Saturday, September 11, 2004 -- Morgantown, WV
September Stride 5K (MAGP #10) (iPO Event Id#: 6229)
Story and photos by Nikki Stiles

[Details] [Coverage]
[Overall Results] [Results by Class]
Pictures: [Set 1] [Set 2] [Set 3] [Set 4] [Set 5] [Set 6] [Set 7] [Set 8]
Past Event Coverage: [1998] [1999] [2000] [2001] [2002] [2002] [2003]

The walkers round it out

Just as the sun began to peek through the chilly, fog-filled morning, participants in the September Strike 5K were off and running. Things quickly began to heat up as the more than 200 runners and walkers meandered their way around the course of rolling hills and narrow sidewalks around Ruby Memorial Hospital parking lot and the surrounding streets of Morgantown, West Virginia.

For many of the participants, the race was a fun event where moms and daughters, husbands and wives, and best friends participated side by side. But for others, the task of the day was pushing themselves to the limit and winning. University High School Senior, Ryan Skotnicki, took the men's top honors with a time of 16:46. Coming in second was another Morgantown native, Will Hunter (16:55), and third was Mark Malecky (17:17), who is also from Morgantown.

A sea of runners

For the sixth year in a row, Morgantown native, Heather Bury took home the first place crown for the women runners with a time of 17:57, to finish 4th overall. Coming in second was Merissa Sexsmith (18:57) and third Amy Czesnwski (20:44), who are both from Morgantown.

The men's top walker included Tony Purpura from Wheeling, WV, who had a time of 29:32. The father/daughter team of Grenaville Guthrie (34:20), and his daughter 11-year-old Caysee Guthrie (34:21), from Markleysburg, Pennsylvania, both took home the second place win for the men's and women's walkers. Third place among the men's walkers went to Keith Bailey of Morgantown with a time of 34:57. The top women's walker was Jill Ross of Morgantown with a finish of 33:54.

Finishing in the sun

Following the race, participants enjoyed bagels, fruit, water, juice, and some even a much-needed massage. Proceeds from the event benefited the Richard Rosenbaum Memorial Fund, which provides medication and equipment to children with cystic fibrosis and other pulmonary problems.

The September Stride is part of the Morgantown Area Grand Prix. The race is sponsored by West Virginia University Hospitals, Centra Bank, The Dominion Post, Glenmark Holding, HealthWorks Rehab & Fitness, Jackson & Kelly, Mylan, Pfizer, Sodexho and Turn Construction.