25th Annual HEALTHSOUTH 4-Mile Classic Road Race

25th HEALTHSOUTH 4 Mile Classic
(7:30 am 2 August 2003)

Youth run to front of HEALTHSOUTH 4-mile Classic
By Tony Woodside, Guard Sports Writer
Published on 8/4/2003

Youth was served Saturday at the 25th HEALTHSOUTH 4-mile Classic Road Race.

Seventeen-year-old West Plains (Mo.) senior-to-be Ian McFarland captured the men's overall title while 15-year-old Jonesboro sophomore-to-be Leigh Ann Moore took the women's overall crown.

McFarland covered the course in 21 minutes, 24.22 seconds and Moore, who transferred from Pocahontas to Annie Camp Junior High after the first semester of her freshman year, ran a 26:31.10.

Hot Springs' John Pankey was second in 21:58.13 and West Plains' Keaton Morgan, a 15-year-old, was third (22:26.08).

In the women's, West Plains 17-year-old Erica Young was second (27:20.37), and Little Rock's Betsy Meacham (27:22.73) rounded out the top three. Meacham, a member of the Batesville Area Athletic Hall of Fame as a former tennis star at Batesville High and the University of Arkansas, is a marathon runner.

McFarland described his running style as a mixture of patience and aggression.

"I'm pretty patient," he said, "but if I think I can take the lead I'm not going to stay back. ... I just wanted to sit on the leader - just see if I could beat him out."

McFarland saw his opportunity less than halfway through Saturday's race.

McFarland, a third-place finisher in the two mile in his state high school meet and a member of the state champion 4x800 relay, said he passed last year's winner Kevin Mitchell about 1 1/2 miles into the race and held the lead the remainder of the day.

McFarland called Saturday morning's cool, cloudy conditions "nice weather" and added that he enjoyed the atmosphere of the Classic.

"I just really like it - all the support from the people, all the residents cheering you on. That helps. It's a fun race."

While McFarland may have liked Saturday's weather, the threat of rain and dark skies may have kept one of Moore's chief competitors from coming to Batesville.

Six-time winner Angie Heringer signed up for this year's race but was not there Saturday morning. Heringer edged Moore by less than one second to win last year's title.

This year's race saw Moore win comfortably, besting her nearest rival - Young - by approximately 49 seconds.

"I wanted to beat my time from last year," Moore, a slight-of-build and quiet 15-year-old, said.

She achieved her goal by a little more than a second.

"I usually like to stay back and keep a good pace," Moore, who said she runs nearly every Saturday, stated about her running style.

Although Moore wasn't specific about her future ambitions, she said, "I'm trying to train for bigger meets."

Ken McSpadden, one of the race directors, said more area runners participated in this year's race than in previous events.

"I went back over the years of the race and it seems like this year we had more local support - Batesville, Newark, Cord, Melbourne," McSpadden said. "For example, in 2001, there were 24 locals; 2002 had 16, 19 in 1997. This year we had 38 from the local area. Some of these were first-time runners. And West Plains, Mo., has always been a big supporter - nine this year."

Joe Pool, another of the race directors, added that three local women completed the White River Roadrunners' 8-week "Train for 4" program. These runners followed a weekly training plan designed to prepare them to complete the HealthSouth 4-mile Classic in either 40, 50 or 60 minutes. The three women were Sherry Flood, Chris Wood and Shelia Cantrell. All three finished in under 50 minutes.

