HUNTINGTON -- In nearly every sport imaginable, running is a skill that is mandatory to be successful.

Yet in talking to most young athletes, it is an aspect that they cannot stand.

This might seem enigmatic, but Andrew Benford, winner of Saturday's West Virginia 5K Championship, offered a little insight into where the problem lies.

"Most kids think of running as punishment for messing up in football and basketball," Benford said. "There has to be someone that makes it fun," Benford said. "You have to start younger. I got started in middle school and we had a good program in Ravenswood."

Saturday's race provided several examples of Benford's words as young racers took the course by storm and put up some electric numbers.

Locally, Jacob Burcham has become the poster child for track at the middle school level after setting national records earlier this year in the mile run.

On Saturday, the 14-year-old Burcham continued his success, finishing 12th overall with a time of 16:33. That time was good enough to beat former West Virginia University All-American cross country runner Jen Davis by 41 seconds. Davis won the girls title on Saturday with a time of 17:14.

Burcham said that he wants to be a role model for younger kids to get involved with the sport, but he knows he can't do it alone.

He said the downward trend in the running practices of youth has started at the school level itself, and action needs to be taken.

"We need to promote gym class more. We need to do more running instead of just playing around," Burcham said. "Some schools are getting rid of gym classes. They need to keep it."

In an age filled with video games and MySpace, physical fitness has taken a back seat, especially on weekends. Saturday's race offered a breath of fresh air -- literally -- with 64 of the 513 finishers being age 15 or under.

Burcham's time was not the only eye-popping number put up by a young runner on Saturday. In the male 1-10 division, 10-year-old Braxton McMillion of Winfield finished the race in 19:17. 14-year-old Jorden Thornton of Culloden won the 11-14 girls division in a time of 19:32.

ROBERT'S WINS CORPORATE CUP: Robert's Running and Walking Shop not only helped sponsor Saturday's race, the team's entrants won the Corporate Cup after a solid showing.

However, they decided to give Team Champion Industries the first-place prize, which was a Stuart-Austin quartz clock embossed with the West Virginia 5K Championship logo.

ONE WHEELCHAIR COMPETITOR POSTS PERSONAL RECORD: More than 500 people crossed the finish line at Saturday's West Virginia 5K Walk/Run Championship, but only one did so in a racing wheelchair.

Sherry Dawson of Charleston finished in a time of 20:36, her personal best.

"I just enjoy doing it," she said. "I used to run before I ended up in a wheelchair. I want to be an incentive for those people who are in a wheelchair or disabled to get out (and be active)."

Dawson also is a highly ranked track and field competitor and works hard to motivate her three children to not let anything stand in their way from doing their best.

Reporter Bill Rosenberger contributed to this story.

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