Chris Ward, 27, of Danville finished his 13-mile trek through taxing conditions in just over two hours to claim the overall champion’s spot during Danville Parks and Recreation’s Green Legs and Hamstrings trail run on Saturday sponsored by Danville Orthopedic and Athletic Rehab.
“This is great,” Ward said. “This is the first time I’ve ever actually won anything.”
What is traditionally a difficult run turned even harder thanks to a layer of slushy ice and snow that
covered the single-track mountain bike trails at Anglers Park.
“I was exhausted by the end,” Ward said. “By the time I was done, I had a layer of ice covering my feet.
It was icy and slushy. Running uphill was tough. For every step you took forward, you slid backwards a few steps. Downhill was a little easier, you could just slide.”
Ward didn’t let the unfavorable conditions slow him down; he had plenty of inspiration to drive him
toward the finish line.
“My wife and I just had a newborn daughter and it was nice to see her at the finish line,” he said. “That was kind of my inspiration; run faster so I could see her.”
Joseph Alderson, 32, of Lynchburg, 2:09:40 finished second in the half marathon and Jean-Gael Morvan, 38, of Danville, 2:17:42 finished third.
For the women, Adela Blahovcova, 24, of Danville, 2:26:30 nabbed the top spot while Sara Harmon, 31, of Kernersville, NC, 2:43:05 finished second and Rebecca Adcock, 33 of Stuart, 2:45:13 finished third.
“It was a great run, but it was hard” said Blahovcova. “I was so tired I was eating the snow.”
For Blahovcova, Saturday’s race was her second half marathon after finishing third in the Danville Half-Marathon last October and, as of the finish, the most difficult.
“I was so exhausted; muscles I didn’t even know I had were hurting. I was so glad to be done when it
was over.”
Ryan Compers, 19, of Danville finished the 10K course just under an hour to claim the gold. David Bray, 38, of Alexandria, 1:00 finished second and Sierra Henderson, 19, of Danville, 1:07 finished third. Brandon Lewis, 35, of Holly Springs NC, 1:08 rounded out the men’s podium. Aliea Pastore, 29, of Danville, 1:11 and Hailey Rizza, 14, of Summerfield NC, 1:15 finished behind Henderson to claim second and third in the female division.
Darren Cox, 48, of Roanoke completed the 5K course first with a time of 29 minutes and 40 seconds. Tyler Barlow, 28, of Danville, 29:37 finished second and Mark Joyce, 45, of Bassett, 24:54 finished third. Martina Stevens, 14, of Axton, 38:35, was the female champion while Holly Stevens, 43 of Axton, 44:46, and Mary Parsons, 32, of Danville, 46:59 rounded out the top three females.
Half Marathon
1. Chris Ward, 27, 2h:07m:50s
2. Joseph Alderson, 32, 2:09:40
3. Jean-Gael Morvan, 38, 2:17:42
4. William Jefferson, 51, 2:19:55
5. Jonathan Adcock, 31, 2:24:10
6. Adela Blahovcova, 24, 2:26:30
7. Bobby Carlsen, 44, 2:28:06
8. Austin Hutchinson, 17, 2:31:07
9. George Cleland, 50, 2:31:41
10. Michael Scearce, 25, 2:34:31
