Wednesday, July 12, 2000 -- Connellsville, PA
John Woodruff 5K Run & Walk
Story and photos by Julie Bertsch
Check here for the John
Woodruff Story.
[Details]
[Coverage]
Results:
[Run O]
[By Class]
[Walk O]
[By Class]
Pictures:
[Set 1]
[Set 2]
[Set 3]
[Set 4]
[Set 5]
[Set 6]
[Set 7]
[Set 8]
[Set 9]
[Set 10]
[Set 11]
[Set 12]
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The kid's race had a lot of young racers flying around the track
It was the 18th year for one of Connellsville's most exciting, and
competitive 5K races. Unlike many of these races that have a name
attached to them, this race had the honor of actually having the
person whom it was named after at the race! That person is
John
Woodruff. He is an Olympic champion, and a native of
Connellsville. Happy to watch the race and sign his
John
Hancock on racer's numbers, Woodruff is living testimony to
training hard, and the ultimate accomplishment of reaching a personal goal.
Those who were fortunate enough to meet him, certainly walked away with
much more than just an autograph.
The Kid's Race started it all off. The young winner certainly ran away with it all, with no one finishing close to her footsteps.
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Derek Clark looks serious as he approaches the stadium
Then it was time for big boys and girls to get lined up for the 5K
run. Over 340 racers rumbled down Arch Street in a haze. The walkers
took off next, and 114 feet times two made their way down the course.
In a matter of minutes, it was time for me to get the camera ready as
the 1st place winner from the
Francis Bud Murphy Memorial 5K
rounded the last turn on South Arch street. It was none other than
Josh
Horner of Brownsville, PA. Tearing up the course in
15:49,
Horner went home with the 1st place prize, and a huge smile.
Steve Ohler(16:11), of Normalville, PA, and Jacob Gleason(16:30), of
Farmington, PA rounded out the top spots overall.
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Jamie Brooks & Grethen Wood smile with their trophies
At the early stages in her running career,
Gretchen Wood has
already made quite a name for herself. Like Horner, Wood was a 1st
place finisher in the
Francis Bud Murphy Memorial 5K, running
the fastest in the women's category. "The 1st mile and 1/2 or so was
all upgrade. I thought, man, if this is how the rest of the race is,
then forget it!" exclaimed Wood. "But then it flattened out, and the
inclines started to go downhill and I said, Okay!" Wood used that
downhill to her advantage, staying at least 12 seconds ahead of her
competition to clench 1st with a time of
20:27.
Just like in Bud's 5K, Ashleigh Grimaldi(20:39), kept up a great stride
to sweep 2nd. Susan Lobos took home 3rd respectively, with a 20:51.
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Hitching a ride to the finish
The walkers had some tough competition, with some of the area's primo
speedsters heading for the track to the finish. Still, familiar faces
were first to the line in no time. Such as Pennsylvanian, Steve
Bence(26:20), who also won 1st at Bud Murphy's 5K among other
races. One of Bence's most recent accomplishments was overcoming an
injured hamstring to place 2nd in one of West Virginia's most
prestigious races, the one and only
Big Boy
20K.
Placing 4th overall in the Walk, and 2nd overall at Bud Murphy's 5K Walk was
Jamie
Brooks. She kept a 4 minute edge over her competition to take 1st overall
for the ladies with a 28:35! Wow!
After the race everyone, including the Overall
Run & Walk Winners, gathered at Bud Murphy's Sports Bar &
Restaurant for FREE beverages in their collectors race glass,
music, pizza, and a lot of fun.
As always, thanks to
SERJ Racing services, speedy results were provided.