HEALTHSOUTH 4M
Batesville, AR -- August 2, 2003

Place  Male Runners            City, State               Age   Pace/M         Time
===================================================================================
  1   McFarland, Ian           West Plains, MO            17     5:20     21:24.22
  2   Pankey, John             Hot Springs, AR            39     5:29     21:58.13
  3   Morgan, Keaton           West Plains, MO            15     5:36     22:26.08
  4   Mitchell, Kevin          West Fork, AR              41     5:38     22:34.32
  5   Hunsucker, David         Springfield, MO            32     5:46     23:04.72
  6   McBride, Danny           West Plains, MO            16     5:51     23:25.19
  7   Reed, Johnny             Bauxite, AR                37     5:57     23:50.98
  8   Riley, Ken               Jacksonville, AR           32     6:06     24:28.26
  9   Fredrick, Koddy          Pomona, MO                 16     6:13     24:53.15
  10  Sellers, Matt            Batesville, AR             21     6:15     25:02.26
  11  Schmidt, Luther          Batesville, AR             37     6:15     25:03.21
  12  Polansky, Brian          Little Rock, AR            45     6:17     25:12.87
  13  Gaines, Billy            Cabot, AR                  32     6:19     25:18.52
  14  Torchia, Robert          Batesville, AR             52     6:21     25:27.61
  15  Johnson, Roger           Walnut Ridge, AR           40     6:24     25:36.96
  16  Torrey, Bill             Little Rock, AR            48     6:27     25:50.99
  17  Smith, Terry             Batesville, AR             40     6:32     26:12.72
  18  Witt, Bill               White Hall, AR             53     6:43     26:54.41
  19  Burgess, Johnathon       Batesville, AR             16     6:44     26:59.39
  20  Mayfield, Tom            Marshall, AR               64     6:45     27:02.69
  21  Oster, Tim               Batesville, AR             47     6:49     27:19.47
  22  Miller, Gene             Melbourne, AR              42     6:52     27:29.71
  23  Hern, Steve              Russellville, AR           49     6:53     27:32.17
  24  White, Trey              Heber Springs, AR          27     7:03     28:14.55
  25  Kimball, Charles         Batesville, AR             43     7:03     28:16.68
  26  Morrison, Heather        West Plains, MO            17     7:10     28:41.21
  27  Barron, Paul             Harrison, AR               43     7:11     28:45.66
  28  Milligan, Jeff           Newark, AR                 40     7:14     28:59.06
  29  Harrison, Tony           Batesville, AR             28     7:19     29:17.96
  30  Detherow, Calvin         North Little Rock, AR      68     7:21     29:28.95
  31  Hunsucker, George        West Plains, MO            56     7:22     29:29.72
  32  O'Connor, John           Rogers, AR                 20     7:24     29:38.63
  33  Keedy, Gary              Conway, AR                 56     7:27     29:49.63
  34  Barber, James            Lonoke, AR                 52     7:35     30:21.30
  35  Robinson, Maurice        Benton, AR                 61     7:38     30:33.78
  36  Bennett, Mike            Mountain Home, AR          36     7:41     30:44.37
  37  Cyprus, A. J.            Mandeville, LA             15     7:42     30:50.75
  38  Dice, Fred               Heber Springs, AR          67     7:44     30:57.50
  39  Miller, Jim              Little Rock, AR            35     7:46     31:05.94
  40  Gregory, Dan             Batesville, AR             44     7:52     31:31.56
  41  Buschmann, Andy          Batesville, AR             51     7:54     31:37.68
  42  Hayward, Roy             North Little Rock, AR      58     7:55     31:42.87
  43  Bennett, Wayne           Quitman, AR                59     8:00     32:03.95
  44  Hanson, Mike             Mt. Pleasant, AR           42     8:05     32:24.82
  45  Brooks, Lad              Harrison, AR               38     8:08     32:35.85
  46  Biggs, Bill              Jonesboro, AR              52     8:10     32:43.01
  47  Baxter, Jim              Smithville, AR             50     8:13     32:56.07
  48  Loggains, Kenny          Dickson, TN                35     8:21     33:27.63
  49  Hughes, Gary             Batesville, AR             49     8:23     33:34.65
  50  Hopkins, Robert          Little Rock, AR            66     8:38     34:33.29
  51  Taylor, Stewert          Mountain Home, AR          38     8:39     34:39.38
  52  Samuel, David            Pearcy, AR                 59     8:41     34:45.18
  53  Bernard, Tony            Little Rock, AR            36     8:56     35:44.83
  54  Franks, Rick             Batesville, AR             50     9:08     36:33.47
