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Saturday, September 15, 2012 -- Morgantown, WV / WVU Ruby Memorial Hospital
September Stride 5K - MAGP #9 (iPO Event Id#: 14039)

2012: [Details] [Coverage] [Photos] [Overall Results] [Results by Class]

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Perfect September Weather for Stride

Story by Heather Parks, photos by Don Parks.

The first Saturday morning in September that doesn't involve a WVU home football game is often the day of Morgantown's September Stride.

September Stride Photo
September Stride Start
Founded in 1993, the September Stride benefits the Richard Rosenbaum Memorial Fund, which assists those with pulmonary diseases. The two-loop, rolling 5K course is designed for fast times around the Ruby Hospital/WVU Stadium area.

Each year brings out Morgantown's best runners to race for one of the only prize purses in Morgantown. This year did not disappoint. The weather was perfect and the competition was hot!

In the men's race, three roommates, two of them brothers, raced to the finish for $150 and bragging rights. Josh Simpson ran 15:25 to hold off twin brother Justin Simpson who bested his time from last year by 17 seconds with a 15:32. Third roommate, Sean Hopkins rounded out the top three with a 16:27. He improving on his 2010 time of 16:33 and last year's time of 16:29.

The women's race was decided in the last mile. Training partners Karly Hamric and Heather Cleary running alongside Hamric's former roommate Mandy McBean until the very end. Hamric took the win with a time of 18:00, with Cleary running 18:04 and McBean 18:09.

September Stride Photo
Walkers and Runners Stride
The walk was led by Robert Last with a 36:23 and Jesse Matheson with a 39:11. The women's top walkers were Cari Armstrong in 39:13 and Sherri Rauenzahn in 39:32.

Along with the top overall, there were also top age group winners and the top WVU Employee as well as the top Heavy Weight.

While parents and friends were running and walking, kids enjoyed a craft area where they could make necklaces and other crafts while waiting for the kids races to begin. The kids races have grown into a great tradition with a distance for each age group.

The September Stride benefits the Richard Rosenbaum Memorial Fund, which provides medication and equipment to children with cystic fibrosis and other pulmonary problems. Richard "Rick" Rosenbaum, who was treated for cystic fibrosis at WVU since birth, died at age 36 in 1995. He was a dedicated advocate for children's programs associated with the hospital. Rick was a local businessman and good friend to many of the organizers of this event.