was a tie at 25:16 between David Monroe, 25, and Michael Healer, 34.
Organizers of the World Corporate Games, which debuted in San Francisco in late October, were so happy with the location, they’ve decided to come back in 1989.
Peter Pfitzinger, member of the U.S. Olympic marathon teams in 1984 and ’88 and veteran of the now-defunct San Francisco Marathon, has been appointed running/walking/-hiking product manager at New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. of Boston, Mass.
Several of the most famous names in distance running have entered the ranks of masters runners during the last several years, among them Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, and Barry Brown. Thus, we can expect to see the over-40 record books rewritten.
The arrival of Shorter and Rodgers, both heavyweights of the ‘70s and early ‘80s, has also helped spur an entirely separate ICI/USRA Masters Circuit, which has its own annual magazine called Masters Running. The 1988 edition is 96 pages, and retails for #3.95, but you can get a free copy by sending $1 for postage to Dean Reinke & Associates, Masters Running 88, 400 N. New York Avenue, Winter Park, Fla. 32789.
In local race results, the Station-to-Station Wilderness 10K in Walnut Creek (a very hilly trail run) October 16 saw Dean Harper, 35, of Walnut Creek win with a 49:59; second place went to Nikos Mourtos, 30, of San Jose, in 50:24. Women’s winners was Susan Kiepac, 47, of San Pablo, with a 1:07:44.
At the October 22 Annadel Trail Runs, Alec Isabeau of Santa Rosa won the longer (9.1 mile) division in 47:51. Second place went to Jim Noonan, 27, of Santa Rosa in 47:56. First female was Linda Lee, 35, of Novato, with a 1:05:07. In the shorter (6.8 miles) division, Larry Meredith, 31, of Occidental was the winner in 42:07. First woman was Brigid O’Loughlin, 27, of Campbell, 1:07:33.
At the Sugarloaf Trail Run at Kenwood October 29 the longer race (13.5 miles) was son by Ken Cox, 32, of Woodland, in 1:40:51. Second was Allen Gray, 29, of Reno, with a 1:43:11. Female winner was Penny DeMoss, 38, of Oakland, who turned in a 2:03:29. In the shorter (7 miles) race, Larry Meredith, 31, of Occidental won in 55:44. Second place was Alec Isabeau, 27, of Santa Rosa, with a 55:45. Female winner was Lisa Homen, 29, of Novato, who ran 1:02:18.
At the Pescadero Half Marathon and 5-Miler November 12, Mason Myers, 19, of Vacaville, won the longer event in 1:29:22. Second place went to Mike Fero, 30, of San Francisco, in 1:35:21. Female winner was Betty Stephenson, 33, of Palo Alto, in 1:59:58. In the shorter of the two hilly trail races, Doug Meier, 29, of Redwood City, won in 36:12. Female winners was Michelle Quinney, 31, of San Jose, who turned in a 51:35.