Ryan A. Gregory, 11, of Ripley participated in the
5K event. The son of Curtis and Lisa Gregory and grandson
of Curtis and Shirley Gregory of Big Springs and Howard and
Sandra Welch of Five Forks, coming in second in his age
group, said -- "My legs will be longer next year."
By Gaylen Duskey
Roane County runner Brian Taylor ran away with first place among men runners while three Parkersburg area people won the other three top awards in the First Annual Calhoun Runners 5K Run/Walk held Saturday in Grantsville.
Taylor, who took up running a couple of years ago to help him quit smoking, smoked the field with a time of 19:22 to win the 30-39 age group and first place overall.
The other big winners were Misty Roberts of Belpre, Ohio, who finished as the top overall female runner. Diane Hartley of Parkersburg won as the top overall female walker while William Cunningham of Mineral Wells was the top overall male walker.
Age group winners included Calhoun County High School cross-country runner Josh Parsons (21:23) in the men's 19-and-under; Calhoun County High School cross-country runner Anna Sampson (30:49) in the women's 19-and-under; Derek Roberts (20:21) in the men's 20-29 run; Misty Roberts in the women's 20-29 run; Taylor in the men's 30-39 run; Ken Heiney (21:28) in the men's 40-49 run; Andrea Bailey (42:08) in the women's 40-49 run; Gary Smith (21:25) in the men's 50-59 run; Sharon Pitts (32:25) in the women's 50-59 run; Carl Shaw (34:37) in the men's 60-and-over; Erin Riley (44:34) in the women's 19-and-under walk; Mark Rooper (31:47) in the men's 40-49 walk; Andrea Fitzwater (41:58) in the women's 40-49 walk; Gary Buchanan (39:18) in the 50-59 men's walk; Cunningham (31:37) in the men's 60-and-over walk and Hartley (41:39) in the women's 50-59 walk.
Other runners included: Rich Hall, Tim Moore, Michael Fitzwater, Michael Bonar, Matthew Bonar, Ryan Gregory, David Lee, David Overbay, Carrie Graffius and Melinda Fitzwater.
Other walkers included: Gary Buchanan, David Conkley, Billie Trippett, Sylvia Conkley and Donna Riley.
The Calhoun Runners next event will be June 16 at the Calhoun County Park in Mount Zion. The Appalachian Classic 5K Run/Walk will get under way at 10:30 a.m. with registration being held starting at 9 a.m. Pre-registration forms are available at www.calhounrunners.org
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