1981 NCAA - D2 @ Crystal Springs, Oct 31st

Thanks for finding these results. Wow, what a historic day this
was for UCR. Just 2 weeks earlier we couldn’t even field a 5 man team and
we ran this race with only 6 guys. Frank and I were the only guys who
didn’t get the flu. Chuck decided to retire from running and only came back
to run this race to give us a shot at going to the championships. The race
went out very fast with the CSUN guys taking it out hard then 1988
Olympian, Mark Conover, took over with Frank Assumma and they formed a gap.
Brian Parks (RIP), Chuck Assumma and I held back on the first loop then ran
together with Tim Gruber chasing Andy DiConti and Douglas Avrit over the
last 5K loop. A few weeks prior to this race Chuck had announced to the
team that he was retiring. He hadn’t worked out in several weeks but he
didn’t want to let down the team and Chris Rinne our coach. What a gutsy
race he ran. Chuck and Frank had been teammates of mine since I was 9 years
old. We were teammates for so long and roommates at this time and I was
always treated as a younger brother by them and their parents.

"Ray Cook"
 


The start of the 10K (50 meters in).





Mark Conover just before the mile.



Just before the mile with Chuck Assumma, Ray Cook, Steve Jenness and Tim Gruber in green.




Mike Fanelli pushing to the top of the Mile Hill.



Ray Cook just past the mile.



Frank Assumma chasing Mark Conover at the top of Cardiac Hill.




A couple at the Finish.


Left to right: Frank Assumma, Steve Jenness, Chuck Assumma, Ray Cook, Brian Parks, Sal Fernandez




The Top 25 and Team Standings