Sparkes finds her form

Ex-UK runner earns first BG 10K title, credits family and friends

By Travis Waldron - twaldron@herald-leader.com

Liliane Sparkes had her own cheering section at the Bluegrass 10,000 on Friday morning. Relatives and members of her church, Lexington Christian Fellowship, urged Sparkes through the wet conditions in downtown Lexington, where she captured her first Bluegrass title by fending off twin sisters Jenna and Jessica Ortman, both seniors-to-be on the University of Kentucky cross-country and track teams.

�That helped so much,� Sparkes said of the support. �They really encouraged me.�

It was the first triumph in Sparkes� return to racing after the former UK distance runner quit running competitively because of what she called an unhealthy obsession with the sport.

�I was really obsessed,� Sparkes said. �I�ve been taking a different approach to training, making it fun. I think that helped a lot. I know it did.�

The rain might have made it difficult for Sparkes� fans, but she said the conditions weren�t a problem. In fact, she preferred the rain to a typical muggy Lexington summer day.

�Everyone had to run in the same thing,� Sparkes said. �But, oh yeah, it was better than a lot of sun.�

Sparkes, a native of Canada who is training for the Canadian cross-country championships, rebounded from a disappointing seventh-place finish in the 2007 Bluegrass 10,000.

This time, there were no disappointments.

Sparkes took the lead around the race�s midpoint and traded it with the Ortmans several times before taking over for good near the five-mile marker. Jenna Ortman couldn�t catch her over the last half-mile, and Sparkes finished in 36:40, 13 seconds ahead of Jenna and 49 seconds ahead of Jessica.

The Ortmans, who both run middle distance for UK, were running in their first 10K.

�The goal is always to finish 1-2,� Jenna Ortman said. �But we�re coming off a little time off, so we�ll take it.�

Nanc Spillner won the women�s standard wheelchair race as the event�s only competitor. There were no female participants in the crank wheelchair race.