Sunday, March 19, 2000 -- Grafton, WV
Grafton 5 Mile Run/Walk
Story by George Gannon with photos by Marty Lamp

[Details] [Coverage]
Results: [Run Overall] [Run by Class] [2 Mile Walk]
Pictures: [Set 1] [Set 2] [Set 3] [Set 4] [Set 5]

And they're off... through the streets of Grafton

The 2000 Clarksburg Area Race Series got underway on March 19th in beautiful downtown Grafton. The weather was perfect at the start of the day, but by race time the sun had disappeared behind the clouds and a cool breeze whistled through the valley. However, the crosswind only stoked the spirits of the competitors.

A few hundred yards from the start line is a downhill turn that takes runners to the west bank of the Tygart Valley River. They follow the river downstream until the course sends them back to the east bank. The most grueling part is the uphill climb as they run past the four-mile mark, but it makes for a fast downhill just before the homestretch.

Mikey Guinn cruising to the finish alone

At 2:00 p.m. the alarm sounded and the 25th annual Grafton 5-mile run was in full stride. Mikey Guinn, a freshman on Alderson Broadus Cross-Country team took an early lead, but Matt Apesos and Larry Taylor were not to far off the pace. In the end though, Guinn rocketed to the finish line all alone, beating the next closest finisher by a blistering twenty-nine seconds (27:27). George Angleos took second place (27:56) and Larry Taylor, sporting his WVOutside gear, came in third (28:49)

For the women, local prodigy Sherri Flohr took top honors (33:27). Heather McDaniel, another Grafton native, jumped up a spot from her third place finish last year to take second place (35:38) Mandy Helms complemented her second place finish last year with the third place honors in 2000 (37:17).

Sherri Flohr wins in Grafton

Carl Hatfield, once again, took top honors in the 50-59 age group. Mr. Hatfield is the only person to have competed in every Grafton 5 Mile Run since its inception in 1976.

The awards ceremony was full of great food and happy runners. No one could have asked for a better race or a better day. The Grafton 5 Mile Run will be going strong for another 25 years. Thanks go out to Paul Martin for handling the results so quickly and professionally.

This was the first of ten races in the 2000 Clarksburg Area Racing Series. Make sure to check out the next one in Jane Lew on April 29th, the General Lightburn 5K.