Polson Wins Fifth Title, Houck Sets New Course Record
(Duluth, Minn.) Duluthian Jeremy Polson won tonight's 38th annual running of the Park Point 5-Miler with a time of 24 minutes, 42 seconds. The victory for Polson, 31, was his fifth in the event's history, having also won in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008.
Duluth's Eric Hartmark, 31, the 2007 race champion, finished second in 25:00, while Chris Lundstrom, 33, of Minneapolis, placed third in 25:06.
In the female division, Duluth's Jen Houck established a new women's course record with a winning time of 28:30. The previous top mark was Kari Beasley's 28:36 in 1997. Houck, 25, successfully defended her title from 2008 when she won in 29:11.
Hibbing's Serena Sullivan, 28, placed second in 30:20 followed by Melissa Gacek, of White Bear Lake, Minn., in 30:59.
A total of 466 runners and 54 walkers registered for the event -- northern Minnesota's oldest road race. Youth races for children 14 and under accompanied the five-mile run and two-mile walk.
Net proceeds from the Park Point 5-Miler benefit the Young Athletes Foundation (YAF), a Grandma's Marathon program focused on the promotion and development of youth athletics.
The Park Point 5-Miler is sponsored by 801 Hosting & Design, Anytime Fitness, Care North, City of Duluth, Duluth Digital Photography, Duluth News Tribune, Duluth Running Company, Fitger's, Great Harvest Bread, maurices, Minnesota Power, MIX 108, Oliver Companies, Sam's Club, St. Luke's, Northland's NewsCenter and The Shack Smokehouse and Grille.
2009 PARK POINT 5-MILER
RESULTS --Top 15
MEN --Open Division
1st --Jeremy Polson, 31, Duluth, MN --24:42
2nd --Eric Hartmark, 31, Duluth, MN --25:00
3rd --Chris Lundstrom, 33, Minneapolis, MN --25:06
4th --David Green, 22, Duluth, MN --26:51
5th --Digger Carlson, 47, White Bear Lake, MN --26:59
6th --Gregg Robertson, 39, Duluth, MN --27:00
7th --Scott Behling, 19, Duluth, MN --27:09
8th --Adam Swank, 33, Duluth, MN --27:18
9th --Benjamin Bayer, 20, Duluth, MN --27:33
10th --Andre Watt, 27, Duluth, MN --27:43
11th --Adam Staineger, 19, Chisholm, MN --27:53
12th --Erik Kaitala, 37, Duluth, MN --27:55
13th --Kirt Goetzke, 48, Plymouth, MN --28:05
14th --Henry Eichman, 31, Duluth, MN --28:20
15th --Andrew Carlson, 19, White Bear Lake, MN --28:22
WOMEN --Open Division
1st --Jen Houck, 25, Duluth, MN --28:30* (New Course Record)
2nd --Serena Sullivan, 28, Hibbing, MN --30:20
3rd --Melissa Gacek, 33, White Bear Lake, MN --30:59
4th --Marlo McGaver, 38, Duluth, MN --31:09
5th --Jessica Rossing, 23, Duluth, MN --31:30
6th --Rachael Stack, 20, Duluth, MN --31:36
7th --Jody Zeleznikar, 36, Esko, MN --33:43
8th --Nellie Adams, 21, Duluth, MN --34:36
9th --Tatum Garrity, 17, Hibbing, MN --34:43
10th --Alana Schwanke, 21, Duluth, MN --34:43
11th --Shyanne McGregor, 25, Duluth, MN --34:44
12th --Sarah Chasson, 18, Meadowlands, MN --35:02
13th --Michelle Flanagan-Haag, 44, Duluth, MN --35:39
14th --Kaitlin Buchwitz, 14, Hibbing, MN --35:50
15th --Terri Erickson, 34, South Range, WI --35:58
2009 PARK POINT 2-MILE WALK
RESULTS --Top 5
MEN --Open Division
1st --Rodger Brannan, 57, Duluth, MN --21:30
2nd --John Stark, 65, Duluth, MN --22:08
3rd --Robert Weller, 28, Kingston, MA --22:10
4th --Donald Lemmerman, 66, Duluth, MN --25:53
5th --Peter Davidson, 41, Duluth, MN --26:17
WOMEN --Open Division
1st --Jill Bianchet, 52, Duluth, MN - 23:13
2nd --Nora Brannan, 55, Duluth, MN --23:15
3rd --Stacy Spexet, 34, Spooner, WI --23:25
4th --Julie Jones, 34, Hibbing, MN - 23:29
5th --Terri Walpole, 43, Superior, WI --24:08
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