Running: Steve Benesh cruises to Soul to Sole 5K win

AMHERST — The race clock was the only challenge for Steve Benesh on Saturday at the fifth annual Sprint or Stroll for Soul to Sole 5K. The North Ridgeville resident was the class of the field as he won by 90 seconds in 16 minutes, 8.4 seconds.
Benesh established his dominance in first half-mile to three-quarters of a mile. He outclassed the Wellington duo of Steve Neel (17:38.3) and Kirk Shellhouse (17:59.5), outstanding runners from Heidelberg University.
The women’s division had a little more drama.
Huron’s Lydia Souter (20:16.0) defeated defending champ Kirsten Millet (20:45.4) of Avon. The drama came in the last half-mile when a side cramp relegated Souter to barely a jog for a stretch of 30-45 seconds.
Benesh was a threat to Rick Bement’s 2010 course record of 15:54.4, but the lack of major competition helped the mark remain for another year.
“It’s hard to run alone,” Benesh said. “Last week, I was second (15:42) at Olmsted Falls (Fat Little Buddies 5K) to Aaron Apathy (15:34). It’s not happening today for some reason. I felt it. The hills play with you a little bit.”
The event, which started and finished at Steele High School, featured a rolling loop during the second mile through Beavercreek Park, part of the Lorain County Metro Parks. The course has been a certified distance since last year.
“I felt OK,” Benesh said. “The goal was sub-16, but I’m still happy. These guys (Neel and Shellhouse) helped me to take it out early. I wished for a little faster but that’s the way it goes.”
For a relative new event, the Amherst race has produced some impressive times. Ray Armstrong Jr. won in 16:00 in 2009 and 16:03 in ’08. Benesh was second to Armstrong in 16:38 in 2008 — his previous appearance at Soul to Sole.
Benesh has raced 11 times this year — eight 5Ks, a couple of 5-milers and a half marathon. He’s preparing for the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 6. Benesh raced 2:44 at the 2010 Boston Marathon, his last effort at the distance.
“I broke down with some injuries (training for marathons) a couple years ago,” said Benesh, a veteran of
15 marathons. “Hopefully, with a better plan this time I can break 2:40. That’s the ultimate goal.”
Millet, 37, knew nothing about Souter until about the time they toed the starting line together. Both made their season debuts later than some, for different reasons. But both proved they’re in great shape.
“I liked Beavercreek Park. It’s a nice shaded area,” said Souter, an occupational therapist. “Not many hills, but just enough. I had to stop for about 30 seconds (on Lincoln Street), maybe 45. Probably not enough water. I got hotter than I thought I would. Today was my first race since the Cleveland Race for the Cure last September.”
Last year’s Amherst Soul to Sole event was Millet’s second race back after taking seven years off for the birth of her three children. She won last year’s event in 21:50, so she was more than a minute better Saturday.
“Lydia pulled away from me at the mile mark,” said Millet, the Bay girls track coach. “I saw her stop, but I was too far away to catch her. I knew she was going to pick it up again. I knew even if she was going to jog in that I was going to have a tough time catching her. I can’t complain about the effort or the time. I’m happy.”
Neel and Shellhouse admitted that Benesh’s early dominance significantly impacted their strategy and intensity.
“Today’s race was kind of a last-minute thing,” said Neel, a Heidelberg senior and graduate of New London High. “When he started to pull away and I kind of backed off, I just tried to do what I could.”
“We both have been putting in some pretty good miles,” said Shellhouse, a 2006 Wellington graduate and Defiance College graduate assistant. “I ran 70 miles last week. The legs were kind of dead, especially after last week’s heat. We were running at 10 at night and the heat was terrible. We really haven’t been working much on our speed. We just have been putting in miles.”
The Soul to Sole program, which began in 2007, offers new athletic shoes to children in Lorain County whose families face financial difficulties. The program was founded and is directed by Lori Campana and operated in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Lorain County. About 180 runners participated in the race.
Contact Paul Heyse at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.
Male
Overall
1. Steve Benesh, age 32 (North Ridgeville), 16:08.4; 2. Kevin Neel, 21 (Wellington), 17:38.3; 3. Kirk Shellhouse, 24 (Wellington), 17:59.5
Age group results
14 and younger: 1. Adam Haas (Lorain), 23;03.4; 2. Jack Bier (Amherst), 24:44.2;
3. James Carey (Elyria), 27:05.5. 15-19: 1. Jacob Linkous (Elyria), 22:19.3; 2. Vincent Faraji (Elyria), 22:33.2; 3. Tim Winbush, 23:18.3. 20-24: 1. John Holtz (Amherst), 23:57.8; 2. Kyle Jacobs (Amherst), 26:02.0; 3. Giovanni Ruggiero (Broadview Heights), 29:37.9. 25-29: 1. Dave Bascone (Lakewood), 23:25.3;
2. Oliver Palmer (Cleveland), 23:29.2; 3. Adam Tubbs (Cleveland), 23:38.3. 30-34: 1. Ken Stitak (Lakewood), 21:25.9; 2. Jacob Perez (Lorain), 23:26.5; 3. Thomas Pellitieri (Lorain), 23:30.6. 35-39: 1. Mark Cawthon (Amherst), 21:54.0; 2. Mark Overstreet (Oberlin), 24:32.6; 3. Chris Wayner, 24:49.1.
