Tenth Annual Spring Has Sprung Slated for May 20, 2012
Course Map | Event Sponsors
Spring Has Sprung, the signature event of the Lake County Milers, will be held Sunday, May 20, 2012, beginning at 8 AM at Coyote Valley Elementary School (18950 Coyote Valley Rd.) in Hidden Valley Lake, 4 miles north of Middletown on Hwy 29 (take Hartman Road exit). Races will include a challenging 10K run and a flat 5K run/walk, plus kids’ timed 1/2K and 1K races (and every kid who crosses the finish line gets a coupon for a Big Chill frozen yogurt, courtesy of the Milers). Valuable prizes go to the top winners in the 10K and 5K races, and medals will be awarded three deep in age and gender divisions, including the kids’ divisions. Again this year: Certificates good for a one-night stay plus $50 dining credit at the exciting Twin Pine Casino and Hotel in Middletown will be awarded to the first-place winners overall, male and female, in the 5K and 10K. Plus, commemorative photo awards (from Middletown Florist and Gifts) and gift certificates (from Heart & Sole Sports, Santa Rosa) to overall winners (first, second and third place, male and female) in both the 5K and 10K. Additionally, all participants in the 5K and 10K get a souvenir tech shirt, along with a gift bag and raffle entry, provided by star sponsors Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District, promoting water awareness, and Calpine Corporation, committed to sustainability.
All 5K/10K participants are entered into a drawing for valuable prizes awarded after they cross the finish line.
Entry fees are $30 for adults/$20 for youths (19 and under) in the 5K/10K until May 10, 2012 (adult fees go up to $35 after May 10). The fee for kids who enter the 1/2K or 1K is $5 at any time. Milers club members get $3 off any 5K/10K entry. A large portion of this event’s net proceeds will benefit team sports for two local high schools.
2011 Spring Has Sprung
The Lake County Milers have a saying when the skies threaten rain: “Milers don’t melt.” That means we don’t use the weather as an excuse to cancel our regularly scheduled runs–or our special events, either.
A sudden shower didn't dampen the spirits of runners and walkers in the ninth annual Spring Has Sprung.
In that spirit, almost 140 Milers, their kids, friends, guests, and other runners and walkers showed up on a rainy, blustery Sunday, May 15, 2011, for the ninth annual Spring Has Sprung, the Milers’ signature event of the year. The 2011 version of SHS was a winner in all respects–an entirely respectable turnout (including folks who traveled from throughout Northern California), great times (click here for results), terrific awards and prizes, sizable donations to both the Upper Lake High School cross-country and Middletown High School track teams ($900 to each), and cooperation and camaraderie across the board–especially from our star sponsor, the Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District, which has stood behind the Milers in this event for years. (Thanks as well to Gold Sponsor Twin Pine Casino and Hotel along with the other sponsors for their ongoing support of our fitness events.)
From left, Milers Megan Casey-Buffalo, Annie Tyrell and Sarah Carlisle take off under light rain -- and a rainbow.
Among the runners with noteworthy times were Alex Wolf-Root (president of the Empire Runners), who came from Santa Rosa to take first overall in the 10K with a time of 35 minutes 20 seconds (followed by Miler Steve Whitt in second place at 45:57 and Miler Member-at-Large Joy Astley in third at 47:56). In the 5K, Clint Stevens of Calistoga was the first to cross the finish line with a time of 18:22; he was followed in second by Ian Hoff of Kelseyville at 18:24 and Steven Pitsenbarger of Sausalito at 19:30. Among the winning women joining Joy in the 10K were Elizabeth Meza of Windsor, sprinting across the finish line in second at 47:58, and Alisha Bazzano of Hidden Valley Lake in third at 48:10. Katie Mansell of Lakeport led the women in the 5K, with a time of 23:39, followed by Julie Jensen of Kelseyville in second at 23:48 and Bailey Couey (also of Kelseyville) in third at 23:59. (It should be noted that Ms. Couey is only 10 years old.)