11. Sara Harmon, 31, 2:43:05
12. Rebecca Adcock, 33, 2:45:13
13. Lindsey Ferraco, 31, 2:46:36
14. Helen Cox, 50, 2:51:26
15. David Warren, 35, 2:53:46
16. Michelle Deighton, 28, 2:55:55
17. Libby Boon, 37, 2:56:01 18. Richard Reed, 40, 2:58:39
19. Barry Musick, 29, 2:59:29
20. John Robinson, 43, 3:00:05
21. William Koger, 42, 3:00:05
22. Wes Dickens, 32, 3:06:21
23. Filemon Jaimez, 23, 3:06:33
24. Randy Harbin, 49, 3:06:34
25. Megan Chilton, 29, 3:11:17
26. Steven Overgard, 52, 3:15:44
27. Rachel Nanny, 22, 3:27:15
28. Meagan Musick, 25, 3:37:18
29. Susan Thacker, 55, 3:41:00
30. Russell Purnell, 3:51:14
31. Lee Adams, 17, 3:56:49
32. Amanda Wiles, 31, 3:58:19
33. Jayne Oravec, 50, 4:05:14
34. Elizabeth Trawick, 4:33:09
10K
1. Ryan Compers, 19, 58:06
2. David Bray, 38, 1:00:58
3. Sierra Henderson, 19, 1:06:59
4. Brandon Lewis, 35, 1:08:39
5. Jason Bookheimer, 29, 1:10:45
6. Bill Sgrinia, 47, 1:10:45
7. Aliea Pastore, 29, 1:11:57
8. David Cunner, 53, 1:13:00
9. Aaron Moody, 15, 1:14:21
10. Hailey Rizza, 14, 1:15:06
11. Hannah Rizza, 15, 1:16:23
12. Dianna Rizza, 46, 1:17:04
13. Caitlyn Emmons, 24, 1:20:28
14. Daniel Sanders, 39, 1:20:36
15. John Slivka, 56, 1:21:37
16. Hang Nguyen, 41, 1:21:37
17. Jennifer Witko, 42, 1:22:38
18. Rachel Sanders, 38, 1:31:32
19. Anna Walker, 26, 1:31:32
20. Audra Webb, 41, 1:37:51
21. Tom Carr, 64, 1:40:01
22. Tony Guthrie, 55, 1:47:18
23. James Green, 40, 1:54:45
24. Gwen Pope, 49, 2:05:16
25. Melanie Eggleston, 25, 2:11:20
5K
1. Darren Cox, 48, 29:40
2. Tyler Barlow, 28, 29:37
3. Mark Joyce, 45, 34:54
4. Dan Goerlich, 41, 36:04
5. Caleb Calvert, 30, 37:38
6. Sam Franklin, 40, 37:36
7. Joseph Adkins, 24, 37:53
8. Philip Travisano, 33, 38:07
9. Joshua Francisco, 16, 38:39
10. Chad Stevens, 43, 38:35
11. Martina Stevens, 14, 38:35
12. Terry Francisco, 43, 39:41 13. Bill Davis, 54, 42:11
14. Chuck Echols, 31, 43:49
15. Joshua Anderson, 32, 44:06
16. Rodney Henderson, 25, 44:11
17. Holly Stevens, 43, 44:46
18. Mary Parsons, 32, 46:59
19. Kevin Kirk, 34, 48:01
20. Caskie Walker, 30, 48:12
21. Jonathan Anderson, 32, 48:29
22. Rachel Sanford, 33, 48:58
23. Sherry Dowdy, 52, 51:18
24. Sally Adkins, 45, 51:31
25. Marshall Bomar, 35, 53:00
26. Lee Lightfoot, 44, 53:11
27. Summer Carlsen, 13, 54:59
28. Russell Carter, 29, 55:01
29. Randy Bowles, 31, 55:31
30. Carrie Syvanthong, 35, 55:44
31. Ashley Wales, 32, 55:44
32. Lindsay Gilbert, 37, 57:44
33. Logan Koontz, 33, 57:56
34. Savannah Carlsen, 13, 59:57
35. Teri Travisano, 31, 1:01:17
36. Leanne Hardy, 43, 1:02:10
37. Janet Davis, 34, 1:02:12
38. William Hagan III, 27, 1:06:37
39. Mary Alice Hagan, 26, 1:06:41
40. William Meyer, 49, 1:08:41
41. Leah Meyer, 13, 1:08:41
42. Dana Washburn, 47, 1:09:39
43. Candice Ireson, 38, 1:11:23
44. Kristi Leff, 38, 1:11:22
45. Harry Ireson Jr., 61, 1:11:48
46. Amanda Echols, 28, 1:15:57
47. Sheila Hernandez, 49, 1:16:00
48. Jennie Sellers, 30, 1:20:38
49. Julie Owen, 37, 1:20:40
50. Michelle Maxwell, 34, 1:21:32