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Wojciechowski Claims Women’s 10K Victory
By Jeff Nations
The Winchester Star
Tara Wojciechowski was having a “Twilight Zone” sort of experience at Saturday’s 24th Apple Blossom SunTrust Mortgage 10K race.
Everywhere Wojciechowski looked as she ran the 6.2-mile course, not one of the more than 700 finishers was nearby or even in sight.
Tara Wojciechowski crosses the finish line to win the women’s race at Saturday’s 24th Apple Blossom SunTrust Mortgage 10K. Wojciechowski completed the race in 35:47.
Despite her relative loneliness on the overcast morning, Wojciechowski stayed focused enough to clock a winning time of 35 minutes, 47 seconds.
That time doesn’t approach a personal record for the 29-year-old from Cary, N.C. — her best time in a 10K is 34:21, and Wojciechowski normally runs in the low 35 minute range.
“That’s tough mentally, but normally I can do my same pace,” Wojciechowski said of having no one to run with. “But there wasn’t even a pack of guys to latch onto. I was sort of caught in one of those limbo spaces where there wasn’t anyone. There was one guy that passed me and I tried to go with him a little bit, but it wasn’t happening.”
From the outset of Saturday’s race, Wojciechowski — a first-time participant — knew she wasn’t going to be setting any personal bests. Still, her mile pace of 5:46 was 14 seconds faster than second-place finisher Rebecca Stallwood. Wojciechowski finished ninth overall among all entries.
“I always can tell in the first mile whether it’s going to be a great race day or not,” said Wojciechowski, who grew up in New Jersey and ran collegiately at the University of Delaware. “I saw my mile time and I was like, ‘Well, I’ve gone faster than that.’
“So I knew it was just going to be an average race, but I just tried to hold on to that pace.”
Wojciechowski, who runs for the adidas Raleigh Track Club, isn’t sure whether she’ll be able to defend her title next year.
“I’d love to come back,” Wojciechowski said. “I actually raced this weekend because my spring has been so busy with friends’ weddings that this is the only weekend I had free, and this seemed like the best race to do.
“If my weekend is free (next year), I’d love to come back.”
Stallwood, won last year’s race, was able to come back for a second try. The Morgantown, W.Va., resident was fairly happy with her second-place time of 37:13.
A native of Ontario, Canada, Stallwood just returned from competing in the World Cross Country Championships and is training for August’s World University Games in Turkey. She’ll most likely run a 5K on the track there.
“I’ve been training really hard, so I just wanted to have a nice, good effort,” said Stallwood, who won last year’s race with a time of 35:01. “Last year I had a lot of fun coming to this race — I really like the atmosphere and one of my best friends lives right near here, so I decided to come and run it again. The fans are great — so many people cheering.”
Shannon Schoppman of Greensville, S.C., took third with a time of 37:55. Just coming back after a six-month layoff due to a shin injury, Schoppman also had few complaints about her effort.
“We could all see each other, except for (Wojciechowski),” said Schoppman, 27. “The lucky thing about women is we always have the men to race.”
Keeping an eye on Schoppman was 43-year-old Maria Spinnler of Hagerstown, Md. A five-time winner of the Apple Blossom 10K, Spinnler took fourth among women with a time of 38:12.
“I started off conservatively,” Spinnler said. “We had a good field today. I was really trying to keep my eye on that third-place girl. I knew there were good, top people up there.
“But I thought if she drops I’d be in striking position, but she never really did.”
Spinnler still claimed the top prize as the Masters Women’s champion.
“Overall I was pleased,” Spinnler said. “I really didn’t feel like I could beat anyone else.”
Winchester’s Brenda Schrank finished fifth overall (38:35) and took home the top prize in her age division (women 30-34).
Awaking at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, Schrank had her doubts about race conditions.
“It was pouring,” Schrank said. “It always makes you wonder what to wear and that sort of stuff. But the weather was great. You couldn’t ask for a better day to race.”
Winchester’s Alina Dawson finished sixth overall (39:50). Stephens City’s Johanna Scott was 10th (42:54).
Other women’s age division winners were Strasburg’s Samantha Hancock (14 & under, 47:08), Winchester’s Stephanie Shenk (15-19, 43:32), Winchester’s Elizabeth Emmart (20-24, 43:37), Charles Town, W.Va., runner Johanna Biola (25-29, 40:09), Woodstock’s Laura Nelson (35-39, 40:26), Lavale, Md., runner Maureen Hall (40-44, 40:36), Stephens City’s Helen Hiser (45-49, 46:52), and Fredericksburg’s Jenny Rexrode (50-54, 44:30).
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Tara Wojciechowski crosses the finish line to win the women’s race at Saturday’s 24th Apple Blossom SunTrust Mortgage 10K. Wojciechowski completed the race in 35:47.
(Photo by Jeff Taylor)
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