Local Heroes: Fastest Sacramento Area Times

by | Jan 18, 2014 | CIM History

Story #13 in a series of 25. Written to celebrate the CIM’s 25th Anniversary on December 2, 2007. By Cynci Calvin.

Local Heroes
Each year the CIM gives special recognition to the local male and female runner with the fastest times. “Local” is defined by Sacramento and its suburbs, with the towns of Woodland, Davis, Elk Grove, Placerville, Auburn and Lincoln included on its fringes.

A list of these runners is updated each year, then it is posted at runcim.org. Since this list is limited to the top local male and female runner each year, it does not tell the full story of all the fast times achieved by local runners over the years. Below are two brand new lists, one for men and one for women, with the fastest times EVER by local runners at the CIM. The lists’ cut-off times are based on the slowest times that were achieved by the first local men’s and women’s finishers: sub 2:49 for the men and sub 3:05 for the women.

In researching these lists, some interesting trends have surfaced. The men’s cut-off time of 2:49 is, relatively speaking, more generous than the one for the women, so there are 334 men listed, versus 84 on the women’s list. Also, early in the CIM’s history and at the height of the running boom, the number of runners achieving the men’s 2:49 standard ranged from 30 to 45. During the mid- to late-90s the number of local fast men runners dwindled to just a few. More recently, perhaps because our region, the popularity of running and the CIM itself are all experiencing growth, the numbers are increasing once again.

Deserving mention in this article are several local runners who might not be listed in the overall best local times, but who are are top CIM age division finishers. The marathon world record holder for women 80 and over, Helen Klein (along with many other single-year records) is from Rancho Cordova, and many-time American women’s age division record holder Myra Rhodes lived in Sacramento during the years she set her CIM top times. Other local women who are top age division finishers include Joan Reiss and Po Adams. Just last year (2006) masters runner Midori Sperandeo landed 6th on the all-time top local finisher’s list with her 2:45:56. Another masters runner, Kathy Ward, is ranked 11th with her 1995 time of 2:46:21. More about these women will appear in CIM Story #15, Women’s Running and the CIM. Top local age division men finishers include Jim Milton, Jon Shelgren, Don Spickelmeier, George Billingsley and Paul Reese.

