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Fall Fest Mile, 17 September 2006

Gilbert Captures Fall Fest Mile.

Tristan Gilbert outkicked Paul Hugus in the last stretch to capture the second annual Fall Fest Mile, held on September 17 in beautiful, downtown Westminster.

With this year's field demonstrably bigger, 30 vs 3, than last year's, and containing a diverse collection of runners, whose ages ranged from single digits to 70, finish line officials figured that might even have to be organized this year, as compared to last year, when the three finishers wandered in at different times.

With the race using the same streets as the annual Fall Fest Parade, the field started from the intersection of Monroe Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. During the largely downhill first half of the race, Gilbert, a former runner at Westminster High School and Salisbury University, and Hugus, a former runner at Loch Raven High School and a recent graduate of McDaniel College, grabbed the early lead, with only Jeff Giles managing to stay with them.

After the runners crossed the railroad tracks, they faced an uphill stretch to the old post office at Longwell Avenue, during which the pace slowed quite a bit. Although Gilbert and Hugus made the turn together, Gilbert surged during the downhill portion of Longwell and held his lead during the final uphill to win by three seconds.

Sheldon Degenhardt of Marriotsville and last year's winner Mark Hadley of Westminster passed Giles during the second half of the race, finishing as the first two masters runners.

Finishing at the first two female runners were the Baker sisters from Walkersville. Ashley, a recent graduate of St. Mary's College, now teaching first grade at Parr's Ridge Elementary School in Eldersburg, finished ahead of Allison, now a senior math major, with a secondary education minor, at Mcdaniel College. Casey Roberts finished a close third.