Sunday, April 21, 2002 -- Martinsburg, WV
S.M.A.R.T. Healthplex Danny Walsh 5K (iPO Event Id#: 5026)
Story & photos by Karsten Brown of the Shenandoah Valley Runners Club (SVR) with additional photos by Leesa Anderson.

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Bringing out the big dogs for the Danny Walsh 5K

A long wave of unseasonably hot weather exited the eastern West Virginia panhandle on Sunday 21 April, just in time for the 10th annual S.M.A.R.T. Healthplex/Danny Walsh 5K. By race time in Martinsburg, WV, temperatures had dropped into the low 50s under cloudy skies. The race started and finished for a third year at the Dorothy A. McCormack Cancer Treatment & Rehabilitation Center, just down the road from the previous race site at City Hospital. 59 runners and walkers took on the usual out-and-back route up Route 13 and along the hilly Showers Road, although with the latter road being rerouted due to construction of a new I-81 interchange, the turnaround point was moved up a bit. Unfortunately, it was probably moved a bit too much; many runners felt that the course was around a tenth of a mile short. Still, it was a fine morning for a run or a walk, and a fine race at which to do it!

After placing second among women at the 2001 race, Hedgesville's Judy Warner returned for a second shot at the overall women's victory. The 35-year-old had no troubles nabbing the win this year, maintaining a faster pace than she did last year (despite the short course) to finish in 21:54. 49-year-old Nancy Specht of Bunker Hill went unchallenged for second overall (her highest placement since the 1999 race with a time of 23:50, finishing three and a half minutes ahead of Kate Manuel of Frederick, MD. Less than a third of the runners in the race were women, although there were twice as many female walkers as there were male walkers.

Mike Brosenne runs away from the competition

The men's race saw another battle between 24-year-old Shepherd College student Mike Brosenne and 35-year-old Winchester lawyer Mark Vann, a pair of speedsters who have faced each other recently at both the St. Bridget's Feet for Freedom 5K and the Rotary 5K. Both runners were sore from races on the previous day, but Brosenne ended up with the fresher legs, winning the race in 16:59. Vann worked his way in for second in 17:33. 47-year-old Neal Riemenschneider of Winchester, who finished as runner-up to Vann at last year's race, turned in another solid performance to end up in third in 18:18.

Fifteen participants signed up for the race as walkers, with last year's walking champs Nina Boarman and Patrick Henry returning for another year. The 44-year-old Boarman did nab the top female walker award for the second year in a row with her 38:19 finish, ending up a step ahead of the 54-year-old Henry. But Henry had been out-perambulated by 31-year-old Scott King, who took the top male walker spot in 35:09. King was described by an impressed fellow walker as "looking like he was just out for a casual stroll."

Many thanks to Les Dutko and Steve Lough of City Hospital for their efforts, and thanks as well to their crew of volunteers -- whose names we don't have but whose help was appreciated. We also bow to results man Pete Wright for doing his usual professional job at the finish line. And of course iPlayOutside has been nice enough to post coverage of this race for the last four years! Hopefully everyone will be back for the race's eleventh running in 2003.