“I felt really good,” said Lunn, 28, the 2002 USA Indoor mile champion. “I felt like if I just hung with them, and then put the hammer down, that would do it.”

In the women’s race, Jefferson — spurred on by a wildly cheering crowd — crossed the finish line in 4:26.85, just missing PattiSue Plumer’s record of 4:24.00, set in 1991. Jefferson, of Gunnison, Colo., finished ahead of Jill Snyder, a former Wake Forest standout who was timed in 4:28.15.

“I’m really more of a 5,000-meter runner,” Jefferson said, “so I was relying on my strength tonight. I used the slight uphill on the bridge to make my move. At that point, I just wanted to get across the bridge. It’s the fastest mile I’ve ever run . . . maybe the fastest I’ll ever run.”

“I hope (this race) sets the standard for future years,” race director Adam Dailey said. “I just wish we could of handed out those two Mercedes.”

Lunn and Jefferson each won $2,000 for their victories.

Sweeping down from the Capitol, the men’s field rocketed through the first quarter mile in a blazing 53 seconds. The group remained intact through the halfway mark, hitting it at 1:51 for an incredible 3:42-mile pace if it could be sustained.

At that point Lunn was last.

“There was a lot of jostling at the start,” he said. “People were out of control. When I hit the flat stretch after the first quarter, I just wanted to settle into 56-, 57-second quarter mile speed.”

Lunn briefly seized the lead at the three-quarter mile mark (2:51), heading a pack that was at least 12 strong.

“I was surprised to see the whole group still together with only a quarter to go,” Blincoe said.

Blincoe moved ahead at the Congress Avenue Bridge, as the pack flew down the final straightaway. But Blincoe had moved too early, and was swallowed up.

“I misjudged where the finish line actually was,” he said. “But I didn’t come here tonight to finish fifth, so I moved ahead again.”

Blincoe regained the lead with a scant 200 meters to go. But Lunn, one of the best kickers in the sport, suddenly bolted to the front, capturing the lead with 100 meters to go. In the woman’s race, Mardrea Hyman, a former All-America 800-meter runner for the University of Texas, blasted through the first quarter in 59 seconds and retained the lead at the halfway mark.

But Hyman began to fade at the bridge, just as Jefferson picked up the pace.

2003 results (March 22, 2003)

• Elite Men
• Elite Women
• Women Under 40
• Women Over 40
• Men Under 40
• Men Over 40
• Clydesdale
• Wheelchairs
• Kids
• High School
• Elite Men – Splits
• Elite Women – Splits
• Age Group – Splits
• High School/Kids Splits

PUBLICATION: Austin American-Statesman (TX)
SECTION: Sports

The elite men’s field was made up of 11 runners, including a trio of former Texas Longhorns: Eric Polonski, Clint Hosey and Unberhagen. The group bolted from the steps of the Capitol and ran in a loose pack through the first half of the race, which was passed in 1 minute, 56 seconds.

The first half is always the fastest in the Congress Avenue Mile — all of the runners knew they would lose a few seconds in the second half.

Heading into the third quarter, Unberhagen took control and established himself as the leader. Behind him, Polonski had worked his way up from the back and was right on Unberhagen’s shoulder. Hosey and a third runner, Philo Saunders, completed the breakaway pack.

Unberhagen began to open a gap at the three-quarters mark, passing it in 2:57, while Polonski tried to maintain contact.

“I got to the three-quarters mark and just tried to hold on,” Unberhagen said. “I wanted to be enough under three minutes at that point to break four at the finish.”

Heading across the Congress Avenue bridge, Polonski fought hard to close the gap, but Unberhagen was too tough. A final 61-second quarter gave Unberhagen what he needed, as he snapped the tape in 3:58 and won a $500 bonus for breaking four minutes.

“I certainly wanted to break four today,” Unberhagen said. “It lets me know what kind of shape I’m in.”

It appeared as though Polonski clocked 3:59, but the official race time listed 4:00. Saunders and Hosey were also timed in 4:00 for third and fourth places.

“I kind of conceded defeat at the three-quarter mark,” Polonski said. “But with 110 (yards) left to go, I thought I still could catch him. I had a lot of fun, though. This was great.”

In the women’s elite race, favorite Natalie Nalepa was out with an injury, narrowing the field down to only four contestants: Jarzombek, Jessica Koch, Sheena Carswell and Jennifer Moore.

