Andrew Benford
Biography
Ravenswood
High (Class of 2006) / University of Richmond (Class of 2011)
In the words of Andrew Benford
I always
dreamed of growing up and playing baseball for the Cincinnati Reds. My favorite player was Barry Larkin and I
figured Id make a nice replacement for him at shortstop when he decided to
retire. I held on to this dream
throughout the Little League years, but it started to fade after I endured two
straight win-less seasons of Junior League (yes, my team failed to win a single
game for two years). If nothing else,
this made me realize that losing really sucked and I didnt want to do that
anymore. In the meantime, my older
brother, Adam, had decided to go out for the middle school cross country team
instead of sticking with soccer. This
was big news! Wed been playing
organized soccer since we were about 6 years old, and I didnt even know what
the hell cross country was. As it turned
out, Adams decision to run cross country that season would forever change the
course of my life.
By the time
Adam entered high school, it was clear that he was a natural. His stride was fluid and effortless. I didnt know who Pre was at the time, but
watching Adam win races and break records was all the inspiration I
needed. Much like Pre, he made running
look cool. Plus, like many annoying
copycat little brothers, I figured: If he can do it, why not me? My brother and I would go on to contribute to
the first six of nine consecutive West Virginia State Cross Country Team
Championships at Ravenswood High School, as well as garner several individual
state titles on the track. One of my
favorite running memories was finishing 1-2 with Adam at the State Cross
Country Meet his senior year (he won). I
still love the Cincinnati Reds, but I think I probably made the right call on
letting that one go, even though they made the playoffs this year.
Competing in
Division I athletics had always been another dream of mine, and luckily running
afforded me the means to chase that dream (no pun intended). I went on to attend the University of
Richmond where I trained under fellow West Virginian, Steve Taylor. Coach Taylor grew up in the small town of St.
Marys, WV, about 45 miles north of me on the Ohio
River. I wasnt very heavily recruited
out of high school, but Steve had watched me compete at the WV State Track Meet
every year, and I had attended his running camps every summer in the mountains
of West Virginia. It was here that I
discovered my passion and talent for climbing and descending the mountain
trails with reckless abandon. Coach
Taylor took note, and would go on to coach me to two U.S. Mountain Running
Teams. I took 12th at the World Junior
Mountain Running Championships in Turkey at the age of 19, and then 13th a few
years later in Senior Mens division at the World Championships in Italy.
Mountain
running aside, success did not come easily or quickly at Richmond; it took me a
couple of years to get the hang of things and adapt to the increase in both
training volume and intensity. However, by the end of my five years at
Richmond, I had helped lead our cross country team to the first NCAA
Championship berth in program history, nabbed an individual conference title in
cross country, and was a 2nd team All-American steeplechaser on the track. While I learned a lot about myself in those
five years, both as an athlete and a person, the single most important thing I
learned came from a fall suffered during my final collegiate race as a Spider. Interestingly enough, it was getting back up
that brought me to Rogue AC
As I rounded the final turn and headed for
home, I had all but secured a 4th place finish in my 3000m Steeplechase
Semi-Final at the 2011 NCAA Championships.
Approaching the final barrier of the race all I had to do was clear it
and I would move on. I jumped, but my
lead leg clipped the hurdle, causing my trail leg to crash hard into the
barrier, throwing me face-first onto the track.
With only 75 meters separating me from a spot in the Final, I picked
myself up and pushed with everything I had toward the finish. The top 8 in my
heat would advance on to the Final. I finished 9th, missing the last spot by
.11 seconds, thus putting an end to my collegiate running career. To say that I was devastated would be the
understatement of the century. However,
what I didnt know at the time was that Rogue AC coach, Steve Sisson, happened
to be watching from the stands. He would
later tell me that from the moment I got up from that fall, he knew he wanted
to coach me.
Prep Cross Country at Ravenswood High
(2002-2005):
(2002) Placed 8th at LKC Conference (17:40)
Placed 6th at WVSSAC AA-A Boys Region III Championship (16:52)
Ran 17:03 at
the 2002 AA-A Boys West Virginia State XC Championship, while placing 11th.
