Fauquier\'s Sarah Bowman finished her final high school race off in style as she heads to the University of Tennessee in the fall as she won the Pan Am Junior Games 1500 meter race in a US #4 all-time clocking of 4:17.61. Bowman was shooting for the all-time high school record of 4:16.6 but fell just short as she led the race wire to wire with splits of 65.2 (400m), 2:16.1 (800m), 3:23.9 (1200m), and a 68 second last 400 meters (from 1100 meters out). Bowman completes a high school career that saw her win more than a handful of state titles, win three national titles, and set a national record in the 1000 meter run. She will be missed by the state of Virginia as she heads to Knoxville in August to begin her college career.

The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can\'t see now will last forever. 2 CORINTHIANS 4:18 CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA -- Kelly Watt (11/2/1986 - 7/30/2005) passed away at 11:48 this morning from complications of a heat stroke suffered on Tuesday afternoon run. A few months shy of his 19 birthday, Watt graduated from Albemarle High School finishing up an outstanding high school career as he qualified for state meet competition in all three seasons (cross country, indoor, and outdoor track) to go along with his numerous All-District and All-Region honors. Watt was headed to the College of William & Mary in the fall and run for the cross country and track team there. Watt was a big part of the MileStat.com community not only as an athlete covered on the site with 43 recorded elite performances, but also as part of the site staff as he wrote more than a handful of articles for the site over the years. In a telephone conversation only a few hours after his son\'s death, Paul Watt told MileStat staff member Doug McDaniel that \"He (Kelly) loved running and he loved MileStat.com. He would stay on it for hours.\" Well to honor Kelly\'s love for this great sport and this website, he\'ll be able to stay on MileStat a little longer than hours as we\'ll keep a remembrance of Kelly on the front page of the site for an extended period of time. Mr. Watt summed up the tragedy best with the statement, \"Kelly died doing what he loved.\" Visitation and funeral information is listed below. Right now the Watt family needs all the support and comfort they can get. I am asking any site viewers in the MileStat.com community that are willing to write a condolences to the Watt family by sending your condolences in via email at milestat@yahoo.com. If you could do this small favor it would be greatly appreciated by myself and of course the Watt family. Visitation is Tuesday August 2 from 7:00- 8:00 at: First Baptist Church 735 Park St. Charlottesville, VA Funeral is Wednesday, August 3 at 1:00 at: Christ Episcopal Church 100 Jefferson Street Charlottesville If anyone has questions concerning Kelly\'s arrangements, directions, or other funeral or viewing information call 434-296-6195.

Recent Fauquier High School graduate and University of Tennesse bound freshmen Sarah Bowman will join fellow Virginian, Great Bridge High School rising senior Michael Morrison in representing the United States of America at the Pan Am Junior Games which will start tomorrow with opening ceremonies on July 28th and run through Sunday, July 31st in Ontario, Canada. Bowman will be competing in the 1500 meter run, while Morrison will be entered in the pole vault. Both athletes earned their spots on the U.S. squad by winning their respective events at the U.S. Junior Nationals Championship in June. Morrison, ranked fourth coming into the meet, will be competing on Friday in the pole vault finals, while top seeded Bowman races on the final day of competition on Sunday.

Several Virginian high school preps had stellar performances late into the summer at the Russell Blunt Invitational held in Greensboro, North Carolina. Fauquier\'s Sarah Bowman preparing for her final high school race next weekend at the Pan Am Junior Games, won the 800 meter run at Russell Blount in a season best and state leading time of 2:05.27. 200 meter dash All-American Charles Clark of Bayside ran season best times of 10.47 and 21.23 to win the 100 and 200 meter dash events respectively. Clark returns next year for his senior year and will be Landstown\'s William Harvin\'s biggest threat for the state title in those respective events. Brooke Point\'s Kharya Brown had solid races on her future home track at North Carolina A&T State University\'s home track with clockings of 11.77 and 24.22 in the 100 and 200 meter dashes. Tallwood junior Jasmine Gates (5-6) knocked off 2005 outdoor state champion Jonee Artis of Deep Creek (5-4) to win the high jump competition at Russell Blount. Matoaca junior Bryant Terry dropped his time by two seconds from his Group AA State Meet performance with a personal best clocking of 48.67 in the 400 meter dash in Greensboro.