Overall masters winner: Scott Snyder, age 56 (Amherst), 19:13.9. 40-44: 1. Bill Trainor (Lakewood), 21:44.3; 2. Kevin Brown (Lorain), 23:58.7; 3. Joe Maldonado (Lorain), 25:22.9. 45-49: 1. Tim Stephens (Sheffield Lake), 21:47.7; 2. Rodney Blankenship (Lorain), 22:55.7; 3. Frank Walsh (Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico), 23:06.4. 50-54: 1. Mike Miller (Lorain), 24:33.5; 2. Matt Walker (Lorain), 24:53.9; 3. Guy Leblanc (Vermilion), 25:24.9. 55-59: 1. Tom Januzzi (Amherst), 21:05.6; 2. Paul Norrod (Wakeman), 23:36.0; 3. Rick Svat (Lorain), 33:33.7.
Overall grand masters winner: Dave Wendell, age 60 (Avon), 20:41.6. 60-64: 1. Jack Bradley (Lorain), 28:18.3. 65-69: 1. John Paul (Amherst), 31:04.7. 70 and older: 1. Angel Rivera (Lorain), 26:48.8; 2. Luis Bonilla (Lorain), 30:37.5.
Female
Overall
1. Lydia Souter, age 27 (Huron), 20:16.0; 2. Kirsten Millet, 37 (Avon), 20:45.4; 3. Athena Scrofano, 51 (Amherst), 23:07.7
Age group results
14 and younger: 1. Hannah Aschenmeier (Lorain), 30:04.8; 2. Megan Stratton (Vermilion), 30;09.0; 3. Kaylin Betances (Lorain), 33:29.8. 15-19: 1. Lindsey Kaschak (Olmsted Falls), 23:33.9; 2. Karlie Sustersic (Amherst), 32:44.9; 3. Jalen Davis, 35:34.3. 20-24: 1. Tealla Scrofano (Amherst), 23:47.5; 2. Alyssa Bove (Amherst), 27:48.0; 3. Tiffany Dziak (Amherst), 27:49.8. 25-29: 1. Jessica Grills (Wellington), 23:47.5; 2. Ali Tubs (Lakewood), 26:08.7; 3. Krystina Bove (Amherst), 27:41.9. 30-34: 1. Michelle Yakovich (Port Clinton), 24:14.9; 2. Jeri Leigh Siss (Lorain), 24:38.9; 3. Jennifer Massie (Avon), 26:18.4. 35-39: 1. Ededina Canales (Lorain), 23:49.8; 2. Katie Trainor (Lakewood), 23:50.6; 3. Carrie Bowlsby (Lorain), 26:32.5.
Overall masters winner: Pati Sunagel, 54 (Elyria), 24:19.8. 40-44: 1. Karen Cawthon (Amherst), 24:58.3; 2. Michelle Tomallo (Lakewood), 26:13.3; 3. Valentina Garcia (Elyria), 27:41.5. 45-49: 1. Mary Van Almen (Sheffield Lake), 26:02.1; 2. Diane Schrenkel (Bonita Springs), 28:03.2; 3. Cindi Turbach, 28:21.3.
Overall grand masters winner: Jean Kosmac, 57 (Lakewood), 25:38.0. 50-54:
1. Deborah Zahorec (Amherst), 27:36.0; 2. Jean Nagel (Avon), 28:35.7; 3. Karin Fortner (Amherst), 30:04.6. 55-59: 1. Mary Kirsch (Amherst), 33:14.9; 2. Barbara Carey (Elyria), 38:01.6; 3. Audrey Riccardi (Lorain), 48:01.6. 60-64: 1. Deborah Bradley (Lorain), 33:25.6; 2. Jean Youngs (Sheffield Lake), 40:03.7; 3. Eileen Knoble (Avon), 40:13.4. 65-69: 1. Sandy Wanosik (Avon), 28:56.0; 2. Jeanne Sikorski (North Ridgeville), 30:54.3; 3. Bonnie Walsh (Avon), 47:00.9. 70 and older: 1. Marilyn Olsen (North Olmsted), 32:19.8.