Top Local Men
Rank Time Year Name Age Country
1 2:10:27 1993 Jerry Lawson 27 USA
2 2:10:56 1985 Peter Butler 30 CAN
3 2:11:24 1984 Ken Martin 26 USA
4 2:11:39 1985 Alan Zachariassen 26 DEN
5 2:11:50 1984 Fraser Clyne 27 SCT
6 2:11:56 2002 Elly Rono 32 KEN
7 2:11:50 2011 Erick Monyenye 24 KEN
8 2:12:00 1984 Kjell-Erik Stahl 38 SWE
9 2:12:13 1985 Geoffrey Koech 30 KEN
10 2:12:23 1985 George Malley 28 USA
11 2:12:30 1993 John Solly 30 ENG
12 2:12:35 1990 Peter Renner 31 NZ
13 2:12:39 2010 Dylan Wykes 27 CAN
14 2:12:44 1988 Rich McCandless 32 USA
15 2:12:50 2010 Andriy Toptun 30 UKR
16 2:12:53 1984 Derrick May 29 RSA
17 2:13:10 2002 Jussi Utriainen 24 FIN
18 2:13:16 1993 Peter Maher 33 CAN
19 2:13:18 2002 Rodney Dehaven 36 USA
20 2:13:18 2002 Bruce Deacon 36 CAN
21 2:13:20 1986 Daniel Gonzalez 24 USA
22 2:13:22 2004 Oleg Bolhevets 28 RUS
23 2:13:24 1990 Brad Hudson 24 USA
24 2:13:34 1993 Nivaldo Filho 33 BRA
25 2:13:35 1983 Martti Killholma 33 FIN
26 2:13:37 1993 Zbigniew Nadolski 27 POL
27 2:13:42 2009 Tesfaye Bekele 27 ETH
28 2:13:44 1986 Alan Zachariassen 31 DEN
29 2:13:51 2009 Josh Cox 34 USA
30 2:13:55 1999 Joeseph LeMay 33 USA
31 2:13:57 1985 Larry Barthlow 36 USA
32 2:13:59 2010 Tesfaye Alemayehu 26 ETH
33 2:13:59 1995 Bruce Deacon 28 CAN
34 2:14:01 1985 Domingo Tibaduiza 30 COL
35 2:14:01 2010 Joseph Mutinda 36 KEN
36 2:14:02 2004 Peter Gilmore 27 USA
37 2:14:07 1989 Bud Coates 32 USA
38 2:14:07 2010 Justin Young 31 USA
39 2:14:10 1984 Daniel Grimes 25 USA
40 2:14:13 1984 Dennis Rinde 26 USA
41 2:14:14 1992 Steve Plasencia 36 USA
42 2:14:15 1983 Ryszard Marczak 38 POL
43 2:14:15 1992 Keith Brantly 30 USA
44 2:14:17 2011 Ryan Bak 30 USA
45 2:14:19 1996 Patrick Muturi 25 KEN
46 2:14:20 2004 Mykhalo Iveruk 29 UKR
47 2:14:22 1992 Lucketz Swartboi 29 NAM
48 2:14:26 1985 Fraser Clyne 28 SCT
49 2:14:27 1996 Michal Bartoszak 26 POL
50 2:14:31 2007 Laban Moiben 24 KEN
51 2:14:32 2004 Jonathon Ndambuki 28 USA
52 2:14:34 2013 Weldon Kirui 25 KEN
53 2:14:36 1984 Richard Umberg 34 SWI
54 2:14:37 1983 John Halberstadt 34 RSA
55 2:14:37 1999 Mike Dudley 29 USA
56 2:14:37 2013 Julius Koskei 31 KEN
57 2:14:39 1988 Anthoni Niemczak 32 POL
58 2:14:40 1989 Sammy Rotich 32 KEN
59 2:14:42 1990 Jose Silva 26 BRA
60 2:14:43 1983 Harold Schulz 25 USA
61 2:14:44 1986 Geoffrey Koech 27 KEN
62 2:14:48 1983 Ivan Huff 24 USA
63 2:14:48 2002 Joseph Kariuki 32 KEN
64 2:14:52 1986 Miguel Tibaduiza 29 COL
65 2:14:53 1985 Guyla Borka 28 HUN
66 2:14:53 2011 Joseph Mutinda 37 KEN
67 2:14:56 1995 Paul Zimmerman 34 USA
68 2:14:58 2006 Jonathan Ndambuki 30 KEN
69 2:14:58 2007 John Gathoga 28 KEN
70 2:14:58 2011 Benson Cheruiyot 29 KEN
71 2:14:59 2006 Kassahun Kabiso 23 ETH
72 2:14:59 1986 Moacir Marconi 28 BRA
73 2:14:59 2009 Kipyegon Kirui 29 KEN
74 2:15:00 1996 Haki Abderazzak 25 MOR
75 2:15:03 1986 Fraser Clyne 29 SCT
Top Local Women
Rank Time Year Name Age Country
1 2:29:21 1999 Nickey Carroll 27 AUS
2 2:29:29 1991 Sally Eastall 28 ENG
3 2:30:42 1990 Janis Klecker 30 USA
4 2:31:36 1985 Nancy Ditz 31 USA
5 2:31:53 1985 Janis Klecker 25 USA
6 2:32:01 2008 Natalia Sokolova 26 RUS
7 2:32:13 2010 Buzunesh Deba 23 ETH
8 2:32:17 2009 Buzunesh Deba 23 ETH
9 2:32:40 1984 Katy Schilly 28 USA
