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Sixth-grader a 10K prodigy

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By Doug Harris, Staff Writer Updated 11:48 PM Saturday, September 19, 2009

FAIRBORN — Kim Grilliot and her 11-year-old daughter, Maria, have both caught the running bug, but the Spring Valley mother admits she isn’t much of a training partner these days.

“I can’t keep up with her anymore,” Kim said.

Maria, a sixth-grader at Incarnation Catholic School in Centerville, is blowing away other adults with her pace, too. She finished the 10K race at the U.S. Air Force Marathon in 45:26 (about 7:20 per mile for 6.2 miles). She not only won the girls under-15 division, but also the 15-19 and 20-24 age groups.

She just competed in the Iron Kids Triathlon in Atlanta last weekend and will race in the Iron Kids national championship in Tuscon, Ariz., on Oct. 3. The event is for ages 6-15 and includes a 150-meter swim, a four-mile bike ride and a one-mile run.

“I enjoy the feeling you get before you run and the satisfaction you feel after you run,” she said. “It gets me pumped up.”

Alex Keller of Beavercreek won the under-15 boys division in 39:26.

On verge of tears

Merely attempting a marathon takes gumption, and completing one requires perseverance. That’s the way race officials treated 23-year-old Sierra Gooch of West Chester, like one of the day’s winners — even though she came in last.

The theme from “Rocky” was blaring over the P.A. system as she crossed the finish line in about seven hours, seven minutes. After she plopped down on a chair near an ice tub, they brought her a whole pizza, fruit and sports drinks.

“I feel like I’m going to cry, I’m so emotional. But I feel good,” said Gooch, who injured her knee about one month ago, which cut into her training.

LA man wins 10K

Kristoffer Chacon of Los Angeles blew away the competition in the 10K, finishing in 33:11 (about a 5:21 per-mile pace).

“To be honest, around mile 4 or 5, I was feeling really tired,” he said. “But my family came all the way from California to watch me, and I was like, ‘Nah, I’ve got to do this.’ But I really was feeling woozy.”

Varinka Barbini of Lexington, Ky. — a captain in the National Guard and a police officer in civilian life — defended her crown in the women’s 10K with a time of 39:55.

Air Force pack soars

Brent Martin of Gambier, captured the half-marathon in 1:08:44, while a team of Air Force runners geared up for a competition with the other branches of the military at the Marine Corps Marathon by finishing in a pack after Martin.

“It’s just awesome to be able to push each other,” said Capt. Ben Payne, who finished second. “We want to do the same thing at the Marine Corps Marathon against the Army and Navy. We hope to take them down.”

Elvis sighting

Bruce Collet of San Antonio, Texas, ran the half-marathon in full Elvis garb, complete with the jet black hair and mutton-chop sideburns.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or at dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com