Tri State
Chandler, Sober lead field in Great Escape
Results Awards Photos - Photos by Della Cook and Kevin Spradlin
CUMBERLAND – Allegany County resident Tommy Chandler was ceremoniously knighted on Saturday after winning the Great Escape 5K run at Mexico Farms south of Cumberland.
But Chandler was king for a day largely because the true anointed one, Jaron Hawkins, volunteered to type the race results instead of taking his usual place at the top of them. Regardless of the reason, it was good enough for Chandler.
The 26-year-old high school cross country and track coach raced to an early lead from the start and held on to lead the 77-runner field in a time of 18 minutes and 19 seconds. Tom Ruckert was second over the 3.1-mile paved, loop course in 18:27. Rob Smith, 44, of Cumberland, placed third in 19:01. Chandler had planned to race and leave immediately afterward but stuck around to receive his trophy after earning his first-ever first-place finish in a road race.
Ruckert, 56, of Grantsville, made the race interesting in the last minutes of the race. Chandler held the lead throughout but as he turned onto onto Burbridge Road from Mexico Farms Road – and up the only major incline of the event – he became a little disconcerted. Chandler knew the possibility of claiming his first-ever road victory was in jeopardy.
“I could hear your footsteps,” Chandler told Ruckert after crossing the finish line. “But I told myself I wasn’t going to look back” on the turn.
Ruckert, however, had had his own goals as he toed the starting line with a light midst with a temperature of 52 degrees. The veteran harrier had intended on breaking an age group standard at the 5K distance published in a metropolitan industry magazine.
With a time over 19:00 as the mark to beat, Ruckert crushed it by at least 33 seconds. His achievement will have to be verified by Washington Running Report in the near future. But on Saturday, Ruckert was content that he had the mark.
Jen Sober, 36, of McHenry, earned the women’s title in 20:03. The time was 99 seconds faster than Paula Bridges’s 2008 winning time of 21:42. On Saturday, Bridges, 43, of Cumberland, settled for second – and 18th overall – in 22:16. Angel Schultz, 24, of Cumberland, was third in 22:26.
The relative closeness of the top three women in the field reflected a marked intensity in the competition. Last year, the second-place female finished with a time of 24:22. This year, that same time would have garnered only a fifth-place finish.
Results Awards Photos - Photos by Della Cook and Kevin Spradlin
CUMBERLAND – Allegany County resident Tommy Chandler was ceremoniously knighted on Saturday after winning the Great Escape 5K run at Mexico Farms south of Cumberland.
But Chandler was king for a day largely because the true anointed one, Jaron Hawkins, volunteered to type the race results instead of taking his usual place at the top of them. Regardless of the reason, it was good enough for Chandler.
The 26-year-old high school cross country and track coach raced to an early lead from the start and held on to lead the 77-runner field in a time of 18 minutes and 19 seconds. Tom Ruckert was second over the 3.1-mile paved, loop course in 18:27. Rob Smith, 44, of Cumberland, placed third in 19:01. Chandler had planned to race and leave immediately afterward but stuck around to receive his trophy after earning his first-ever first-place finish in a road race.
Ruckert, 56, of Grantsville, made the race interesting in the last minutes of the race. Chandler held the lead throughout but as he turned onto onto Burbridge Road from Mexico Farms Road – and up the only major incline of the event – he became a little disconcerted. Chandler knew the possibility of claiming his first-ever road victory was in jeopardy.
“I could hear your footsteps,” Chandler told Ruckert after crossing the finish line. “But I told myself I wasn’t going to look back” on the turn.
Ruckert, however, had had his own goals as he toed the starting line with a light midst with a temperature of 52 degrees. The veteran harrier had intended on breaking an age group standard at the 5K distance published in a metropolitan industry magazine.
With a time over 19:00 as the mark to beat, Ruckert crushed it by at least 33 seconds. His achievement will have to be verified by Washington Running Report in the near future. But on Saturday, Ruckert was content that he had the mark.
Jen Sober, 36, of McHenry, earned the women’s title in 20:03. The time was 99 seconds faster than Paula Bridges’s 2008 winning time of 21:42. On Saturday, Bridges, 43, of Cumberland, settled for second – and 18th overall – in 22:16. Angel Schultz, 24, of Cumberland, was third in 22:26.
The relative closeness of the top three women in the field reflected a marked intensity in the competition. Last year, the second-place female finished with a time of 24:22. This year, that same time would have garnered only a fifth-place finish.
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Sir Thomas Chandler