Big River Racing Team - News and Results



St. Jude Memphis Marathon, Memphis, TN- 12.06.08
Big RiverMasters Runner David Carruthers et a whopping 58 minute personal best at the St. Jude Memphis Marathon this past weekend. David was hoping for a time of 3:00 and he came through under pace at halfway in 1:27 before a rough last 6 miles brought him home in 3:07:28. His time qualifies him for Boston and he was second in the grandmasters category.

Chill on the Hill 5k, Saint Louis, MO- 12.06.08
Most of the Big River crew kept it local on Saturday in support of Saint Louis' newest race, the Chill on the Hill 5k. There was prize money and some great gift certificates to "Hill" restaurants on the line and Brian Lyons showed his form as he cruised to victory in 15:18. Kris Pearce was runner-up among women in 19:32 while masters runners Juan Arias and Julie Bergfeld took home titles in their respective divisions.Mary Loida and Helen Alexander-Kratz forged a tight battle for top honors in the womens 40-44 age group with Mary besting Helen by two seconds. Big thumbs up to this first year event!

ASGI Canadian National Cross Country Championships, Guelph, Ontario- 11.29.08
Steph Hood continued her amazing 2008 with a victory in the snow at the Canadain National Cross Country Championships. Steph broke away from the field early along with Tarah McKay and the two battled over the hilly 7k course until the final 400 meters when Steph pulled away on the uphill finish for a three second victory. The win qualifies her to represent Canada at the World Cros Country Championships in Jordan in March. Watch Steph's race here

Alton Great River Road 10 mile, Alton, IL- 11.29.08
Karl Gilpin tuned up for the US Club Cross Country Championships with a runner-up finish at the Great River Road Run in historic Alton, IL. Karl covered the out-and-back course in 51:44.

Kirkwood Webster Turkey Trot, Saint Louis, MO- 11.27.08
The team had a big day on Thanksgiving morning at the annual Kirkwood Webster Turkey Trot. It was was a clean sweep for Big River in the mens 3 mile race as newcomer Tipper O'Brien blitzed the field with a huge move at halfway en route to a 25 second victory. Adam MacDowell finished second and was followed across the line by Jeremy Doherty and Carter Snow. MacDowell, Doherty and Snow will all be competing for Big River at the US Club Cross Country Championships in Spokane, Wash. on December 13th. Joe Porter and former/honorary team member Mike Nelson also competed in the 3 mile.

Katie Sutton was a close second in the womens 3 mile race as she continues to get better each week. Look out this Spring!

In the womens 6 mile Julie Lossos dominated the race from the gun and came across in a solid 35:22 for the win. Her time was a minute and a half better than last year, two months before she set a then personal best at the Hong Kong Marathon. Masters runners Juan Arias, David Carruthers, Julie Bergfeld, Helen Alexander-Kratz and Mary Loida also competed well.

A big congrats to all the White Team members and Big River customers that were out there representing the store. We really appreciated it!

Chesterfield Turkey Trot, Chesterfield, MO- 11.27.08
Mitch Figas bounced back quickly from his great run at the Columbus Marathon to win the masters division at the Chesterfield Turkey Trot. Mitch ran 16:59 and was 12th overall.

Ford Ironman Arizona - 11.23.08
Big River co-owner Matt Helbig took on the challenge of the Ironman Triathlon over the weekend at the Ford Ironman Arizona. Matt finished the 2.4 mile swim, the 112 mile bike and the 26.2 mile run in 11 hours, 51 minutes and 46 seconds. Of course, while Matt is a novice in the sport of triathlon Maureen and Maggie Conley are not! The Conley twins each had great days with Maureen finishing in 10:51:35 and Maggie coming across the line in 11:17:15. Maureen was second in her age division and earned an alternate spot to compete in the world famous Kona Ironman.

USATF Ozark Association Championships, Castlewood State Park- 11.23.08
Carter Snow, Jeremy Doherty and David Carruthers competed over 10k in Castlewood State Park at the USATF Ozark Association Championships on Sunday morning. Carruthers was the masters champ completing the course in 40:50. Snow and Doherty, the team's speedsters, used the race as more of a hard tempo effort in preparations for the US Club Cross Country Championships in Spokane, Wash. on December 13th.

SLU Turkey Trot, Saint Louis, MO- 11.22.08
Tim Bradley is back on the racing scene, nothcing a win at the SLU Turkey Trot on Saturday morning over teammate Joe Porter.

5k Classic, Florida - 11.22.08
Kris Pearce made the most of her vacation in sunny Florida and finished as the third overall female in 19:17 at the 5k classic.

World Triathlon Championships, Almere, Holland - 8.30.08
We missed this one from way back in August but we wanted to make sure and recognize Masters Team Member Roger Endicott for his performance at the ITU Triathlon World Championships in Almere Holland. Roger fought off the hot conditions to finish 53rd in his age group. After a 2.8 mile swim, a 120km bike and a 30km run Roger was understandably exhausted but bounced back well enough to do a little sightseeing in Europe before heading home!

Bass Pro Shops Half Marathon, Springfield, MO - 11.2.08
Jess Flinn joined Brian Lyons and Carter Snow in Springfield this weekend but her race was a day later. She came away with the highest place of the trio as she finished 2nd in the half marathon on the womens side in 1:28:45.

Saint Louis Track Club Half Marathon, Saint Louis, MO - 11.2.08
Masters team members David Carruthers, Debbie Kerber-Rehr and Carol Wright were all in action at the St. Louis Track Club's Half Marathon on Sunday. Carruthers was 2nd in his age group with a time of 1:31:30. Kerber-Rehr won her age group in 1:34:21. Jenny Fisher made her team debut running a 1:41:49.

