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| Tue, Dec. 01 - - Mobile - RSS | |
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Mild weather, turnout greet Snowden Mile
Bert Jacoby claims men's title while Debi Bernardes wins the women's division.
Date published: 5/1/2006
By KURT NICOLL Officially, there were five no-shows for the running of the Snowden Downtown Mile for Mental Health yesterday, but it seemed like the number should have been much higher. Despite chilly temperatures and the absence of many of the area's top high school and college runners (many of whom are competing at their respective schools at present), the seven-heat event produced a fair share of thrills and tight finishes among the 226 runners who did compete. With the memory of his late father still fresh in his mind, Bert Jacoby of Stafford held off a spirited challenge by long-time rival Mike Porter Jr. to win the men's title in a lackluster four minutes, 37 seconds. And Debi Bernardes won her first Fredericksburg Area Running Club event in two years, huffing and puffing at the end to successfully hold off both Ruth Olson and Cathy Friedel in the end. While happy with her 5:41 finish, the veteran runner estimated she would have finished roughly 30 seconds behind Grand Prix leader Johanna Allen of Woodbridge if she had entered. "The last half mile, I felt more relaxed and stronger," said Bernardes, who captured first place in the Riverbank 12-k two seasons ago. "I felt kind of out of control the first quarter of the mile and then thought, 'I don't know if I can keep this up anymore.' You have to give this race 100 percent as much as you can, compared with most distance races where you can parcel it out." Jacoby twice finished behind three-time Downtown Mile kingpin Porter (2002-04) and admitted he was afraid to look over his shoulder and give his opponent cause for optimism. "Mike's extremely talented and you can never discount him in any situation," he commented. "He's going to push me to do well. I was running harder knowing Mike was behind me, thinking, 'I have to run faster to beat Mike.'" Further incentive came from his father, Albert "Buck" Jacoby, one of four men who died in a local plane crash in February. "He's watching me today," the former Stafford High School standout related. "The last time I heard his voice, he was calling me to say, 'I'll see you at the race [a half-marathon in Williamsburg].'"
Date published: 5/1/2006
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