by Bill Shaw

This article is a continuation of the coverage of the Brazosport Run for the Arts (Clute/Lake Jackson, TX) in the November 2002 issue of Inside Texas Running. For a complete recap of all the race activities, pick up a copy of that issue.

Race Date: October 5, 2002

Starting the Brazosport Run for the Arts 5K simultaneously with the 10-milers, Rob Donovan and Carlo Deason, Houston track training mates, wove through the pack to the turnaround together, but at the finish Donovan was all alone in record time.

Donovan, 24, finished in 16:08, nine seconds better than the previous record set by former Brazoswood High School cross- country runner Bryan Kerr in 1999. His 5:13 record race pace put him 18 seconds ahead of Deason, 32, at the finish line.

"Carlo went out a little bit ahead of me with the 10-mile pack, and we ran together for the first mile," said Donovan. "Then I kind of pulled away at the two mile mark. It was not a very exciting race."

"It was exciting up until the first mile when we ran together, and I tried to tell him how to get out in front and pace himself up to the split when it would be crowded because of the 10- milers," said Deason. "Then he started pulling away at the mile and a half marker."

Deason hoped to win his third consecutive RFTA 5K and counted on his experience. Donavan capitalized on Deason's experience to defeat him.

"I knew he ran the race before, and I knew he had a good strategy," said Donavan. "We run on the same track and know each other's speed."

Local Loyd Jackson of Surfside finished third overall and first in the male masters competition. Jackson, 41, finished in 17:40, a 5:42 race pace; he was 1:04 behind Deason but only eight seconds off the record contest mark posted by Kevin Tipton of Galveston last year.

Youngster Clint Carter, 16, of Angleton finished fourth overall and third in the open competition in 18:33. Local Bob Bowden, 45, of Lake Jackson trailed Carter in fifth overall and placed second in the men's masters competition in 18:54.

Susan Walters, 38, of nearby Wallis, unlike Deason, met her goal. Walters finished first in the open female competition for the second consecutive year in 19:31, a 6:18 mile pace. Her time, however, was short of the 17:38 record mark posted by Melissa Hurta of Jones Creek in 1998; she did better her time this year by 37 seconds despite high heat and humidity.

Lake Jackson local Sarah Williams, 14, and her brother John, 9, challenged Walters and front runner Bonnie Mize, 33, of Houston throughout the race.

"There was this little boy running with me, and we ran together to almost the end," said Walters. "He kicked near the end and was probably 5-10 seconds ahead of me."

John Williams faded to 10th overall and finished in 20:22 to win second in his age group. Sister Sarah pressured Mize.

"I saw (Walters) way off in the distance and knew I wouldn't be passing her," said Mize. "Then there was this little girl (Williams), so I said, 'I'm not going to let this little girl beat me' and kept my pace.

Mize finished 15th overall in 22:33 to win second in the open competition, and Sarah Williams finished 18th overall in 22:54 to win third.

Making the race a family affair, Walter's husband Wayne finished 11th overall and third in the masters competition in 21:42 Sylvia Lugo, 44, of Houston moved up in the pack of 88 runners and finished 22nd overall and first in the female masters competition in 24:10, a 7:48 pace. Her time was 4:09 short of the female masters contest record set by Kathy King of Lake Jackson in 1999. Joyce Chapa, 42, of Lake Jackson finished 32nd overall in 26:17 to place second, and Marilyn Koons, 55, of Alvin finished 33rd overall in 26:41 to place third.

With the exception of Donavan and Walters, many runners had slower than expected times because of the heat and humidity.

"I'm sure this is going to be a common theme," said Bowden. "But it was hot and humid out there."