2011 Great Cow Harbor 10K...Spider Alumni Roll

Andrew Benford, who earned All-America honors
 in the 3K Steeplechase for the University of Richmond
this past spring (2011), placed 5th in the
2011 Great Cow Harbor 10K in Northport, NY
on September 17th.

(Northport, NY) Richmond Assistant Coaches Andrew Benford and Jon Molz joined recent graduates Jon Wilson and Amy Van Alstine on Saturday (September 17) for the 2011 Great Cow Harbor 10K in Northport, NY.

2011 RESULTS HERE

Spider graduate Andrew Benford (UR'011), who earned All-America honors in the 3K Steeplechase last spring, placed 5th in the race with a time of 30:03.5.  The 23 year old Benford is training for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials and using the fall racing season as preparation.  After an opening downhill mile under 4:35 the race course climbed and then rolled through the hills of Northport before dropping to the finish where he ran under 4:23 for the final mile.

"I started to feel really good after 3 miles and closed the gap on some of the guys in front of me", said Benford. "I'm pleased with the race since I'm still early in my training cycle. I definitely felt strong and that downhill finish is fast."

The race brought together some of the nations top distance runners as was dubbed the deepest field in the history of the 34 year old race with the fastest top 10 average in race history.  Benford's time of 30:03.5 is a 40 second improvement from when he competed in the 2009 Cow Harbor 10K.

Jon Wilson (UR'11), who was key member of the '10 Spiders 24th place NCAA XC team, was another Spider Alum to compete.  Wilson placed 9th with a time of 30:38.9 and ran 61 seconds faster than he did in 2009. 

Wilson's Splits 2011
Mile 1 – 4:33.0

Mile 2 – 5:07.4 / 9:40.4
Mile 3 – 4:59.1 / 14:39.5
5k Split – 15:11.7
Mile 4 – 4:55.8 / 19:35.3
Mile 5 – 5:11.0 / 24:46.3
Mile 6 – 4:52.7 / 29:39.0
Last .2 – 59.9 (15:27.2 5k – 10k split)
10k Final Time – 30:38.9 / 9th place


Following him was Jon Molz (UR'08), who along with Benford serves an assistant coach for the Spiders.  Molz, who grew-up a few minutes from the startline, placed 15th in 32:11.4...

Also joining the Spider alum was Amy VanAlstine (UR '11).  Van Alstine was a 2011 NCAA 5K All-American with a track personal best of 16:06 and has been training at home in NJ.  She placed 11th in the woman's division with a time of 36:11.4.

This race combines over 5,500 entries with a small-town atmosphere and national-class competition. Set in NY's Northport Village, a pre-revolutionary ship-building center, the course offers a series of rolling green hills, a panoramic view of the Long Island Sound, and a "world-class" post race party.

The start of the 2011 Great Cow Harbor 10K



Mo Trefeh would set a course record...
In the background you see Andrew Benford (Orange shirt #7)
and fellow UR Alum Jon Wilson (White shirt #12)

Benford, with fellow Richmond Alumni Jon Molz (black shirt & shorts),
during the 2011 Cow Harbor 10K.

Benford and Molz push up one of
the hills on the course.

The course was crowed with spectators.

Andrew Benford closed the final mile under 4:23.

Andrew Benford

Andrew Benford

Andrew Benford

Andrew Benford

The downhill finish at the Cow Harbor 10K
makes an exciting and fast finish but doesn't make-up
for the hills found throughout the race.

Andrew Benford finishing 5th...

Andrew Benford closing the final mile of the race
under 4:23.

Andrew Benford finishing 5th...

Ansrew Benford finishing 5th...

The top10 men (R-L)...Mo Trefeh, Carlos Trujillo, James Strang,
Fernando Cabada, Andrew Benford, Andrew Carlson,
Scott Dahlberg, Nate Jenkins, Jon Wilson, Tommy Neal

RACE RESULTS HERE