FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Nine seconds separated the top three racers at the West Beach Out and Back Road Bike Race Saturday at Lake Tholocco.
Retired Soldier and Dothan resident Kevin Schumaker took the top spot with a time of 28:18 during the 10 1/2-mile race sponsored by the Directorate of Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation.
Madison Kronberger of Dothan earned top honors among females with a time of 32:50 - a full four minutes ahead of her nearest competition.
Second place for the males went to Derek Merkler with a time of 28:25 and Tim Gannon finished third at 28:27. Female runners-up were Marla Holmes finished second at 36:58 and Erica Devers took home the third-place trophy at 37:47.
Schumaker went into the race feeling confident, and accomplished what he set out to do.
"Going into it, I thought I had a pretty good chance at winning," the second-year Out and Back race veteran said. "It's a good ride - pretty fun. There are a couple of steep hills and quick turns - it makes you work hard to stay up there."
The front group consisted of about seven or eight riders who waited until nearly the end to sprint to the finish, Schumaker added.
"There was a young lieutenant pushing me, and he made a couple of sprints and I had to pull him back in," he said. "I'm not a sprinter, but I'm a good anchor man to keep things rolling. If he'd taken off a little later, I don't know if I could've got him. I think he spent himself a little early. It was a good run."
As for Kronberger, the 16-year-old took home a win in just her second race.
"I feel good because I've never won a bike race before," she said. "My only other race was the TriStates 100, but I plan to keep on doing this. The course was tough - really hilly. I tried to keep up with the lead group, but they passed by me."
DFMWR hosts the annual race as a service to Soldiers, veterans, employees and their Family members, along with the local community, as a way to meet the demand for a little two-wheel competition, said Kristi Fink, DFMWR fitness program coordinator and organizer of the event.
"There aren't that many bike races in the area, so we're happy to provide this to the Fort Rucker and local communities," she said. "It's a race for some, and for others it's just a nice ride or even a Family ride."
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