Saturday, September 20, 2003 -- Morgantown, WV
September Stride 5K (MAGP #9) (iPO Event Id#: 5590)
Story and photos by Tara Struyk

[Details] [Coverage]
[Overall Results] [Results by Class]
Pictures: [Set 1] [Set 2] [Set 3] [Set 4] [Set 5]
Past Event Coverage: [1998] [1999] [2000] [2001] [2002]

A helping hand for a little September Strider

The 11th annual September Stride 5k drew more than 200 people on a Saturday morning to raise money for the Richard Rosenbaum Cystic Fibrosis Fund.

Runners, walkers and children of all ages flocked to the Ruby Memorial Hospital Parking lot for the start of the race, which makes two flat laps around the hospital and stadium area. And although the unseasonably cool, gray weather seemed hard for many warmly-dressed spectators to bear, it was a great morning to race.

Frostburg's Jaron Hawkins, 20, had a successful summer on the roads and took the early lead. He was soon overtaken by former Marshall steeplechase standout, Casey Batey, 24, and WVU's Erik Bennett, 22, both of Morgantown.

Casey Batey earned the day's big prize

Bennett and Batey ran comfortably together for much of the race before Batey pulled away at the end to win in 16:00.9, earning $200 for his effort. Bennett finished a close second in 16:02 and was awarded $125. Hawkins dropped off the brisk pace at the half-way point and finished third in 16:33.

In the women's race, WVU All-American Rebecca Stallwood, 24, easily took first place. Leading by a wide margin from start to finish, Stallwood finished in 17:20, not far off the course record of 17:09 set by Heather Bury in 2000.

Stallwood finished more than two minutes ahead of Julie Warner, 36, whose considerable road race experience helped her to earn second place honors in 19:40. The women's field was sparse and spread out, as Becky Cosner, 44, finished in third in 21:46.

Keith Bailey, 19, was the first place finisher in the men's walking division, completing the course in 34:29. Janet Hayden, 69, was the first woman to finish with a time of 39:25.