Bass Pro Shops 10k, Springfield, MO - 11.1.08
Brian Lyons and Carter Snow made the trip to Springfield, MO for the Bass Pro Shops Fitness Festival this weekend in continued preparations for the US Club Cross Country Championships next month. Lyons finished third in a tough field in a PR of 30:23. Snow was a little off his game and fighting a cold but finished in 33:34 on the hilly course.

Mayor's Cup 8k, Boston, MA - 10.26.08
Brian Lyons and Ben Rosario headed to the Northeast to run on one of the most famous cross country courses in the country at Franklin Park in Boston. They competed in the 19th annual Mayor's Cup and both came away with top ten finishes at the prestigious event. Rosario finished 3rd in an 8k cross country PR of 24:10 while Lyons was 10th in 24:27.

Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon, Columbus OH- 10.19.08
A big conratulations to Masters Team member Mitch Figas for his outstanding run at the Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon on Sunday in Columbus Ohio. For those of you who have read the famous Mitch Figas training log you know that he has had some ups and downs in his training but he stuck with it and all the hard work paid off! He ran 2:45:14 and was the Masters Divsion Champ, earning him $750.

Waddell & Reed Kansas City Marathon, Kansas City Marathon- 10.18.08
It was another marathon and another PR for the Big River Racing Team this weekend as Masters Team member Julie Bergfeld ran a 3:05:50 to finish second in the masters divsion at the Waddell & Reed Kansas City Marathon. Her time bettered her old PR which was set 10 years ago!

Tufts 10k (US Championships), Boston, MA, - 10.13.08
Jess Flinn traveled back to her college town, Boston, Mass., to compete in the US Womens 10k Championships held in conjunction with the Tufts 10k. Despite a nagging injury that has lingered since mid September Jess finished 53rd overall with a time of 38:13.

Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Chicago, IL- 10.12.08
Big River's Steph Hood put together what was undoubtedly the best performance in the two and a half year history of the team with her 11th place finish at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon over the weekend. Steph was not afraid to go out with the lead pack and actually spent a lot of time at the front of the race for the first 13.1 miles. At halfway, the pack which included Olympic Champion Constantina Tomescu-Dita as well as two-time Chicago Champion Berhane Adere of Ethiopia, broke apart and Steph made the smart decision to let them go and run her own race. She fell back to 13th at 17 miles before rallying over the final 10k to pass two runners and cross the finish line in a nine minute personal best of 2:35:09. This marks Steph's second straight top 15 finish at a World Marathon Major. She was 10th at the BAA Boston Marathon last Spring.

On the men's side Big River's Brian Whitehead ran an outstanding race to finish 38th with a personal best time of 2:31:01. On a day when many runners struggled with the high temperatures both Big River Racing Team members ran strong all the way to the finish and ran personal bests.

Race Out of the Darkness, Saint Louis, MO- 10.12.08
Big River Masters Team newcomer David Carruthers continued his amazing progress this weekend with a 37 second personal best over 10k at the Race Out of the Darkness in Tower Grove Park.His time of 40:03 placed him third overall and first among masters runners.

Border Wars, Edwardsville, IL- 10.11.08
Adam MacDowell, Ben Rosario and Carter Snow headed over the river to Edwardsville, IL to compete in the Border Wars cross country meet hosted by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The race served as their first race in a build-up toward the US Club Cross Country Championships in Spokane Washington later this fall. Rosario led the way with a 1st place finish and a respectable time of 25:02 for 8k on a hot and muggy day. MacDowell finished third in 26:02 and Snow was unable to finish after a collision with another runner 800 meters into the race caused his left knee to swell.

Twin Cities Marathon, Minneapolis, MN- 10.06.08
The Big River Racing Team ascended on the Twin Cities in full force with great performaces across the board. The team was led by Julie Lossos who fought off the driving rain and a sore back en route to a new personal best of 2:55:25 and a 21st place finish on the womens side. The men were led by two-time defending Go! St. Louis marathon champion Karl Gilpin who finished 23rd overall in a solid 2:28:54. Masters runner Steve Worley ran a personal best as well, finishing in 2:56:40 which was good for eighth place in his age group. Fellow Masters runner Jeff Vanderlinden ran 3:04:31for 13th place in his age group. Next across the rain-soaked finish line was Kris Pearce in 3:06:33 netting her 34th place among women. Jen Tesmer and Julie Bokermann ran 3:19:12 and 3:19:50 respectively. It was Tesmer's debut and a big PR for Bokermann. Only masters runner Mary Loida, who had battled injuries and sickness leading up to the race had an off day as she finished in 3:42:31, hobbling home the last 11 miles. She'll be back! Overall it was a very good day for the team and bodes well for Steph Hood and Brian Whitehead who will be racing the Bank of America Chicago Marathon this weekend.

Bix 7 Miler, Davenport, IA- 07.26.08
Karl Gilpin finished 23rd overall and was the 8th American at one of the deepest and most competitive road races in the country, The Bix 7 miler in Davenport, Iowa. Karl ran the hilly course in 35:48, a 5:06 per mile average. This race served as another positive step in his build-up to the Twin Cities Marathon later this Fall.

