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Twilight Series #1: McDaniel 2-mile Track Run

Kartalia, Stick Capture Track Run.

Steve Kartalia, who recently entered the masters category by turning forty, and Sherry Stick, who just keeps winning, captured the opening race in the 2006 Twilight Series by winning the McDaniel Two Mile Track Run, held on Thursday, June 1.

Kartalia, who could have run in the first of three sections, designated for masters runners, chose to run in the third or open section, and he proved that fast runners tend to get older easier than older runners tend to get faster.

Through the first mile Kartalia ran with high-schoolers Greg Jubb, Arthur Leathers, and Jake Sisler as they gradually began to lap runners. After one mile, passed in a little more than five minutes, only Jubb maintained contact, and in the last two laps Kartalia opened a lead of a full straightaway as he cruised to victory.

In the first heat Pete Dodd led during the early portions of the race before Tim Morgan--from Damascus, who runs for the Montgomery County Road Runners--gradually pulled away to a fifteen second margin as he finished with the seventh best male time. Dodd finished second in the heat, with Jim Bullock, Rich Beck, and Tom Russell behind him.

The only male in the second heat, designed for women and children, was nine year old Zach Rodriguez, who finished in the top half of the twenty-two runners, running a time only fifteen seconds slower than his father, who ran in the third heat.

At the front of the second heat were Jill Krebs and Diana Pool--who finished in the top twenty, in a field of five thousand women, in the recent Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run in Washington--Sherry Stick, who has won this race five of the last six years, and Becky Leathers--who at fourteen years of age decided to run with the big girls.

After a mile Leathers finally lost contact as the front three continued to lap other runners. Although Krebs led for most of the race, both Stick and Pool caught and passed her in the last lap. Those three finished with the fifth, sixth, and seventh best overall times of the sixty-two participants in the three sections. Leathers finished fourth, ahead of Emily Russell and first masters runner Dee Nelson.

For Stick, who ran middle distance races during her college years at Salisbury, it was the sixth time in seven years she has won this race. For Pool and Krebs, who plan to run their first marathons this fall, it would seem that their main focus will be on improving their distance bases, since they seem to have plenty of speed. For Leathers, who will be a top runner for Francis Scott Key High School this fall, other runners should be aware that this small person runs really fast.

**RACE PHOTOS: Kevin Spradlin (WRRC member and now 'race photographer) was able to take pictures of almost everyone in the first two sections (men's masters, then women's). He couldn't take pictures in the open men's heat because he was running (sorry). If you are are interested in purchasing photos, please contact Kevin at kspradlin@lcniofmd.com for details (they're affordable, he promises).