CITY RUNNERS CARRY TORCH FOR GAMES

The Olympic flame, carried by 60 runners, wound its way through Cape Girardeau Wednesday, accompanied by five Olympic festival vans and an equal number of police escorts.

Olympic gold medalist and torch-run coordinator Ray Armstead wondered why Cape Girardeau has so many hills. For a sprinter, Wednesday's 12-mile course was a tough one. Armstead won the gold in 1984 in the 4x400.

But for many runners who had an opportunity to carry the Olympic torch and run with an Olympic medalist, the course was too short.

"I asked every runner if they would like to walk," Armstead said. No one did. "One little bitty girl had me sucking air," he said.

The 12-mile course started and ended at the Courthouse Park downtown.

The Olympic torch run was coordinated by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. John Mehner, chamber president, said: "I think it was a great deal. We had a lot of children and old guys. I think everyone who ran had a good time. It was worth the planning. The pace was faster than we expected. I think it really went well."

Spring DeCramer, 14, said, "I thought it would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do it."

She drew a tough portion of the course: up Academic Hill.

Bryan Kelpe, 16, felt the pace was a little slow. "But it was fun. My arm started getting tired. That torch got heavy."

At a picnic for runners afterwards, Mehner said: "I think it's great for the city and good for the individuals. It promotes a lot of good will."

Bill Syler said, "When would I ever have a chance like this again? What a thrill to be involved in the Olympics."

Syler, a fitness runner for years, said: "To meet an Olympic gold medalist, let alone to run with one, my adrenaline was pumping. I had to remind myself to slow down and make this last."

Vernetta Ford also said her 200 yards went quickly. "I thought it was a great opportunity to carry the torch. I never thought I would have an opportunity to do this." She was pleased to see that most of her portion of the course was down hill.

Kyle Chasteen, 19, a high-school and college track runner, said competing in the Olympics has always been a dream. "To carry the torch is a part of that. I thought the pace was a little slow and I would have liked to have been able to run a little longer."

Tye DeCramer, 16, said his mom signed him up for the run. But he too was excited about being part of the Olympic festival.

Ten-year-old Dana Wright said: "I always wanted to go to the Olympics -- to watch. I like running too."

Her aunt, Cara Myer, signed her up and said Dana's the athlete in the family.

Dana said: "It wasn't too far and the torch wasn't too heavy. It wasn't too light either."

The torch weighs 3 pounds.

Longtime runner Gary Gilbert rode in the van as a backup in case someone was unable to make their portion of the run. Gilbert got his chance to run near the end of the route when a runner didn't show up. "It was exciting to be part of the Olympics," he said.

Cape Girardeau was one of 60 cities in Missouri and Southern Illinois where the torch is being run. The flame started in Kansas City on May 25 and came to Cape Girardeau from Sikeston. From Cape Girardeau, the torch is scheduled be taken to Carbondale by caravan for a run there. The flame was captured on Pikes Peak on May 21. It is transported between cities in a miner's lamp.

The route in Missouri and Southern Illinois cities is 2,000 miles long and will take 38 days to complete.

The torch will arrive in St. Louis July 1 for opening ceremonies of the festival on the St. Louis riverfront.