  55  Kennedy, Mike            Batesville, AR             54     9:20     37:21.64
  56  Miller, Jim              Batesville, AR             52     9:28     37:56.25
  57  McAdams, John            Cord, AR                   12     9:35     38:20.42
  58  Erdman, Dallas           Hot Springs, AR            65     9:35     38:24.63
  59  McAdams, Joe             Cord, AR                   45     9:37     38:30.54
  60  Haynie, Glenn            Jonesboro, AR              56     9:41     38:44.92
  61  Barnett, Charles         Batesville, AR             62     9:57     39:51.95
  62  Barber, Seth             Smithville, AR             26    10:07     40:30.51
  63  Noble, Adam              Berryville, AR             10    10:41     42:48.25
  64  Heston, Jack             Southaven, MS              41    10:53     43:35.32
  65  Mundy, Michael           Batesville, AR             44    11:18     45:16.75
  66  Wilson, Trevor           Batesville, AR             12    11:41     46:44.40
  67  Northcutt, Carl          Stuttgart, AR              70    11:50     47:20.18
  68  Martin, Tom              Batesville, AR             45    12:39     50:37.00
===================================================================================
Place  Female Runners          City, State               Age   Pace/M         Time
===================================================================================
  1   Moore, Leigh Ann         Jonesboro, AR              15     6:37     26:31.10
  2   Young, Erica             West Plains, MO            17     6:49     27:20.37
  3   Meacham, Betsy           Little Rock, AR            38     6:50     27:22.73
  4   Sexton, Emily            West Plains, MO            16     6:54     27:39.70
  5   Herron, Kristin          West Plains, MO            14     7:04     28:18.13
  6   Bennett, Candace         Batesville, AR             46     7:25     29:40.90
  7   McCurley, Libby          Batesville, AR             27     7:31     30:06.50
  8   Noble, Kristy            Berryville, AR             39     7:35     30:23.02
  9   Lovelace, Bernita        Conway, AR                 48     7:50     31:24.99
  10  Cooke, Rita              Batesville, AR             48     7:56     31:46.98
  11  Miosner, Rachel          Booneville, AR             18     8:14     32:58.13
  12  Franks, Jackie           Batesville, AR             17     8:15     33:03.06
  13  Strobel, Debbie          North Little Rock, AR      48     8:17     33:09.77
  14  Swaim, Angie             Vilonia, AR                36     8:18     33:15.74
  15  Hern, Becky              Russellville, AR           49     8:25     33:43.51
  16  Finley, Jessica          Alexander, AR              16     8:28     33:55.45
  17  Sexton, Jessie           West Plains, MO            15     8:39     34:38.49
  18  Bernard, Angela          Little Rock, AR            31     8:56     35:44.54
  19  Stewart, Savannah        Batesville, AR             12     9:01     36:08.06
  20  Torrey, Carol            Little Rock, AR            50     9:13     36:55.86
  21  McCaa, Ann               Newark, AR                 48     9:53     39:34.55
  22  Anderson, Katie          Newark, AR                 22     9:53     39:34.75
  23  Erdman, Mary             Hot Springs, AR            62    10:25     41:41.42
  24  House, Linda             Little Rock, AR            54    10:36     42:27.14
  25  Jones, Ashlyn            Batesville, AR             34    10:39     42:39.30
  26  Bruining, Amy            Huntersville, NC           26    11:05     44:20.25
  27  Nikkel, Amanda           Batesville, AR             28    11:05     44:20.58
  28  Kennedy, Alice           Batesville, AR             43    11:08     44:35.44
  29  McDaniel, Crystal        Jonesboro, AR              25    11:09     44:40.34
  30  Furr, Kelly              Jonesboro, AR              27    11:10     44:41.09
  31  Miller, Anne             Batesville, AR             54    11:29     45:57.55
  32  Wood, Chris              Batesville, AR             31    11:32     46:10.27
  33  Flood, Sherry            Batesville, AR             34    11:32     46:10.59
  34  Martin, Denise           Sherwood, AR               41    11:56     47:47.29
  35  Cantrell, Sheila         Batesville, AR             45    11:58     47:52.46
  36  Regan, Sasha             Batesville, AR             14    12:22     49:30.09
  37  Wilson, Shai             Batesville, AR             35    14:09     56:39.83
  38  Noble, Hannah            Berryville, AR              6    14:28     57:56.32
  39  Hayward, Mary            North Little Rock, AR      56    14:37     58:32.41