Odorcic credits training for better time

By John Bassetti | October 5, 2009 at 12:01a.m.

Youngstown Peace Race 2009

YOUNGSTOWN — Jessica Odorcic of Madison was a past women’s winner of the Peace Race, but that time was slower than Sunday’s finish.

So, that made the 28-year-old’s win in 34:08 on Sunday and the $1,000 prize a double bonus.

“This was much better than last year when I was third,” Ordocic said of her 34:51 in 2008 and her winning — but slower— time of 35:21.3 in 2005.

“I trained to improve those times,” Ordocic said, adding that she’s been doing well lately, including a personal-best 16:20 in a 5k event last Sunday.

Ordocic said she doesn’t run many 10k’s, so Sunday’s race nearly took its toll at the 4-mile mark.

“My body really started to hurt and it wants to shut down, but I just have to push through it and keeping going.”

Said she wasn’t sure how far behind the next woman was, so she just maintained her effort and placed 16th overall.

The insurance broker she said she tried to stay with the man she trains with and did up until the last quarter-mile.

“It’s nice to have someone you know to run with,” she said of Brian Stern of Kirtland, who finished 14th in 33:51.

Ordocic was not married in 2005 and was known by her maiden name, Kuhr, when she won.

“He won’t let me hyphenate my name now,” Jessica said while standing near her husband, Mr. Ordocic.

The women’s runner-up was Leigh Cordes in 34:47.

The winner of the inaugural 100-meter Kids’ Dash was 9-year-old Blake Baker of Austintown, a fourth-grader at Frank Ohl School. Blake whizzed across the finish line wearing a LeBron James No. 23 jersey. While standing with a medallion around his next, Blake’s parents, Tammy and Scott Baker, explained that their son lost one of his shoes about 25 meters from the end.

The 2-mile race started at the downtown YMCA on Commerce Street. Nationally known marathoner Dick Beardsley was on hand to give the runners words of encouragement. The 2-miler was won by Brandon Pasvanis, 17, of Youngstown in 10:33.

Steve Hixson of Second Sole, the race’s main sponsor, said that the Peace Race drew nearly 1,300 entries, more than last year.

“That’s 400 in the 2-mile and 900 in the 10k,” said Hixson, a former runner at Liberty High. “The numbers keep going up so we’re happy with that.”

He said that, nationally, established races are doing well and seeing new runners. He attributes it to running’s stress-releasing value at a time when people’s lifestyles may have changed due to the economy.

Hixson was pleased to have one of his Second Sole operators, Matt Folk, finish first overall in Sunday’s race. Folk is at the Second Sole in Perrysburg. It’s one of 10 Second Sole stores.

“He loves coming back to his adopted home and winning this thing,” Hixson said of Folk, who is a native of Toledo. “He always wanted to open a store near his hometown.”

Instead of the race’s usual Commerce St. finish, the 10k ended on Federal Street, just east of the square. The change, made last year, allows for more socializing after the race.

“There wasn’t a place for people to congregate, so Federal Plaza allows that,” third-year Peace Race president Jenn Wohlgamuth said.

“We wanted to keep people around so that they can get a taste of Youngstown. It helps because the Convention and Visitors Bureau put on Oktoberfest and had a band and made it more festive.”

The new finish line necessitated moving the start back from Indianola Avenue and Cain to Indianola and Hudson.

Wohlgamuth also commented on road racing’s numbers.

“They’re up across the board [races everywhere]. People want to get healthy and need to get healthy and this is an inexpensive way to come together as a family, as a community.”

bassetti@vindy.com

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