Winters Mill 5K Track Run, 20 March 2004

Krebs Triumphs at Track Run

Jill Krebs became only the second female runner in the twenty-five year history of the Westminster Road Runners to win a mixed race when she captured the Winters Mill 5K Track Run, held on March 20.

Running on a blustry first day of spring, the twenty-four runner pack was led initally by North Carroll High School runner Colin Fearns, who covered the first of twelve and a half laps in seventy-five seconds. As the field stretched out, a group of seven--including Fearns, Krebs, former Delaware State track runner Nigel Jobe, Sherry Stick, the only other female runner ever to win a mixed WRRC race, masters runners David Griffin and Lee Myers, and Liberty track coach Bobby Ward --separated themselves from the rest of the field.

As the lead pack continued to run at an eighty-five second per lap pace, eventually only Jobe and Stick were able to match the pace Krebs, who twice achieved Division III All-America status in Women's Cross-Country while a student at McDaniel College, methodically continued to run.

In the last 800 meters the only company Krebs had involved runners she was lapping, as her winning time of 18:10 gave her a 100 meter cushion. Jobe finished as the first male, only a few strides ahead of Stick. Griffin finished as the first masters runner ahead of Myers. Fearns and Ward finished as the only other runners on the same lap as Krebs at the end of the race.

Bob Leatherman finished eighth as the first in the 50-59 category, and Jim Bullock finished thirteenth as the first in the 60 and over category.

McDonogh junior Beth Links finished ninth as the third female, twenty seconds ahead of Tina McCubbin. Liuda Galinaitis finished as the first masters female, and Chris Reese finished as the first in the 50-59 category. Following the awards ceremony, conducted in impeccable style by race director Skip Fennell, many adjourned to Baugher's for breakfast.

Since parts of the McDaniel College track is currently buried under dirt while new tennis courts are being constructed and the football turf is being replaced at the request of the Ravens, it is entirely possible that the Winters Mill track could be used again in the near future, this time for the first Twilight Series race, a two mile track run scheduled to be held on June 3.