This article first appeared in http://fox.nstn.ca/~dblaikie (Ed Alexander)

Niagara 50Km/50Mi/100Km

Inspiration, perspiration and expiration

Niagara Falls, Ontaro (UW) - The fifth annual Niagara 50 Km, 50 Mile, 100 Km races continued their annual exponential growth with 132 registrants, but the anticipated atmospheric conditions may have accounted for the non-appearance of 15 of these. And of the 117 who approached the line at 6 am, by nightfall, only 100 had returned to cross the finish line.

While temperatures at or approaching 30 C are seasonal, in previous years cooling breezes off the vineyards and orchards lying windward of the course, and, twice, summer rainstorms, have served to mitigate the effects on the participants. Not so this year, as the air was almost deadly still.

Despite the adverse conditions, two performances did stand out: that of Brian Teason of Coral Springs, Florida, who turned in a 5:23:41 time in blowing away the Canadian competition in the 50-Mile Division, and that of Deanna Lindsay, who blew away the women's 100 Km course record of 9:43:05, set last year by Jane Ballantyne, by almost half an hour. Brian turned back the clock on the course standard he set the previous year by almost an hour.

The 50 Mile and 100 Km Divisions begin at the mouth of the Niagara River in Niagara-on-the-Lake and follow the asphalt-paved Niagara Recreation Trail south past the Falls (25km) to Fort Erie (50km) and return by the same course (the 50 milers turning just after 40km), while the 50km Division is bussed out to Fort Erie and simply runs point to point back to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Below the Falls, the course is rolling and generally shady, but above the Falls, is quite flat and there are long stretches of no or only intermittent shade. It is this part of the course that must be run during the hottest part of the day by the two longer divisions.

Nonetheless, the course is remarkably beautiful for what is essentially a road course, and quite varied as it passes historic sites, beautiful homes and gardens, marinas, vineyards, with the lovely Niagara River as the constant companion.

The Niagara 100 Km, 50 Mile, 50 Km Foot Race
Saturday, June 28, 1997
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

100 Kilometres
1.   Tom Rogozinski PA 29          8:39:20
2.   Peter Haase 50                      9:05:33
3.   Deanna Lindsay 37                9:14:14 F
4.   Ron Gehl 49                         9:31:44
5.   Toshiro Yamashita 37            9:36:37
6.   W. Christopherson MI 48      9:43:58
7.   Doug Barber 50                    9:44:44
8.   Don Hampton MI 57             9:50:07
9.   Dan O'Flaherty NJ 46         10:04:45
10. John Giovengo PA 51         10:04:49
11. Scott Walsh 19                  10:14:22
12. Susan Baehre VA 38           10:45:35 F
13. Peter Suomela 48               10:48:24
14. Paul Raymond 42               11:05:58
15. Roger Parsons                   11:26:39
16. John Cookson 53               12:53:08
17. Dick West MI 55               12:53:09
18. Aimee Runge 30                13:07:40 F
19. Bruce Hilton 59                 13:21:36
20. Terri Hayes VA 54            12:22:28 F
21. Steve Coe OH 50              14:02:06
22. Bill Mallett 52                   14:02:06
23. Howard Parker 47            14:08:07
24. Helen Malmberg 51          14:08:23 F
33 Starters

50 Miles
1.   Brian Teason FL 36           5:23:41
2.   Luke Hohenadel 38            7:08:16
3.  Colin Kingsford QUE 54     7:31:50
4.   Tony Martin 33                7:32:38
5.   Jean-Paul VanBelle SA 36  7:54:44
6.   Norman Arlt MI 48           8:19:50
7.   Bonnie Arlt MI 45             8:19:51 F
8.   Bonita Neglia 47                8:29:01 F          
9.   Joseph Spragg CT 51        8:35:12
10. Fred Davies OH 49            8:47:39
11. Egor Egan NB 37               9:19:56
12. William Little OH 53           9:43:54
13. Newt McKnight OH 53       10:25:37
14. Tom Dembinski OH 48       10:44:54
15. Grant Campbell 38              11:04:03
16. John Spasiw 43                  11:30:05
17. Tom Restoule 47                12:30:05
18. Jose Najera NY 41              13:18:52
20 Starters

50 Kilometres
1. Bob Dion MA 41                  3:44:10
2. Terry Martin 51                   3:45:55
3. John Caovette 35                 3:54:53
4. Michael Schiavone NY 41     4:02:54
5. Jim Clarke 52                      4:04:11
6. Chris Wytyczak 36              4:11:00
7. Hans Herrmann 49               4:20:07
8. Michael Power 36                4:22:22
9. G. Balasekaran PA 28           4:23:42
10. Stan Neumann MD 58        4:27:27
11. Matthew Green 39             4:39:15
12. Peter Eggers 35                 4:39:46
13. Jerry Bartram OH 51          4:44:06
14. John Snyder 42                 4:44:17
15. Carl Pegels NY 64             4:48:12
16. John Lehman 58               4:52:45
17. Karin Westfahl 25             4:53:04 F
18. Tanya Cady OH 44           4:63:05 F
19. Rand Freeman 32             4:54:35
20. Richard Hladio 40             4:56:30
21. Don Douglas 49               5:04:10
22. Robert McCluskey 49       5:05:10
23. Todd Corradetti 39           5:06:33
24. John Sacco 44                 5:06:40
25. Walt Lemonovich OH 47  5:10:05
26. Bill Reaverly 55               5:17:28
27. Wayne Bailey 47             5:23:23
28. Steve Hall 48                  5:28:40
29. George Mende 55           5:28:40
30. Bill Fornoff MD 52         5:35:55
31. Robert Udell 42              5:37:11
32. Tim Krug PA 53             5:40:27
33. Ian Ross 53                   5:40:50
34. Bernice Goy 53              5:40:51 F
35. Marge Potter 59             5:44:52 F
36. Gord Harthun 42            5:50:44
37. Esmond Mah 47             5:51:35
38. Jim Glen 30                   6:00:50
39. David Lalonde 40           6:01:28
40. Herb Connell 58             6:01:29
41. Terry Brown 50             6:17:34
42. Rick Worley TX 50        6:18:10
43. Joe Cleary 57                 6:24:30
44. Sherry McLean 48          6:24:31 F
45. Cathy Triosi NY 51         6:28:17 F
46. Beth Garver Tatom TX 30   6:28:20 F
47. Ron Turner 64               6:50:43
48. Elliot Aronoff 42            6:52:09
49. Kim Campbell 40           6:54:27 F
50. Jim Wahl MI 50            6:56:03
51. Michael Sacco 47          6:59:59
52. Pam Apple TN 31         7:00:29 F
53. Rob Apple OH 35         7:00:29
54. James Reeve MI 52      7:13:10
55. Don McNelly NY 76     8:02:07
56. Wally Herman 71         8:02:07
57. Jess Heroux 51            8:40:37
58. E. Kourounis NY 55     9:04:22
64 Starters