DANDRIDGE, ROLL OUTRUN HEAT

Amy Roll of Evansville, Ind., won the women's competition at Friday's 13th Annual Riverfest Run, covering the 5.2-mile course in 33:55.

Considering how humid it was in Cape Girardeau Friday night, competitors in the 13th Annual Kohlfeld Riverfest Run might rather have been immersed in the cool waters of the Mississippi River rather than running along them.

But unpleasant conditions did not deter 331 runners from participating in the 5.2-mile main event and 1-mile fun run and fitness walk.

Southeast Missouri State University graduate assistant track coach Joe Dandridge and NCAA Division II All-American Amy Roll of Evansville, Ind., were the respective male and female champions.

Dandridge, who finished 22 seconds out of first place during last year's Riverfest Run, covered the course in a time of 28:12, close to one minute in front of Southeast Missouri State distance runner Glenn Lomenick, who finished in 28:59. David Satneder of St. Louis rounded out the top three with a time of 29:17.

The humidity had an effect of keeping overall times down, Dandridge said, but his position as leader from the outset was the roughest part for him.

"I ran alone from the start and I only race about one, two or three times a year," said Dandridge. "I'm not use to racing up front."

Prior to becoming a coach, Dandridge ran three seasons at Southeast and earned All-Ohio Valley Conference honors in cross country and indoor and outdoor track.

Roll, who was competing in her first Riverfest Run, was surprised to win the women's division. She clocked a time of 33:55 and was the 26th runner -- male or female -- to cross the finish line.

"I haven't run in three or four days because the heat has been so tough," she said. "Eventually your body becomes acclimated to it but nobody likes it, though you do adapt."

She added that the course, which stretched led from downtown at Broadway to the city water plant near Cape Rock Park and back, was a challenge for someone who had never previously run it.

Roll, 22, last month finished sixth in the 5,000-meter run for Southern Indiana University in Evansville at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships.

Coming in second for the second consecutive year was Jacqueline Toy of Cape Girardeau. She was a half-minute behind the winner with a time of 34:27 and was 29th overall. Bernadette Huster of Cape Girardeau finished well behind the women's leaders with a time of 35:30 to round out the top three. She was 39th overall.

In masters' division races for runners 40-years-old and over, Mark Hosler of Cape Girardeau was the winner with a time of 32:32, good for 13th overall. Cheonae Kim ran a time of 39:21 to be the women's leader. She place 56th overall.

Winning the mile run was Josh Wright with a time of 5:07.