Nesbitt wins a muggy run

Sunday News

Published: Jun 01, 2008
00:21 EST

Lancaster

By BARRY DECKER, Correspondent

With a very fast two-mile pace, Drew Nesbitt cruised up Duke Street, on his way to winning the 32nd edition of the Red Rose five-mile Run in downtown Lancaster on Saturday.

The 2003 Hempfield High School and 2007 East Stroudsburg University graduate broke away from his nearest competition with a 9:40 two-mile time and cruised to victory in a time of 26:23 for the five-mile course.

Kutztown University 2008 graduate Stephanie Williams (30:29) won the women's title with what she termed as a "conservative pace."

Two-time defending champion Mark Stallings did not compete in this year's race due to an injury.

Warm temperatures, humid conditions, which are common for the race, and that famed Duke Street hill combined to produce slower finish times.

Nesbitt, who finished fourth last year, said, "I wanted to win the race if I could, so I went out fast in the first two miles, then ran pretty relaxed in the last couple of miles."

He noted that the race has been special to him since he ran the fun run with his dad when he was, he guessed, seven years old.

"Mr. [Jeff] Bradley [Hempfield teacher and track coach, who is a four-time Red Rose Run winner], had talked about the race when I was at Hempfield, so I'm proud to join him and other Hempfield runners who have won the race," said Nesbitt.

Two Manheim Township graduates, Stan Berkow, 2007 grad (27:06), and Marshal Miller, 2004 grad (27:15), finished second and third, respectively.

"Drew set a fast early pace and was all by himself," said Miller.

"I was running in a group behind Drew and knew by the time we turned off Duke Street (1.5 miles), no one was going to be able to reel him in," past champion Mark Amway said.

Amway, 47, who won the RRR twenty years ago, added that some editions of the race have been more humid, but today's conditions caused times to be a bit slower than in other years.

The women's winner just competed in the 2008 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, last week, in Walnut, California.

"This is my first Red Rose Run and I really enjoyed it," Williams said. "After competing last week, I decided to go out a little slower and it paid off."

Recent high school grads Sydney Clark (31:40), and Meg Ecker (32:01), who finished second and third among the women, decided at race time to run together.

"We're friends and thought it would be fun to run together," said Ecker, who won the female division a year ago.

Ecker admitted she was running on very little sleep; her Penn Manor High School prom was Friday night.

While Williams plans some rest after this run, Clark, a Hempfield grad, and Ecker are preparing the Nike Outdoor Nationals, a kind of national all-star meet for high school track, June 19-21 in Greensboro, N.C.

Nesbitt is aiming at longer races in the future and plans to move up to the half marathon while training with the Philadelphia Track Club.

Saturday's race featured all Red Rose Run traditions: Mayor Rick Gray sounded the start; Dave Glouner, 62, of Hempfield area, ran, as he has done in all the 32 races; and Carl Spangler, 49, of Lancaster, ran his 30th RRR, making this his 828th career race, which he posts on a card he wears on his jersey.

"This race is a great way to display the beauty of the city," Mayor Gray said.

"I hear many runners who visit are surprised by all the great changes that have been made since they were here last year."

Glouner, who had the original certificate from his 1977 debut in the race, said, "This is a great race for the masses of runners, whether they are great, average or beginners."

The largest participating group was the "Soaring Eagles," who represented the Hempfield Church of the Brethren.

According to their coordinator, Todd Basom, of Manheim, the 70-plus member group used the event to raise money for the Lance Armstrong's Live Strong program and to benefit cancer victims of their church.