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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend April 8, 2006 Last year�s winner has taken her running to new lengths Eap gets better with every step By DON HUNT Mail Tribune Last year’s Pear Blossom Run served as a springboard to longer distances for Sopagna Eap. The University of Oregon graduate student won the women’s division of the Pear run last year in 1 hour, 3.37 seconds in her first-ever attempt at 10 miles. Since then, Eap, 25, has ventured further into prolonged road routes. Following the Pear run last year, she tackled marathons in Green Bay, Wis., and St. Paul, Minn. In the latter, she qualified for the 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials with a time of 2 hours, 47 minutes. "Before the Pear Blossom Run I had never run a race longer than 10K (6.2 miles)," says Eap, who was a two-time, NCAA Division II All-American at the University of California at Davis in 2003. "I was a little leery beforehand, but I had a great time and it gave me some confidence that I could succeed at longer races." Advertisement Eap beat runner-up Rosa Gutierrez by 48 seconds and third-place finisher Deanna O’Neil by 3½ minutes at last year’s run. She can expect a much stiffer challenge Saturday from O’Neill, a nine-time winner and the women’s course record-holder at 57:07, set in 1995. O’Neill, 41, was slowed by a pregnancy and a hernia in the months leading up to last year’s race. Eap’s goal is to break an hour and possibly 59 minutes. "I’m more prepared for this distance this year," Eap says. Eap won a half-marathon in Carlsbad, Calif., in January, clocking 1:18.30, and last week she churned to a 34:39 clocking in a 10K race at Stanford University. "I’m just going to give it a good effort and see if I can run a personal best," Eap says of today’s race that starts at 8:35 a.m. in front of Medford City Hall, turns onto Jacksonville Highway and Hanley Road, then reverses. Eap will be in the race with her boyfriend, Todd Braje, but she doesn’t expect to beat him. Braje finished third overall last year in 54:16.75. Eap, who received a master’s degree at U of O last year, is currently pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail Eap gets better with every step ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisement s