Sunday, January 10, 2010 -- Charleston, WV / Kanawha City Community Center
Winter Series #2 - Run & Walk (iPO Event Id#: 12364)

[Details] [Coverage] [Photos] [Overall Results] [Results by Class]

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Hurricane in January

Story and photos by George Gannon

If Caleb Bowen's track career doesn't work out, he could always get a job competing on one of those reality shows that test someone’s ability to handle the elements. On a frigid Sunday in Charleston, Bowen, 16, of Hurricane won the second race in the Winter Series Run/Walk sporting little more than a tank top and running shorts.

As temperatures hovered just above the teens and most runners were covered from head to toe, Bowen kept warm by streaking to the lead and turning on the jets.

About 150 runners braved the below-freezing temperatures for Sunday's race. The flat course, which started and ended at the Kanawha City Community Center, snaked through the back streets of Kanawha City. The run was 4.9 miles and the walk was 2.4 miles.

As if the 8,000 meters wasn't grueling enough, sections of the course were still covered with ice and snow after winter storms had slammed much of the state that week.

None of that slowed Bowen. The 16-year-old Hurricane got out front about midway through the race and never looked back. He finished with a time of 29:19. "The cold didn't bother me at all," he said.

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Following Bowen to the finish line were Clay Warner and Patrick Jividen.

For the ladies, youth was served as Sami Harris, 15, took the top spot. The cold was not a problem for the Charleston phenomenon who crossed the finish line in 34:50. She started fast out of the gates and never looked back. "The cold was not a problem," she added.

Joni Adams and Kelly McGraw rounded out the top three finishers. Sunday's race was the second of three-series walk/run.

The next race is set for Feb. 14, 2010. The walk is 3.1 miles long and starts at 1:00pm. The run is 6.2 miles starting at 2:00 pm. Race location is the same, at the Kanawha City Community Center. This is the last event in the 3 race winter series.

The Charleston Spring/Summer Run and Walk Series beings in sometime in March. If you haven't had your fill of races yet this winter check our schedules and take a look at the Tallman Track Club site too.