Saturday, June 15, 2002 -- Eastpointe - Clarksburg, WV
WVIHF 5K (iPO Event Id#: 4707)
Photos by Dave Huffman and Paul Meleady

[Details] [Coverage]
[Overall Results] [Awards]
Pictures: [Set 1] [Set 2] [Set 3] [Set 4] [Set 5]
[Set 6] [Set 7] [Set 8] [Set 9] [Set 10]
Past Race Coverage: [1999] [2000] [2001]

The West Virginia USATF 5K Championship gets under way

Both Larry Taylor and Heather Bury were back again to defend their West Virginia 5K titles at the annual WV Italian Heritage Festival (WVIHF) 5K race. And yes, they defended successfully, but the overall winner wasn't even from West Virginia.

If you didn't check the weather before leaving the house on Saturday, you were probably as underdressed as some of the runners at the Fourth Annual WVIHF 5K. But the wind howling and the cool temperatures didn't keep the runners and walkers away from Clarksburg.

Larry Taylor returned to Clarksburg to try and regain his USATF West Virginia 5k State Championship title. He ran a good race with a 16:16, but it wasn't good enough to hold off fifteen year old Jed Christiansen of Greenville, Pennsylvania.

No one was going to catch Jed Christiansen

Jed ran a stellar race posting a 15:45 and breaking Larry Taylor's existing course record. Taylor retained his title since it must go to a WV resident. Ron Weist of Clarksburg rounded out the top three with a time of 16:50.

Along with race winner Jed came his whole family, and what an impressive bunch. In a field of almost 300 runners his younger brothers, 13 year-old Jake (17:51), and 11 year-old Job (17:58), finished 11th and 12th overall in a battle for first and second in the 14 and under class.

And how about his sisters? If isn't wasn't for returning champion, Heather Bury, they'd have taken the top three spots for the women. Bury took the win with a 17:35, 8th overall and 15 seconds off of her existing course record. This makes it three years in a row for Bury as the WV 5K Women's Champion.

You don't have to be first to enjoy the WVIHF 5K

The Christiansen girls took the 2nd through 4th overall for the women; 17 year-old Jesi (18:36), 21 year-old Jeni (19:51), and the littlest, Jacy (20:15) who is just 9 years-old, respectively.

It is only natural their 47 year-old mom and dad are pretty good at running, as well. Dad, Joshua (20:07), was third in his class, just three seconds out of 2nd and 10 off the first place pace. Mom, Marcia (21:51), easily won her age group top prize.

Still there where plenty of awards and a lot of refreshments for everyone to enjoy. A big thanks for another great race goes to race director Larry Cann and all his sponsors and volunteers.