Veterans Day Road to Freedom 5K

Martinsburg, WV, November 8, 2008

Race Report

Good weather brought a record crowd to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center east of Martinsburg, West Virginia for the ninth running of the Veterans Day Road to Freedom 5K. Temperatures rose into the upper 50°s for the 9 AM start, with a light breeze providing the only obstacle on the flat and fast USATF-certified 3.1 mile course. Among the 185 official 5K finishers were at least 42 veterans of the United States Armed Forces, honored with their own special awards categories. Also taking part were many cross-country runners from high schools throughout the eastern West Virginia panhandle and Virginia's northern Shenandoah Valley.

One of those high schoolers was 18-year-old Lenny Roach, last year's Road to Freedom 5K champion. A week earlier, the Berkeley Springs High School senior had won the AA-A division race at the state cross-country championships, and his legs had recovered enough to easily claim his second Road to Freedom victory in 16:51. Roach's teammate John Mundey also placed in the top five, finishing fourth overall in 17:42. Jefferson High Schoolers Kory Farmer (17:34) and Seton Zacot (17:56) took third and fifth respectively. The only non-teen to break the top five was elderly results compiler Karsten Brown (17:10).

The top female finisher was also a high schooler. 17-year-old Alyssa Boucher, coming off an eighth-place finish in the AAA division at states, once again represented Jefferson High School well, clocking a 20:11 for the women's win. Finishing second was Jefferson alum Michelle VanHorn (21:08), who, coincidentally, also finished eighth at states back in 1998! The next two spots were claimed by Martinsburg High School sophomores, with 2007 Road to Freedom 5K winner Shelby Johnson crossing the line in 22:26 and Karena Moran following ten seconds later. 45-year-old Kim Cumbie rounded out the ladies' top five in 23:36.

36-year-old Brian White, who directed the extremely successful Apple Trample 5K in Martinsburg three weeks earlier, wound up as the top veteran finisher, coming in 17th place overall with a time of 20:21. Training partners Terry Leckie (21:07) and Bill Powers (22:55), both of Front Royal, were the next two male veterans. Harpers Ferry's Holly Korzilius, 36, was the female veteran champ with a 27:14 performance, followed by Purcellville's Sue Best (28:49) and Katherine Vultaggio of Summit Point (28:56). Receiving special recognition at the awards ceremony was World War II veteran Bob Atkins of Winchester, now 83 years of age and running the race for the fourth straight year.

Many thanks to Don Stevens and everyone from the Veterans Affairs Employees Association for all their efforts! (The results compiler would also like to thank Joe Myers, Peter Blank, Robert Gurtler, and [especially] the invaluable Nancy Bullock for their terrific race day assistance.)