Ryan Shay Mile, Charlevoix, MI- 07.26.08
Jeremy Doherty and Ben Rosario traveled up north to beautiful Charlevoix, Mich. to participate in a special invite one mile road race dedicated to the memory of Ryan Shay. In front of Shay's parents and other members of the Shay family the race took place as part of the annual Venetian Festival with the streets lined with people in anticipation of the parade that followed. Jeremy and Ben stayed near the front the whole race and went to the lead at the 3/4 mark with Jeremy establishing a 10 meter lead with 200 meters to go. 2004 Olympian Grant Robison passed Ben and then caught Jeremy in the last 75 meters to take the win with the two Big River athletes hanging on for second and third. PICS...MORE PICS...AUDIO INTERVIEWS...POST-RACE ARTICLE

US Club Track and Field Championships, Olathe, KS- 07.18.08 - 07.19.08
Despite bringing only seven athletes to the meet, Big River Running Company scored 69.5 points and finished fifth overall at the US Club Track and Field Championships in Olathe, Kansas. On day one Jeremy Doherty and Ben Rosario kicked things off with a 1-2 finish in the 1500 for a total of 18 team points. Doherty came back and hour and a half later to finish 8th in the 800 behind teammate Carter Snow who tied for fourth. In the 5000 Rosario doubled back and won handily in 15:17 for ten more team points. The night ended with Karl Gilpin finishing second in the 10,000 after leading much of the race. At the end of day one Big River had 41.5 points, good for third place.
Day two started much like day one with Adam MacDowell and Brian Whitehead going 1-2 in the steeplechase for another 18 points. Then, in the second-to-last event of the meet, Big River's Distance Medley Relay team made up of Doherty, Snow, Rosario and recent McKendree graduate Dominique Jones took home another title.
The fifth-place showing overall was a good result for the team's first year of participation in the annual event and combined with its two US Club Cross Country Championships performances Big River now has three top 10 finishes at USATF Club events.

Hannibal Cannibal, Hannibal MO- 07.05.08
Mike Aitken continued his streak at the Hannibal Cannibal in Hannibal, MO with another victory in the 5k. His time over the extremely hilly course was 16:19.

Macklind Avenue Mile, Saint Louis, MO- 07.04.08
The Big River team was out in full force for the Macklind Avenue Mile on the 4th of July! The men were up first and the blue jerseys went right to the front with Jeremy Doherty, Ben Rosario, Brian Lyons and Carter Snow hitting the 1/4 mile mark in 60 seconds. At the 1/2 mile, hit in 2:05, Doherty, Rosario and Lyons were in front and pushing hard. The trio hit 3/4 in 3:04 and Lyons made a big push for home. Doherty responded immediately and opened up a small gap that he held all the way to the finish in a scintillating 4:00.9, holding off a late charge from Rosario who finished in 4:01.8. Lyons was third in 4:04.7 with Snow coming across 4th in 4:09. The Big River jerseys continued to stream across the line with new team member Mickey Kaufman in 6th and Adam MacDowell in 7th. Brian Whitehead and Tim Bradley were 10th and 11th and Dustin Pearce was 17th. Battling it out for the masters title were Pete Palumbo and Mark Palm who finished in the exact same time, 4:40.2.

The womens team had a great day as well, sweeping the first four places with Steph Hood leading the way in 4:45.4. Hood blasted to the lead from the gun and by halfway was already five seconds clear of the field. The mile was a good indicator of fitness before she embarks on her training for this Fall's Bank of America Chicago Marathon where she will look to qualify for the Canadian World Championship Team. Not far back from Hood was Jess Flinn who crossed the line in 4:52.9, just a few ticks ahead of third placer Margaret Lyons who ran 4:57.4. Completing a top five sweep for the Big River Team were Julie Lossos in 5:02 and newcomer Lauren Shores in 5:06. Kris Pearce finished eight to round out a great day for the ladies.

A big congrats to everyone who ran!! Check out race videos HERE.

Shnucks Salmon Run, Saint Louis, MO- 07.04.08
Heather Kelley pr'ed over 4 miles at the Schnucks Salmon Run before coming over and volunteering at the Macklind Avenue Mile! Kelley's time of 29:01 was 10th overall and first in the 45-49 year-old age group. Not to be outdone Julie Bergfeld bettered her time from a year ago by over a minute to finish second overall in 25:17.

Kirkwood Webster Connection Run, Saint Louis, MO- 06.29.08
Julie Lossos showed that she is more than just a marathoner with a commanding win at the Kirkwood Webster Connection Run 5k on Sunday morning. She blazed the course in 17:09, 51 seconds ahead of second place. Her teammate Kris Pearce was third in 18:51. On the mens side Mike Aitken ran a PR of 15:11 to take third place overall.

Creve Coeur 5k, Creve Coeur, MO- 06.22.08
Julie Bergfeld showed she is in great shape by winning the title at the Creve Coeur Park 5k this past Sunday in 19:38 for 5k. Julie continues to impress as one of the top masters runners in the area.

American Milers Series, Indianapolis, IN- 06.14.08
A huge congrats to Jeremy Doherty and Carter Snow who both set PR's at the last installment of the American Milers Series in Indianapolis. Carter ran 1:51.04 in the 800 meters while Jeremy ran the 1500 meters in 3:43.81. Jeremy's time is equivalent to a 4:00 mile so keep an eye on the team website this winter as he tries to break the elusive 4:00 barrier for the first time.

Hospital Hill Run , Kansas City, MO- 06.07.08
The Big River Racing Team was out in full force on the West side of the State for the 35th annual Hospitall Hill run in Kansas City. Nearly 5,000 competitors battled hot and muggy conditions and the famously hilly course en route to the finish line at Crown Center in downtown KC. The Big River jerseys flooded the top spots with the team taking five of the top 11 places on the womens side and four of the top 12 on the mens side.

