Running for tradition

Star Beacon

July 05, 2007 07:23 am

— By WARREN DILLAWAY
Staff Writer
ASHTABULA - Many area runners expressed their connection with the Ashtabula YMCA 5k, annually held on the Fourth of July, as a special tradition.
Josh Wilks, a recent graduate of Geneva High School, said he forgot about the race until Tuesday.
"I've been doing it since my freshman year. I almost forgot but I had to come," said Wilks who finished second in a time of 17:31. Wilks is training for cross country at Seton Hill College in Pennsylvania.
He recently competed in the Midwest Meet of Champions with athletes from Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. He finished third in the high jump with a leap of 6' 5" and said he had a great experience meeting great athletes from all over the region.
The race winner, Jason Headman, also said he loves to come back and compete in the race that he started running when he was in seventh grade.
"I like to say I remember where I've come from," said Headman who presently runs for Akron University after graduating from Edgewood High School in 2004.
Headman ran away from the field of 45 runners in a time of 15:34 Wednesday morning under gray but dry skies.
Kailey Johnson, a Lakeside High School graduate and soon to be freshman at Akron University, won the ladies division in a time of 19:44.
She said she was happy with her time that was faster than her junior year of high school when she was in really good shape.
"The training for Akron is going well. I'm up to 40 miles a week," Johnson said.
"I feel really confident now," she said.
Lara Heinz, a graduate of Geneva High School and a soon to be freshman at Seton Hill College in Pennsylvania, feels a sense of tradition about the race but kicked it into high gear and second place overall for the women.
"When I got up this morning I didn't want to run (but). I do this every year and I wanted to keep the tradition," she said.
After a steady start Heinz said she became more competitive as the race went on. "I felt really strong. My legs felt good," she said.
A second motivating factors was the coach-athlete competition. "I wanted to beat Mrs (Emily) Long. She beat me in the Liftbridge 5K (in May)," she said.
Race organizer Larry Mozzocco said one of the reasons he continues to put the race together is tradition that has developed over more than two decades.
"We usually have more runners (but) We had a lot of volunteers. Everyone seemed to have fun and that's what it is all about," he said.
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