I certainly enjoy taking in a good road race, but I’ve always had a soft spot for track meets.
I love watching the fastest of the fast duel on the track, and I hold my breath when the pole vaulters launch themselves to heights that frighten me.
There’s a beautiful science to the triple jump that can mesmerize, and the same can be said about the power and technical skill that goes into the throws.
All of the individual parts of a track meet are special on their own, but what brings it all together is the sense of community within.
This is an environment where fierce competitors freely intermingle with their rivals and often become friends by the end of the day. It’s a place of warmth where hugs and high fives, not blows, are exchanged, and some of the loudest cheers are reserved for the last-place finishers. Perhaps I’m being overly naive, but I’d like to believe my wallet would be returned if it was ever lost on invitational day.
With all of that said, it hurts me to say that this sport, as a whole, took a step back earlier this month when a 17-year-old athlete, Austin Metcalf, was stabbed to death at a meet in Texas.
It’s hard to continue writing at this point. I keep starting and stopping, and then re-reading the previous sentence. A life was lost at a track meet, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to fully process this piece of news.
My heart is broken for the family that has to bury their son, and I also feel sympathy for the family that will be the target of daily death threats and slurs while they await their due process.
This whole incident, and its aftermath, goes against everything that track and field stands for. It strips away a layer of the innocence and trust that make this sport great.
It will take more than time for these fresh wounds to heal. I don’t have a specific solution, but I believe it starts with decency and a respect for human life.
These are qualities already exemplified by our local track community and I hope and pray our kids continue to take the path of sportsmanship, even if that path has to someday go through a metal detector.
1 STEP BACK, 3 STEPS FORWARD
The Boston Marathon was held on Monday, and while the results have not yet been listed by city and state, we’ve gotten word on the performances of a handful of locals.
Most notable among the area finishers was Chambersburg’s Zach Stinson, who competed to a runner-up finish in the handcycles race with a time of 1:13:20. Stinson, a Marine and double amputee who lost his legs to an IED in Afghanistan in 2010, is a three-time Boston Marathon champion.
Two others from Chambersburg, Laurie Dymond and Todd Henry, ran to finishes in 3:19:01 and 3:37:24, respectively, while Hagerstown’s Trenna Kelly crossed the finish line in 5:29:56.
The fastest Local.News1 .org marathoner in recent weeks has been Waynesboro’s Kyle Phillips, who blasted off for a 2:35:57 at the Jersey City Marathon in Jersey City, N.J.
In Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, the Coastal Delaware Running Festival featured area finishers in its 5K, 9K and half marathon races. Morgan Keplinger, of Hagerstown, completed the half marathon in 1:39:08 to win the 30-34 AG, and she was chased to finish line by Fayetteville’s Amanada Kaiser-Jones (2:15:48) and Waynesboro’s Deann Diehl (3:40:31). Kaiser-Jones also completed the 5K in 30:29, while Chambersburg’s Christine Metcalfe ran the 9K in 56:47.
Two races in Shippensburg — the Heralds of Hope 5K and Bunny Hop 5K — were both chock full strong finishes from area runners. Top 10 finishers from the Heralds of Hope race included Chambersburg’s Samuel Goshorn (3rd in 20:38), Aaron Goshorn (4th in 20:38), Chris Monheim (6th in 20:58), Christian Madrigal (7th in 21:22), and Greencastle’s Emanuel Ciocan (5th in 20:42), while Fayetteville’s Danielle Portier finished as third female in 25:29. The aforementioned Madrigal finished in second place in 21:38 at the at Bunny Hop, and was joined at the finish line by fellow Chambersburg runners Mikey Williams (5th in 22:49), Tyson Shanholtz (27:20), Tara Brown (27:20), and Alexx Purcell (28:09).
Hagerstown runners flocked to Middletown, Maryland, for the SMHS Makin’ Hay 5K/10K. Bradley Lundberg (56:39) and Kyle Mattejat (1:08:33) both earned AG awards in the 10K, while Stephen Brooks (34:48) was the top local finisher in the 5K.
The Capital for a Day 5K in Olney, Maryland, included finishes from Fairfield’s Beverly and Ronald Black. Beverly finished in 24:44 to win the 60-69 AG, while Ronald completed the race in 26:04 to take second in the 70-79 AG.
