Road running results are heating up, like the weather, this month.
Leading the competitive races in the state was the annual Moonlight Chase in Eldridge, where athletes from the Running Wild Elite team battled it out for top honors and lead off this edition of the WEEKEND UPDATE of the best performances by Iowa-based collegiate and postcollegiate distance runners and triathletes
Topping the men's four-mile field was RWE athlete and former Davenport Assumption and St. Ambrose athlete Steve Froeschle. Battling a heat index near 100 degrees, the Davenport man ran 19 minutes, 53 seconds, a pace of 4:58 per mile, to top Lucas Keifer by 14 seconds. The Moonlight title was Froeschle's first. Keifer, the Southeastern Community College head track coach and Burlington resident, was 12 seconds ahead of RWE men's coordinator Devin Allbaugh. Allbaugh is a former Pleasant Valley prep now living in Bettendorf. Taking fourth in 20:30 was former Western Dubuque prep Isaiah Hammerand, who recently completed his freshman season at Wartburg College. RWE's Elliott Klauer of Bettendorf crossed the finish line in 20:32 for fifth. Teammate Dan Froeschle, the older brother of Steve, was next in sixth in 20:36. RWE's Mike Gille was eighth in 20:50, followed by Runablaze Iowa's Phil Young of Davenport in 21:06. St. Ambrose junior-to-be Will Dowda, a former North Scott athlete running in his hometown, rounded out the top 10 in 21:24.
The women's champion was Crown Running's Trisha Nelson of Maquoketa. Nelson ran 24:11 to defeat RWE women's coordinator Kelsey Allbaugh by 47 seconds. Former Calamus-Wheatland and Tipton prep star Noelle Steines captured third place in 25:30. RWE's Brenna Gray grabbed fourth place in 26:00, just two seconds ahead of Brooklyn Smith.
The 53rd Midnight Madness races in Ames were reduced to just a 5K because of the high heat and taking the win was an Iowa State graduate student. Fitness Sports Distance Project athlete Jack Moran, 23, of Ames grabbed the victory in 15:14. Former Roland-Story student Noah Thomas of Ames was runner-up in 16:10, with former Ames High and Simpson College runner Ean Warrick, 23, rounding out the top three in 16:22.
The women's champion was Runablaze's Pasca Cheruiyot, 37. Just nine days after winning the Fifth Season 8K in Cedar Rapids, the Ames resident and 2014 Grandma's Marathon champion ran 17:40. Taking second was former Boone High and Runablaze athlete Danna Herrick, 37, of Norwalk in 18:15.
Switching briefly to track and field, where two former Iowa collegians were competing at the Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis, Tenn., on Friday night. Competing in the Mike Cody Men's 800 Invitational, former multi-time Iowa State All-American Festus Lagat finished third. The Kenyan ran 1:46.37 while fellow Kenyan Jonah Koech was the winner in 1:45.23.
In the women's non-invitational 800 earlier Friday, former Iowa Big Ten champion Mallory (King) Lindaman of Iowa City took runner-up honors in 2:04.55. She is a Tracksmith athlete and a former Davenport Assumption prep star. The winner was fellow American Susan Aneno in 2:03.90.
Switching to cross country and the Iowa Games races Saturday at the Iowa State Cross Country Course. Runablaze's Blake Whalen, 28, swept the 7.5-kilometer and 4.2K races held an hour apart. The former Dubuque Senior and Iowa Central standout ran the 4.7-mile race in 25:17 and the 2.7-mile race in 14:32 for an elapsed time of 39:48. Wartburg's Andrew Poock, a former Ankeny High athlete, was second in the longer race in 26:38. Poock is 21. Taking third 17 seconds behind him was Runablaze's William Lusty, 23, in 26:55. The women's winner was Sasha Gallagher, 28, of Ames in 30:13.
In the shorter race, Loras College athlete and former Indianola prep Logan Hoger, 20, was second in 14:59. Hoger ran the combined races in 43:09 for second overall. Justin Riddle, 45, was a strong third in 15:34. He was third in the combined competition in 44:11. Curtis Peters, 24, was another eight seconds back in the 4.2K race in 15:42.
At the Elma Days 5K Saturday, Runablaze's Flannery Cerbin-Bohach, 37, was the overall and women's champion. The rural Cresco resident ran 18:08 to win by 1:04.
On to trails, where Council Bluffs' Eli Jones repeated as champion at the Tristan's Trail 5K on Saturday in Treynor. The Creighton Preparatory School grad, 18, ran 16:11. Taking second was former ADM (Adel) prep and IMT Des Moines Half Marathon champion Mason Frank, 35, of Papillion, Neb., in 17:02.
Nine days after winning the Sully Freedom Run 5K in 15:04, Pella High prep star Canaan Dunham took another 5K victory at the Lake Red Rock Balloonfest on Saturday. Dunham ran 16:36 this time to win by 51 seconds. Dordt University athlete and former Pella Christian prep Kaden Van Wyngarden was the 10K winner in 36:52. Pella High standout Marissa Ferebee was the women's winner in 40:13.
At the Clover Dash 5K at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Sunday, Morningside College athlete and former Wayne (Corydon) prep RC Hicks was the winner in a close battle. Hicks ran 16:05 while edging Morningside teammate Casey Kruger by one second.
MISSING A TOP DISTANCE RUNNER OR TRIATHLETE?: Let me know at bergeson@registermedia.com.
Want to hear more about distance running in Iowa. Listen to my podcast here: https://anchor.fm/lance-bergeson8
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