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Benton breezes through 10K field

By DAVE THEALL
Published October 5, 2006

CLEARWATER - While the public address announcer at Saturday's RYKA Iron Girl 10K told spectators to look for a winning time in the 39-minute range, St. Petersburg's Christa Benton was clipping along Memorial Causeway at a 5 minute, 48 seconds a mile clip. She went on to maintain that average per-mile pace, finishing in a swift 36 minutes flat on the course over and back to the beach by way of Causeway Memorial Bridge.

There were several variables that led to Benton's swift time and wide margin of victory. In the process, she beat Melanie Peters, a former track star at the University of Miami, by one minute, 37 seconds.

But Peters' presence was one of three key factors leading to Benton's sterling race.

Peters, a graduate student in marine science at USF St. Petersburg, helped push the early pace. But Benton never wavered or surrendered the lead position she is accustomed to. Both finished strong with Benton comfortably ahead.

"I had a chance to gaze out over Clearwater Harbor when I got to the crest of the bridge the first time," said Benton, who ran basically the same course in December at the Holiday Classic 10K. "The view was beautiful. But coming back it was a struggle. What helped was the police officer on the lead bicycle and the (slower) runners and walkers who cheered me on as they finished the 5K event."

For Benton, her time was a personal road record for 10K and a 14th consecutive win. Among her earlier wins this year was the overall title at her alma mater, Keswick Christian, and a second overall at the Strawberry Classic where she ran away with the women's title in 37:20.

Another key factor in Benton's recent improvement is that she is training hard for January's Disney Marathon, her first, and she benefited from it in this key matchup where the elite women met with no men in front of them.

Benton's time was an improvement over her 37:43 effort at the Kiwanis Midnight Run in Dunedin on July 4 where she prevailed for the fifth consecutive year.

The third factor that helped Benton was favorable weather. With the temperature in low 70s and low humidity, Benton and all the runners were favorably affected.

TOP 10K FINISHERS: Gail Jervey's trip to the RYKA race from Greenville, S.C., proved rewarding as she captured third place in 38:50.

After fourth-place Rachel Chambers (39:36) of Sarasota, all the top finishers were from the bay area. They were Rachel Winter, 39:53; Carol Glasscock, 3959; Kim Duralia, 41:07; Christina Noordstar, 41;34; Sharon Beltrandelrio, 42:37; and Marni Rakes, 42:39.

RYKA 5K: Headed by 44-year-old winner (19:29) Christy Phillips of St. Petersburg, the 5K event had four runners 40-plus in the top 10 whereas the 10K had none.

After Tracy Parker, 36, of Odessa finished in 20:03, Judy Maguire, 47, of Clearwater claimed third after passing Donna Nesslar, 44, of Largo at the crest of Memorial Bridge.

Christina Simpson, 44, of St. Petersburg was the fourth masters division runner in the top 10 taking seventh in 22:10.

Rounding out the 5K top 10 were Karolina Skourti, Dunedin, fifth in 21:34; Loni Smith, Lakeland, sixth in 21:41; Stella Valitutto, Tampa, No. 8 in 22:24; Christine Hinton, Dunedin, No. 9 in 23:00, and 10th-place Alyssa Franks, 15, of Lutz, in 23:09.

Maguire, a two-time Turkey Trot winner and 2:46 marathoner, said she was pleasantly surprised with her finish.

"I really don't train anymore," said Maguire, a former winner of the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington. "I just run maintenance miles, stress free, but often over the course and that tough bridge we ran this morning. ...I'm pleased with my finish but not my time. I would like to have broken 20 minutes. At least I had the winner in sight."

The Roxy Chicks, made up of Joyce and Stephanie Kistemaker from Largo, were the winning Mother/Daughter 5K team. Tampa's Anne and Ellen Tolson took the 10K team title. A final and revised count of participants puts the total at more than 900, said Jessica Weidensall, the event's public relations coordinator. "There were a few timing glitches on Saturday," she said.

All the participants were treated to a post-race catered by Breakfast Cafe of Palm Harbor at Iron Girl Athletic Village at Coachman Park, among other amenities. They include personalized race bibs, top three age group awards, medals to all finishers as well as complimentary nutritional bars for women.

"The mission of Iron Girl is to empower women toward a healthy lifestyle," Weidensall said.

The program's next event, the Iron Girl 10-miler and 5K, is Dec. 2 in Tempe, Ariz. For more information, visit www.IronGirl.com.

MARATHON WINNER: Karen Collins of the Forerunners Club won the women's masters division title at last weekend's Akron Marathon. Her time of 3:17:26 was good for seventh among women and a check for $1,000. Collins, 42, has a best time of 3:11:31, set in March at the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach on a pancake course.

RUNNING 101: Christine Hinton, who placed ninth in the Iron Girls 5K, will run a training program starting Saturday for the Dunedin Recreation Department.

The program, which is open to all area residents ages 13 and over, is aimed toward new runners, former runners and veteran runners trying to improve. A 10-week training schedule will be provided to each participant based on his or her current fitness status and running ability. The programs includes weekly training sessions at Highlander Park in Dunedin. Before weekly runs, mini clinics will be held to address various topics related to running goals and success.

Hinton is a Road Runners Club of America certified coach.

The culmination of the program will be running in the Dec. 16 Holiday Classic in Clearwater, another 5K/10K option over the same scenic/challenging course over the Memorial Causeway Bridge and back.

To register for the training program or the city's new Masters Track Club, call program coordinator Jorie Peterson at (727) 298-3275 weekdays.

THIS WEEKEND: The Komen Race For the Cure 5K is Saturday at the Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg. To register or for more details, visit www.KomenSuncoast.com or call (877) 506-6927.

[Last modified October 4, 2006, 19:39:37]