Mastering the challenging terrain at Edisto Memorial Gardens Saturday was not the only concern for Columbia runners Orinthal Striggles and Sherri Burchill.

There was also the uncertainty of weather conditions which fluctuated from sunny and humid to rain-threatening clouds and somewhat chilly temperatures making things difficult for the 30th edition of the Orangeburg Festival of Roses Road Race 12-kilometer run.

"I don't like the rain and the cold," Striggles said. "Those are my nemesis."

"If it got colder, I'd be happier," Burchill said. "I like the cold."

As it turned out, the conditions stayed favorably dry and cool long enough for both Striggles and Burchill to emerge from a field of 61 runners as the male and female overall champions competing for the South Carolina 12K state championship for the Palmetto Grand Prix.

This was the second 12K championship in three years for Burchill, who outdistanced Kate Whetstone of Columbia for the top female overall winner.

"It was a very nice day," she said. "I've won it before when it was very hot. Today, it was very nice. Beautiful, beautiful course. I can't say enough about the course."

Saturday was the first Road Race title in his first appearance for Striggles, who's a long distance coach at Benedict College receiving his master's degree in rehab counseling this Friday from South Carolina State University. The 31-year-old Georgia native heard about the Road Race from race coordinator Selwyn Blake, who's also coached him with Strictly Running.

"He informed me about it and told me to come on over and have some fun in Orangeburg," Striggles said.

Striggles would do just that in crossing the finish line, where Blake was keeping track of the finishing times with a time of 40 minutes and 27 seconds. He beat out by 77 seconds former three-time Road Race 12K winner Eric Vandervort of Clinton, Tenn., who dedicated the race to his late stepfather, followed by 50-year-old St. Matthews resident Sam Swofford, who actually bettered his Road Race record time for ages 45-49 last year by nearly three minutes.

"I just knew (Vandervort's) skill level and I just said to myself ‘Well I just want to run at a nice, fair even pace and then, hopefully, be able to come back at a fast pace'," Striggles said.    

Following Friday's graduation at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium, Striggles plans to visit Kenya where he plans to train with what he calls "the best" long distance runners and plans to defend his 12K title next year.

"It was a great course," Striggles said. "I had a few hills, but those hills weren't major and it made for an interesting race."

The 12K run was not the only race Striggles was involved in Saturday. He also joined close to 150 other participants in the five-kilometer run and Pediatric Clinic one-mile fun walk.

Full 12K and 5K results are available by visiting www.orangeburgstriders.com.

ROAD RACE 12K RUN RESULTS

MALE OVERALL (TOP THREE FINISHES)

1. Orinthal Striggles (Columbia) - 40:27

2. Eric Vandervort (Clinton, Tenn.) - 41:44

3. Sam Swofford (St. Matthews) - 43:28

FEMALE OVERALL (TOP THREE FINISHES)

1. Sherri Burchill (West Columbia) - 59:22

2. Kate Whetstone (Columbia) - 1:02:06

3. Marie-Ange Smith (Aiken) - 1:03:37

MALES MASTERS (Runners over 40)

1. Chris Hiicks (Florence) - 44:02

FEMALE MASTERS (Runners over 40)

1.Tracey Macpherson (Orangeburg) - 1:04:06

MALE AGE GROUPS

(2-19)

1. Paul Jackson (Aiken) - 57:09

(20-24)

1. Jessse Harmon (Lexington) - 50:34

(25-29)

1. Zachary Sutton (Seneca) - 47:46

(30-34)

1. Chuck Hiers (Springfield) - 47:24

2. Jim Johnson (Orangeburg) - 1:02:43

3. Hou-Yin Chang (Orangeburg) - 1:30:19

(35-39)

1. Brad Holmes (Orangeburg) - 56:32

2. Jeffrey Hutto (Orangeburg) - 59:05

3. Rob Miller (Orangeburg) - 1:03:58

(40-44)

1. Clint Graves (North) - 56:44

2. Eric Gluse (Charlotte, N.C.) - 59:40

3. Mark Bailey (Lexington) - 1:02:57

(45-49)

1. Robert Clary (Mauldin) - 57:58

2. Steve Burchill (West Columbia) - 1:01:49

3. Daro Ferrara (Aiken) - 1:04:14

(50-54)

1. Robert Jackson (Aiken) - 57:09

2. Gilbert Miller (Bamberg) - 57:22

3. Danny Senn (Newberry) - 58:54

(55-59)

1. Eddie Muldrow (Chapin) - 59:12

2. Charles Whetstone (St. Matthews) - 1:02:07

(60-98)

1. Arnold Floyd (Harrtsville) - 58:04

2. John Dillard (Columbia) - 58:14

3. Terry Williams (Conway) - 1:06:04    

FEMALE AGE GROUPS

(20-24)

1. Pamela Welch (Auburn, Ala.) - 1:16:44

(25-29)

1. Jennifer Norman (Columbia) - 1:04:14

(30-34)

1. Brian Nesbitt (Columbia) - 1:05:25

(35-39)

1. Candy Smith (Orangeburg) - 1:03:39

(40-44)

1. Marlene Workman (Cope) - 1:05:27

2. Rebecca Bryant (Orangeburg) - 1:06:33

3. Leslie Dunn (1:07:12)

(45-49)

1. Sheila Addison (Orangeburg) - 1:09:27

(55-59)

1. Brigitte Smith (Aiken) - 1:24:09

(60-98)

1. Cynthia Gardner (Hartsville) - 1:18:24

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