A number of others were active in races across the region and beyond, including Greencastle’s Ryland Zimmerman (36:43 at Piggy Trot 5K), Fayetteville’s Wing Lam Cheung (6:07.44 at Westminster Main Street Mile) and Glenn Scott (25:01 at Bunny Palooza 5K), Fairfield’s Sam Craine (35:58 at Bruce Hollabaugh 5K Memorial Run) and Lindsay Sites (59:47 at Snack Town 10K), and Hagerstown’s Michael Sanders (47:48 at Fodderstack 10K) and Ken Honeycutt (1:41:49 at Columbia Duathlon).
And finally, a shoutout to quartet of local runners who survived the grueling Hyner 25K: Chambersburg’s Zally Rice (4:48:09), Fayetteville’s Amy Whitmoyer (4:52:15) and Stephanie McBeth (5:05:31), and Greencastle’s Clayton Meyers (5:28:55).
And now, a look ahead:
Johnston Run 5 Mile: Saturday, 9 a.m., in Mercersburg. Test your skills in this race, which benefits the Mercersburg Area Council for Wellness. Find the race on timberhilltiming.com.
Gettysburg Festival of Races: Saturday-Sunday, in Gettysburg. This event features race distances of 5K, half marathon, and marathon. Learn more on gettysburgfestivalofraces.com.
Halfity Half Marathon: Sunday, May 4, 8 a.m., in Harrisburg. Run a half marathon or less conventional race distances of quarter and eighth marathons in this event. Register for the race on runsignup.com.
Also: Garden Spot Village Half Marathon (Saturday, in New Holland); Havens Marathon (Saturday, in Coudersport); Let’s Play 5K/10K (Saturday, in Newport); Logan’s Run for Autism 5K (Saturday, in Harrisburg); On the Dam Trail 30K/50K (Saturday, in Hooversville); Pirate 5K/10K/15K/13.1M (Saturday, in Hughesville); Pirate 5K/10K (Saturday, in Manheim); Yuengling Light Lager Jogger 5K (Saturday, in Pottsville); Race Against Racism 5K (Saturday, in Lancaster/York); Rock the Run 5K – Pirates vs. Princesses (Saturday, in Hagerstown, Md.); Jim Thorpe Running Festival (Saturday-Sunday, in Jim Thorpe); Girls on the Run 5K (Sunday, in York); Panther Prowl 5K (Sunday, in Enola); Paterno Family Beaver Stadium Run 5K (Sunday, in University Park); Run Wild for the Zoo 5K (Sunday, in Philadelphia); St. Luke’s Marathon (Sunday, in Allentown); WVS Cherry Blossom 5 Mile Run (Sunday, in Wilkes-Barre); Mount Aetna Adventist School’s Fun Trail Run (Sunday, in Hagerstown, Md.); Beat Goes on Adventure Race 5K (Saturday, May 3, in Lewisberry); Chazak Endeavor Obstacle Course Race (Saturday, May 3, in Lancaster); Cinco de Mayo 5K (Saturday, May 3, in Reading); Great Allegheny Ohiopyle Marathon Race Festival (Saturday, May 3, in Ohiopyle); Hills Creek Endurance Challenge 3H/6H/12H (Saturday, May 3, in Wellsboro); Luau 5K/10K (Saturday, May 3, in New Cumberland); Medal Madness 5K/10K/15K/13.1M (Saturday, May 3, in Biglerville); Shalom Christian Academy 5K (Saturday, May 3, in Chambersburg); The Office 5K (Saturday, May 3, in Scranton); Turkey Hill Country Classic (Saturday, May 3, in Lancaster); Pittsburgh Marathon Weekend (Saturday-Sunday, May 3-4, in Pittsburgh); Broad Street Run 10 Miler (Sunday, May 4, in Philadelphia); Bursting Bubble 5K (Sunday, May 4, in York); Greenwood Furnace Trail Challenge 13.1M (Sunday, May 4, in Huntingdon); York Marathon (Sunday, May 4, in York); Charge for Change 3K (Sunday, May 4, in Hagerstown).
