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SPORTS
Newcomers rule Russell's Run by the River
RUSSELL, Ky. -- For three of Saturday's top winners in the 32nd annual East Greenup County Kiwanis Run by the River, the first time was the charm. For the fourth victor, it was like old hat.
While Ironton's Pierce Reeves and Milton's Steve Egnatoff easily won the men's 5K and 10K races, respectively, Kat Alcorn of Flatwoods turned in the best women's 5K performance in five years.
Then there was Ashland's Mandy Musick, who picked up her third 10K women's trophy in four years.
Reeves, Egnatoff and Alcorn were making their first appearances in Run by the River, while Musick has run the race since she was in high school. She just graduated from Marshall University with a degree in business management.
"I'm looking for a job," said Musick, 21, who had a time of 44:10. "But if I don't find one I'll go on to graduate school."
Musick, who won in 2006 and 2007, said she plans to help her high school alma mater, Fairview, with its track and cross country programs.
Reeves, 17 and a junior at Ironton High School, crossed the finish line 32 seconds ahead of runner-up Jon Renneker of Catlettsburg. Reeves ran 17:41 in the 5K to 18:13 for Renneker, 16.
Reeves, who competes in track and football at Ironton, said he accomplished his goal. "I was trying to break 18:00," he said.
Alcorn was the Kat's meow. The 20-year-old University of Louisville junior had a time of 19:26, more than a minute faster than the last five winners of the women's 5K, and a time good enough to give her eighth overall.
"I'm happy to be out here to run, but I'm not pleased with my time," said Alcorn, who trained and ran with her mother, Lois, who also won a trophy in her age category.
Egnatoff's trophy in the 10K came on the heels of a 5K victory in the Run for Hope two weeks ago in Huntington. Egnatoff, 15, is a sophomore at Cabell Midland and competes in cross country and track.
Saturday's races attracted 233 runners, according to race director Tim Gearhart. It was the biggest field in 20 years, he said.
Funds raised by the event are used for Kiwanis civic projects.
