Johns wins 5K track jauntEsposito wins 10th in a rowby Kevin SpradlinWESTMINSTER, March 23 -- If Joshua Johns was using the WRRC's 5K track run at Western Maryland College as a preview of things to come, it would receive a four-star rating. Johns, a sophomore at Anne Arundel Community College hoping to transfer to WMC this fall, took the lead after 1000 meters and never looked back to win on a cold and windy day at Western Maryland College. WRRC member Sherry Esposito was the first woman to cross the finish line in a club race for the 10th consecutive time, dating back to August 9, 2001. Esposito's last finish in a club race out of the top 10 overall was in last year's Main Street Mile, in which she was 17th overall and the second female. Johns, 19, from Maryland's Eastern Shore, drove 75 minutes to get to the track and took just 18 minutes, 20 seconds to complete the race. Johns and the other 14 finishers endured 35-degree temperatures and wind gusts of 10-15 mph, bearing the brunt of the force on the homestretch. Not knowing much of anyone in the field, Johns started conservatively by restricting himself to 90 seconds per lap. He allowed Esposito and top Masters runner Mike Flaharty to stake a lead of five meters in the race's first 2.5 laps. Once he warmed up, though, Johns made the commitment to win - and win he did, averaging 5:54 per mile and 88.5 seconds every 400 meters throughout the race. Flaharty was second overall in 18:44 and Esposito was third in 19:04. Top Senior runner Bob Leatherman rounded out the sub-20:00 runners by finishing fourth in 19:45.
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