XTERRA Pocono Series Opens in Exciting Fashion

Ryan, Shokey take top honors at Big Pocono Trail Run

The 2012 XTERRA Pocono Trail Run Series opened in exciting fashion last weekend. The XTERRA Big Pocono Trail Run was the first race of the season, and James Ryan won it with a "sprint to the finish."

The Big Pocono Trail Run was a 5-kilometer race completed on May 5 at Big Pocono State Park in Tannersville, Pennsylvania. It was the first of five races in the 2012 XTERRA Pocono Trail Run Series.

"It was extremely rocky and windy - I had to watch every step I took," Ryan said. "Challenging hills were also a factor. There was this hill that I thought was never going to end, it was probably a half-mile long. But it was nice out that day. Perfect running weather; not too hot or too cold."

Ryan completed the course in 27 minutes, 25 seconds. He was in second or third place for much of the course, but won it with a dash to the finish line down the stretch. Brian Hess placed second with a time of 27:28 - three seconds behind Ryan.

"I paced myself off (Hess) for the majority of the race; he was a very strong runner," Ryan said. "I took the lead with an intense sprint to the finish, only beating the man by three seconds."

(Big Pocono race photo courtesy Bob Guzenski / www.wilkesbarreracing.com)

Ryan, 19, is currently a student at Luzerne County College, but will be joining the cross country team at the University of Maine at Farmington this fall. The Big Pocono Trail Run was his first XTERRA event, but he said he plans to enter every race in the series this summer.

"Running this trail race opened my eyes to a whole new world of running," said Ryan, who resides in Wilkes-Barre. "I think the experience of running trails is so much more challenging than road races. I'm always looking for a challenge, and that race was definitely a challenge."

Joe Drumsta placed third with a time of 29:11, and Richard Burgunder was fourth in 29:54.

Jaclyn Shokey of Jim Thorpe, Pa., placed seventh overall and was the first female with a time of 31:04. She is no stranger to success in the XTERRA Pocono Series, as she was the first overall female at two of the races last year.

Stacey Zander was the second female with a time of 33:09, and Jill Hildebrand was third in 36:35.

CLICK HERE to view complete results.

The runners will not have much time to recuperate before the next race in the series. The XTERRA Seven Tubs Trail Run is scheduled for May 19 at Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

At the conclusion of the series in June, each respective age-group champion will receive a free entry to represent the Pocono Region at the 2012 XTERRA Trail Run National Championship at Utah in September.

To enter a race in the Pocono Series, or to learn more about it, please visit www.wilkesbarreracing.com.

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