The women were led by Jess Flinn, who finished fourth in her half marathon debut with a time of 1:24:04. She was followed by Julie Lossos in fifth, Kris Pearce in seventh, Eliza Davis in eighth, Julie Bergfeld in tenth, and Julie Bokermann in 11th. Bergfeld was the second masters runner to cross the line. Carol Wright and Jen Tesmer also finished but Carol was battling a foot injury and Jen had heat-related issues.

Brian Lyons led the way for the men as is often the case as he finished fourth in the tough field. Karl Gilpin, the GO! St. Louis Marathon Champ, was fifth with Brian Whitehead in tenth and Drew Wyant in 12th. Mark Palm finished 27th overall and was the second masters finisher.

Make Tracks For the Zoo , Saint Louis, MO- 06.01.08
Brian Whitehead was the overall champ at the annual Make Tracks for the Zoo Run in Forest Park. Brian ran 16:24 in what served as a tune-up race for the Hospital HIll Half Marathon on Saturday June 7th.

American Milers Series, Indianapolis, IN- 05.31.08
With the US Olympic Trials less than a month away it is crunch time for those athletes who still need to hit a qualifying time. The American Milers Series in Indianapolis gives 1500 meter and 800 meter runners four chances over a two week period to chase those Trials standards on one of the best track in the country at IUPUI. Big River Racing Team Members Carter Snow and Jeremy Doherty competed in the first of those four meets on Saturday with Carter finishing 10th in the 800 in a personal best of 1:52.07. Jeremy fared even better, closing hard to finish fourth in the 1500 in a personal best of 3:44.41. The Trials "B" Standard is 3:43.00 so check back soon to see what he does next week!

U City Memorial Day 10k/5k, University City, MO - 05.26.08
Big River's Racing Team got out of bed early, despite the early morning storms, to tackle the popular U. City Memorial Day Run. In the mens 10k Brian Lyons was the overall champ with a time of 31:19. Brian Whitehead was third in 35:03 as both runners prepare for next week's Hospital Hill Run in Kansas City. On the womens side Julie Bokermann and Debbie Kerber-Rehr finished third and fifth in the 10k. Then in the 5k the ladies had a great day with Jess Flinn winning the race with a time of 17:54 on the hilly course. She was followed by Eliza Davis, Jen Tesmer and Kris Pearce in 4th, 5th and 6th. Julie, Jess, Eliza, Jen and Kris will all be running Hospital Hill next week as well.

A special thanks to all of our white team members and other friends of the store who ran in the race wearing the Big River logo and represented the store with pride!

The Magnificent Mile , Springfield, IL- 05.24.08
Big River Speedsters Jeremy Doherty and Carter Snow were joined by Marathon extraordinaire Stephanie Hood at the Magnificent Mile in Springfield Illinois. Jeremy and Cater finished first and third in the mens race while Steph was third on the womens side. Jeremy won $700 for his victory while Carter and Steph each took home $100 for third.

Capitol HIll Classic, Washington D.C., - 05.18.08
Katie Sutton's comeback continued today with a second place finish in the 3k at the Capitol Hill Classic in Washington D.C. Sutton's time of 11:28 means she is getting much faster than when she ran at the St. Patrick's Day Parade Run in March. Keep checking her log HERE to read about her progess.

Run for the Stars, Saint Louis, MO- 05.10.08
Tim Bradley defended his title froma year ago at the second annual Run for the Stars 5k, a twilight race that takes runners through beautiful Southwest Saint Louis City. Helen Alexander Kratz was third on the womens side and was first among masters.

Girls on the Run 5k - 05.10.08
Heather Kelley set a PR and took thir overall at the Girls on the Run 5k Saturday morning. Her time of 21:53 was a personal best by nearly a minute.

Multisport Mayhem Duathlon, Matoon, IL - 05.09.08
Maureen Conley was at it again this weekend, and this time it was another duathlon win as Maureen finished the 2 mile run, 14 mile bike, and 5k run in 1 hour 12 minutes and 38 seconds.

Billy Hayes Invitational, Bloomington, IN - 05.09.08
Jeremy Doherty lowered his personal best in the 1500 to 3:46.8 at the Billy Hayes Invitational on Friday Night. Doherty sat in second for much of the race before powering home to a convincing win over the final 200 meters.

Flying Pig Marathon, Cincinnati, OH- 05.03.08
Big River's Dave Gutenkust traveled back to his hometown to compete in the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnatti. Dave finished 11th overall in 2:45:06 but the course was long due to a last-minute detour.

ALS Run for your Life 5k, Saint Louis, MO- 05.03.08
Maureen Conley took home second place honors at the ALS Run For Your Life 5k in Tower Grove Park. The race encourages runners to dress in crazy costumes and Maureen managed to run 18:55 dressed like a baby (diaper and all!).

Brigette Schutzman Festival of Miles, Saint Louis, MO- 04.28.08
The Big River Racing Team showed off its depth at the Brigette Schutzman Festival of Miles on Monday NIght. In the St. Louis Womens Mile Championship race Julie Lossos took the win only one day after a 5k road race victory. She was followed by teammates Jess Flinn in second, Eliza Davis in 4th, Jen Tesmer in 5th, Kris Pearce in 6th and Julie Bergfeld in 8th. The Masters mens race featured top Big River Masters Men Mitch Figas, Mark Palm and Pete Palumbo going up against Fleet Feet's Jeff Neuschwander. All three Big River singlets took a swing at the lead before Neuschwander pulled away for the win. Figas, Palm and Palumbo finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in 4:58, 4:58 and 5:02 respectively. The final race of the night was the Elite Mens Mile presented by Pronet Consulting. The athletes were trying to break four minutes but the cold and windy conditions did not allow for fast times. Racing Team member Brian Lyons served as the rabbit and took the other competitors through the half mile. With 300 meters to go Big River's Jeremy Doherty made a push for the lead and with 150 to go it was Doherty in front with St. Louis native Neville Miller on his shoulder. After a mad sprint to the finish Doherty ended up fourth in 4:09.

