Lundblad, Crowther Capture Sunmart Texas Trail 50 Mile Titles
Harrington, Terris 50K champions

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By John Welch
Posted Monday, 11 December, 2006

HUNTSVILLE, Texas - (December 9, 2006) - Anne Lundblad found the trails through Huntsville State Park to her liking as she easily captured the women's overall title in the 50 mile race at the 17th Sunmart Texas Trail Endurance Runs on Saturday. This year's Sunmart 50-mile event served as the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) World Trail Challenge.

Lundblad, a 40-year old counselor at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, N.C., finished the four-loop route through the bucolic park in 6 hours, 33 minutes and 23 seconds for her first Sunmart win (worth $1000). Kami Semick, 40, from Bend, Ore., finished second at 6:42:20. Tania Pacev, 47, of Littleton, Colo., was third (7:15:09).

Lundblad, spurred by ideal weather conditions - temperature in the 30s and 40s with little wind - sped to an early lead over a small pack of runners, including former Sunmart champions Connie Gardner of Ohio and Pacev and Semick. By the end of eight miles, Lundblad was content to forge a solo pacing effort. Gardner would later pull out of the race, leaving Semick and Pacev to challenge Lundblad.

"It was a perfect day and you just couldn't ask for better weather," said Lundblad, who competed at 5000 and 10,000 meters for William & Mary College. "At the last turnaround in the race, I had about six minutes on Semick, so I felt like I was in a fairly comfortable position."

Sunmart newcomer Greg Crowther, a 33-year-old biologist from Seattle, Wash., took the men's 50 mile crown in 5:37:39. Oleg Kharitonov, 38, of Sverdlovsk-oblast, Russia, was second at 6:00:09 and Giorgio Calcaterra, 34, of Rome, Italy, third in 6:11:41.

Crowther was following Russian teammates Kharitonov and Denis Zhalybin and Calcaterra when the trio of leaders took a wrong turn that, according to Calcaterra, added 10 minutes to their race and vaulted Crowther into the lead.

"I was surprised, because Oleg (Kharitonov) and Denis (Zhalybin) are two of the best ultra-marathoners in the world," Crowther said. "I took the lead when they went off course. It's great to win, but it's too bad about their misfortune."

In the 50K race, Wendy Terris, a 37-year-old sales assistant for a Portland, Ore, uniform manufacturer, defended her 2005 title in 3:52:22. Annette Bednosky, 40, from Jefferson, N.C., finished second at 4:11:16. Ashley Golliher, 38, from Austin, Texas, was third (4:21:24).

Terris took command of her race from the start and cruised to a comfortable win worth $600.

"It was a little chilly and the sandy stretches of the course were a little tough, but I can't complain," said Terris, who has twice qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. "I just had to relax and tell myself not to let my competitive urge overtake me."

Jim Harrington, 41, of Negaunee, Mich., a public health educator who finished second four times in past years, won his first Sunmart 50K title in 3:37:10. Lundblad's husband Mark finished second at 3:40:14. Brett Hervat, 40, of Houston, was third (3:56:57).

This year's Sunmart event attracted nearly 900 runners from 31 states and eight countries.

17th Sunmart Texas Trail Endurance Runs
Huntsville, TX, Saturday, December 9, 2006

50 Mile
MEN
1) Greg Crowther, WA, 5:37:39, $1000
2) Oleg Kharitonov, Russia, 6:00:09, $600
3) Giorgio Calcaterra, Italy, 6:11:41, $400

WOMEN
1) Anne Lundblad, 40, NC, 6:33:23, $1000
2) Kami Semick, 40, OR, 6:42:20, $600
3) Tania Pacev, 47, CO, 7:15:09, $400

50K (31 miles)
MEN
1) Jim Harrington, 41, MI, 3:37:10, $600
2) Mark Lundblad, NC, 3:40:14, $300
3) Brett Hervat, 40, TX, 3:56:57, $200

WOMEN
1) Wendy Terris, OR, 3:52:22, $600
2) Annette Bednosky, NC, 4:11:16, $300
3) Ashley Golliher, TX, 4:21:24, $200

For deeper results, go to: www.doitsports.com/results/page.tcl?id=14723

Related info:
RunningUSA

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