Ben Turman had experienced the feeling before. So when he found himself running alone down Santa Cruz Avenue on his way to the finish line in the 1999 Great Race from Los Gatos to Saratoga, it wasn't a new feeling. But it was certainly a good feeling.
Turman was running out in front of the field on the way to his second Great Race title in three years. The 29-year-old from Emeryville won the crown in 1997, but slipped to third last year behind Bobbie Palmer and Kendrick Sealy.
Turman had loftier goals in 1999, though. He ran 19:30 to finish seven seconds ahead of his nearest rival to win the overall Great Race title, finishing first in the field of 2,481 runners.
There were 1,233 male entrants and 1,284 females registered for the annual Great Race. Of the 2,481 who started the race, 2,012 were still in the running when racers hit the Santa Cruz Avenue finish line.
Jose Palalia of San Jose was the runner seven seconds back in second place at 19:37, with Erich Ackermann of Castro Valley third in 19:50.
Mike Livingston of San Jose was fourth overall in 19:54, with Scott Kennedy of Castro Valley fifth in 20:10, Keith Sonberg of Redwood City sixth in 20:24, Andrew Kelsey of Danville seventh in 20:30, Fred Rupprecht of San Jose eighth in 20:38, Terence Boynton of Cupertino ninth in 20:48 and Eric Ollila of Sunnyvale 10th in 20:50.
Michael Matthews was the first Los Gatos finisher, running 17th overall in 21:14.
In women's competition, Barb Acosta of Santa Cruz was chasing a third straight Great Race title, but that crown eluded her when Katy Spink of Stanford and Bigna Samuel of Los Gatos finished in front of her.
Spink was the top women's finisher. The 24-year-old covered the course in 21:57 to finish first, with the 31-year-old Samuel second in 22:06.
Acosta ran a strong 22:16, but it was good for just third in the tough women's field.
Rosa Gutierrez of San Jose was fourth in 22:43, with Linda Gill of San Anselmo fifth in 23:26, Molly Urban of Los Gatos sixth in 23:36, Jackie McCleary of Los Gatos seventh in 23:48, Julie Rohloff of Los Gatos eighth in 24:10, Elizabeth Nast of Saratoga ninth in 25:01 and Stephanie Hovancik of San Jose 10th in 25:19.
Los Gatos runners Mary Vidovichi (15th in 25:51), Dawn Wells (16th in 26:14) and Michelle Paxton (19th in 26:18) and Saratoga runners Kathleen Amaral (18th in 26:17) and Linda Locke (20th in 26:19) also finished in the women's top 20.
Though Acosta didn't win a third straight overall women's title, she did win a third straight division title in the race. Acosta was first in the women's 40-49 age group, a division she won last year after winning the title in the women's 30-39 class a year earlier.
Acosta was one of three runners to claim a third straight age-group title at the Great Race. Judi Shade and Joy Johnson joined Acosta on the victory stand for a third year in a row.
Shade won the women's 50-59 title in 27:20. She won the division in 24:57 in 1997 and in 26:55 last year.
Johnson was tops in the women's 70-and-over division in each of the last three years, winning the title this year by running 34:53.
Karl Misner and Matt Bordoni each won their second consecutive age-group titles this year.
Misner was a winner in the men's 60-69 division in 26:49. He won the title last year running 27:30.
Bordoni was first in the boys 6-13 division in 25:22. The 12-year-old took the title in the division last year running 24:36.
Andy Kushnir of Saratoga was second to Bordoni in the 6-13 age group and Los Gatos runners Pearce Selleck and Jason Martin were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Rounding out the list of male age-group winners were first placers Kevin Brown of San Jose, 14-18, 21:02; Turman, 19-29; Ackermann, 30-39; Sonberg, 40-49; Bob Anderson of Los Altos, 50-59, 22:42; Ray Stewart of Menlo Park, 70-95, 30:30; and Robert Witherell of San Jose, wheelchair, 14:33.
Other top local men's placers were Brad Cobb of Los Gatos, fifth in the 40-49 class; James Cochrane of Saratoga, second in the 60-69 division; and 82-year-old Andre Bogart of Saratoga, fourth in the 70-95 division.
Other female division winners included Alicia Follmar of Saratoga, 6-13, 28:28; Diana Lachiondo of Santa Clara, 14-18, 25:45.5; Spink, 19-29; Samuel, 30-39; and Katherine Beiers of Santa Cruz, 60-69, 37:00.
Other top local female placers were Tiffany Gummow of Los Gatos, fourth in the 6-13 division; Morgan Davies of Saratoga, fifth in the 6-13 division; Erin Kupka of Los Gatos, second in the 14-18 class; Ashley Weger of Los Gatos, third in the 14-18 division; Paxton, fourth in the 19-29 group; April Walewski, fifth in the 19-29 class; Molly Urban, Jackie McCleary and Julie Rohloff, all of Los Gatos, third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 30-39 division; Debbie Follmar of Saratoga, fifth in the 40-49 age group; Paula Bilber of Los Gatos, Fran Charters of Saratoga and Terrie Christiansen of Los Gatos, third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 50-59 division; Gerri Lysne of Los Gatos, second in the 60-69 age group; 80-year-old Diane Ogilvie of Los Gatos, second in the 70-95 division; and Betty Bogart of Saratoga, fourth in the 70-95 division.
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