Bailey Couey, a 10-year-old from Kelseyville, took third in the 5K female division.
Thanks to all the Milers who gave their time and effort, including Event Majordomo Jeanine “EverReady Bunny” Burnett; her husband, Bill “I’ll Never Say No To You” Burnett (if there were ever a candidate for Mr. Calm & Collected, he’s it); Tyler “In a Class By Himself” Burnett (the “all-in-the-family” volunteer who gave new meaning to “guy on the go”); Chiyako Ito (club secretary who nailed the pre-registration entries and post-race medal handout); Timing Crew Leaders Michael and Jetta Meadows (Jetta also uploaded the winners to our Active webpage), superbly assisted by Rene and Hilde DeFeminis; Milers Activity Director Ginny Cholez (who found no task too menial) and her husband, Dennis Cholez (who provided logistical support galore); jack-of-all-trades Steve Whitt and his jill-par-excellence, Becky Whitt; Miler Veep Tanya Michel; registration-desk wizards Jeanette Addis, Georgeann Tintorri, Jackie Jordan, and Debbie Eggers; coffee-and-hot cocoa kahuna Paula Bryant; traffic-control mavens Barry Bratt and Don Fournier; Tom and Merci Hoskins for their help smoothing our entry into the Coyote Valley Elementary School auditorium and other valuable assistance; Member-at-Large Joy Astley (who whipped the whippersnappers into shape for the under-8 race); and former Veep Heather Johnson (who kept the award ceremony running on time). And to everyone and anyone we’ve forgotten or neglected to mention who contributed time, cash, prizes, or goods, a BIG MILER THANKS. We look forward to your continued support for the Tenth SHS in 2012.
Below are a few photographs from SHS No. 9 (click on the image to enlarge the picture). For more photos, see our Facebook album.
Winners in the 5K included (from left) Clint Stevens, Steven Pitsenbarger, Ian Hoff, Katie Mansell, Bailey Couey, and Julie Jensen.
Kids take off in the untimed 1K.
Miler Damon Mattson crosses the 5K finish with a time of 19:48.
Joy Astley (left) and Alisha Bazzano took first and third place, respectively, among women in the 10K.
Top 10Kers Alex Wolf-Root and Steve Whitt
The kids are all smiles after their 1K race, enjoying hot chocolate and cheering on the older runners.
2010 Spring Has Sprung
Five-year-old Sophia Smith (left, trailed by her dad, Peter, of Hidden Valley Lake) won first place in her age group in the kids 1/2K race at the eighth annual Spring Has Sprung, Sunday, May 23, 2010. Sophia, wearing her cheetah outfit (she aspires to be as fast the world’s fastest cat, according to her mom, Nani Smith) was among 29 kids to run in the event, which returned this year to Hidden Valley Lake. (Photo by TINA CHIOTTI-STEWART of Middletown Florist and Gifts)
Dre Lopez, 20, of Calistoga crosses the finish line (right) on Coyote Valley Road in Hidden Valley Lake to take first place overall in the 5K with a time of 17 minutes and 33 seconds at the eighth annual Spring Has Sprung, Sunday, May 23, 2010. Lopez joined more than 170 adult runners and walkers who competed in the 5K run/walk and 10K run. Lopez and other top runners (Sheri Kidwell of Forest Lake for the 5K; Nathan Koch of Santa Rosa and Alisha Bazzano of Hidden Valley Lake for the 10K) received award certificates for a one-night stay at the Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake. Proceeds from the event benefited the Upper Lake High School cross-country team. (Photo by TINA CHIOTTI-STEWART of Middletown Florist and Gifts)
Runners in the eighth annual Spring Has Sprung bolt from the starting line (left) on Coyote Valley Road in Hidden Valley Lake, Sunday, May 23, 2010. (Photo by TINA CHIOTTI-STEWART of Middletown Florist and Gifts)
