Tatu tops field in Men’s 4 Miler

Over 320 area male runners ranging in age from eight to 81 competed in the fifth annual Charlottesville Men’s 4 Miler in Free Union on Saturday morning. The record field raced on one of the coldest area footrace days in memory as temperatures at race time were barely out of the teens.

Former UVa standout Alex Tatu, who is in training in town with a team of post-collegiate athletes for the 2012 Olympic Trials, outkicked racing teammate Seth Hutchinson to take the overall blue ribbon in a blazing course record time of 20 minutes, two seconds. Hutchinson finished in 20:11. Teammates Pat McGuire (20:18), Bob Thiele (20:32) and Michael Hendry (20:42) rounded out the overall top five.

Several area runners scored top finishes in their respective age groups, including Michael Vaughn (10 & under), Reid Dickerson (11-14), Chris Post (15-19), J.J. Wetzel (20-24), Andrew Schroeder (25-290, Brian Chapuran (30-34), Galin Boyd (35-39), Dave Meyer (40-44), Hernan Garbini (45-49), Don Brown (55-59), Jim Bell (60-64), Skip Mullaney (65-69), Henry Chapman (70-74) and Harry Freestone (80+). But perhaps no age group battle was tighter and more hard-fought than the 50-54 division where no less than 12 seconds separated the top three finishers, James Dubovsky, Ed Russell and Clark Jackson.

The top Father/Son team was Don and Jonathan Mathes, who combined for a time of 51:11. Richard and Adam Shelley, Tom and Brendan Nash, Sam and Steve Campbell and Don and Matt Bergstresser, who rounded out the top five Father/Son tandems.

The UVa Anesthesiology Department Team of Thiele, Schroeder, George Rich, John Gonnella and Ed Nemergut was the top team in the Open division. The CTC Masters squad led by Tom Scala won the Masters division and the Ragged Mountain team was tops in the Corporate field.

There were several dozen first-time racers, such as Ron Sykes, Tim Schneller and Steve Walker, who conquered the frigid weather en route to successful debut performances.

The Charlottesville Track Club, who helped co-orgnaize this popular event, was able to raise several thousand dollars for Prostate Cancer programs at UVa. Urology Chair Dr. William Steers, who helped at the finish line, was “delighted at the turnout despite the bone-chilling temperatures.”