Two Geoducks qualify for NAIA Marathon
February 4, 2007
OLYMPIA, Wash., - With a sunny sky and an ideal running temperature the women's course record fell and three college athletes qualified for the marathon at the NAIA Track and Field Championships in May at the second annual Geoduck Gallop Half Marathon and 10k.
A record turnout of 73 people took part in yesterday's events in support of the Cross Country and Track programs at Evergreen. In addition, participants donated a "car trunk load" of food for the Thurston County Food Bank.
Susan Barth of Portland, OR, a former Marquette University runner and current elite competitor in US road racing, led the women from the gun and clicked off 6:13 miles to win in a solo effort of 1:21:20. Barth bettered the course record of 1:36:41. Angela French of Olympia, a six-time Olympic Marathon trials qualifier, finished second in 1:25:42. Northwest University runner Kjerstein Bailey, who was using this race as a qualifying attempt for the NAIA Track and Field Championships, bested the "A" standard required for entry into the marathon event and finished third overall in 1:27:08.
Evergreen freshman Brian Rakestraw led the race for all but the final mile until Tacoma resident Michael Lynes decided to take the win in 1:14:20. Rakestraw was close behind in 1:14:26 and bettered the "A" standard of 1:15:00 required for entry into the NAIA Championships. Third place belonged to Jason McConnell, a senior at Evergreen, who knocked a huge chunk of time off his personal best and bettered the "B" standard with a time of 1:16:10 to round out the top three in the men's division. Eric Jones was another team member that ran, finishing his first half marathon in 1:20:42. Course record holder and Evergreen junior James Hudson did not compete this year due to an ankle injury earlier this winter. Hudson competed in the NAIA Marathon in '06.
In the women's 10k, Beth Kilen of Tacoma won in 48:41 and Drew Wartenburg, also of Tacoma, won in 32:11. Both establishing course records for the event.
Evergreen thinclads will compete next at the University of Washington Open Indoor on February 11th.