Casa Blue Skidoo 5k, Saint Louis, MO- 04.27.08
Julie Lossos took home top honors and $500 for her win at the Casa Blue Skidoo 5k in Rock Hill. Brian Lyons took home the same prize on the mens side as both cruised to victories on the hilly 5k course. Brian Whitehead, doubling back from his 10k win yesterday was fourth.

St. Charles Communtiy College 10k, St. Charles, MO- 04.26.08
Brian Whitehead and Julie Bergfeld led the charge for the Big River Racing Team at the St. Charles Community College 10k over the weekend. Brian and Julie were the overall mens and womens champions with Stephen Yates coming in third on the mens side.

Boston Marathon, Boston, MA - 04.21.08
In what was arguably the best result by any member of the Big River Racing Team since its inception in 2006 Stephanie Hood ran a 15 minute PR of 2:44:44 to finish 10th place at the 112th running of the Boston Marathon. Steph ran negative splits over the tough hills of Boston and ran past many of the pre-race favorites over the last 10k to finish in 10th. Her finish earned her $4,200 and makes her an early contender for the Canadian Olympic Marathon team in 2012.

Vanderbilt Invitational, Nashville, TN - 04.19.08
Jeremy Doherty and Carter Snow ran in their final tune-up race before the Brigette Schutzman Festival of Miles with an 800 at the Vanderbilt Invitational. Jeremy finished second in the fast heat in a new PR of 1:51.01 while Carter won the second heat handily in 1:52.9, good for fourth overall.

Shakespeare Pizza Duathlon, Columbia, MO - 04.19.08
Maureen Conley was at it again this morning at the Shakepeare Duathlon in Columbia, MO. Maureen was the first female finisher and finished 27th overall in the long course division!

John Howard New Town Duathlon , St. Charles, MO - 04.13.08
The Big River Triathletes braved the cold this weekend for the John Howard Duathlon. Helen Alexander took top honors for females with Maureen Conley close on her heels in third.

GO! St. Louis Marathon and Family Fitness Weekend, MO - 04.06.08
What a great weekend it was for the sport of running and walking in St. Louis and the Big River Racing Team took advantage of the great weather and the great atmosphere.

On Saturday Justin Kunz won the 5k in 15:10 to kick off the two-day series of events. On Sunday the Team had an even bigger day in the Half and Full Marathon. On the womens side Masters Team Members Debbie Kerber-Rehr and Carol Wright both won their age groups with times of 1:33:15 and 1:33:21 respectively. Mary Loida (1:34:41) and Heather Kelley (1:43:45) both set PRs as well. For the open women it was Eliza Davis running a solid 1:30:50 coming off a bit of an injury that had kept her out of the St. Pats Race.

For the men it was brand new racing team member Karl Gilpin WINNING the Marathon in a course record of 2:24:51. Karl raced incredibly smart and ran negative splits en route to his second consecutive win on the streets of St. Louis. Check out the article here. Not too far behind Karl was Stephen Yates who ran his way to fifth place finishand a huge PR of 2:34:24.

Masters runner Steve Worley also ran a big PR of 2:57:51 to finish 15th overall. His Masters teammates Mark Palm, Mitch Figas and Jeff Vanderlinden all ran very well in the Half Marathon with Mark leading the way in 1:18:34 and 2nd overall masters. Mitch and Jeff were 1st and 5th in the 40-44 age group. Roger Endicott was 5th in the 50-54 age group.

The open men had a big presence in the Half Marathon placing three runners in the top ten. Newcomer Brian Grudowski was fifth, Brian Whitehead was seventh and Tim Bradley was ninth.

A special congrats to all of our Big River Training Team members, our White Team members and all of our loyal customers who participated this weekend!

The Rez Run Saint Louis, MO - 03.23.08
For the second year in a row it was a Lyons family sweep at the annual Rez Run in Crestwood on Easter Morning. Brian took the Mens race over Big River teammates Brian Whitehead in second and Tim Bradley in third. Margaret Lyons was the womens champion. Brian and Margaret each won $125 for their efforts!

St. Patrick's Day Parade Run, Saint Louis, MO - 03.15.08
The Big River Racing Team was once again out in full force at the St. Patrick's Day Parade Run. For the second year in a row the team took top honors in the mens and womens individual races with Brian Lyons taking an exciting mens race in 24:27 and Stephanie Hood dominating the womens race in a course record 27:57! Following Steph was Margaret Lyons who finished second among the women. Jess Flinn was 8th, Julie Bergfeld 10th (1st place masters), Jen Tesmer 12th, Helen Alexander-Kratz 14th (1st in her age group), Allie Baker 16th, and Carol Wright 21st (2nd in her age group). Katie Sutton, in the first race of her comeback, was 22nd place overall! The men had an even closer pack, placing 10 runners in the top 16. After Lyons it was Justin Kunz in 3rd, Ben Rosario in 5th, Adam MacDowell in 6th, Drew Wyant in 9th, Carter Snow in 11th, Tim Bradley in 12th, Stephen Yates in 13th, Brian Whitehead in 15th and Mike Aitken in 16th. On the Masters side Mark Palm led the way with a second place finish followed by Mitch Figas in 3rd. Steve Worley took third in the Mens 45-49 year old age group.
Many of our white team members and our Training Team members raced as well and everyone did a fantastic job. Congrats to all!

