18,398 Come out for 34th Annual Bellin Run

June 11, 2010

John Korir of Kenya becomes second five-time Bellin Run champ

A record-breaking 18,398 people registered for the 34th annual Bellin Run held earlier today in Green Bay, a race won by John Korir of Kenya with a time of 29:12.

With Saturday’s victory, Korir, who took second place last year after four consecutive victories, became the Bellin Run’s second five-time champion. Ed Eyestone is the only other five-time winner, having claimed the top prize from 1991 to 1995. James Carney of Boulder, Colo. placed second with a time of 29:23, while Mike Morgan of Lincoln, Neb. took the third spot with a time of 29:56.

Bellin Run newcomer Jelliah Tenga of Kenya led the women’s field, capturing her first championship in the women’s division. Her time was 32:27. Hilbert native Dot McMahan finished second, posting a time of 34:05, while Ann Alyanak of Bellbrook, Ohio, finished third. Her time was 34:17.

The race set a record for total registrants for the sixth straight year, outpacing last year’s total by 1,652 people, for a grand total of 18,398 participants in 2010. The total includes all runners, walkers, wheelchair and hand cycle racers and children’s run participants.

The race also saw nine course records fall. Those records were:

•  Male ages 75-99: Chuck Merry, Appleton: 56:22
•  Female ages 65-69: Irene Stock, Green Bay: 49:26
•  Female ages 60-64: Kitty Thomas-Ciciora, Hobart: 48:18
•  Female ages 45-49: Sue Pierson, Neenah: 38:02
•  Female ages 19-24: Jelliah Tenga, Kenya: 32:27
•  Female ages 15-18: Allie Woodward, De Pere: 35:52
•  Female ages 13-14: Rose Hoffman, Green Bay: 42:47
•  Males ages 10-12: Tyler Nault, Peshtigo: 38:20
•  Males ages 1-9: Brody Olson, Pulaski: 44:18

The overall course records, however, did not fall. Joseph Kimani holds the men’s course record with a time of 27:46 set in 1997. Tegla Loroupe holds the women’s course record with a time of 31:48 set in 1999.

Other elite runners invited by the Bellin Run had the following times:
•  Uta Pippig, Boulder, Colo., 40:12, 2nd in the 40-44 age division
•  Richard Kandie, Kenya, 30:05, 5th overall
•  Luke Humphrey, Sidney, Mich., 30:16, 6th overall
•  Shadrack Muteri, Kenya, 30:34, 7th overall
•  Joan Samuelson, Freeport, Maine, 36:47, 1st in the 50-54 age division
•  Bill Rodgers, Sherborn, Mass., 43:04, 1st in the 60-64 age division

Another notable, Dan Held of Pewaukee, the overall champion in 1996 and the last U.S. runner to win the Bellin Run, posted a time of 33:50 and took second in the 40-44 age division.

Local notables include Tyler Sigl of Seymour (29:56; 4th overall); Matthew Mroczynski of Pulaski (31:14; 8th); Jason Ryf of Oshkosh (31:24; 10th); Jessica Scott of Kiel (36:24; 5th overall); and Krista Cornelius of Green Bay (37:11; 9th overall).

All results are preliminary. Official results will be posted online.

Weather conditions offered overcast skies for the start of the 8 a.m. race. The temperature was 62 degrees.

Complete Bellin Run results are available through the Bellin Run web site at http://www.bellinrun.com