FOOTPRINT Lake Grapevine Runners & Walkers
May 2008
www.runnersandwalkers.com
RAW off to the Races… The 2008 Haltom Stampede 5K
By Thomas Okazaki
C
lear skies and cool temperatures greeted runners at the 22nd Annual Haltom Stampede 5K and one mile fun run on Saturday, February 9th in Haltom City, Texas, which also served as the venue for the winter quarter segment of the “RAW off to the Races” series.
Kudos to race director Charles Russell for promptly correcting another finishing result error and immediately offering to make arrangements to get a trophy to Blaine Covington, after his award was mistakenly given to another runner.
Five RAW members brought home a coveted “ceramic buffalo” trophy that morning led by strong Master winning performances by both Jeff Garber and Yolanda Hopping with their respective times of 17:39 and 19:50. RAW’s Blaine Covington, age 11, son of Tina Covington, set a PR by running a strong 22:59, good for 3rd in his age group.
loop 10K course due to some significant physical barriers in the neighborhoods. A number of runners expressed they enjoyed the opportunity of entering both a 5K and 10K event to increase their chances of taking home one of these fabulous ceramic buffaloes. It most likely helped serve to increase the popularity of this event and make it one of the more truly unique and “must do” races in the DFW metroplex. They also hope that a solution can be worked out so the double race format can be brought back again. Suggestions were made that perhaps the race organizers might consider moving the Haltom Stampede back to Birdville Stadium.
Jeff Garber, Male Masters Winner, was the first RAW member to cross the finish line and ran a stellar 17:39 performance.
Blaine Convington, PR’d at this event, (22:59, 3rd AG).
Despite not feeling right, Brad Pearson still managed a gut check win of his age group with a time of 20:29, while Dale Mauger, 60 years young, continued to amaze by grabbing 2nd in his age group with a strong 22:30 performance. RAW’s Brad Liles continues to live up to his reputation as a class act. After returning home and discovering that the race organizers had mistakenly awarded him a 3rd place age group trophy for his 21:29 finishing time, he promptly asked that his trophy be returned and be awarded to the proper winning recipient.
The Stampede was in its second year of having a new 5K course and start location at the Haltom Recreation Center, several miles west from its former site at the Birdville Stadium. A number of runners spoke fondly of the old location and how much they enjoyed having the race finish with one “final bell lap” inside the stadium. The new start location does have its advantages though. Besides offering closer and more convenient parking for the runners, the Haltom City Recreation Center provides more warmth and comfort for the awards ceremony. In the past, participants had to brave the elements as they waited for the results and the trophies to be handed out. Another change made was that the 10K event was dropped because many runners did not enjoy racing a double 5K loop. The new course location made it too difficult to design a single
Yolanda Hopping was the Female Masters Winner (19:50).
Special thanks to Mark Miller who offered to assist in helping to set up the “RAW off to the Races” club recruiting and membership information table. Also a word of appreciation to Charles Clines of Clines Running Corner for generously providing race photos for free of our RAW members at this event for publication purposes.