Hong Kong Marathon, Hong Kong, China - 02.16.08
Julie Lossos ran a fantastic marathon in Hong Kong China this weekend, running 2:56:20 and placing second in her age category. Showing no ill effects from the long plane ride, she ran nearly even splits in setting a four minute PR for the 26.2 mile distance.

US Cross Country Championships, San Diego, CA - 02.16.08
Justin Kunz and Margaret Lyons both posted top 50 finishes at the US Cross Country Championships in San Diego on Saturday. The race is arguably the deeped and most competitive annual championship race in the country and both Justin and Margaret did a great job. Justin was 44th in the mens 12k and Margaret was 45th in the womens 8k.

Terrier Classic, Boston, MA - 01.26.08
Big River co-owners Matt Helbig and Ben Rosario were in Boston on a business trip but were able to find time to enter the mile at the prestigious Terrier Classic at Boston University. Ben finished 7th in 4:06.68 (PR) and Matt was 10th in 4:10.16 (PR). Video here.

Redbird Invitational, Normal, IL - 01.19.08
The Big River Racing Team sent a big contingent to the Redbird Invite at Illinois State University this weekend. Carter Snow finished 1st in the mile with a 4:19 after leading nearly wire-to-wire. Ben Rosario, Brian Lyons, Justin Kunz and Jeremy Doherty ran the 3k with Rosario taking the victory in 8:18, another PR.

PF Chang's Rock N' Roll Arizona Marathon, Phoenix, AZ - 01.13.08
A big congrats to Carol Wright who kicked off the year right with a 3:15:49 marathon in Phoenix at the PF Chang's Rock n' Roll Marathon! Jeremy Hammer ran the half and finished in 1:19:31.

University of Missouri Invite, Columbia, MO - 01.11.08
Matt Helbig, Ben Rosario and Carter Snow traveled to Columbia to race indoors at the Mizzou Invite. Ben and Matt finished 1-2 in the mile while Carter was second in the 1000 meter run. Ben's time of 4:12.2 was a big PR. Video HERE.

US Club Cross Country Championships, West Chester, OH - 12.08.07
Each year the US Club Cross Country Chammpionships are one of the most anticipated events on the calendar for the best post-collegiate teams in the country. This was Big River's second trip to the championships and the men improved upon their ninth place finish from 2006 by finishing 7th in this year's race. The Big River women, making their first appearance at the Championships, were 21st while the mens B team was 34th. On the masters side the team was represented by Mark Palm and Mitch Figas who were 44th and 64th and in the mens 40-44 year old age group. Ben Rosario led the mens squad with a 20th place finish while the women were led by Margaret Lyons who finished 62nd.

Results
STL Today Article
Men's Finish Video
Women's Finish Video
Men's Race Photos
More Men's Photos
Women's Race Photos

Pere Marquette Trail Run, Grafton, IL - 12.08.07
The Big River Racing Team had a nice presence at the 19th annual Pere Marquette Trail Run in Grafton, IL. Stephen Yates was third overall, running 54:29 on the tough course. Newcomer Debbie Kerber-Rehr was the masters champion on the womens side while trail runner extraordinaire Steve Worley was third in the mens masters division.

St. Jude Memphis Marathon, Memphis, TN - 12.01.07
Julie Bergfeld was the Masters Champion at the St. Jude Memphis Marathon on December 1st. Julie's time of 3:12:26 was a full seven minutes faster than the next female masters finisher. Congrats Julie!

Great River Road 10 Mile, Alton, IL - 11.24.07
Steph Hood raced to the win at the Alton 10 miler on Saturday. Her time of 58:58 was good for a two minute win over the next female finisher. Congrats Steph! On the Masters side it was Ray Battistini finishing third in his age group with a 1:09:00.

Kirkwood Webster Turkey Day Run, Kirkwood, MO - 11.22.07
The racing team was out in full force across the Midwest on Thanksgiving Day morning, running races in Missouri, Iowa, Ohio and Kansas. The majority of the team ran in the 25th annual Kirkwood Webster Turkey Day Run right here at home. It was a sweep on the womens side with Maureen Conley winning the 3 mile race in 18:24 and Julie Lossos winning the 6 mile. Masters runners Julie Bergfeld and Carol Wright also ran the 6 mile. The men also had a good day with Adam MacDowell taking the 6 mile victory in 30:53 and newcomer Jeremy Dougherty placing second in the three mile in 15:08. Joe Porter, Mark Palm, and Jeremy Hammer also ran the 6 mile. Matt Helbig and Carter Snow were fourth and fifth in the three mile and Mitch Figas was the first Master's finisher in 16:51. Congrats also to all of our White Team Members that ran this weekend and to all of you who decided to earn your Thanksgiving Dinner with an early morning stroll!!

Turkey Trot 5k, Springfield, MO - 11.22.07
The Lyons' showed they were the class of the field at the 13th annual Turkey Trot in Springfield, MO winning both divisions of the race. Brian ran 15:28 while Margaret came through in 18:09. The race had over 4,200 entrants and is one of the largest races of the year on the Springfield Race calendar. Nice job Brian and Margaret!

Chesterfield Turkey Trot, Chesterfield, MO - 11.22.07
Mike Aitken defended his title at the Chesterfield Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. His time of 16:01 was good for a 23 second win.

Davenport Turkey Trot, Davenport, IA - 11.22.07
Heather Kelley pr'd again with a 37:05 for 5 miles at the Davenport, IA. Her time was good enough for 4th place in the masters division.

Thanksgiving Day 5k and Family Stroll, Overland Park, KS - 11.22.07
Ben Rosario and Jen Tesmer made it a family affair at the aptly named Thanksgiving Day 5k and Family Stroll at the Sprint world headquarters in Overland Park, KS. Ben won the 5k in 15:22, his fiance' Jen Tesmer was third in the womens race (19:25) and Jen's parents walked the 5k in 43 minutes. Way to go Mike and Kathy!!