(2003) LKC Conference Champion (17:06)
WVSSAC AA-A Boys Region III Champion (16:56)
Ran 16:39 at the 2003 AA-A Boys
West Virginia State XC Championship, while placing second to his brother and
earning all-state honors.
(2004) LKC Conference Champion
WVSSAC AA-A
Boys Region IV Champion (17:09.3)
Ran 16:25 at the 2004 AA-A Boys West
Virginia State XC Championship, while winning the individual state cross
country title and earning all-state honors.
(2005) - LKC Conference Champion (16:33)
WVSSAC
AA-A Boys Region IV Champion (16:20)
Ran 15:51 at the 2005 AA-A Boys West
Virginia State XC Championship, while winning the individual state cross
country title and earning all-state honors.
Prep Track at Ravenswood High
(2003-2006):
(2003) WVSSAC Region 1AA 1600m (4:39.70)
Runner-up
WVSSAC Region 1AA 3200m (10:18.68) Runner-up
Came in 4th 1600m
(4:31.48), 5th 3200m (10:00.73), and 11th 4x400m relay (3:55.11) at the West
Virginia State Championships
Member of 4x800m relay at the West Virginia
State Championships, helping group to first place in 8:06.34.
(2004) WVSSAC Region 1AA 800m (2:05.76)
Runner-up
WVSSAC Region 1AA 1600m (4:38.39) & 3200m (10:16.76) Champion
Came in 3rd 800m (1:59.62), state runner-up 1600m (4:28.06), state champion
3200m (9:42.47) at the West Virginia State Championships
Member of 4x400m
relay at the West Virginia State Championships, helping group to first place in
3:27.27.
(2005) WVSSAC Region 1AA 800m (2:03.04),
1600m (4:42.14), 3200m (10:03.22) Champion
Came in 3rd 800m (1:59.97), state
champion 1600m (4:26.20) and 3200m (9:43.54) at the West Virginia State
Championships
Member of 4x800m relay at the West Virginia State
Championships, helping group to second place in 8:15.57.
(2006) WVSSAC Region 1AA 1600m Champion
(4:38.13)
WVSSAC REGION 1AA 800m (2:00.12) & 3200m (9:52.35) Runner-up
Came
in 4th 800m (2:00.82), state champion 1600m (4:29.52) and 3200m (9:30.47) at
the West Virginia State Championships
Member of 4x400m relay at the West
Virginia State Championships, helping group to first place in 3:30.22.
Prep Highlights:
3-Time LKC
Conference Cross Country Champion
3-Time WVSSAC Regional Cross Country
Champion
4-Time Boys State Cross Country Team Champions
Three-time
All-State Selection (Cross Country)
Two-time Individual State Cross Country
Champion
1-Time Individual State Cross Country Runner-up
7-Time WVSSAC
Regional Champion in Track
7-Time WVSSAC Regional Runner-up in Track
Eight-time
State Track Champion
Two-Time State Runner-up
Fifteen-time All-State
Selection in Track
Won 1600m junior and senior year, while runner-up
sophomore year in Track
Won 3200m sophomore, junior, and senior year in Track
Won 4x400m relay sophomore and senior year in Track
Won 4x800m relay
freshman year, while runner-up junior year in Track
WVSSAC Boys Track &
Field Team Runner-ups 2004 and 2006
Capped a stellar prep career with the
coveted High Point Trophy for third year in a row for the AA classification at
the West Virginia State Track & Field Championships.
Prep Personal Bests:
800 Meter
Run (Outdoor) - 1:59.62; 1,600 Meter Run (Outdoor) - 4:26.20; 3,200 Meter Run
(Outdoor) - 9:30.47; 5,000 Meter Run (CC) - 15:51
College:
Cross Country at University of
Richmond:
2006-07: Represented the United States at the
World Mountain Running Championships in Bursa, Turkey where he placed 12th
overall which is the highest ever placing for a US Junior (under 20) ... Also
led Team USA to their highest ever team finish ... Named Atlantic 10 Conference
Rookie of the Year and led the Spiders at the Championships with an
eighth-place finish to earn All-Conference honors ... Placed fifth in the
Spider Alumni Open 5K... At the Winthrop Fall Classic he placed seventh ...
