Saturday, July 21, 2001 -- Winchester, VA
Loudoun Street Mile (iPO Event Id#: 3898)
Story by Neal Riemenschneider with photos by Neal and Shea Riemenschneider

[Details] [Coverage]
[Pic Set 1] [Pic Set 2] [Pic Set 3]
Results: [Overall] [Class] [Walk] [Team] [Kids] [Special Olympics]

Racing the tree-lined streets of Winchester

So how hard can it be to run a mile? And a road mile to boot? It can't be as tedious and hard as 4 times around a track right? WRONG! I am here to dispel those myths that running a mile after numerous 5Ks and 10Ks is a piece of cake. If you run a mile flat out, it is very painful.

The 2001 edition of the Loudoun Street Mile is one such road race. Run on Loudoun Street (DUH!), the race is a point-to-point affair that ends at the walking mall in historic downtown Winchester. There are mile heats for walkers, teams, women and men while heats for Special Olympians and kids are run at various distances.

One last push for the finish line

In the women's heat, Sascha Scott and Maria Spinnler, last year's top 2 finishers, linked up again early and battled for the first half mile. Scott pulled away in the second half of the race repeating as women's champion with a time of 4:57. Spinnler (5:07) hung on for second while slow starter Laura Nelson (5:19) passed a number of ladies in the last 1/2 mile to take 3rd. Top masters for the women were Beth McCann (5:41) and Kim Burns (5:46).

The men's race was extremely close as recent Sherando High School graduate Jared Prunty and veteran racer Mark Stickley took the pace out hard and ran together for most of the race. Prunty (4:29) kicked it in the last 1/4 mile and managed a one-second victory over Stickley (4:30). Race day entrant Warren Kohm took third in 4:41. Those of you who think that I like to toot my own horn will be happy to read that the top male masters were George Buckheit (4:43) and Mike Lehman (4:51).

Time for a cool down

There was a healthy turn out of walkers, kids and Special Olympians along with the age group competitors. Race proceeds will benefit the Shelter for Abused Women and the Shenandaoh Valley Runners. Special thanks to Karsten Brown for once again providing results and telling me what I am supposed to include in my articles (pretty brash for a 20 somethinger don't you think?!).

Sponsors for the event were F & M Bank, Valley Health Systems and the Shenandaoh Valley Runners. Winchester's finest must be commended for excellent traffic control at all key intersections and additional commendations to all the volunteers who assisted in making the road safe for foot traffic on this sunny and pleasant morning. Kudos also go out to first time co-race directors Rick Kerby and Jim Shaughnessy for a fantastic job of organizing and carrying on this fine tradition of the Loudoun Street Mile (which is held on Loudoun Street you know).