Thanksgiving Day Race, Cincinnati, OH - 11.22.07
Tim Bradley set a PR for 10k on his way to a 4th place finish at the 9th annual Thanksgiving Day Race in Cincinnati Ohio. His time for the 6.2 mile course was 31:50, showing his fitness for the upcoming Club Cross Country Championships.

Wentzville Turkey Trot, Wentzville, MO - 11.17.07
Racing Team Memeber Mark Palm blazed a 16:52 enroute to the overall champion title at this year's turkey trot. Mark was accompanied by his daughter Abby who was the age group champion over the 5k course in 22:52.

SLU Turkey Trot, St. Louis, MO - 11.17.07
Tim Bradley and Joe Porter went 1-2 in this year's SLU Turkey Trot. Their times were 15:20 and 16:18. Tim's time narrowly missed the Big River Team Record by 5 seconds, a record he owns at 15:15.

Indie 5k, Austin, TX - 11.12.07
Matt Helbig was crowned the fastest running store owner in the country at the Indie 5k sponsored by The Running Event in Austin, TX. His 5k time of 16:08 over a hilly course outdistanced teh competition by over 15 seconds. Up next for Matt is the Kirkwood Turkey Trot.

St. Louis Track Club Half Marathon, St. Louis, MO - 11.11.07
Masters runners Rob Thames and Carol Wright picked up a big wins at the St. Louis Track Club's Half Marathon on Sunday morning. Both runners captured Masters Titles and 6th place overall! Rob ran 1:19:34 and Carol crossed the line at 1:33:38.

CTC Cross Country Challenge, Columbia, MO - 11.11.07
The Big River Racing Team was out in full force this weekend at the Cross Country Challenge hosted by the Columbia Track Club. The team won the mens and womens titles in a race that served as a tune-up for the US Club Cross Country Championships in 4 weeks.

ING New York City Marathon, New York City, NY - 11.4.07
Rob Davidson came through the half in 1:20:16 en route to a time of 2:50:02 for the 5-bourough race. He placed 321st out of over 40,000 runners!

Bass Pro Fitness Festival, Springfield, MO - 11.3 & 11.4.07
Saturday saw a trio of Big River Runners post some excellect times down in Springfield, MO. Brian Lyons was second in the 10k with a time of 31:12 while Margaret Lyons and Maureen Conley placed 4th and 5th respectively in the 5k both running 18:06. On Sunday Kris Pearce was the winner of the Half Marathon in a time of 1:24:47.

Glendale Firehouse 5M, Glendale, MO - 10.28.07
Carol Wright and Heather Kelley went 1-2 in this year's Glendale Firehouse Run Master's Division. Carol's time of 35:19 was good enough for 4th place overall while Heather's 37:47 placed her 5th

Gumbo Flats Pumpkin Run 10k, Chesterfield, MO - 10.27.07
Helen Alexander-Kratz has been training well lately and showed her fitness on the flats this year placing second overall in 41:27. New comer to the team Debbie Kerber-Rehr was a close third coming in with a time of 41:34.

Kansas City Marathon, Kansas City , MO - 10.20.07
Carol Wright was the 10th finisher overall at this year's KC marathon. Her time of 3:25 was good enough for first place in her age group and 2nd in the master's division. She now has plans to put her hot tub to good use:) Nice job Carol!

Twin Cities Marathon, Minneapolis, MN - 10.07.07
Brian Lyons returned to the Twin Cities to take another crack at qualifying for the Olympic Marathon Trials. A year ago, Brian just missed making the standard of 2:22 when he ran 2:22:34 at the 2006 Twin Cities Marathon. Unfortunately the brutally hot conditions (temperatures in the 80s) prevented Brian from reaching his goal and he was forced to jog it in in 2:36. Masters team member Rob Thames ran in the 10 Mile Race and finished ninth in his age group in 1:03:11.

LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon , Chicago, IL - 10.07.07
In the worst weather in the history of the race (temperatures in the 80s), three Racing Team members bravely finished the race. Carter Snow had the most trouble with the heat but finished in 3:17:07. Stephen Yates broke the 3 hour mark (no easy task on this day) with a 2:59:27. Newcomer Dave Gutenkust ran very well and finished in 2:48:42, good for 105th overall!

City of Roses 5k, Cape Girardeau, MO - 9.23.07
Carter Snow, made his debut for the Racing Team today winning the City of Roses 5k in Cape Girardeau.

Race out of the Darkness 5k, St. Louis, MO - 9.23.07
Helen Alexander finished runner-up at this year's Race out of the Darkness in Forest Park. Her time was 20:26.

Des Peres Dash 5k, Des Peres, MO - 9.22.07
Adam MacDowell and Margaret Lyons were both victorious on Saturday's Des Peres Dash 5k. Adam broke his own course record of 15:47 running 15:41 while Margaret set her own course record in the process. Matt Helbig finished second behind Adam while Julie Berfeld and Heather Kelley finished 3rd and 5th respectively behind Margaret.

New Town Blast 5k, St. Charles, MO - 9.22.07
200 people finished the 2nd Annual Twilight 5K as part of the New Town Blast.  Racing Team Member Stephen Yates won the men's race in a time of 16:11. Newcomer to the racing team Dave Gutekunst finished 2nd overall.

