At some point in your life, someone in your family, or someone you know, will need hospice. That simple statement, made by Ed Springer of Merritt Island, is why on this particular September Sunday hundreds of fast moving feet filled the streets of Port Orange in support of Halifax Hospice.
I like running this race because my Mom, Joanne, works for Hospice in northern Virginia, explained Springer. Shes a social worker, and her job is to make a patient and his family as comfortable as possible through the tough times. She spends her days visiting the terminally ill, the family and loved ones, and making sure their needs are met.
Originally from McLean, Virginia (near Washington D.C.), and a graduate of Embry Riddle University, the aerospace engineer is an employee of SAIC at Cape Canaveral. He made the trip up from his home on Merritt Island as the defending 2007 champion.
I found it on line and wanted to run it in support of the hard work she does. I certainly couldnt do what she does myself. It is a labor of love, working with the terminally ill and their families. It takes a special kind of person to do that.
Springers labors proved to be a lot more difficult in defending his title in 2008, than it was in claiming it in 2007. Last year, the race was held on November 3rd, and his time of 18:06 won easily. This year, despite higher temperatures, he had to shave 18 seconds off that time because of double the number of entrants.
I knew everyone was going to go out fast, so I held back a little. At the mile (which he passed in 5:29) I was fourth or fifth. His second mile was in 5:51. At about 2.75 miles I started reeling in a guy with a gray shirt (Michael Stone, 28, of Port Orange), and passed him. His biggest lead was at mile one; he had about 150 meters.
He ran that third mile in 5:47.
From three, until the end, I picked it up, finishing the last tenth at about a 5:30 pace. I didnt look back to see where anyone was.
If he had, the first runner he would have seen was 15 year old Andrew Epifanio.
When we turned the corner in to Hospice, I knew we had about a half mile to go, so I picked it up, explained Epifanio. In the last of a mile, I managed to catch the #3 (Stone) and #2 (17 year old Justin Shirer, of Ormond Beach) guys. When I got to the three mile mark, I could see the first guy (Springer) heading in towards the finish. I really didnt expect to move up so quickly, so I didnt have time to pick up my pace enough to catch him. Springer sprinted in in 17:48, Epifanio was eight seconds back in 17:56.
Altogether, it was a great race. It was shady, easy to follow, flat and very scenic. I enjoyed it very much, concluded Epifanio.
The womens field was equally competitive, and the runners quite familiar with each other.
26 year old Katie Hoover, of Ormond Beach, knew full well that Mallory Dunn would be the one runner between her and the overall title.
I was a little nervous, and took it out too fast. I should have run the first mile in around six minutes. But Mallory is a very talented runner and she seemed to have a pretty even pace, which is smart, explained Hoover.
With Katie going past in well under six--Mallory was behind, even at a 5:52 clocking--Hoover found herself with the lead, but fading fast.
She passed me at maybe a mile and a quarter, and stayed ahead of me after that. I couldnt see her on the sidewalk (of Dunlawton, or 142), because there were so many people.
25 year old Mallory Dunn, who is a Volusia County lifeguard, didnt deviate from her race plan, despite Hoovers early challenge.
I wasnt planning on taking it out hard, she explained. Im doing a lot of training for the November 1st Ironman Florida. I looked at it as a tempo run. But Katie went out pretty fast--she led for awhile--but I caught her right around where we passed the pool. Im not sure of the mile marker. I dont usually go out that fast; it takes me awhile to get going.
In the end Dunn was the first woman across the finish line (tenth overall), in 18:46, with Hoover one place behind in 19:11.
Note: The below places are where each runner finished, overall, in the race. After the race, men and women received awards separately, by age groups. To save space, I simplified the results to include only the top ten men and women. For complete results, go on line to Alta Vista Sports.
Top 10
Males
1) Ed Springer
2)Andrew Epifanio
3)Justin Shirar
4)Michale Stone
5)Jimmy Wyatt
6)Bill McCord
7)Charlie Templeton
8)Craig Henry
9)Jordan Tager
13)Marcus Droker
Males
1) Ed Springer
2)Andrew Epifanio
3)Justin Shirar
4)Michale Stone
5)Jimmy Wyatt
6)Bill McCord
7)Charlie Templeton
8)Craig Henry
9)Jordan Tager
13)Marcus Droker