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David Kratzer had the best prediction in last week’s Pace Race.
The Pace Race, hosted by the Atomic City Roadrunners, was May 14. The race started at Piñon Park in White Rock and featured a staggered start.
Kratzer, running on the 3-mile course, finished with a prediction error of just 3 seconds. He needed an excellent prediction to hold off Bill Rice, who was off by just 7 seconds on the long course.
The best prediction on the 1-mile course was Emilee Jones, who missed by 16 seconds.
Other top predictions at the Pace Race included Makaeka Jones (17 seconds), Morgan Jones (18 seconds) and Georgia Pedicini (27 seconds).
The next Pace Race will be Tuesday starting on West Jemez Road about three-quarters of a mile from the Back Gate. Two different courses will be available for runners and walkers.
More information on the Pace Race and the Atomic City Roadrunners is available by calling 672-9243 or 672-1639. 

This could be a meet for the ages for the Los Alamos Hilltopper girls track and field team, but this could also be the closest call for the Los Alamos in some time, too.
The Hilltopper girls and boys will both compete in the Class 4A state championship meet this weekend.
The state title meet, which will be at the University of New Mexico Track and Field Complex in Albuquerque, is scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
The Hilltopper girls have a chance to make history by earning their fifth consecutive state title. Only four teams in the history of New Mexico have won at least five straight — interestingly, it is only the second-longest current streak, however, as Fort Sumner has won seven in a row including last week’s small-school state meet.
Los Alamos’ four current state titles matches with Class 4A record-holder Albuquerque Academy, one of the Hilltoppers’ main rivals.
However, Academy doesn’t appear to be poised to pose a threat to the Hilltoppers’ dominance. Instead, the biggest challenger appears to be a team from the Four Corners area.

In 2013, the Los Alamos Hilltopper girls track and field team has a chance to cement its place as one of the elite programs of all time.

Leading up to this season, that move was led by one of the most charismatic athletes the program had ever seen, Chase Ealey. But now, the responsibility of leading the charge toward state-level immortality falls on a much more low-key team captain.

The Hilltoppers’ efforts heading into the final two weeks of the season are being guided by senior Laura Wendelberger. Wendelberger has carved her own niche in Hilltopper history, but unlike her predecessor, has done so with considerably less flair and with good ol’ fashioned sweat.

But even though Wendelberger is set to make her fourth appearance at the state meet for Los Alamos, the pre-championship jitters have already begun to set in.

“It’s kind of nerve-wracking,” she said. “But all I can do is run my best. I won’t let people’s expectations change my mindset.”

With Ealey, the two-time high-point athlete at the state meet now having a standout freshman year for Oklahoma State University, those looking to see if Los Alamos can pull off the 5-peat will have their eyes set squarely on Wendelberger.

History has shown, however, that she should be up to the challenge.

Paul Elkins was the top predictor in the Atomic City Roadrunners’ pace race last week.
The Pace Race was run at the Ponderosa Campground Trail in Bandelier National Monument.
Elkins finished 27 seconds off his predicted finish time Tuesday, 20 seconds better than runner-up Ted Williams. No other participant came closer than 108 seconds to their actual finish time.
The fastest finisher on the 1-mile course was Tom Sandford, who finished in 13:13. Sue Elkins came in at 16:45.
On the 3-mile course, Ted Romero was once again the fastest finisher, posting a time of 18:54.
Also on the long course, Roxanna Candia finished in 28:00.
The next Pace Race, the Roadrunners’ annual staggered start run, will be tonight starting at Piñon Park in White Rock. Race time is 6 p.m.
Interested participants can find more information about the Atomic City Roadrunners by calling 672-1639 or visiting the club’s website, atomicrunners.com.