BALLWIN, MO. – Wet weather earlier in the week couldn’t knock Race 2 of the 2018 Alpine Shop Trail Run Series off of Castlewood State Park’s trails. However, a combination of the three “H’s” will make this race one that the record 248 people who finished the course will brag about for years to come – and by the three H’s we mean: hills, heat and humidity.
The course is one of the most difficult you can tackle in at Castlewood, featuring an immediate 15% grade climb out of the valley and to the top of the bluff and the River Scene Trail. Following one of the most exciting descents in the park on the Lone Wolf Trail, runners faced their second climb that grades out at 12% up the Midway/Office Connector Trail. Race officials listed the course as a total of 4 miles. Add in starting time temps still registering near 90 degrees and a valley saturated from two days of rain… yeah, the three H’s.
Benjamin Hudson (St. Louis, 32) won his second race in as many weeks, finishing the course in 27:21.6 with Jon-Paul LaVenture (Ballwin, Mo., 37), last week’s third place finisher, moving up to second place this week just 20 seconds behind. Daniel Welch (Clayton, Mo., 27), who took second last week, rounded up the top three just 16 seconds back of LaVenture.
Sunny Gilbert (Ellisville, Mo., 39) made her debut for 2018 in familiar fashion, winning the women’s division in a time of 30:53.7, continuing her domination in the Trail Run Series. Since the Series started in 2010, Gilbert has won every race in which she has competed. Second place went to newcomer Noa Heter (38), just 11 seconds back. Hannah Floyd (St. Louis, 32), last week’s winner, took home third place this week in a time of 34:38.6. In the Overall race standings, Gilbert and Heter finished in seventh and ninth place, respectively.
The Men’s Masters division standings look like a photo copy of last week’s results. Chris Martel (Webster Groves, Mo., 52) once more one his age group with his sixth straight victory going back to last year’s series with a time of 29:35. Eric Buckley (St. Louis, 55) finished second in the division at 33:11.7, and Keith Lyston (Chesterfield, Mo., 52) crossed the archway in 35:41.1.
A similar situation played out on the Women’s Masters side, with the same three women grabbing top three finishes, but with positions flipped. Susan Richmond (Eureka, Mo., 57) , like Martel, won her sixth straight race going back to 2017 with a time of 41:18.1. Sophia Lin, (Chesterfield, Mo., 59) moved from third last week to second this time with a time of 47:05.8, and Rachel Hartmann (St. Louis, 52) rounds out the scoring with a time of 47:56.6.
Two lucky racers were treated to pairs of Altra Running Footwear as winners in the prize drawings, while everyone had the chance to grab some Urban Chestnut Brewing Company beers, food and other prizes, including hats from The North Face.
Next week, FITS Socks Co. will be at the races with 150 pairs of their terrific running socks to give away. More details to come on Monday, August 20.
Overall Results – Preliminary (Updated 08/16/18 9 pm)
Age Group Results – Preliminary (Updated 08/16/18 9 pm)
Photos- Facebook
Point Totals – After Two Races