.- -. .- -.:'t'" 1983 JACKSONVILLE RIVER RUN 15,000 . .. Hosted by: Jacksonville Track Club Sponsored by: Major Sponsor: BARNETT BANK OF JACKSONVILLE Supporting Sponsor: FLORIDA TIMES UNION CONVERSE R.C. COLA OF JACKSONVILLE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE Sports & Entertainment Commissior(' Tourist & Convention Bureau ... In kind Sponsors: SOUTHERN BELL DELMONTE COVER PHOTO: Larry Gwaltney captures the excitement ofth~ sixth annual Jacksonville River Run with this triple exposure photo taken before, during and after the 15K race. The Jacksonville River Run 15K results book is published by World Class Runners Inc. publishers of RUNNER'S UPDATE MAGAZINE. -'~-i":'!-_.... Ra.ce Director: DOUG ALRED Assistant Race Director: EVERETT MORRIS Registration Chairman: JIM COOVERT Awards Designed & Created By: JANE RYAN Layout & Graphics Prepared By: THOMAS KENNY/RUNNER'S UPDATE MAGAZINE RACE NOTES: Tom Kenny RIVER RUN HISTORY A Chronology of the South's Largest 15K DATELINE: JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA women's division. This time River Run was designated as SPRING, 1977 - Members of the Jacksonville Track the RRCA's National 15K Championships. RU associate Club, after competing in the highly-successful July 4th editor Bob Ludlow, a last-minute entry, was astounded to Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, decide to stage their own learn, only at the moment he accepted his trophy at the version of this mass-participation race. The Florida Times­ awards ceremony, that he had captured a national title for Union is quick to realize the potential of the race and offers masters. to sponsor it. By mid-summer, JTC President Gary Hogue 1981-One of the best fields ever assembled set the stage had things well under way. for the 1981 edition. Dan Dillon ran 43:34 to establish a new 1978 - World Class runners and a field of over 2700 course record and best Jon Sinclair by just two seconds. participated in the inaugural River Run. Canadian Jerome Steve Floto ran 44:34 to take third, and Louis Kenny was Drayton, a pre-race favorite, pulled Bill R9dgers, Chris fourth in 44:35. In the women's race, Patti Catalano ran Stewart, former Florida State star Ken Misner and Benji 49:33 to break the existing American record. Joan Benoit, Durden through the mile in 4:45. By four miles, Rodgers, the previous course record holder, ran 50:29 for third, and who would go on to win the Boston Marathon two weeks Jacqueline Gareau ran a fine 51:37 to place third. later, had taken control of the race. Rodgers time of 44:46 1982 - The 1982 edition was the fastest to date, with was nearly a full minute ahead of Ken Misner, who ran Kenyan Mike Musyoki recording a quick 43:33. Musyoki's 45:20. Kim Merritt won the women's title easily in 55:46. win did not come easily, as River Run once again provided 1979 - By 1979 the River Run had already gained great an exciting finish. Britain's Nick Rose, running for the Sub-4 popularity across the Southeast and would serve as the Track Club, placed second in 43:34 (RU, June-July, 1982). Road Runners of America Southern Regional IS-Kilometer Wendy Smith, fresh from a second-place finish in Tampa's Championships. Jerry Odlin won the men's title, as he ran Gasparilla Distance Classic, recorded a fine 49:51. There through a hot and humid Jacksonville morning to record a were 4399 official entrants and an estimated 100,000 fine 46:04. Joan Benoit ran 51:46 to take top women's spectators along the tough course. honors and establish a new course record. Over 2800 1983 - Jacksonville's Bm Fisher and John Rogerson led a runners finished the challenging course, which began and tough field thru the mile in a quick 4:38 to eventually finish finished on Coast Line Drive in downtown Jacksonville. 13th & 11th_respectively. Britian Nick Rose outkicked Mark ~" 1980 - By 1980 the race field had nearly doubled, with Nenow in th.e final 100 meters to record his first River Run over 4400 entries. Bob Hodge and Atlanta's Benji Durden victory. Dave Murphy edged Joseph Nzau at the tape to battled throughout the race, with Hodge emerging as'the place third. Charlotte Teske of West Germany took top winner in the last half mile by a scant four seconds: Jennifer women honors as she ran 50:17. White, of Charlottesville, Virginia, ran 53:'1'1 to win the BIU .J.. -" I !~ , Joan Benoit Jennifer White Patty Catalano Wendy Smith Charlotte Teske REPRINTED COURTESY OF RUNNER'S UPDATE MAGAZINE (MARCH/APRIL 1983). '--~ . 