Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 22, 1990 TAG: 9007220101
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF MOTLEY
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Harley Johnson, a 16-year-old from Christiansburg who was competing in the 10-kilometer run for the first time, won the men's 10K by 37 seconds over Blacksburg's John Cobb.
Blacksburg's Beth Howell won for the seventh time in as many tries in the women's 10K. She crossed the finish line 11 seconds ahead of Blacksburg's Katherine Williamson as the winner's husband, Wayne, looked on holding their 3-month-old daughter.
Johnson, who recently graduated as salutatorian of his class at Christiansburg High and is headed to Georgia Tech where he will run cross country, said he was surprised by his showing.
"To be honest with you, I'm shocked," Johnson said. "I started out really hard and the [guide] bike was a big help to me."
But there were a couple of moments when Johnson wasn't sure about his ability to win.
"The whole race there was some guy out front and he had a big lead, but apparently he wasn't registered," Johnson said of an unknown runner who pulled off the course just short of the finish line. "Then when I got to the five-mile point, I started getting really tired because there are some hills, but then the bike picked me back up and I was fine. After that I didn't see anybody else."
Winning the 10K has become old hat for Howell, but she said this victory was special, even though her time of 40 minutes, 44.9 seconds was her slowest ever in the race.
"I feel so good to win because I really haven't run that much since the baby was born," Howell said. "This is the first race I have run competitively since the Charleston 15-miler last September. Even then I thought I might be pregnant so I was taking it easy.
"But about three weeks ago I really decided that I wanted to run and I wanted to win even though I wasn't in as good a shape. I ran while I was pregnant but with the weight problem I had to change my running style, and I'm just now getting back to the way I was."
However, the competition is catching up with her. The closest race she's had in the Run For Health was a 45-second victory in 1982. No other race has seen her win by less than 1:30.
"I'm giving them a fair chance," Howell said. "I know I'm probably getting slower, so someone will beat me in this race soon."
In the 5K portion of the run, Roanoke's Dwayne Stover won by 19 seconds over Ben Thomas of Lynchburg.
In the women's 5K, Susan Earles-Price of Blacksburg outdistanced Mitzi Hartwell of Christiansburg by two minutes. Earles-Price also is the coach of Blacksburg High's state championship women's track team and was selected Timesland's coach of the year for her efforts. Results in Scoreboard. C2
by CNB