Share |

Thursday, June 7, 2012 -- Connellsville, PA
Highlands Hospital Francis Bud Murphy Memorial 5K Race (iPO Event Id#: 14124)

2012: [Details] [Coverage] [Photos] [Overall Results] [Results by Class]

[2000] [2001] [2002] [2003] [2004] [2005] [2006] [2007] [2008] [2009] [2010] [2011]

Story and photos by Don Parks.

Bud Murphy Memorial 5K
See more photos from Bud Murphy Memorial 5K
The storms were threatening as they often seem to do at the annual Highlands Hospital Bud Murphy Race for Autism. Luckily they seemed to just miss Connellsville, PA, and the race and festivities enjoyed a wonderful evening.

As roughly 500 runners and walkers headed up the first hill (at least it's downhill back to the finish) Eric Porter made it known that he was the man to beat. And no one could.

Porter was off the front early and never looked back. He took the win by a large margin with a finishing time of 16:24.

In a tight race for second it was Roberta Groner holding off the rest of the men to finish second overall and easily as the first woman at 17:10. Her time represents a new Bud Murphy's female course record. But it may need a small asterisk next to it in the record books. This year's course was slightly re-routed due to construction with serveral reports that the course was a little shy of a full 5K in distance. Still an impressive finish regardless.

Bud Murphy Memorial 5K
See more photos from Bud Murphy Memorial 5K
Right on Groner's heels were Nicholas Miller (17:17) and Eric Rankin (17:20). They finished as the second and third overall male winners, respectively.

The race for second female was won by Abby Pristas (19:23) with Debbie Conner (19:34) not far behind for third.

The fastest to walk the course was sixty-year-old Don Slusser with a time of 27:10. The first female, finishing third overall, was Leanne Kurpiel at 28:50.

This year's race festivities inlcluded a "Lollipop Race" for kids between five and ten-years-old. Another first was a farmers market event for Fayette County's Buy Local Network. Along with the usual plethora of food and refreshments the Bud Murphy's race keeps growing more toward an annual community event that just happens to include a 5K run and walk.

And finally, how about a big thanks to the local police who finally seemed to get a handle on all the intersections where car traffic can find their way onto the course. In my observations they did a tremendous job of keeping the course clear so that the runners and walkers could enjoy a course clear of any vehicles. Well done ladies and gentlemen!