3 ". L ~~_ NO GUTS, NO GLORY! The Sixth Annual Jacksonville River Run Produced Another Fierce Duel Down The Stretch By Thomas Kenny Photos By: Phil Mistarz Courtesy of RUNNER'S UPDA TE Magazine (May/June 1983) Last year the sun; this year the wind. By Thursday afternoon it was blasting through downtown Jackson­ ville, creating apprehension among runners and race officials alike. The unexpected coolness was welcome and refreshing, but the prospect of high winds on race day was cause for concern. All day Friday the EXPO drew large crowds to the lobby of the Downtown Hilton. "We're having a great turn­ out!" enthused Doug Alred, this year's race dir.ector. "Look at this place; it's The Main Street Bridge looms in the background of the staging packed!" Indeed, the EXPO would I area for River Run '83. turn out to be an unqualified success, hopefully an indication of things to come. name), Malcolm· East, Joseph Nzau, October's mammoth New York City The invited runners could be seen Louis Kenny, Paul Cummings, Marathon. Having just completed gathering in small groups on the peri­ Domingo Tibaduiza, Bill Fisher, John three months of hard training in the phery, talking of past races, training Rogerson. And the women's field­ rugged hills of New Zealand, Sinclair and, of course, the wind! Charlotte Teske, Jacqueline Gareau, would be prepared to battle a strong The wind. Outside, the temperature Eleanor Simonsick, Ingrid Kristian­ wind. "I've got the strength," he said, had dropped and harsh winds con­ sen, ·Linda McLennan! The masters "but I haven't done any speed work at tinued to swirl and gust through the were ably represented by Bill Stewart, all. I hope to be up there tomorrow, darkening streets, posing a definite who just set an American Master's and I'll give it 100 percent." threat to the harmony of River Run Record for the 15K distance at Gas­ Sinclair's statement evoked a sense '83. A few runners, braving the dark­ parilla-a stunning 45:57! of deja vu among the members of the ness and the wind-chill, jogged over to Questions quickly focused on the press. Back in 1981, mentioning the the starting area in a kind of pre-race wind. name of Jon Sinclair was almost sure ritual. "I hope we don't have to run to prompt the wisecrack "Jon who?" There had been discussions all through this bloody mess," declared That was back before Sinclair had week long about the great depth of Nick Rose. come into his own-before River Run this year's field; but it was only when "I'm ready for a good race tomor­ '81. Just ask Jon about that race: "I the invited runners were all finally row regardless of the wind!" said Dave battled it out the whole way with Dan assembled at Friday evening's press Murphy. Dillon," Sinclair recalled. "At one conference that it became fully ap­ "To tell the truth, I'm not that point I thought I had him beat, but parent what a major road-racing event worried about the wind," Colorado's then he came back on me. I remember we would be witnessing in a few short Jon Sinclair would attest. "I'm here to thinking that I'd heard someone say hours. To the left sat the British contin­ run and to see where I'm at in my, Dillon had no speed, so I figured to gent-Dave Long, Nick Rose (one of training. I suspect it will be tough going out kick him in the final meters. It last year's heroes) and Dave Murphy. tomorrow." didn't come down to that, though. To their right-Benji Durden, Jon This would be Sinclair's first race Dan got tougher as the finish got Sinclair, Mark Nenow (remember this since his disappointing 2:20:55 in last closer. He had real guts!" Dillon would 4 go on to win River Run '81, beating Sinclair by a scant two seconds. VIEW FROM THE FRONT (Well, Near the Front) Down through its history River Run has served up a spectacle of guts and me, the wors't part of any' must continue our 4:50 to 5:00 glory. In only its fourth running, it race is the five minutes mile pace, trying to keep the attracted a large national-class field """""',.,rhr,,, the start. There's an atmos~ leaders in sight and the determined which saw Benji Durden and Bob bf mass-anxiety that doesn't followers behind. Our group has Hodge battle throughout much of the p my stomach, which always feels spread out going down Atlantic 15K distance, with Hodge emerging as #!* & anyway. I try to use. this brief vard, and I can judge how near the winner in the last half mile by just to check out the competition, even closest challenger is by the time four seconds. In 1982, the race would I'm well aware that how some-. between bursts of applause.--...""",-__ again come down to a gutsy finish.