Spring event attracts nearly 200 runners to Smith Lake

By Sharilyn Wells
Paraglide

	Photos by Sharilyn Well/Paraglide Runners begin their 10-kilometer run through the Smith Lake Recreation area during the annual Cross Country Meet Apr. 8. Walter Spangler won this year’s event with a time of 36 minutes, 17 seconds.

Just as the sun topped the trees, runners pushed their start buttons on their wristwatches and began their 10-kilometer run through the woods for the 2010 Spring Cross Country Meet, Thursday. Sponsored by the Fort Bragg Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, this year’s meet was held at Smith Lake Recreational area. The course features hills, rocks and the most dreaded by the runners — sand.
Walter Spangler, Special Warfare Center and School, took first place overall with a time of 36 minutes and 17 seconds. Spangler admitted his strategy to winning was to not start out too strong so he could maintain speed during the end of the race. Spangler is an avid runner and competed in the Bel Monte Endurance 50 mile Run in Virginia, placing fifth overall.

In 37 minutes and 56 seconds, Tomasz Kochanowicz also from SWCS, not only placed second overall but also won first place in the men’s 35 and over division.

“I could see (Spangler) ahead of me the whole time, but today he was just too fast for me,” he said.

Kochanowicz is also an avid runner who competes in marathons and is preparing for the Army Birthday 10-miler.

The first woman to cross the finish line in 45 minutes and 45 seconds was Holly Plotts, who attributed her success in the race to her husband.

“My husband hung back with me this time, he’s usually way ahead,” she said. “He was basically my ‘rabbit’ keeping me running.”

Plotts said she enjoys running and the cross country meet was her last chance to compete before heading to Boston, to compete in the Boston Marathon, Monday.

The Spring Cross Country Meet not only gives individual runners the chance to compete but also allows for teams to compete for fastest combined time as well. Soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, won first place. The nine-member team consisted of Walter Grochowina, Timothy Duffin, Brian Branstetter, Nicholas Knickerbocker, Adam Savoy, Kent Dell, Mike Telford, Robert Butler, and Bryan King.

According to Kent Dell, there was no real training involved for the race.

“We’re basically a company full of runners,” he said. “Our company has always put an emphasis on cardiovascular endurance, so our daily (physical fitness) really played a big role in how we did.”

Maintaining their physical fitness helped the team even though they were short a member the day of the race.

Robert Butler, volunteered to be part of the team two hours before the event despite not having any running clothes.

“(Butler) borrowed every article of clothing besides his boxers from other people in the company,” Dell said. “It truly was a Company C event.”

Coming up next for FMWR’s sponsored race series is the Post Track and Field Meet, which is schedule to take place Monday through Thursday, at Hendrick Stadium.

Also, the Fort Bragg Army Birthday 10-miler will be held sometime in June, for more information visit www.fortbraggmwr.com or call 396-1217.