Named Co-Rookie of the Year for the Spiders program.
2007-08: Led the Spiders to a runner-up
finish at the A-10 Championships, finishing sixth overall to earn
All-Conference honors ... Finished 52nd at the prestigious Arkansas Chile
Pepper Festival ... At the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships, he took 67th
overall as the Spiders were 13th as a team.
2008-09: Captured first at the Spider Alumni
open with a record time of 15:03.20 ... Captured third at the Navy Invitational
with a time of 24:55.30 ... Was named A-10 Performer of the Week on Sept. 3 ...
Recorded a time of 24:15 at the Paul Short Invitational capturing 18th place
... Placed 10th at the Penn State Nationals with a time of 25:28 ... Placed
fourth at the A-10 Championship with a time of 24:13.7 and was named an
All-Conference performer... Captured 29th place at the NCAA Southeast Regional
Championship with a time of 31:37.1.
2009-10: Red-shirted.
2010-11: Set his season-best 8K time at the
Paul Short Invitational and received A-10 Men's Co-Performer of the Week honors
for the week of Oct. 4 ... Placed 66th at NCAA Pre-Nationals with a time of
24:37.5 ... Claimed the men's title at the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship;
his win stands as Richmond's first individual title since Richmond's John Ciccarelli won on the same course (Schenley
Park) in 2004. He also set a course record for the 8K with his time of 24:12,
received A-10 1st team All-Conference honors, and was named the Atlantic 10
Men's Performer of the Year ... Finished 10th at the NCAA Southeast Regional
Championship, posting his season-best 10K time at 30:30.5 ... Placed 75th at
the NCAA Men's Cross Country Championship with a time of 30:54.7.
Outdoor Track & Field at
University of Richmond:
2006-07: Took ninth in the 3,000 at the Duke
Invitational (8:28.62) ... Lapped the field at the Legacy Invitational in
Baltimore, Md. in the 5K (14:46.42) to win the event ... Won the 5,000 a the Georgia Tech Invitational with a time of 14:50.68 ...
Named Rookie of the Year for the Spiders during the outdoor season making it a
clean sweep over the three seasons.
2007-08: Earned NCAA Regional qualifying
standards in two events -- the 3,000m steeplechase and the 5,000m ... Ran an
8:59.11 in the steeple at the Penn Relays to finish ninth in the college
championship division ... Won the silver medal in the Mt. SAC Relays in the
5,000m in a time of 14:09.01 ... Third in the steeple at the A-10 Championship
(9:04.35) leading to All-Conference honors ... Was ninth in the NCAA Regional
in the steeple with a time of 9:00.85 to win his heat ...Won the 3,000m at the
Duke Invitational with a time of 8:19.60.
2008-09: Academic All-Atlantic 10 selection ...
USTFCCA Scholar Athlete ... Became the first-ever Spider to be named the A-10
Championship Outdoor Track & Field Most Outstanding Performer thanks to his
gold-medal performance at the A-10 Championship in the 3,000m steeplechase in
8:52.41 - a time that ranked among the 25 fastest in the NCAA ... Benford also was the A-10's individual champion in the
5,000m (14:34.23 -- the fourth-fastest winning time in A-10 Championship
history) ... Competed at the NCAA East Regional in the 3,000m steeple and was
eighth overall in a time of 8:56.29.
2009-10: Red-shirted.
2010-11: Captured first in the 3,000m
steeplechase (8:56.87) and eighth in the 800m (1:57.54) at the Fred Hardy
Invitational ... Placed ninth in the 1,500m at the GMU Spring Invitational
(3:49.68)... Came in second-place and qualified for the NCAA East Regional in
the 5,000m Open-A race at the Mt. SAC Relays (13:55.88) ... Named A-10 Track
& Field Performer of the Week following his first-place finish in the
3,000m at the Penn Relays ... While at the 2011 Atlantic 10 Outdoor Conference
Championships, Benford placed second, recorded a
career best, and qualified for the NCAA East Regional in the 3,000m
steeplechase (8:46.12). He also finished 10th in the 1,500m (3:54.57) ...
