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13-year-old wins 10K race despite getting lost

Teen is son of former Huber Heights and Centerville residents, Ted and Mia Dennis.

Cameron Dennis walks away from finish line after winning the annual Fall Freedom 5K and 10K. The 13-year-old is a seventh-grader at Franklin County Middle School. Contributed photo

Handout Cameron Dennis walks away from finish line after winning the annual Fall Freedom 5K and 10K. The 13-year-old is a seventh-grader at Franklin County Middle School. Contributed photo

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By Mickey Zezzo, Contributing Writer Updated 6:11 PM Wednesday, November 4, 2009

HUBER HEIGHTS — Veteran retired road runner Joe Raskay of New Carlisle admits the time wasn’t earth-shaking — but it’s rare to see a 13-year-old boy leading the pack across the finish line in a 10K (6.2 miles) race. His time was 46:23.

The young phenom was Cameron Dennis, the son of former Huber Heights and Centerville residents Ted and Mia Dennis. The event was the recent Fall Freedom 5K-10K Camp Atterbury (Ind.) classic, which attracted a field of nearly 100 runners, including a few marathoners and physically fit soldiers who run daily to stay in shape.

It also was the first time that Dennis, a seventh-grader at Franklin County Middle School, ever attempted a 10K — and he was only a sometimes winner in the two-mile middle school races. But he practices with the high school squad.

“I have seen a lot of young runners coming up, but mostly in their freshman years,” said Raskay. “As far as a 10K is concerned, I don’t believe any other 13-year-olds are charging home first.”

Even more impressive is that Dennis was unfamiliar with the Atterbury course and got lost at least twice. “I would let a few of them pass me and I would follow them closely, then turn it on and pass them up,” said the Brookville Lake, Ind., resident.

A younger brother, Cole, and older sister, Spec. Ashley Dennis, a National Guardsman at Atterbury who already has done a tour in Iraq, also ran the 10K — and when they crossed the finish line Cameron was sitting there, shivering in the rain and waiting for them.

“He wasn’t even breathing hard,” bragged the older sister.

Cameron Dennis said he “didn’t get too tired during the run and someday I’d like to try a marathon.”

The Dennis’ owned  and operated a tanning solon on Brandt Pike  for many years before heading for Centerville, Oxford and finally Brookville Lake. Cameron’s mother is a Wayne High School graduate.

Contact this writer at (937) 236-6032; mickeyz@zoomtown.com.

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