Important announcement from meet director of the VHSL state cross country meet, Dave Davis on changes that will be made to the state meet course at Great Meadows.

The Oakton girls, the team that was ranked #1 in the state for much of last fall as well as find themselves nationally ranked during that time, will get a chance to redeem themselves after being defeated at the Group AAA State Meet in November by Lake Braddock as they return a strong squad for the 2005 season. The Lady Cougars are returning eight runners who have gone under 21 minutes for the 5K including a solid three of Kayley Byrne (19:06 PR), Carley Hudson (19:30 PR), and Meredith Tighe (19:36 PR). 14 teams total return at least four runners who have dipped under 21 as Group AA\'s Cave Spring and Group AAA\'s Douglas Freeman are the only teams besides Oakton that returns at least five sub 21 girls. Aurora Scott, a Foot Locker finalist as a freshmen, returns for her sophomore campaign with the top returning time at 17:43. Stefanie Slekis, Katie Doswell, and Catherine White are the next top individual returnees.

The defending Group AAA state champions Thomas Jefferson appear to be the team returning with the most depth as Coach Matt Ryan\'s squad has five returning sub 17 5K runners. Group AA\'s Fort Defiance and Brentsville also have a decent amount of their top runners returning. Six sub 16 5K runners return in Brad Siragusa, Patterson Wilhelm, Devin Cornwall, John Horst, Nick Gehlsen, and Mike Spooner which should make for a competitive season for top individual honors in the state.

Hundreds of photos taken by Buz Male at the Ragged Mountain Running Camp held at the Miller School in Crozet, Virginia from July 17th to 21st. All photos will be posted by Friday.

Ocean Lakes rising freshmen Mary Margaret Peter and Bethel rising junior Daniel Cummings were both awarded each a scholarship to come back to next year\'s camp for free on the final day at the Ragged Mountain Running Camp in Crozet. The Ragged Mountain Running Camp\'s Grace Lovegrove Scholarship was given out for the first time at this year\'s camp in remembrance of the life of former RMRC camper and counselor Grave Lovegrove, who died on January 12th this past year after going into cardiac arrest on a training run. Camp director Buz Male wanted to honor Lovegrove in a special way after learning of her death this past winter. Originally, he wanted to buy all the campers \"Run With Grace\" bracelets, which have helped fund a scholarship in Grace\'s name at Christopher Newport University, but high demand for the bracelets has helped the bracelets already sell out, so Buz opted to do something to honor Grace at every camp from now on.

J.R. Tucker graduate and incoming Virginia Intermont College freshmen Michael Chapa posted a personal best and state leading time of 4:12.98 (converts to 4:11.38 for 1600 meters) as he finished in seventh place in an elite mile race held in Tennessee among collegiate and post-collegiate runners. Chapa, who finished off an outstanding high school career with a state title in the 1600 meter run outdoors, will be headed to Virginia Intermont College in the fall. Virginia Intermont College is the defending NAIA national champions and two of their athletes compete in the Foot Rx Crazy Mile with Chapa in Corey Duquette (4th, 4:12.27) and David Cheromei (8th, 4:13.20).

The 2005 Foot Rx Crazy Mile in Kingsport, TN on Tuesday evening (7:15pm) July 19, is shaping up to be an exciting race this year. Currently, 11 men are entered in the elite only invitational race at Dobyns Bennett High School , with many of them looking to run PR\'s or crack the 4:00 minute mile barrier! The field includes a strong contingent of Virginia Intermont College runners including Fernando Cabada, David Cheromei, and Corey Duquette as well as incoming VIC freshmen Michael Chapa.

Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics Tom O\'Connor announced that Andrew Gerard has accepted the position of head coach of the men\'s track and field team at George Mason. Gerard leaves Stanford, where he coached for eight years, including head coach of the 2003 National Champion men\'s cross country team.

I just got back from a midday run and it was HOT! (especially for a guy most used to running at 5:30 am). The heat of summer is here, and we must take precautions to avoid the dangers of excessive exercise in the heat. Excessive temperatures can impair performance and lead to dehydration and heat illness. Proper preparation and early recognition of heat illness will help us better enjoy our summer training.