10 2:32:41 1998 Alena Vinitskaia 25 BLR
11 2:32:45 1995 Michaela Reger 26 GER
12 2:33:11 1989 Nan Doak-Davis 27 USA
13 2:33:13 2002 Tatiana Titova 37 RUS
14 2:33:25 1983 Gabriele Anderson 38 SWI
15 2:33:31 2003 Tatiana Titova 39 RUS
16 2:33:37 1989 Linda Somers 28 USA
17 2:33:39 2002 Alena Vinitskaya 29 BLR
18 2:33:40 2011 Serkalem Abtha 24 ETH
19 2:33:56 2011 Atalelech Asfaw 28 USA
20 2:34:09 1984 Gail Kingma 23 USA
21 2:34:11 1993 Linda Somers 32 USA
22 2:34:17 1985 Maureen Custy 30 USA
23 2:34:17 1988 Janis Klecker 28 USA
24 2:34:20 1990 Alevtina Naumova 29 USSR
25 2:34:23 1995 Karen MacLeod 37 SCT
26 2:34:23 2006 Camelia-Alina Gherasim 35 ROM
27 2:34:36 1995 Maria Trujillo 36 USA
28 2:34:42 2002 Alena Makolova 34 RUS
29 2:34:44 1999 Tina Connelly 29 CAN
30 2:34:49 1984 Monica Joyce 26 USA
31 2:34:51 2003 Tina Connelly 33 CAN
32 2:34:57 2012 Alisha Williams 30 USA
33 2:35:20 1992 Kathlene Bowman 31 USA
34 2:35:31 1989 Lisa Kindelan 26 USA
35 2:35:35 2012 Clara Peterson 28 USA
36 2:35:37 1999 Patricia Jardon 32 MEX
37 2:35:39 1985 Magaret Cooke 29 USA
38 2:35:43 1983 Marty Cooksey 29 USA
39 2:35:46 1996 Rizoneide Vanderlei 27 BRA
40 2:35:55 1989 Rosa Gutierrez 26 USA
41 2:35:59 1985 Sue Schneider 29 USA
42 2:36:19 1994 Jennifer Martin 33 USA
43 2:36:24 1985 Deborah Raunig 30 USA
44 2:36:26 1989 Mary Alico 26 USA
45 2:36:36 1990 Rosa Gutierrez 27 USA
46 2:36:36 2001 Irina Safarova 32 RUS
47 2:36:40 1999 Irina Permitina 31 RUS
48 2:37:13 1983 Laurie Binder 36 USA
49 2:37:13 2008 Galina Aleksandrova 32 RUS
50 2:37:13 2011 Nuta Olaru 41 USA
51 2:37:17 1996 Tatiana Maslova 30 RUS
52 2:37:18 1984 Janis Klecker 24 USA
53 2:37:19 1998 Tatiana Maslova 32 RUS
54 2:37:22 2004 Lyudmyla Pushkina 39 UKR
55 2:37:27 2003 Firaya Sultanova 35 RUS
56 2:37:32 1993 Diana Fitzpatrick 35 USA
57 2:37:32 2002 Tamara Lave 34 USA
58 2:37:33 2010 Erin Moeller 33 USA
59 2:37:38 2005 Elena Orlova 35 RUS
60 2:37:40 2006 Elena Orlova 36 RUS
61 2:37:41 1991 Michele Bush-Cuke 30 CMI
62 2:37:45 1998 Liz Wilson 30 USA
63 2:37:51 1996 Kristina Pieczulis 34 POL
64 2:37:55 2005 Violetta Kryza 37 POL
65 2:37:57 2001 Magdalena Lewy 28 USA
66 2:37:58 2006 Violetta Kryza 38 POL
67 2:38:16 2000 Kristin Schwartz 29 USA
68 2:38:19 2010 Wioletta Kryza 42 POL
69 2:38:22 2012 Natalia Sergeeva 28 RUS
70 2:38:25 1995 Julie Coleby 40 ENG
71 2:38:29 1990 Karen Scholte 24 USA
72 2:38:29 1992 Lucy Smith 25 CAN
73 2:38:31 1983 Maureen Custy 28 USA
74 2:38:35 1993 Gordon Bakoulis 32 USA
75 2:38:44 2005 Marina Bychkova 29 RUS
Profile: Linda Somers-Smith
Local Women’s Course Record – 2:33:37
Linda arrived in the Sacramento area from Indio, Calif. to attend U.C. Davis (class of ’83), where she received a B.A. in Economics followed by a J.D. from U.C. Davis Law School. Tennis was her sport in high school, and she joined the UC Davis tennis team, but took up jogging to stay in shape when practices and matches were cancelled due to rain. Encouraged by a PE teacher, she went out for cross country in her junior year, made All American that year and barely a year later she ran 34:36.3 for 10,000 meters on the track! Here she established a life-long coaching relationship with UC Davis Coaching Hall of Fame’s Sue Williams.

