Whitefish Lake Run missing some stars
It easy to excuse Kalispell's David Vidal and Nicole Hunt of Deer Lodge from this year's field of the 28th annual Whitefish Lake Run (WLR).
Both are competing at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Carson, Calif. That premier event began Thursday, with Vidal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, and concludes Sunday.
Vidal, a senior at Stanford University, won the Whitefish Lake Run's 10K race last year with a time of 31 minutes, 31 seconds. His winning effort in 2002 was a bit slower, 32:19.
Still, those are the two best WLR times posted in the men's 10K in the last five years.
Hunt won the 5K in 2003 in 17:36 and again in 2002 in 17:58. Those are the second and third fastest WLR times in the women's 5K in the last five years.
Hunt will compete in the 10,000-meter run at the championships in California tonight at 9.
"It tends to be highly competitive," said WLR co-race director Bill Brist of the lake run.
"Both the 5K and 10K."
So much so that several WLR winners have competed in NCAA track and field and cross country championships.
Kalispell's Brett Winegar, the winner of the 2001 10K WLR, went on to win a national NJCAA Division III cross country championship for Flathead Valley Community College.
Vidal had the 19th best time coming into the steeplechase, 8:43.07, out of the 23 runners entered. Daniel Lincoln, running unattached, had the best: 8:16.86.
There were two heats of the steeplechase Thursday with Lincoln winning the first in 8:35.32.
Vidal, running in the second heat, placed seventh in 8:47.66, 14th overall.
The winning time in the second heat was 8:36.64.
Ninteen runners completed the race.
Hunt, competing for Moving Comfort - Montana, has the 17th best time in her event, 33:40.74. Deena Kastor, unattached/Asics, leads with a 31:09.65.
Now back to the business of WLR.
As of Sunday, 190 runners were registered. There were 130 in the 5K (3.1 miles) and 60 in the 10K (6.2 miles). Through Thursday, the new count was pushing 400.
"Just preliminary," said Brist.
"We'd like to have between 400 and 500."
There are no race-day entries, so runners must register before closing time tonight at the Sportsman and Ski Haus in Kalispell or Whitefish. Entry fees are $15 for runners 13-and-above and $10 for 12-and-below.
The WLR had 500-plus contestants in 2000 and 563 in 2001 before race entries started to fall off. There were 354 finishers in 2003.
Both races will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday at City Beach. An awards ceremony follows at 9:30 a.m.
All participants will receive a T-shirt while all finishers get an added bonus.
"Finishers pins," said Brist.
"We had it last year. It went so well we brought it back again this year. A pin to wear with pride with the Whitefish Lake Run logo."
Like last year, the 10K race will also be the USATF Montana State Championship for men and women.
Dean Gianos of Whitefish is the other co-race director.
Whitefish Lake Run
Results
2004
10K
Zoe Nelson, Kalispell 38:32
David Vidal, Kalispell 31:31
5K
Jennifer Thomas, Helena 19:43
Kurt Michels, Kalispell 15:24
2003
10K
Danielle Salois-Shahan, Kalispell 38:36
Gary Dennis, Gouldsboro, Pa. 34:55
5K
Nicole Hunt, Deer Lodge 17:36
Sean Mangan, Cranbrook, B.C. 16:57
2002
10K
Brooke Cantu, Kalispell 40:33
David Vidal, Kalispell 32:19
5K
Nicole Hunt, Deer Lodge 17:58
Kevin Clary, Kalispell 15:41
2001
10K
Loreen McRae, Missoula 40:44
Brett Winegar, Kalispell 33:31
5K
Lauren Keithly, Kalispell 18:37
Kurt Michels, Kalispell 15:48
2000
10K
Emily Nay, Helena 36:47
Seth Watkins, Kalispell 33:53
5K
Elizabeth Roodell, Eureka 17:18
Brad Treat, West Glacier 14:44