BY PETER JACKEL
Journal Times | Posted: Saturday, June 21, 2008 12:00 am
RACINE - No way were they supposed to be mentioned so prominently in this story.
In fact, a persuasive case could be made they they weren't even supposed to be more than just another two names listed among the Lighthouse Run results elsewhere in this section. And that certainly is not to suggest either was a slouch.
Instead, Dave Williams and Amy Haney were the respective men's and women's 10-mile champions in Saturday's 30th Lighthouse Run, which was held in both rain showers and under crystal blue skies. And, as talented as both are, they didn't seem to be overly plausible possibilities to head off in opposite directions with their sculpted championship trophies.
Take the 36-year-old Williams, a Milwaukee resident. He still has the distinction of running the slowest time ever by a Lighthouse Run 10-mile champion (54:08) in the 30-year history of this event. And that time came 10 years ago, when there was obviously more youthful spring in his legs.
And then take the 35-year-old Haney, who lives in Libertyville, Ill. She was once one of 10 children working on the family farm in Strawn, Ill. Because of the chores for which she was responsible, she was allowed only one extra-curricular activity in high school.
Her choice was basketball, not a running sport.
Furthermore, Haney readily concedes that she usually doesn't win races and her winning time of 1:03.51.9 is the second slowest ever for a women's champion in this race.
But on a morning when none of the defending champions from the four Lighthouse Run events returned - which is believed to be a first - both Williams and Haney crossed the finish line first in their respective races before rain yielded to clearing skies.
Williams, a special education supervisor for Milwaukee Public Schools, ran a time of 53:33.1 to hold off runner-up Josh Steffen of Salt Lake City (53:56.8) by more than 23 seconds. Only three times in this race have been slower in the history of the Lighthouse Run, but, hey, it was good enough.
Just like it was 10 years ago, when Williams made a late rest room stop and was horrified to hear the sound of the starter's gun.
"I still have that article," Williams said. "I actually missed the start that year, which is why I was a little slower. I was in the rest room and the gun went off, so I probably started 30 seconds behind."
If Williams was surprised Saturday, it was probably because 10 years has elapsed since he last won this race, which represents the longest stretch between men's championships since the Lighthouse Run was first held in 1979. And just like the rest of us, he's 10 years older.
But 10 years ago, that rest room stop actually may have helped him in terms of gaining a shot of adrenaline that helped him to victory.
"I ran really fast for two miles and settled in and ended up winning," Williams said. "I was surprised."
There was no such adrenaline 10 years later, especially when a malfunction with the starter's cannon momentarily delayed the race. Instead, there was personal running guile, the depth of which he didn't have 10 years ago.
"I think I learned how to dose my effort throughout the race better," said Williams, who qualified for the Olympic Trials in Chicago in October 2006 and then finished 66th at New York last November with a time of 2:24.57. "I've run about 14 marathons and I think I've learned not to go out too hard in races," he said. "I ran pretty evenly throughout the race today."
And as Williams progressed toward the finish line, he couldn't help but reflect on 10 years ago.
"I think I thought about it at about mile seven," he said. "I didn't know if anyone was behind me or not. No one was really saying anything out on the course until maybe a half mile to go. And then someone said second place was 100 meters behind me and that's probably when I thought I was going to win.
"But I thought about that. Ten years ago, I was in the same place on the same course running in first place. It was kind of peaceful, probably because it happened before and it gave me some comfort and some confidence."
While Haney's time was slow in the historical realm of this race - her time was more than six minutes slower than Jenny Crain's record-setting pace in 2007 - it was still good enough to dominate her competition.
Haney, who finished 40th overall, finished a comfortable distance ahead of runner-up Abbie Zaspel of Burlington (1:06.11.4).
What separated her from the pack? A huge factor was the presence of a chance encounter, Joseph Sosa, who hooked up with Haney midway through the race and hung with her until the end.
It was mutually beneficial. Haney was pushed to an easy victory. And Sosa, a Racine resident who finished 41st, ran a personal-best time of 1:03.52.8 - one second behind Haney.
"He did help me," Haney said. "I was very appreciative of his desire to stay with me because he maybe had a little more than I did as it relates to energy. I was very, very appreciative. He was very helpful."
A brief encounter it was. And it was one Sosa will never forget.
"I was joking with her," he said. "I told her, 'I'm just trying to hang on to your pace so I can get my picture taken.' And she said,. 'Well, I'm just trying to hang on to you,' so I think it was mutual.
"We were just two runners out there trying to get a good time and it so happened she was the top female finisher and I PRd."
While it was a memorable day for Williams and Haney, the same could be said for the entire Lighthouse Run. There was a total turnout of 3,555 for the 10-mile, four-mile and 2 & 4 mile fun run/walk, which is the first time since 1992 when there have been more than 3,500 participants.
There were also more than 1,500 more participants since 2002, when a downward trend bottomed out at 2,030.
"We did a few new things this year and the feedback was real positive," said Pete Henkes, the Lighthouse Run race director since 1999. "Clocks at every mile mark people thought was great. They had never run in a race like that.
"And the Ruud's dash kid's run they thought was super too. So there were no negatives at all. Whenever you have a day like that, you're happy."