Sunday, March 19, 2006 -- Grafton, WV
Grafton 5-Mile Run - MAGP #1 (iPO Event Id#: 7268)
Story and photos by Julie Black

[Details] [Coverage]
[Overall Results] [Results by Class]
Pictures: [Set 1] [Set 2] [Set 3] [Set 4] [Set 5] [Set 6]

Past Coverage: [1999] [2000] [2001] [2002] [2003] [2004] [2005]

Enjoying the 5-mile jaunt

It's a little known fact that Grafton, West Virginia is the place to be seen this spring. Promoting their Sesquicentennial Celebration May 26-29, Grafton's 150th Birthday, the 31st Grafton 5-Mile Run was only the beginning of the spring celebrations. Sponsored by Tygart Valley Rehab and Fitness, the event continued the "Get Grafton Healthy in 2006" campaign. All proceeds went to benefit the Grafton High School Girls' Track & Field Program. This event was the 1st of 16 races in the 2006 Morgantown Area Grand Prix Series (MAGP).

The race began just yards away from The Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church, site of the Mothers Day Shrine. Local resident, Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis, is credited with the idea for a national Mother's Day.

D.Smart and L.Hines, heel to toe

Over 100 racers, runners and walkers, crowded Main Street on a mild, yet windy March afternoon. In the last mile, two runners burned the last downhill stretch together. Dexter Smart, 39, of Uniontown, Pennsylvania old Lance Hines of Sutton, West Virginia. Although the race was close, as they approached the finish Hines made his move and pulled away from Smart to take the overall win with a time of 26:39.

"My goal time was 26:30, but the wind made this race a little nasty," Hines said after his winning effort. "I tried to stay right on top of the police cruiser to break the wind a little bit. So, I guess 26:49 was not too bad, considering the elements." Excerpt from reporter, Brian Moore, of the Mountain Statesman. Hines was the 2003 Big Five Conference champion and on the Davis & Elkins track team.

Jessica Malone finishes 1st in the kid's run, 2nd year

Smart (26:51) took 2nd overall. Smart was 3rd overall in the 2005 Deckers Creek Trail Half Marathon. Matthew Bright held steady for 3rd with a time of 27:30.

Sixteenth overall and 1st for the women was 21-year old, Amanda Maxwell (31:07). A member of Alderson-Broaddus (A-B) College Cross County and Track & Field Teams from Kingwood, Maxwell's roots are in Tunnelton, WV. Breanna Hagerty (31:35) of Friendly, WV, claimed 2nd, while Maxwell's teammate, Heather McDaniel, came in 3rd with a time of 31:56.

The top winners in the walk were Jerry Ramsey of Summersville with a time of 18:32 and Linda Miller (25:29) of Charleston. Once again, refreshments were served in the Elks Lodge. Race director, Eva Robinson, was pleased to have over 100 racers, especially on a big, West Virginia University men's basketball NCAA tournament game day.