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Sunday, September 12, 2004 -- Helvetia, WV
Helvetia 10K Mountain Run & 2 Mile Walk
(iPO Event Id#: 6153)
Story and photos by Don Parks
[Details]
[Coverage]
[Overall Results]
Pictures:
[Set 1]
[Set 2]
[Set 3]
[Set 4]
[Set 5]
[Set 6]
Event Coverage:
[1998]
[1999]
[2000]
[2001 Results]
[2002]
[2003]
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Off and running in Helvetia
It was a perfect day to take on the challenge of the Helvetia 10K
Mountain Run. The weather was sunny and cool and the scenery was
beautiful. But this is really just par for the course in this tiny
mountain hamlet deep in the hills of West Virginia.
The 7th running of the Helvetia 10k Mountain Run marked the 5th race
in the Mountain State Trail Run Series. Perfect late
summer weather was the setting for the entire weekend and the course
was dry and fast.
Larry Taylor was ready to take advantage of the excellent
conditions and defend his title as the reigning Helvetia 10K champion.
Taylor didn't disappoint as he won for the fourth year in a row and
set a new men's course record. Taylor bested his own 2001 time by 12
seconds running a blazing 35:51.
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Ready to head down the mountain
Simon Isaacs, second place at 38:59, gave "The Old Buzzard" a
race for a while, but Larry was determined to beat his previous course
record. He said he knew he had to make it to the top of the mountain,
mile 4.5, in under 28:00 to have a chance, and he did. After ripping
through the first two relatively flat miles at a pace of about 5:15
miles, the challenge really began.
Racing up the mountain, Taylor pushed hard to do a mile that still
took over 8 minutes. But coming down the mountain is where Taylor
said he really made the difference. His final mile was a swift decent
at a sub 4:30 pace.
The battle for third overall was between Bill Young and Jeff
Jordan. Although Jordan (41:14) was able to edge Young (41:17) to
capture the last podium spot, Young is still ever so slightly ahead in
their battle for the Trail Series overall title.
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Rebecca Schoonover takes second
First place for the women went to Heather Bury running a 46:34.
Bury wasn't pushing the pace as Taylor was, and her 2003 women's course
record of 42:45 still stands.
The perennial Helvetia 10k runner Rebecca Schoonover captured
women's second place with a 49:01. She held off the pressure put on
by Joni Adams who had her in sight at the top of the mountain.
Adams had to settle for third at 49:37 as there was no catching
Schoonover in the race down the mountain.
The MSTR Series is still wide open so be sure schedule the New River Gorge-ous Trail Run,
October 9, 2004.
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