Saratoga News

Balkman runs to Dammit victory

By Dick Sparrer

Jason Balkman of Saratoga has been in the Top 10 before, and he's even won a title.

But the Stanford star has never been the winner in the rugged Los Gatos Dammit Run--at least, not until this year.

Balkman, the former Lynbrook track and cross country sensation now running on a scholarship at Stanford, covered the five-mile course in 28:03.61 to finish ahead of the pack in the 24th running of the Dammit Run.

Balkman, who averaged 5:36 per mile on the course that travels from the Los Gatos track to Lexington Dam and back again, finished nearly a minute-and-a-half ahead of his nearest competitor. Marc Beauchemin ended up second overall in 29:25.34, with Javier Naranjo a close third in 29:38.85.

Joining Balkman, Beauchemin and Naranjo in the top 10 were Martin Brenner, fourth in 30:41.14, Kevin Brodie, fifth in 30:48.99, Oscar Gonzalez, sixth in 30:51.74, Tempo Trail Tiger, seventh in 30:53.99, Adam Boothe, eighth in 30:54.59, Ray Russell, ninth in 31:19.86, and Edward Burns, 10th in 31:28.43.

Balkman was a Top 10 finisher in the 1995 Dammit, when he finished third overall behind Kenrick Sealy and Russell Hill, and he finished 10th back in 1992, when he won an individual title in the boys' high school division. But this year, the race was all his.

The same was true for 19-year-old Shaluinn Fullove in the women's division, though her victory came in a closer finish.

Fullove was the first female finisher in the event, stopping the watch at 34:27.64. But Elizabeth Nast was a close second in 35:11.15, with Chrissy Duryea-Ferguson third in 353:57.83.

Filling out the women's Top 10 in the Dammit were Del Hunter, fourth in 37:28.62; Shelia Tobin, fifth in 37:35.27; Judi Shade, sixth in 37:50.37; Ashley Holt, seventh in 38:06.96; Katie Scott, eighth in 38:19.98; Lisa Renteria, ninth in 38:26.41; and Kim Bakke, 10th in 38:27.51.

Repeat Winners

Winning a title in the Dammit Run is tough enough. But winning back-to-back titles in the race is tougher still.

And that just makes the performance of Dick Yeager of Los Gatos all that much more impressive. Because Yeager didn't just win a title in the nasty Dammit Run last weekend, and he didn't just defend a title--he won for the fourth straight year.

Yeager raced to a first-place finish in the men's 65-69 age group, a division he's dominated since first moving into the bracket in 1994.

Yeager, 68, covered the rough terrain in 45:42.63 to win the division crown. He had finished third in the 60-64 age group in 1992, but has come back to dominate the 65-69 class with wins in 1994, '95, '96 and now '97.

Equally as impressive, two other runners, Shade and Carlos Saldivar, nailed their third straight Dammit Run titles.

Shade raced to a first-place finish in the women's 50-54 age group to claim her third crown in as many years in the division.

But not only did Shade win her own age-group title, she also finished among the top women overall. Shade, 52, was sixth overall in the women's division, outrunning 19-year-old Ashley Holt to the finish line. Shade covered the tough terrain in 37:50.37 to clinch sixth in the field and first in her class.

Saldivar, like Shade, made it three straight in his age group. The 58-year-old runner finished in 37:12.43 to claim the title in the men's 55-59 division. He had already finished first in the division in 1995 and '96.

Angela Gummon and Joan Masui were other repeat winner in the Saturday Dammit Run.

Dammit Veterans

Shirley Church of Los Gatos and Debbie Follmar of Saratoga were among the Dammit Run veterans who returned for another strong showing in the race up to the Dam.

Church won the women's 55-59 division in 43:28.28 on Saturday. Church, 55, was the women's 50-54 age division winner for three straight years back in 1990, '91 and '92.

Follmar is another former Dammit champion who performed well again this year, despite suffering a painful muscle pull early in the run. Follmar finished 19th overall, and second in the women's 40-44 age group, in 39:56.10.

Follmar, 43, won the 40-44 age group in 1995 and took the 35-39 age division title in 1992.

This year's Dammit was something of a family affair for the Follmars. Debbie, a 1972 graduate of Los Gatos High, was competing in her eighth straight Dammit Run, and she was joined for the second straight year by her children, Alicia and Troy.

Troy, 13, finished third in the boys' 13-and-under division in 46:47.22, and Alicia, 10, was second to Gummon in the girls' 13-and-under class in 47:55.54. Troy attends Redwood Middle School in Saratoga and Alicia is a student at Foothill Elementary.

Renteria Stars

Former area high school star Lisa Renteria came through with an outstanding performance in the 24th running of the Dammit.

Renteria, a former Westmont sensation who starred last year at West Valley Community College, romped into the women's top 10 overall. Renteria finished ninth in 38:26.41, good for third place in the women's open division.

Top 20 Overall Finishers

1--Jason Balkman, 28:03.61; 2--Marc Beauchemin, 29:25.34; 3--Javier Naranjo, 29:38.85; 4--Martin Brenner, 30:41.14; 5--Kevin Brodie, 30:48.99; 6--Oscar Gonzalez, 30:51.74; 7--Tempo Trail Tiger, 30:53.99; 8--Adam Boothe, 30:54.59; 9--Ray Russell, 31:19.86; 10--Edward Burns, 31:28.43; 11--Jeff Hongo, 31:35.90; 12--Jose Acosta, 31:37.27; 13--Eddie Alariz, 31:44.80; 14--Rob Nast, 31:51.11; 15--Steven Garza, 32:01.93; 16--Stan Ferguson, 32:14.29; 17--Steven Kirsch, 32:21.16; 18--David Monico, 32:26.15; 19--Daniel Galindo, 32:26.15; 20--Daniel Rendon, 32:37.91.

Top 20 Female Finishers

1--Shaluinn Fullove, 34:27.64; 2--Elizabeth Nast, 35:11.15; 3--Chrissy Duryea-Ferguson, 35:57.83; 4--Del Hunter, 37:28.62; 5--Shelia Tobin, 37:35.27; 6--Judi Shade, 37:50.37; 7--Ashley Holt, 38:06.96; 8--Katie Scott, 38:19.98; 9--Lisa Renteria, 38:26.41; 10--Kim Bakke, 38:27.51; 11--Mary Vidovich, 38:28.99; 12--Jenna Lear, 38:51.18; 13--Lynn Sestak, 39:17.16; 14--Lisa Elliott, 39:29.90; 15--Janne Boone, 39:35.45; 16--Rachael Wiseman, 39:38.19; 17--Sonja Willis, 39:50.83; 18--Annette Dyke, 39:55.55; 19--Debbie Follmar, 39:56.10; 20--Eileen Grave, 40:11.70.

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