Breaking through

By EASportsToday.com
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Updated: August 1, 2015

After coming close twice, Whitehead and Mudy-Mader claim Woodstock gold; largest race ever has slowest time 10 years

Woodstock winner Josh Whitehead of Madison leads a field of nearly 1,600 runners to the finish line.

By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today

Sometimes it’s just not about the time. It’s more about the win — and the prize.

The Woodstock 5K road race ran at a little slower pace than years past, but that didn’t matter to Josh Whitehead and Justyna Mudy-Mader. They won their respective men’s and women’s races Saturday on the historic course.

Whitehead, of Madison, led a record number of nearly 1,600 runners across the finish in 15:45:74. Mudy-Mader, a native of Stalowa Wola, Poland who now lives in Huntsville, won the women’s race in 17:16.96.

“I finally got a win; this is so super,” Whitehead said right after the race. “This is a fast course; it just depends on how you’re attacking it. Today I wasn’t looking for a fast time. I really wanted to get a win. If it meant I needed to run like 16:05 and sprint out the finish that’s what I’d do today.

“Some days it’s not about time, it’s about hopefully the winning. I was banking on it today.”

It was the slowest time by a male Woodstock winner since 56-year-old Dave Roberson won in 18:57.38 in 2005, when the race drew less than 100 runners. It was the first winner over 15:00 since Scott Strand ran 15:26 in 2006.

Whitehead had been third twice here since 2010, including last year, behind a group of “uniquely talented” East African elites who helped bring down the course record to what he called “that almost unobtainable sort of level” and threaten to take it below 14 minutes. Their numbers have dwindled the last two years because of the race’s budgetary considerations and the two defending champions missed this year because of injury and schedule conflicts.

Whitehead, 36, went out in a slower, more tactical, pace to give him a better chance at victory on a comfortable day for running. Scott Fuqua of Irondale led the pack out of the gate and early on Christine Avenue, but Whitehead hit the first mile in 5:10 and “kind of ratcheted it down” and pulled away from the field. Fuqua was second at 16:16.

Mudy-Mader missed last year’s race due to injury, but scored the win after finishing second and third, respectively, in her previous two Woodstock starts. She went out quickly among the women and led wire-to-wire.

“I give it my all,” she said.

Paulina Wojtanowska, a Shorter school friend visiting Justyna from Poland for the first time in six years, finished second at 19:17.

As much as Mudy-Mader enjoys her friend’s company, she was not about to give up the tape.

“Not today,” she said. “Maybe some other day, but not here.”

The race marked the end of Haley Gregg’s three-year run race director. She oversaw the fastest and largest races in the event’s 35-year history.

Gregg said she was looking forward to running in the race again next year and was willing to help in any way possible with future races. The new race director is expected to be Neeli Faulkner.

Justyna Muda-Mader closes in on the finish line on the way to a two-minute victory in the Woodstock women’s race. On the cover, winners Whitehead and Mudy-Mader talk with other runners on the victory stand.

WOODSTOCK 5K
Top 10

Male Division
Josh Whitehead, Madison 15:46
Scott Fuqua, Irondale 16:16
Darrius Woody, Alex City 16:32
Carl Corley, Danville 16:32
Donny Barnes, Huntsville 16:53
Jordan Poche, Montevallo 16:57
Zach Sollie, Opelika 16:58
Bronson Sander, Chester, Ga. 17:06
Chris Mahaffey, Odenville 17:12
Josh Jenkins, Boaz 17:27
Calhoun County top 3
14. Alexander Beverly, Jacksonville 17:58
18. Wachira Paul, Anniston 18:09
22. Benjamin Pryor, Jacksonville 18:37

Female Division
Justyna Mudy-Mader, Huntsville 17:17
Paulina Wojtanowska, Huntsville 19:17
Elizabeth Holcomb, Madison 20:34
Lori Goldwebber, Homewood 20:44
Abby Nunnelly, Alexandria 21:07
Samantha Haigh, New Orleans 21:34
Elise Sheldrick, Madison 20:43
Samantha Burns, Madison 22:05
Chloe Brown, Alexandria 22:07
Sharlie Brooks, Montgomery 22;07
Calhoun County top 3
5. Nunnelly
T9. Brown
11. Nicole Dieckow, Anniston 21:10

Complete results can be found at www.annistonrunners.com