1983 Linda ran her first marathon at San Francisco, finishing in 2:42:00, because she “just wanted to try one.” Then law school kept her busy, although in 1988 with minimal training she decided to run the CIM, finishing fourth in 2:44:43 (also the Top Local Women’s time). Knowing that with proper training she could improve on this time, she set her sights on the 1989 CIM, the National Women’s Championship and a qualifier for the marathon at the 1990 Goodwill Games. She finished 26 seconds behind Nan Doaks-Davis in her Local Woman’s Time Course Record 2:33:37. When asked about whether or not she could have won this race she replied that it simply wasn’t her goal – she was happy with her overall improvement and had not expected to be in contention with someone like Nan Doaks-Davis (ranked one of the top women’s distance runners in the U.S.). And… she had to stop and tie a shoelace at mile 22!

Linda went on to an illustrious running career. She won the 1992 Chicago Marathon (2:37:41), and returned to win the 1993 CIM (2:34:11) after a placing second (2:34:25) at a grueling, snowy Chicago Marathon the month before. In 1995 Linda finished seventh at the World Games Marathon. She qualified for the Olympic Marathon trials in 1984, 1988, 1992, and 1996, where she placed second (2:30:06, PR) and was in top form to represent her country at the Games in Atlanta. Here tragedy struck in the form of a mid-race torn Achilles tendon, but she still finished an amazing 31st. In 1997 she ran a 2:31:49 at the London Marathon for 14th place, and in 1998 was 9th at Chicago in 2:34:21.

In 1997 Linda married triathlete Steve Smith, and after 1998 she took a break from running for a few years, getting settled in the San Luis Obispo area, adopting her niece Monica, and practicing law. By early 2002 she was ready to go for a fifth Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, which she did handily at the Twin Cities Marathon (2:39:26); she went on to finish 10th at the Trials, in 2:37:28.

Since then, Linda has competed well at shorter distances. Her most recent highlight is her masters win at the 2006 National Cross Country Championships last December in Golden Gate park, anchoring a winning “reunion team” of Aggies coached by Sue Williams. She currently has her sights set on qualifying for her 6th Olympic Marathon Trials at the Chicago Marathon.

Will she return to the CIM? She could return as soon as this December for the CIM’s 25th, but only if the weather at Chicago takes a turn for the worse. Local Linda Somers-Smith fans are hoping this will be the case!

Profile: Dennis Rinde
Local Men’s Course Record – 2:14:13
Dennis Rinde and his brother Dean, another elite local distance runner, grew up in Orangevale and graduated from Casa Robles High School (near the CIM’s 2-mile mark). He received a B.A. in Economics at California State University Sacramento, where he competed in track and cross-country. He went on to become one of the top U.S. distance runners in the early 1980s, at a time when U.S. men’s marathoning was at its most competitive. His 2:12:01 earned him a seventh place finish at the 1981 Boston Marathon, he won the Manitoba Marathon seven times, setting the still-standing course record of 2:13:53 in 1981. He also qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 1980, 1984 and 1988.

Dennis decided to run the 1984 CIM because he was making a comeback from injuries and illness. Pleased with his 2:14 time and quick recovery, he ran the Houston Marathon a month and a half later in 2:12:50. Although he qualified for the 1988 Trials, Dean continued to struggle with injuries in the mid- to late- 1980s. By 1989 he decided try for another comeback and ran CIM, finishing in 2:19:20, again the top local finisher. Competing for the Aggies Running Club, Dennis went on to run six more CIMs and in 2002 won the masters division in 2:31:32. Dennis says he has always liked the CIM because “it is a downhill course with moderate hills. and it is the best route one could take a marathon through Sacramento County.”

In 1992, Mike Callen introduced Dennis to competitive endurance horseback riding, specifically the event of Ride and Tie (two runners and one horse cover a set distance alternating riding and running). Dennis and his partners have since won the World Ride and Tie Championships three times and Dennis was the lead runner on the only team to have finished the Swanton Pacific 100-mile Ride & Tie for five consecutive years. In 1994 he met his future wife Ellen and her horse Scotty, and they competed in 100-Mile Ride and Tie events from 1996-2000. Of this sport Dennis says “I enjoy the team aspects of R&T and the strategy involved in trying to get two people and a horse to race in the most efficient manner without too many runner or rider mistakes. I also enjoy the challenge of riding a horse and managing a horse through the race.”

Will Dennis return to run the CIM once again? His answer, “I hope to if I can find the time to train for a marathon.”