Vulcan Run

From Bhamwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Vulcan Run logo.png

The Vulcan Run is an annual running event produced by the Birmingham Track Club. The first event, called the Bicentennial Run, was organized by Versal Spaulding on November 27, 1975. The 2010 race will be held on November 6 and its 10K race has served as the national championship race for the Road Runners Club of America, of which the Birmingham Track Club is a member organization.

Results

1975

Frank Bromberg won the 10,000 meter race in 30:14. Melissa Wilson was the top female finisher at 46:26. Joel Fneigan won the 2-mile run in 9:41.

1976

November 20: The Birmingham News became a title sponsor for the Vulcan Run. The course went up 20th Street North from Woodrow Wilson Park and was run in a light rain.

Former Boston Marathon champion Bill Rodgers finished first with a time of 28:35. 15-year-old Phyllis Hines was the top-finishing woman with a time of 37:11. Randy Stephens, a student at Woodlawn High School, won the 2-mile race with a time of 8:52.

1977

November 19: David Vann fired the starting gun for the third annual race. Bill Rodgers repeated as winner of the 10K at 28:55, with 626 other finishers behind him. Laura Partin, 14, won the women's side in 38:49.

1978

November 18: 1,395 runners finished the 10K race. Bill Rodgers won his third consecutive title in 28:56. Marti Bissinger won the women's title with a time of 40:57.

1979

Vulcan Marathon logo.jpg

November 10: The Vulcan Run was joined by the Vulcan Marathon on Sunday. Bill Rodgers once again claimed the men's title with a time of 29:07. Susan Inglis was the top finisher among women entrants with a time of 36:30. 1,316 runners finished the 10K in cold, windy conditions. About 200 of them did not get an official timed result because the timing clock malfunctioned at 52:46.

1980

November 15: 1,392 runners finished the 10K race while 159 completed the marathon. Stephen Bolt took the men's title with a time of 29:13. University of Alabama runner Sue Jackson completed the race in 35:45 for top honors among women.

1981

November 20: Sonat became the event's new title sponsor and donated $21,000 to the American Cancer Society. 2,367 of 2,870 entrants completed the 10K race, ranging in age form 6 to 74. The event was covered live on WERC-AM. Stephen Bolt won his 2nd title with a time of 29:16. Linda McLennan took the women's title at 33:12.

1982

The 1982 Vulcan Run. Photo by Jo Ann Rice Weatherly

November 20: 3,967 registered to run the 10K on a humid, windy Saturday. That race served as the championship for the Southeastern Track Club, hosting 24 men's and 5 women's teams from around the South. Benji Durden was the fastest on the men's side with a time of 29:09. Linda McLennan repeated as women's champ with a time of 33:58.

Sunday's marathon race was held in the rain. Stephen Bolt narrowly beat Michael Anderson of Atlanta with a time of 2 hours, 26 minutes and 50 seconds. Sonat assistant vice president Mike Kern served as race director. The company donated $28,000 in entry fee proceeds to the American Cancer Society.

1983

David Branch winning the 1983 Vulcan Run 10K. Photo by Jo Ann Rice Weatherly

November 19: About 5,000 of thew weekend's 7,000-plus entrants competed in the 10K, enjoying clear skies and 50-degree weather at the start. David Branch from South Carolina won the men's 10K title with a time of 29:16. Linda McLennan won her 3rd women's title at 34:28.

Sonat donated $35,000 from entry fees to the American Cancer Society. A post-race party with video from the event was held in the BJCC.

1984

November 24: Mexican national Marcos Barretto finished first and set a course record with a time of 28:18. Katy Schilly of Atlanta bested McLennan and Sue King to claim the women's title with a time of 33:36.

1985

November 23: Ashley Johnson of Bowling Green, Kentucky won the men's event at 28:56. Elizabeth Lynch of Tuscaloosa finished first among women at 32:56.

1986

November 22: Buffalo Rock/PEPSI took over as title sponsor, helping raise $40,000 for Children's Hospital. Mark & Brian started the Fun Run. Mike Royer completed the marathon. Barreto, now calling Huntsville home, won the men's event in 28:22. Teresa Ornduff won the women's title in 32:57.

1987

November 21: A wheelchair division was added to the race. A flat tire at the start led to a 30-minute delay. Barretto won the men's title, his 3rd in four years, with a time of 28:34. Wheelchair-bound Lavern Achenbach followed close on his heels with a time of 29:50. Margaret Groos of Nashville, Tennessee won the women's division at 32:57.

1988

November 19: Homewood High School's band performed at the start of the race, held in drizzly, humid conditions. Rafael Zepeda of Mexico City won the men's title in 29:03. Loraine Moller of Boulder, Colorado won the women's division with a time of 32:49.

1989

November 18: Approximately 3,000 runners competed in the event, which raised $50,000 for Children's Hospital. Ashley Johnson of Kentucky won his second Vulcan Run with a time of 28:47. Linda McClennan-Begley won her 4th women's title at 32:43.

