Spiders Compete in 2011 HCA Virginia 8K

Nicol Traynor and Ryan Lee earn top finishes...

The start of the 2011 HCA Virginia 8K  held November 12th in Richmond, VA.
(Click on this photo for slide show)

(Richmond, VA) Nicol Traynor and Ryan Lee joined several of their University of Richmond teammates to compete in the 2011 HCA Virginia 8k on November 12th on the streets of Richmond to support Donate Life Virginia.

Nicol Traynor on her way to
All-America honors in the 3KSC
at the 2011 NCAA Championships
(Click on photo to enlarge.).

Traynor, who earned NCAA All-America honors during the 2011 outdoor track & field season in the 3K steeplechase, placed 3rd among the elite women’s field with a time of 26:35 for the 8K (~5 miles) event. The Spider senior has already qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials next summer and used this fall to prepare for the indoor and outdoor track seasons.  She went with the women’s leaders from the start before settling into third place.  Using splits of 5:12 for the first mile, 10:37 for 2 miles, 16:03 for 3 miles, 16:41 at 5K, 21:25 at 4 miles, she finished the 8K race in 26:35.  She made the last mile her fastest covering it in 5:10. 

“I felt great”, said Traynor.  “It was a fun race, especially since my mom and dad came down from New Jersey to participate.”  "I like the cold weather," the New Jersey native said. "There was no wind. It was perfect."

For the women, Ethiopian Alemtsehay Misganaw won in 26:17 and Kenya’s Lilian Marilta was second in 26:25.

Traynor ran with the lead group of women from the start. Misganaw made her move around the 1.5-mile mark and extended her lead while Kenya’s Marilta eventually pulled ahead of her as well, but Traynor said she got a lot of support from Spiders fans along the course.

"It was nice to be local. I was wearing my Richmond (running gear) and they were like, 'Go Spiders.' "

Ryan Lee shown at the 2011 USATF
Championships in Eugene, OR.
Lee led the U.S. team with an 11th
place finish in the World Jr
Mountain Running Championships
this fall in Albania
(Click on photo to enlarge.). 

Ryan Lee, a sophomore who redshirted for the Spiders this fall, placed 9th overall in the international men’s field with a time of 24:15.  He capped a great fall season, which included leading team USA with an 11th place finish at the 2011 IAAF sponsored World Jr Mountain Running Championships in Albania, with an excellent race.  Lee ran splits of 4:42 for the opening mile, crossed 2 miles in 9:30, 3 miles in 14:30 and 4 miles in 19:30 before closing well to finish in 24:15 for the 8K race which equates to roughly 5 miles in distance.  

“The weather was cool but really perfect for racing”, said Lee.  “I wanted to run a personal best and get under 24:20.  I felt great throughout the race course and really pushed hard on the final mile.  I was a lot of fun hearing the crowd cheer us on.”

Over 4,600 runners competed in the HCA Virginia 8K and a combined total of 17,073 runners hit the streets of Richmond in the HCA Virginia 8K, McDonald’s ½ Marathon and SunTrust Marathon. The events work to increase organ, eye and tissue donation in Virginia and across the United States. Through educational efforts, Donate Life Virginia encourages everyone to say “yes” to donation and document their decision to become a donor. For more information on Donate Life go here.

Complete results HERE  

Also competing and supporting Donate Life Virginia were Spiders:

Ryan Lee (SO).............9th….24:15…1st in 15-19 age group

Charlie Ban (UR ’04)..14th…25:19…4th in 25-29 age group

Patrick Love (SO).......21st…26:15…2nd in 15-19 age group

Paul Myer (FR)…........24th…26:25…3rd in 15-19 age group

Nicol Traynor (SR)…..28th…26:35…3rd Overall Women

Dana Guglielmo (JR)..66th…30:53…9th Overall Women…1st 20-24 age group

Allie Stapleton (FR)....74th…31:31…10th overall Women…1st 15-19 age group

Emily Graber (FR)…115th…33:36…18th overall Women…2nd 15-19 age group

Look for additional information on the race? Visit their website here.