Received Academic All-Conference Team honors...
Indoor Track & Field at
University of Richmond:
2006-07: First ever indoor season ... Placed
3rd in the 3000M at the Atlantic 10 Championships (8:35.59) ... Finished second
at Mid-Atlantic Track Clash 3,000 race (8:43.13) in his first collegiate race ...
Named the Rookie of the Year for the Spiders indoor program.
2007-08: Won the silver in the 3,000m at the
A-10 Championship ... The second-place finish led to All-Conference honors ...
Teamed with Matt Llano, Sean Welsh and Jeff Strojny
on the Spiders' DMR to take third at the Maryland Invitational. Indoor - Won
the silver in the 3,000m at the A-10 Championship ... The second-place finish
led to All-Conference honors ... Teamed with Matt Llano, Sean Welsh and Jeff Strojny on the Spiders' DMR to take third at the Maryland
Invitational.
2008-09: Did not compete.
2009-10: Red-shirted.
2010-11: Placed third in the 3,000m
Championship race at the New Balance Games (8:09.34) ... Took first-place in
the mile at the Vince Brown Invitational (4:12.05) ... Captured the A-10
Conference Championship title in the men's 3,000m (8:18.27) and the 5,000m
(14:32.21) ... Placed third in the 5,000m at the Notre Dame Last Chance
Invitational (13:59.99) ... Received Academic All-Conference Team honors.
Career Highlights:
Coached by
Steve Taylor at the University of Richmond
13th place World Mountain Running
Championship
Top U.S. Finisher, 12th place World Junior Mountain Running
Championship (Bursa, Turkey)
15th place USA Championships (3K Steeplechase)
NCAA 2nd team All-American (3K Steeplechase)
Penn Relays College Championship
3K Steeplechase Champion
Atlantic 10 Conference Indoor 3K and 5K Champion.
Personal Bests:
·
800m
- 1:57.54 - Richmond (USA) - 26.03.2011
·
1500m
- 3:49.68 - Fairfax (USA) - 09.04.2011
·
1500m
(Indoor) - 3:49.64 - New York (USA) - 04.02.2012
·
Mile
- 4:16.35 - Austin (USA) - 30.03.2013
·
Mile
(Indoor) - 4:11.88 - New York (USA) - 02.02.2013
·
3000m
- 8:19.60 - Durham (USA) - 04.04.2008
·
3000m
(Indoor) - 8:03.42 - Fayetteville (USA) - 09.02.2013
·
3000m
(Steeple) - 8:39.71 - Bloomington (USA) - 27.05.2011
·
5000m
- 13:55.88 - Walnut (USA) - 15.04.2011
·
5000m
(Indoor) - 14:32.21 - Kingston (USA) - 18.02.2011
·
8
km (CC) 23:52 Bethlehem (USA) - 01-10-2010
·
10
km (CC) - 30:430.50 Louisville (USA) - 13.11.2010
·
10
km (Outdoor) 28:11.43 Palo Alto (USA) - 01.05.2010
·
10
km (Road) - 30:04 - Northporth (USA) - 17.09.2011
·
12
km (CC) - 39:27 - Boulder (USA) - 07.02.2015
·
Half-Marathon
- 1:05:35 - Richmond (USA) - 10.11.2012
Personal:
·
Born
December 19th, 1987
·
Parents
Lee and Gail Benford
·
Has
two siblings, brother Adam and sister Katherine
·
Education:
University of Richmond (2011) B.A. Psychology
·
Currently
lives in Flagstaff Arizona
·
Head
Girls Cross Country & Track Coach at Coconino High School
·
Runner
at Team Run Flagstaff (2014-Present)
·
Knoles Elementary School Fit Kids Instructor
·
Professional
Distance Runner Rogue Athletic Club (2012-2014)