1990

November 17: Ashley Johnson won his third men's title with a time of 29:01. Christine Pfitzinger of Wellesley, Massachusetts set a women's course record with her winning time of 32:33.

1991

November 23: The Birmingham News returned as title sponsor for Vulcan Run XIV. Richard Partridge was top finisher among men with a time of 29:16. Lynn Deninno of St Louis, Missouri won the women's division at 33:45.

1992

November 21: The Bryant-Jordan Foundation joined the News as co-sponsor and beneficiary of funds raised for college scholarships. Jacques Van Rensburg of Marietta, Georgia won the 10K with a time of 29:11. Valerie Vaugn of Kentucky finished fastest among women at 33:56.

1993

November 27: Wet streets and gusty winds met the 1,193 finishers on Thanksgiving weekend. Birmingham Track Club founder Arthur Black finished the race at age 72. Winner was Brian Radle of Chattanooga with a time of 29:23. Laura Mykytok of Gainesville, Florida was the fastest female entrant with a time of 32:56.

1994

November 19: Mykytok repeated as women's champion with a time of 33:35. Eliot Barngetony of Ames, Iowa won the overall race with a time of 29:37.

1995

November 11: 1,150 entered the race, and 912 finished. Thomas O'Gara of Johnson City, Tennessee won with a time of 29:33. Brenda Dennehy of Tallahassee, Florida took the women's title with a time of 34:23.

1996

November 9: Viva Health took over as title sponsor of the race weekend which included a 10K and 5K event. Eric Polonski won the 10K with a time of 28:58. Silvia Skvortsova took the women's crown at 33:25.

1997

November 8: 962 registered for the 10K event and 785 of them completed the race. Birmingham's Scott Strand became the first local runner to win a Vulcan Run with a time of 29:44. Skvortsova repeated as women's champ with a time of 33:35.

1998

November 7: 755 runners out of 869 entrants completed the 10K race. Carmac Finnerty won the event with a time of 29:22. Irina Timofeeva was the fastest female entrant with a time of 33:21.

1999

November 6: Nicholas Cutchens won the 1999 event with a time of 34:27. Deanna McDonald's time of 38:44 was fast enough to place first among women.

2000

November 11: 583 runners finished the 10K course.

2001

November 10: Subway Restaurants became the new title sponsor and Larry Langford presided over the event as honorary chairman. 840 of 922 entrants completed the 10K race, which served as the Alabama state championship event for the RRCA and joined the Running Journal Grand Prix circuit. Proceeds benefitted the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Vulcan Park Foundation and the Birmingham Track Club.

Fackson Nkandu won the men's event in 31:42. Erika Van Reenen won the women's side in 36:28.

2002

November 16: The 2002 race repeated as Alabama's RRCA championship event. David Kipngetich won the race in 30:19. Zika Palmer was the fastest woman, with a time of 36:43.

2003

November 1: 1,429 runners entered the race, of which 1,271 completed the 10K course. Kiprono Kemei won a close finish with a time of 29:49. Agnes Ngunjiri took the women's crown with a time of 34:38. Iraq War Veteran Macky Tyndall completed the race in wheelchair with a time of 1:13:45.

2004

November 6: The 30th Vulcan Run featured perfect weather and 1,475 race participants. Edwin Maranga topped the 1,282 finishers with a time of 30:07. Tatiana Titova was the women's winner with a time of 35:29.

2005

November 5: J Rag took over as title sponsor for the race, which continued to serve as Alabama's RRCA championship event. Stepheb Kirul edged out Sammy Nyamongo by 1/100th of a second to win the event with an official time of 31:21.2. Janet Cherobon won the women's title with a time of 36:53.

2006

November 4: The 10K race served as the Southern Regional RRCA championship event and was named RRCA's "Road Race of the Year". It was also listed in Runner's World as one of their six seasonal favorites. 1,581 of 1,814 registrants completed the race, led by Kenyan Josheph Chirlee, who finished at 30:00 even. Chattanooga's Shannon Womack won the women's side in 34:47.

2007

November 3: Kenyan runner Daniel Kipkoech finished first with a time of 29:57, followed closely by his training partner Joseph Ngetich. Janet Cherobon, also Kenyan, led the female runners at 33:42. Once again the race was RRCA's National 10K Championship race.

2008

November 1: George Towett of Marietta, Georgia finished first with a time of 29:32, again followed closely by training partner Joseph Ngetich. Janet Cherobon, a Kenyan residing in Lawrenceville, Georgia, won for the second year in a row with a time of 34:01. There were 1,562 finishers out of 1,731 entrants in the race.

2009

November 7: Laban Mobien of Birmingham finished first with a time of 29:30. Janet Cherobon won for the third year in a row with a time of 33:35.

References

  • "A runaway success." (Winter 1983) SONAT magazine, pp. 3-5

External link