Published: July 12, 2008 08:00 pm      

5K makes it two wins in two weeks for Iott

TRAVERSE CITY -- If there's a women's running race next weekend and Allison Iott is entered, make plenty of room on the medal stand.

Iott won the Cherry Festival 5K in her first attempt on Saturday by nearly a full minute. The Kalamazoo College senior was coming off a victory in the 20K at the Volkslaufe in Frankenmuth on July 4.

In fact, the 21-year-old from Milford wasn't sure she was going to run the 5K because she was still bouncing back from the longer race.

"I didn't really know if I was going to go today," she said. "I ran the Volkslaufe 20K in Frankenmuth last week so my legs are still recovering from that.

"I kind of thought I'd go out and see how I'd feel. If I felt good, I was going to push it a little bit and if not, I was going to shut it down."

There was no need for that, however.

Iott finished in 18:09. Traverse City Central grad Anna Coulter, a junior who competes in cross-country running and skiing at Alaska-Fairbanks, was second in 19:03.

Twins Erika (19:22) and Kathryn (19:23) Fluehr of Naples, Fla. were third and fourth a day short of their 15th birthday. Devyn Ramsay, who will be a senior at Benzie Central, was fifth in 19:32.

Karen Hypio of Gaylord was the women's masters winner with a time of 21:39.

Coulter, at the end of a tough two-week training schedule, was pleased with her finish. But there was a little matter of three extra seconds.

"I've been wanting to run under 19," Coulter said. "I've never been under 19, ever. It's nice to be in the top three, obviously, but I would have enjoyed it even more if I would have ran it under 19."

Coulter said she put in a lot of miles the two weeks prior to the race, logging 17 hours this week and 16 the week prior.

"I didn't have very high expectations because of all the training I've been doing," Coulter said.

Erika Fluehr was able to beat her twin sister down the last few meters, even though neither said they were 'racing' for the third position.

In fact, Kathryn Fluehr thought she edged out her sister at the line. After receiving their medals, the Fluehrs straightened out the order of finish.

"She usually beats me," Erika Fluehr said. "I guess it depends on the event. She beats me in the longer distances and I usually beat her in the shorter distances.

"I fell back in the second mile, then I caught up to her again."

The Fluehrs just purchased a summer house in Leland. The twins also have an uncle and aunt in Leland, Dr. Peter and Chris Sneed.

Erika and Kathryn Fluehr will be sophomores at the Community School of Naples in the fall, where they will try to defend a state cross country title. The two are also 3200 relay teammates.

And the sisters would love to return to the Cherry Festival races next year. Perhaps this time the results will be switched.