Participants brave cold in record numbers for 2009 Winter Sun 10K
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Runners cross the starting line at the 2009 Winter Sun 10K race held in Moab last weekend. Hundreds of runners braved cold temperatures to participate in the final racing event of the season in southeastern Utah. Courtesy photo
Runners cross the starting line at the 2009 Winter Sun 10K race held in Moab last weekend. Hundreds of runners braved cold temperatures to participate in the final racing event of the season in southeastern Utah. Courtesy photo
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The 2009 Winter Sun 10K lived up to its name last weekend with the sun shining on decidedly wintry temperatures. A temperature of 9-degrees was recorded at the race start at the Moab Golf Course, but despite of the cold, an unprecedented 687 participants turned out to run in the event.

The field was led by Marty Wacker of Grand Junction, Colo., who won with a time of 34:28. Jeanne Cooper of Eagle, Colo. ran a blazing 5:48 per mile pace to set a new women’s course record with a time of 35:59.

Winter Sun 10K Race Director Ranna Bieschke said that volunteers and staff worked hard to make a difference for the runners.

“Rob Jones [of the Moab Golf Club] in particular really came through for the runners by turning on the outside grills at the clubhouse,” Bieschke said. “A lot of people commented that it made waiting for the start bearable.”

Nearly 50 volunteers and race crew members confronted the cold to staff the start and finish lines, act as course marshals and drive shuttles.

The awards ceremony and raffle held after the race were also well attended. Bieschke attributed that, in part, to the raffle prizes up for grabs.

“Local businesses donated quality items and people saw that and stuck around in spite of the cold,” she said.

Numerous Moab runners were among those honored at the ceremony for placing in their age group. These included Jackson Knowles (third place), Matt Miller (third place), Jim Lewis (second place), Kevin O’Brien (third place), Gary Sawyer (second place), John Bartolomucci (third place) Warren Ohlich (first place), Mara Larson (first place), Faye Geiger (second place) and Karen Ohlrich (third place).

A total of 70 race finishers hailed from Moab. Complete results can be found at moabhalfmarathon.org/winter.html.
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