Koch, a Stanford runner and former Georgetown High School star, led the way with Jarzombek through the first half. The pair passed that mark in 2:17 and settled into a rhythm.

The first half played into Koch’s hands as her long legs benefited from the downhill stretch. But it was Jarzombek, a powerful half-miler from San Antonio, who really shined in the second half of the race.

After taking the lead, she pressed the pace and pulled Koch with her across the bridge. Koch never lost contact, so it looked like it might be a kicker’s finish. However, Jarzombek stayed stronger in the final 60 seconds, edging Koch by three seconds, 4:42 to 4:45. Carswell and Moore, two of Austin’s top road racers, finished in 4:52 and 5:00, respectively.

In the age-group heats, several high school boys posted outstanding times, with Ranulfo Arias clocking a 4:08, Juan Cardenas a 4:09 and Jason Gould at 4:13. Former Longhorn Jeff Lindsey won the men’s masters’ race in 4:26, followed by Rick Christiansen’s 4:33. Margo Braud took the women’s masters with a 5:14. Ultra-marathoner Joyce Prusaitis showed her range with a 5:30 for second place.

Proceeds from the event benefited the Children’s Hospital of Austin.

PUBLICATION: Austin American-Statesman (TX)
SECTION: Sports
PAGE: C2

Sitko, 28, who moved to Austin from Chicago last year and won the Capitol 10,000 in April, ran a perfectly executed race. Bolting down the slightly downhill start, the group of 11 elites quickly strung out. Sitko and Adam Dailey, an Austin High School graduate and current University of Arkansas runner, pushed the pace up front.

The first quarter-mile was crucial for Sitko to set himself up to break four minutes. He wanted to take advantage of the downhill start but not blow it early with too much enthusiasm. A 57-second split seemed just right, and he showed confidence by opening a small gap on Dailey.

“I was a little nervous at the start,” said Sitko, a former All-American miler at Illinois. “I haven’t run a hard mile in a long time. It’s a whole different kind of hurt.”

Sitko took command at the halfway mark in 1:57, and from that point enough edge for the final attack on the bridge. He’d need a 62-second closing quarter to do it, but a stiff headwind had developed, and he was starting to feel the pace.

“I started to tie up a bit entering the bridge,” Sitko said. “I was eyeing the clock the whole way, and the finish kept getting further away. I knew I would have to stay smooth.

“When you get that close, you just try to find that extra gear. Time is the only thing on your mind. But I set myself up right for that last split. I had just enough of a cushion. And there was great crowd support on that last stretch.”

Dailey was second in 4:10. David Hartman was third in 4:17, ahead of Joseph Ryan and John Mizell, another Austin High graduate, in 4:20.

David Washburn, 40, from Houston, was the fastest master in 4:23.

“I really hammered the third quarter, but then I really tied up. That’s just part of the mile, I guess, ” said Washburn, who won an Ivy League mile championship (4:06) while running for Cornell.

Katrina Price, a national-class runner attending law school at the University of Texas, won the women’s title in 4:48. Sheena Carswell of Austin grabbed second in 5:06.

PUBLICATION: Austin American-Statesman (TX)
SECTION: Sports
PAGE: C1

Both Maase and Hyman each missed an extra cash prize by six seconds a sub-4 minute for the men and sub-4:30 for the women would have paid them each $500. “I really haven’t been training for the mile,” said Maase, a former University of Texas track star, who currently helps out with coaching at UT. “It was pretty tough. I’m still working on my speed.”

Maase ran an even-paced race despite the lack of another runner on his pace. Swooping down from the steps of the Capitol, he hit his first quarter in about 58 seconds, and held steady through the half- mile in 2 minutes flat. He passed the three-quarter mark in 3:02, needing a 57-second final quarter mile to duck under four minutes an unlikely scenario, with no one to push him. “If someone’s there with you at the finish, you can kick a little more,” Maase said.

Sebastian Villalva didn’t have that problem. “At about the three- fourths mark Paul Perrone cmae up on me,” he said. But Villalva fought off the challenge for second, kicking home in 4:16. Perrone, who has run as fast as 3:58 on the course, settled for third in 4:23. “I was able to hold my form in the last 200 meters from my track experience,” Villalva said.

