Keith Stapleton
09/10/2006
Stapleton, who closed out his 2005 campaign with a best of 16:24.3, wasted no time taking command of the race, sprinting across the grass and then towing the11-team field along side the lake. The senior never slowed his pace, and at approximately 1 1/2 miles (hairpin turn), after climbing a very rocky and dangerous "Cardiac Hill," he was 11 seconds ahead of the course and Island record. Monsignor Farrell's Dan Lewis set the standard last year with a 15:59.5 in the Island championships.

However, once Stapleton crossed the macadam and dipped back into the woods, he involuntary shifted into cruise control and finished the race slower than planned.

"My goal was to break the record ... take it out and keep hammering," Stapleton said. "But once I got back into the woods, I was feeling real bad. My stomach was burning like I (was nauseous)."

Stapleton admitted to eating oatmeal two hours before the race, but it didn't stop him from sending out a message to the competition.

We salute Keith as our BreakThru Athlete of the Week.
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