Shinsky wins Bud Murphy Memorial 5K race
CONNELLSVILLE – If you’d ask Adam Shinsky if his legs hurt on the home stretch of the Bud Murphy Memorial 5K Race, he couldn’t tell you. The steep downhill grade on Murphy Avenue in Connellsville did the work for him, as Shinsky captured first place overall in the annual event on Thursday. “It was a downhill sprint,” said Shinsky, a recent Laurel Highlands graduate. “You’re not going to get tired because the downhill just throws you.”
Shinsky’s time of 17:48.54 edged Connellsville’s Pat Mullaney and Masontown’s Patrick Reagan, who finished second and third, respectively.
“On the last hill I just said, “Hey, I’m going to go for it,” Shinsky said. “I battled back and forth for second and third the whole time.”
Uniontown’s Josh Dennis finished fourth with a time of 18:11.51, behind Mullaney’s time of 17:52.01 and Reagan’s 17:55.78. However, Dennis surged ahead at the two-mile mark to take the lead, knowing Shinsky would make up the ground.
“I tried to get a good lead,” Dennis said. “I tried to get a good distance because I knew what kind of kicks (Shinsky) has.”
Reagan’s approach was the opposite as he settled behind the lead pack and made his final surge at the end.
“I was fourth the whole way,” said Reagan, a sophomore to-be at Albert Gallatin. “I was just hanging back saving energy and it turned out good in the end.”
Mullaney also had the lead in the first mile of the race, but did not maintain as Shinsky made his move.
“It was spread out between the three of us,” Mullaney said. “But I took it easy because I knew Shinsky would make a big move.”
Capturing the women’s crown for the second-consecutive year was Laurel Highland junior Michol Monaghan. Her time of 19:53.11 was 15th overall, as she beat Gretchen Wood’s time of 21:34.89. Wood won the women’s overall run two years ago.
“I was a little more confidant,” Monaghan said, “because I was excited about winning it previously.”
Monaghan appreciated the initial hill from the starting line on Murphy Avenue.
“It spreads it out a lot quicker,” Monaghan said. “It is good to get the worst hill out of the way.”
The quick start helped Monaghan take a commanding lead, as Wood was far from contention during the race.
“She was so far ahead, I didn’t see her until she was way ahead of me,” said Wood, who competed in her fifth Murphy’s 5K. “This is a tough course; it’s very challenging.”
Connellsville’s Shannon Kovack trailed Wood, taking third in the women’s division with a time of 22:08.02.
Millsboro’s Thomas Starkey captured first place among the walkers with a decisive finish. Starkey, the defending champion, walked a time of 28:54.24 over Connellsville’s Ron Brooks (30:06.49) and Uniontown’s Frank Mulich (30:14.96).
“I like this race,” Starkey said. “I just took off. I was happy with my time considered how hot it is.”
Connellsville native Jamie Brooks took first place overall among the women walkers. Her time of 30:19.13 was fourth overall, as she edged Kathy Paes’ time of 32:04.61.
“I thought I might have some competition,” said Brooks, who won the event six consecutive years. “(Kathy) has real good form.”
A total of 166 walkers and 148 runners took part in the event, which starts and ends at Highlands Hospital, via Crawford Avenue and Breakneck Road.