Hyman, who finished her University of Texas track eligibility last year, where she finished fourth in the NCAAs in the 800 meters with a 2:04 time, , bolted to the front, unchallenged in the women’s race. She blitzed the first fourth in a breakneck 58 seconds, and was at 2:08 at the halfway mark.

The pace began to take its toll as three-fourths passed in 3:22. A 67- second final quarter mile would have brought her home in under 4:30, but Hyman was struggling to hold form across the bridge. Still, unaided by competition, she posted a 4:36, her best mile time. “I was kind of scared trying to go under 4:30,” she said. “It was hard pacing by myself. The last half mile I was just trying to relax. I ended up tightening up.”

Hyman, who has a 1,500-meter best of 4:17, is training for the World Cross Country Championships in March.

In the high school boys division, Brandon Menking posted a 4:19, followed by Thomas Simmons in 4:22 and Josh Lumbley in 4:23.

Kim Heilbrun was alone out front in the women’s masters division, with her 5:11, the fastest women’s over-40 time on the day.

The men’s masters division saw some hard fought battles. Rick Easley of Dallas, the 1995 national 800-meter masters champion, defended his ‘94 Congress Avenue title with a 4:35. Robert Iles and Randall Milstead dueled for third place, with Iles prevailing 4:37 to 4:39.

About 650 runners showed up for the free event, which featured picture-perfect fall weather.

PUBLICATION: Austin American-Statesman
PAGE: D1

The past three editions of the Congress Avenue Mile have showcased elite national runners, who stormed down the avenue and across the bridge in less than four minutes. But this year’s race was a people’s event, featuring some of the state’s finest age-group competitors in addition to an elite men’s division. David Whitman led the elite men in a hard-fought battle across the bridge in four minutes flat, holding off Mark Wyckoff (4:01). Scott Garvin was two seconds back in 4:03, a step ahead of Paul Perrone’s 4:04.

“I ran pretty evenly,” said Whitman, who runs for Team Nike. “I went through half in about 2:01 and tried to press it with about 400-500 meters to go.”

Whitman, a former NCAA All-American, broke the four-minute barrier twice last year, including a 3:58 at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon.

About 600 runners competed under cloudy skies in warm, humid conditions.

A separate boy’s high school division featured some excellent runners. Austin High’s Adam Dailey, coming off a cross country race on Saturday, sped to an age-group record of 4:14. He was followed by John Scholl in 4:21 and Pedro Montaniz in 4:25.

This year’s Capitol 10K winner, 24-year-old Cassandra Henkiel, was the fastest woman in 4:56. There was no elite women’s race.

Marathoner Donna Moore showed her range with a 5:01, winning the 35-39 group with the second-fastest women’s time.

Talent surfaced in the men’s 40-and-older group, with 1994 North American 800-meter champion Rick Easley clocking a 4:37 to win the 40-44 divsion and 49-year-old Greg Evans making a terrific comeback from several years of injuries to win the 45-49 division in 4:49.

Outstanding times were clocked in the older divisions. Ino Cantu, 60, had a 5:17 win, while Austin’s Jack Caldwell, 67, won his division in 6:07. In the 70-plus group, 73-year-old Bob McIntyre was victorious in 6:10, ahead of Jim Southard’s 7:11 and Paul Galloway’s 7:52.

Alice Spoonts, 47, recorded the fastest women’s 40-and-older time with a 5:47, while 60-and-older women included Mimi Malis’ 7:49 win in the 60-64 group, Lillie Doss in 9:12 (65-69), and an outstanding 8:58 by 72-year-old Wanda Hall.

The Clydesdale (weight) divisions were won by Tom Richardson in 5:04, and Barbara Martin in 6:12.

PUBLICATION: Austin American-Statesman
SECTION: SPORTS
PAGE: E2

Bartoszak, the Polish national 1,500-meter champion, shattered the course record of 3:53 set by Steve Scott in 1991. Arizona State’s Geoff Smith finished second Sunday in 3:54.8. “I feel great,” an elated Bartoszak said. “I’m not even tired. The conditions were perfect. I didn’t worry about the other runners at all.”

Jody Dunston-Hawkins, a San Antonio native living in Waco, held off a hard-charging Ruth Wysocki in the women’s race with a time of 4:28.80, just missing PattiSue Plumer’s 1991 course record of 4:24.

