More than 200 women and girls braved early morning rain and overcast skies Sunday, joining in sisterhood to walk, jog and run the 35th anniversary of the Women’s Jogger Jam.
The benefit event has been conducted by the St Thomas Association of Roadrunners (STAR) continuously since 1983. It is sponsored by the Fruit Bowl, which donates an extra $5 for each finisher, to benefit the Family Resource Center.
St. Thomas’ top road racer Ruth Ann David led the field substantially, as she has many times before, to finish in 12:42. Her daughter Shaiah was her closest challenger, finishing in 13:25, first in her age group. Ruth Ann holds the course record, having run the course, which loops twice around the Schneider Regional Medical Center before finishing in front of the Fruit Bowl in the Wheatley Shopping Center, in 11:28 when she ran it 15 years ago. More recently she won with a time of 11:57 in 2013.
And Shaiah’s time would have been good enough to win the race in years when her mother didn’t dominate.
Evelyn Woods was first of the teenagers to cross the line, in a time of 16:18. Alli Rex led the 20-somethings in 18:25, and Andia Chavez led the 30-39 group in 15:33. Jenny Martin was first in the 40-49 in 14:06, while, Kristin McConnell, an occasional top finisher of STAR events, was well ahead of her competitors in the next oldest group, running the course in 16:30. Another STAR regular, Diane Stolmar, ran 18:42 to outpace the other 60-year olds.
Returning to run an event that she won about 30 years ago, Carole Goldberg ran 21:03 to finish in the top 10 percent of the field. Not to be eclipsed, 80 year old Peggy McConnell finished ahead of half the field with a time of 30:04.
AGE GROUP WINNERS
Overall
Ruth Ann David 12:42
6 and Younger
Alyson Monsanto 19:43
Khloe Connor 26:21
T’nesha Elles 37:32
7 to 12
Shaiah David 13:50
Nyala Burke 15:43
Devin Degannes 22:36
13 to 18
Evelyn Woods 16:18
Alison Bartsch 16:21
Samantha Peck 20:19
19 to 29
Alli Rex 18:25
Leslie Henderson 20:34
Akeiba Barnard 24:33
30 to 39
Andia Chaves 15:33
Amoret Foerstel 15:34
Kristin Grimes 16:30
40 to 49
Jenny Martin 14:06
Tonya Garnet Stapleton 17:14
Monique Simon 21:39
50 to 59
Kristin McConnell 16:30
Lucinda Prosterman 18:21
Alayna Snell Kidd 19:00
60 to 69
Diane Stolmar 18:42
Casandra Mallory 24:00
Teresa Pearsal 25:45
70 to 79
Carole Goldberg 21:03
Mary Offerdahl 24:04
Judy Messenger 45:03
80 and over
Peggy McConnell 30:04
