2003 Race Report
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Start of the 2003 Apple Trample 5K
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With the annual Apple Trample race getting ready for its 25th running in 2004, the 5K looks to be in excellent shape! The race had suffered from mismeasured routes and course marking problems in the late 1990s, but in 2000 the race fell into the capable hands of Martinsburg City Hospital's Wellness Center. Since then, the Wellness Center folks have done a bang-up job shoring up the race organization, and their fine work was certainly on display at the 2003 Apple Trample 5K on Saturday 18 October!
Vibrant foliage at the War Memorial Park
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Mind you, we can't give them credit for the terrific weather which greeted the runners for the midday start at War Memorial Park in Martinsburg. The sun was shining, the park's trees were golden, and the temperatures in the mid-50°s were nearly perfect for racing. It all made for a great 3.1 mile trip starting at the park, meeting up with the Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival parade route, and finishing at Martinsburg High School. Few road races have actual spectators, so it was a real treat for the 113 Apple Trample participants to run past all the people lined up in the downtown area for the parade. The spectators thinned to nothing, though, by the hilly third mile, and the course ended with a cruel sprint past the finish line and around a small parking lot on the east side of the school. Always nice to get a little challenge at the end, eh? (The layout of the finish was necessary to bring the course to the proper five kilometer distance. The course certified in 2001 finished with a loop around the school's track, but like last year, the track and athletic field were being used for a soccer tournament.)
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Myron Kremer (front) jokes around with Brad Sponaugle, Ted Poulos, & Mark Vann
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Before the race had even begun, it was fairly obvious who would be vying for the men's win: 1998 & 2002 champion Mark Vann of Winchester, VA; hometown boy Brad Sponaugle, last year's runner-up; and racing fanatic Ted Poulos of McLean, VA, coming fresh off of a third place finish at the DCRRC Predicted Time 5 Miler earlier that morning. Sponaugle had outkicked Vann six days earlier at the Conquering CF 5K, but neither could quite match the 41-year-old Poulos' speedy pace. Poulos ended up adding another first place prize to his vast collection, finishing in 17:18. Sponaugle, 23, tried his best to keep Poulos within striking distance and wound up finishing just ten seconds back. Vann, meanwhile, faded off the pace and eventually found himself having to worry
Ted Poulos
Christy Ashley
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about Martinsburg's Mike Meadows, 46, who kept gaining ground during Vann's numerous and inexplicable walking breaks. The 37-year-old was able to hang onto his pride, though, beating Meadows by a second in 18:01. The race's timers had to wait another minute before the next finisher (your author) crossed the line, pushing hard to stay ahead of 46-year-old Jerry Franklin and impressive 13-year-old Nicholas Belotte.
After placing second among the females at the 2001 Apple Trample 5K and taking fourth place last year, Hedgesville High School runner Christy Ashley was in good shape to get an overall win this year. The 17-year-old senior worked her way past her only real challenger, Martinsburg's Tracy Rice, 33, and came away with the women's win in 21:05, her best | |
Maggie Belotte, Julie Ludwick
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Apple Trample time to date. Rice, who did a great job directing the aforementioned Conquering CF 5K on the previous weekend, showed that she's also a good runner, hanging on for a 21:21 finish for second place. 34-year-old Krista Farris took third in 23:01, with husband and sons nearby to cheer her on. Ashley's Hedgesville teammate, 15-year-old Maggie Belotte, stayed ahead of 27-year-old Julie Ludwick for fourth, 23:16 to 23:19. Smilin' Betty Jo Hersh, 39, took sixth in 24:07, beating the first female Masters finisher, 45-year-old Debbie Helmick, by close to half a minute.
Obviously we can't highlight everyone's performances here in this article, but it is hoped that everyone had an enjoyable time at the race. We will highlight the performance, however, of Brian White, who took on the
Wellness Center folks before the race
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challenge of directing the race this year after serving as a volunteer at the previous three Apple Tramples. Brian was apologetic about the slightly late start (necessitated by the need to transport the race's timing equipment from the start to the finish), but he and his cohorts from the Wellness Center did a bang-up job this year, with good course markings and an increase in the number of age group awards.
Let's not forget to mention the race's sponsors, who help the race get off the ground: Wal-Mart; the Eastern Panhandle Transit Authority; Orr's Farm Market; and the Jefferson Distributing Company. And, of course, a big thank-you is owed to the folks from the Mountain State Apple Harvest Festival, who continue to let us runners be a part of their festival each and every year. Hopefully the 5K will be a part of the 25th annual festival, presumably on Saturday 16 October 2004!
Race director Brian White (lower right) prepares to hand out some medals at the awards ceremony
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