In non-elite men’s action, 16-year-old Barry Trask posted a national class time of 4:15 to win the 15-16 age group. James Manning, a 19-year-old Southwest Texas student, also ran a 4:15 in winning the men’s 19-24 age group.

Georgetown’s 13-year-old Thomas Simmons was second in the boys’ 13-14 age group in 4:52, and 71-year-old Robert McIntyre of Austin won the men’s 70-and-over age group in 5:47.

The cool, overcast morning, with no wind made conditions ideal.

Bartoszak led from the gun with a tight pack of runners including Scott Hippensteel, Tim Gargiulo, Smith and former University of Texas standout Harry Green close behind. All-American Paul Vandergrift expected to challenge Bartoszak, but he pulled out with a strained hamstring less than 200 yards into the race.

When Bartoszak whipped by the halfway mark in 1:50, it became clear an extraordinary run was under way. Paul Perrone and Shawn Walsh had joined the chase pack and were just two seconds back at the halfway mark.

As the runners approached the bridge at the three-quarter mark, Bartoszak opened an even larger gap and Smith and Gargiulo led the pursuers about 40 yards back.

“I kept thinking he was going to come back,” Smith said. “But he didn’t. He never let up.”

When Bartoszak snapped the tape, Gargiulo, a six-time All-America runner from Southern Methodist, drew even on Smith’s shoulder in a battle for second. Smith prevailed, half a second better than Gargiulo’s 3:55.2. Smith has a best time of 3:58.

Wysocki, of Irvine Ca., whose history includes a 1,500-meter win over Mary Slaney in the ‘84 Olympic trials, shot to the front in the elite women’s race. Top 1,500 runner Rosalind Taylor went with her, along with ‘92 River City Ten Miler winner Hawkins and Austin’s Therese Devlin-Brown. They passed the half in a tight bunch on course record pace at 2:06.

Wysocki fell back, and Dunston and Taylor became the pace setters. When they hit the Congress Avenue bridge however, the wily Wysocki unleashed a powerful kick to finish second in 4:31.43.

Devlin-Brown outsprinted a tiring Taylor for third in 4:32.2.

“I’m kind of new at this mile stuff,” Dunston-Hawkins said. “When we passed the quarter in 62 seconds, I felt fine, so I thought I might as well go for it.”

Dunston-Hawkins said she improved her mile time by 20 seconds. Three weeks ago, she won the All Saints Mile in Dallas in 4:48.

The 40-and-over men’s race featured a mystery master in black with no race number visible. The runner, who blitzed the field in 4:26, was 41-year-old Chuck Dettman from Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Race morning was clear and quite windy. However, much to the relief of the runners, it was a tailwind – and not a headwind – that whipped down Congress Avenue.

The men’s group took off in a tight pack at the start, with Sean Murray serving as a rabbit, taking the early lead. Murray led the pack through the first quarter in well under 60 seconds and held pace through the halfway mark in 1:56. He then faded back into the pack, where American mile record holder Steve Scott was biding his time.

Frank Weigman and Steve Ave were running strongly at the front of the pack, when Richard Shummer of San Antonio suddenly made a bold move. Approaching the 3/4-mile mark, he shot out ahead, putting about 15 yards on the rest of the pack.

By this point, Scott had worked his way to the front of the pack, positioning himself for the final duel on the bridge.

“When I saw that guy go, I knew I had to make a move,” he said. “You never know what someone’s got left at that point in a mile race.”

Shummer’s bold move cost him, though, as Scott flew past him onto the Congress Avenue Bridge. Ave and Weigman both mounted terrific surges across the bridge, and it took everything Scott had to outkick them. Weigman edged Ave for second place 3:54.2 to 3:54.5. Shummer faded to 11th in 4:02.

“It was a very competitive and tactical race,” Scott said afterwards, “but I ran exactly the way I wanted to.”

Danny Azcona of Austin ran a 3:59, bringing the total number of runners under four minutes to eight. Jose Gonzalez Alonso, also from Austin, was 10th overall in 4 minutes flat.

The women’s race was closely fought, with the whole pack gliding through the halfway mark at about 2:14. Plumer, ranked No. 1 in the world in the 3,000 and 5000 meters, waited patiently, always alert to the situation.

