Kilpatrick dominates as expected

Debbi Kilpatrick never was challenged seriously.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Debbi Kilpatrick of Berea came into Sunday's 10-kilometer Peace Race for women with the distinction of having won the 1995 U.S. Women's Marathon Championship, and placing sixth in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.
With that successful background, she was considered a definite contender to win.
And with no Kenyan females to contend with, she trounced the field. Kilpatrick, 39, produced a 35:23 clocking for a 34-second victory over runner-up Jeanne Debonis (35:57) of Brecksville.
Not seriously challenged by the runners behind her, Kilpatrick found another incentive to help her keep pushing ahead.
"I was challenged by the course," said Kilpatrick, who was 23rd overall to Debonis' 25th. "The other females were behind me and I didn't know where they were. I knew they were right behind me, but I couldn't work off of them."
Last year, Kilpatrick placed 25th overall in 35:31.
Kilpatrick said she couldn't spot anyone closely pursuing her.
"You try to glance on the corners [but] it's hard to distinguish between men and women," Kilpatrick said.
Instead, she relied on a spectator to tell her who was nearest to her. Someone told her, "60 yards away. So I knew they were close."
Sensed Debonis near
Kilpatrick also sensed that one of her pursuers was Debonis.
"I know Jeanne Debonis is a tough runner and I knew she would be there," said Kilpatrick, who sells fitness equipment for a company called Fitness Experience.
She said she had a good run, and treated the Peace Race as part of her training.
"It was a nice race, a nice day," she said. "I'm getting in shape for the Women's National Marathon in April."
Kilpatrick has a personal-best marathon time of 2:34:10.
Debonis, a web-site developer for the University of Akron and a native of Connecticut, said she didn't have the legs to catch Kilpatrick.
"I was running with her the first 2-2 1/2 miles. At mile 3, she pulled away. I stayed behind her. I just didn't have the strength in my legs," Debonis said. "I was running tired. I stayed back. I didn't make a move."
She said she was tired from a long bike ride Saturday.
"I did a 4-hour bike ride yesterday. My legs were really dead," said Debonis, a swimmer-turned-runner.
She was an All-American swimmer for Rensselaer Poly Institute, and didn't start running until after graduating from RPI in 1991.
Debonis is familiar with Kilpatrick's running reputation. "I know Debbi. I raced against her many times. I have never beaten her," said Debonis, who primarily has been doing triathlons of late.
Others in top five
Debonis won by a wide 1:01 margin over Renee Mangette, 31, who was third in 36:58, followed by Laura Kaulen, 26, of Austintown in 37:18 and Michelle Rupe, 42, of Cortland in 37:59.
In the women's 2-mile fun run/walk, Violet Morris, 16, of Girard won in 14:07 by edging Kyrsti Sowers, 13, who had the same time. Following were Allison Hixson, 13, and Kelly Croysdale, 18, both with 14:11; and Kaitlin Curtis, 11, of New Cumberland, W. Va., in 14:28.