Friday, June 29, 2001 -- Latrobe, PA
Rolling Rock 5M Run (iPO Event Id#: 3075)
Photos by Don Parks and Dave McKain with story by Don Parks

[Details] [Coverage]
[Overall Results 1-300] [Overall Results 301-596]
Pictures: [Set 1] [Set 2] [Set 3] [Set 4] [Set 5] [Set 6] [Set 7] [Set 8] [Set 9]
[Set 10] [Set 11] [Set 12] [Set 13] [Set 14] [Set 15] [Set 16] [Set 17] [Set 18] [Set 19] [Set 20] [2000 Coverage]

Are you ready to Rock?

Over 600 competitors showed up in Latrobe, PA for the Rolling Rock 5 Mile Run. Even with a late start time (7pm) the heat and humidity were brutal. Doing their best to keep things cool, numerous local folks lined the streets with garden hoses and sprinklers much to the delight of the runners. Even more delightful for some was the promise of a big post-race party where ice cold Rolling Rock would be served well into the night.

First things first and it was time for a race as the starting gun was fired in Legion Keener Park just behind Latrobe Memorial Stadium. Early on it was JW Stehle setting a blistering pace. By the two-mile mark there was just Tim Menoher hanging close with Stehle, but Menoher was about ready to make a move.

"I started working the hills," commented the 30-year-old Ligonier native, now living in Cincinnati, after the race. And work he did as he quickly dropped all challengers on his way to a commanding win with a time of 23:19. Even though his time would qualify as a course record, some unfortunate misdirection late in the race (which cut a few hundred meters off the course) had the race officials hold off on giving him that distinction. Still a great performance as the one time runner for Brooks and for Nike works to "get back into it."

Hurry, someone said there's cold beer at the finish!

As the 22-year-old Stehle had to watch Menoher go, he was still able to hold on for a second place finish with a time 26:18 (without being led off course.) The recent graduate from Shippensburg University was the schools top XC runner for the 2000-2001 season.

Not far back was the 37-year-old Al Casagranda who runs for the Indiana Road Runners. (If you're interested, Al told us that they run every Monday night at 7:00p.m. from Indiana High School.) "I went out conservatively and they came back to me," said Casagranda with a third overall finish at 26:32. Another Indiana Road Runner in 21-year-old Timothy Lentz (26:51) took fourth overall and commented, "I was just sprinting for the water sprinklers out there!"

In the women's field it was all 26-year-old Heather Bury from Morgantown, WV. The elite runner for Saucony and PowerBar had a 15 second lead after the first mile and just about coasted in for a women's course record at 28:40.

An event the whole family can enjoy

The real battle among the women was for second place with 36-year-old Gina McGee, a local favorite from Latrobe, holding the advantage through most of the first four miles. However, 22-year-old Colleen Harrison who claimed "I couldn't take the heat," was putting on some extra heat for McGee. Harrison was able to get around McGee with just a mile to go and hang on for second in 30:47. McGee followed soon after for third in 30:59. "We were battling it out and I got really hot in mile four," said McGee after her finish.

As the racing finished and the sun began to set, the air slowly cooled while awards, random prizes and refreshments where generously handed out. And then, just as promised, the Rolling Rock After Race Party began at 9:00p.m. at The Mountain View Inn. There were no hills and plenty of cool Rolling Rocks to keep the party rocking well into the night. Just another fun evening brought to you by the fine folks at Latrobe Brewing Company (see RollingRock.com) and enjoyed (responsibly, of course) by hundreds of adoring fans. We'll see you there again in 2002 because you know you don't want to miss it!