Mother, Daughter Extend Their Bond Through Ultra-Distance Races

As the eldest of five children, Vicki Huffman can remember the endless hours she and her mother spent washing diapers, ironing sheets and hanging clothes in the backyard of her family’s home in the San Fernando Valley.

Although doing laundry might seem dreary to some, Huffman, 37, remembers such moments fondly because she and her mother developed a lifelong bond.

Today, Huffman and her mother, Pat DeVita, 56, share a different kind of togetherness, one that’s nurtured by the sound of running shoes.

Last weekend, Huffman, of Acton, Calif., and DeVita, of Granada Hills, finished second and third, respectively, in the women’s division of the 24-Hour Run at Fred Kelly Stadium in Orange.

The run, which started at 6:30 p.m. Friday and finished at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, follows a rather tedious course--entrants run continual laps around a 440-yard dirt track, most taking occasional breaks for food, water and naps--though Huffman and DeVita say their first attempt at such a race was made easier by cheers from the crowd of about 200.

Although Irma Hutton, 44, of Pasadena won her second consecutive title--running 109 1/4 miles in 24 hours to break her own record by a half-mile--Huffman (89 miles) and DeVita (76 1/2 miles) ran impressively.

The mother-daughter duo started running together 11 years ago after Huffman gave birth to her first child. Their first run--a one-miler along the railroad tracks in Newhall--progressed to their first road race, a 5K. From that moment, they were hooked.

The mountains are their favorite place to run. Every Tuesday, DeVita joins a group of runners for a trek in the Angeles National Forest. She and her daughter hope to run the Western States Endurance Run, a 100-miler in the Lake Tahoe area, and the Leadville 100, a race that traverses the Continental Divide.

DeVita, who runs 50 to 60 miles a week and works 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday as a grocery store bookkeeper, said her athletic wish list also includes running across the Sahara Desert--”You’d have to carry your sleeping bag yourself,” she said--running down the coast of England and running from Badwater, Calif. (the lowest point in the United States) to the top of Mt. Whitney (the highest point in the continental United States)--146 miles in all.

When they don’t have time to drive to the mountains trails, Huffman and DeVita stick to the roads, DeVita often donning headphones.

“I like rock ‘n’ roll,” said DeVita, a 5-foot-1, 110-pound grandmother of four.

Huffman said she doesn’t use music for motivation; her mother provides plenty.

“My mom--she’s my best friend,” Huffman said. “She’s my inspiration. . . . I always say to myself, ‘If she can do it, so can I.’ ”

Mike McMahan, a 42-year-old philosophy professor from Laguna Beach, was the overall winner of the 24-Hour Run. He won his second consecutive title with 115 1/2 miles--16 1/2 miles short of the 132 he ran last year.

The event also featured a 12-hour race. Earl Towner, 40, of Irvine, won that competition with 77 miles, after the early leader, Rob McNair of Huntington Beach, became sick with four hours remaining. McNair, 36, finished second with 71 miles.

Toni Stermolle of Hesperia was the women’s 12-hour winner with 60 1/2 miles, edging Claudia Newsome of San Pedro by a quarter-mile.

Swift Swede: Maria Akraka, the Swedish middle distance standout who transferred from Iowa State to UC Irvine last fall, has been making an impact at the world-class level this summer.

Tuesday at the DAG Galan Invitational at Malmo, Sweden, Akraka finished third in a competitive 800-meter race, finishing in 2 minutes 1.62 seconds, nearly four seconds ahead of American distance standout PattiSue Plumer (sixth in 2:05.05).

Ellen Kiessling of East Germany won in 2:01.39 and American Julie Jenkins was second in 2:01.56.

Antsy Anteaters: With the addition of Akraka, who will be eligible to compete this fall, UC Irvine’s women’s cross-country team should see its best season ever.

Along with Akraka, the Anteater return five of the top seven from last year’s team: All-American Buffy Rabbitt, Rayna Cervantes, Caroline Plier, Laurie Lucas, and Kelli Lewis.

Others expected to challenge for the top seven include former Edison standout Nicole Ritchotand Maggie Henson, a recent transfer from the University of Mississippi.

Henson’s arrival is especially pleasing to Rabbitt. The two competed together in 1984 on Newport Harbor High School’s Southern Section championship cross-country team.

Race Schedule

Today

Legg Lake 5K Evening Cougar Run, 6 p.m. South El Monte (213) 949-0394.

Paramount Ranch Cross-Country 2- and 3-Mile Grand Prix, Agoura. 6:30 p.m. (818) 992-6219.

College of the Canyons 5K Cross-Country Series, Valencia, 7 p.m. (805) 944-2511.

Saturday

Huntington Beach Distance Derby. 1 1/2-, 3- and 10-milers. Huntington Beach Pier, 7:30 a.m. 536-5486.

San Gabriel River Antelope 12K, South El Monte, 8 a.m. (213) 949-0394.

MADD Run for Fiscal Fitness 10K, Balboa Park (Pan Am Plaza), San Diego. (619) 272-8316.

Sunday

Village of Northwood Make-A-Wish 5K and 10K, 8 a.m. Northwood Community Park, Irvine. 642-6601.