Lewis and Clark Marathon/Half, St. Charles, IL - 9.16.07
Racing Team newcomer Steph Hood was the Women's Champion of the 2007 Lewis and Clark Marathon! Her time of 3:00:08 outdistanced the second place finisher by over 7 minutes and broke the old course record by over 6 minutes. This was her first time competeing at that distance! In the Half Tim Bradley finished second overall with a time of 1:11:37. Rob Davidson was fouth overall and was the Men's Master's Champion. Maureen Conley, Heather Kelley and Carol Wright also competed in the half marathon finishing third and seventh overall respectively in times of 1:25:22, 1:47 and 1:33:35. Carol was also the Master's Champion!

Shoreline Classic, Decatur, IL - 9.16.07
Eight Members of the racing team were in action including Ben Rosario, Justin Kunz, Margaret Lyons, Brian Lyons, Jen Tesmer, Julie Lossos, Adam MacDowell and Kris Pearce. On the women's side Lyons was the highest finisher placing 4th followed by Pearce (7th), Lossos (8th), and Tesmer (9th). Rosario placed 4th followed by Kunz (5th), Lyons (7th) and MacDowell (8th). Before the Race Rosario was inducted into the Shoreline Classic Hall of Fame for his support of the race over the past 5 years.

USAT National Club Championships, Innsbrook, MO - 9.16.07
Helen Alexander-Kratz placed third overall at the USAT National Club Championships on Sunday.

Run for the Hills, St. Louis, MO - 9.15.07
Joe Conley was the individual champion of the 2007 Run for the Hills. It was a close race with Joe out sprinting Dustin Pearce at the line for the win. Joe Porter finished thrid overall.

Brentwood 5K, Brentwood, MO - 9.15.07
Kal Clark won his first race as a member of the racing team followed by Ben Glass, Brian Whitehead and Jeremy Hammer. The foursome finished 1-2-3-4 respectively. Glass had the early lead until taking a wrong turn and losing a few valuable seconds, which landed himself in second behind Clark. Nice job boys!

Forest Park Cross Country Festival, St. Louis, MO - 9.8.07
Racing Team members Tim Bradley, Ben Glass and Newcomer Drew Wyant swept the first three podium positions at the Forest Park Cross Country Festival 4k Open Race. Intern John finished fourth before leaving for school for the fall semester. On the Women's side Maureen Conley finished just ahead of a closing Kris (Woolf) Pearce finishing 1st and 2nd respectively.

JCC Labor Day 5k/10k, Creve Coeur, MO - 9.4.06
Julie Lossos (39:56) was the only woman to duck under the 40-minute barrier at this year's JCC Labor Day 10k. She placed first overall among women.

Lake St. Louis Triathlon, Lake St. Louis, MO - 9.1.07
Maggie and Maureen were at it again this weekend at the Lake St. Louis Triathlon. Maureen placed 3rd overall with the days fastest run split averaging 5:49 per mile for the 10k run. Maggie placed 6th overall with the third fastest run split of the day!

Mid August Meltdown Triathlon, Mattoon Beach, IL - 8.19.07
The Conley Twins went 1-2 in the womens division at the Mid August Meltdown Olympic Distance Triathlon in Mattoon Beach on Sunday morning. Maureen finished up in 2:23:12 and Maggie came in at 2:28:36.

Crohn's 5k, Saint Louis, MO - 8.19.07
Joe Porter, in his first race since the Spirit of St. Louis Marathon and a recent surgery, won the Crohn's 5k in Forest Park. Congrats to Joe!

St. Louis Track Club Cross Country Kickoff, Saint Louis, MO - 8.4.07
The Big River River Racing Team was out in full force at the St. Louis Track Club's Cross Country Kickoff. The womens "A" team finished first and scored only 12 points with Margaret Lyons, Maureen Conley Julie Lossos and Maggie Conley. The womens "B" team of Julie Bergfeld, Kris Woolf, Jen Tesmer and Helen Alexandr-Kratz finished in third place. In the mens masters division it was Pete Palumbo, Mark Palm, Rob Davidson, Steve Worley and Mitch Figas taking home the team title. Big River also defended its championship in the mens open division. This year the team went 1-3-5-8-9 for a winning total of 26 points. Ben Rosario won the race and was followed by Justin Kunz, Brian Whitehead, Adam MacDowell, Tim Bradley, Matt Helbig and Jeremy Hammer. Also, a big congrats and thank you go out to all of you who supported us by wearing you Big River gear during the race. Everyone competed well on a hot morning!

Conley Twins continue to compete well all over St. Louis - Maggie and Maureen Conley have been making quite a name for themselves on the roads as well as on the St. Louis Triathlon circuit over the past few years. This summer has been a good one for both of them. Maureen placed fifth at the St. Peters Tri with Maggie just thirty seconds back in sixth. Maggie was 18th at the very competitive Innsbrook Tri. The twin were back at it together at the Matoon Beack Tri on July 7 placing second and third. On July 21 Maureen showed that all these tris haven't slowed her down on the running side of things as she placed second at the Easter Seals 5k, running 18:30. The twins will be in action again this weekend at the St. Louis Track Club's Cross Country Kickoff.

Wildwood YMCA 5k, Wilwood, MO - 7.29.07
Brian Whitehead pulled off a nice double by winning the Wildwood YMCA 5k on Sunday morning after placing second at the Mississippi Mile yesterday.Mississippi Mile, Saint Louis, MO - 7.28.07
It was a good day for the Racing Team on the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Pete Palumbo ran 4:43 to win the mens masters division. Helen Alexander Kratz defended her title with a 6:05 to win the womens masters division. Ben Rosario won the open mens division with a course record time of 4:19, breaking Matt Helbig's 4:20 from 2006. Brian Whitehead ran 4:31 to capture second.