Austin’s Shiela Carrozza and Canadian 1,500-meter record holder Brit Peterson began separating themselves from the rest of the pack, with Plumer only a step behind. Again the battle began on the bridge, where Plumer put the hammer down, pulling ahead of Peterson 4:24 to 4:30. Carrozza finished strongly at 4:32 for 3rd.

“I didn’t think I had it won until three-quarters of the way across the bridge,” Plumer said. “I know the way upsets can happen, and I wanted to prevent someone from making a late kick, so I ran the last quarter really hard.”

Scott and Plumer pocketed $1,500 each in prize money, with $1,000 going to second place and $500 going to third in both elite races.

The most spectacular age-group win belonged to 18-year-old Rick Harney of Georgetown. Harney’s 4:13 was the fastest mile run outside of the elite race.

Austin’s Mark Mason, 35, and Bret Davis, 30, had the next two fastest winning times, in 4:15 and 4:17, repectively.

Sunhine O’Neal, 16, also of Georgetown, ran the fastest women’s mile outside the elite group with a superb 5 minutes flat.

Nearly 500 runners turned out for the second annual race.

With the Congress Avenue Mile, race director Paul Carrozza has put Austin in an exclusive club. New York, Stockholm and Paris are the only other cities that play host to world-class road miles.

PUBLICATION: Austin American-Statesman
SECTION: SPORTS
PAGE: C2

And maybe take another shot at Doug Padilla of Provo, Utah, who beat an elite field of 10 runners with a time of 3:57.19 to win the race, which was run from the Capitol driveway to the end of the Congress Avenue bridge.

Padilla, better known for his exploits at 5,000 meters, used his highly feared finishing kick to best American record-holder Steve Scott, former Arizona State University runner Jeff Smith, and Maree.

Scott compared the event to similar races, such as New York’s Fifth Avenue Mile. He said Austin’s size prevented the race from being “gobbled up” by competing activities, as might happen in a larger city, like New York.

“It’s hard to put it in words,” race director Paul Carrozza said, “but it’s everything I hoped it would be. I’m going to start working on (next year’s race) tomorrow.”

Padilla, Scott and Maree, all former Olympians, held back in the first three quarters of the mile, allowing other runners to break a strong headwind. But with 300 yards left, Padilla began his sprint and ended the contest for first place.

Smith’s third place came as a big surprise, especially to Scott, who barely held him off. Scott ran a 3:59.22. Smith was only .26 seconds behind.

“Scott’s outkicked me before,” said Padilla. “I watched a little bit more, so if he did come up on me I could be ready.”

Padilla normally runs longer distances.

“I don’t feel as confident at the mile,” he said. “The tactics in a road mile are different. This is the first major road mile I’ve ever won, so I’m really excited.”

“(Padilla) was on today,” Scott said. “He was really good.”

Maree, who said he had hoped to win and certainly didn’t expect fourth, said, “I thought maybe they would come back and they didn’t. I was trying to save something for the finish.”

The event, composed of 10 heats, also featured “Best of Texas” categories for men and women.

Former University of Houston runner Sean Murray led a trio of Houston runners across the line in the men’s field, and Dallas’ Mary Knisely won the women’s division.

The Best of Texas women’s race was more dramatic. Unlike the strung-out elite race, the women ran in a tight bunch that didn’t unravel until the last few yards, when Knisely pulled away from Theresa Dunn and former University of Texas All-American Trina Leopold-Painter to win in 4:37.44.

Knisely, a former TAC outdoor champion at 3,000 meters, said she is hoping to compete in this summer’s Goodwill Games.

Murray, meanwhile, showed he could have run with the elite field had he wanted, clocking a 3:59.57.

Carrozza used $25,000 in appearance fees to bring the world-class field to Austin. He paid $3,000 to Padilla, $2,000 to Scott, and $1,000 to Smith. Best of Texas winners also received $1,000.

But it was the overall organization that impressed most, with all 10 heats running smoothly, including seven age-division categories.

“It’s nice to have all these age-group races,” Padilla said. “A lot of people came out and ran. I was impressed with the support.”

“I think people like Paul need to be supported,” said Maree, who might return for the Capitol 10,000 on April 1.

These Houston runners smile after the Best of Texas men’s race. Sean Murray (45) won and Pat Picciano (45) was second. Allen Holliman greets them.

PUBLICATION: Austin American-Statesman
SECTION: SPORTS
PAGE: D1