Gilpin continues running win streak, joined by Stewart

John Gilpin
John Gilpin
photo Keeley Stewart

Like a popular Krystal deal, John Gilpin has packed a lot of variety into his "5 for 5."

Since graduating from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in the spring, Gilpin has run - and won - five local road races of varying distances, ranging from 1 to 6.2 miles. The fifth one was 4.7 miles Saturday morning from the Bragg Reservation on Missionary Ridge, where he avenged a 2013 loss to then-UTC teammate Lucas Cotter.

Gilpin wanted to beat 25 minutes on the hilly course and did, finishing in 24 minutes, 38 seconds. Cotter, a 2014 graduate, was second in 25:18 two years after winning in 24:43 when Gilpin was third in 25:58 with another Mocs runner, Paul Stuart, second.

Another set of Mocs, Keeley Stewart and Amanda Cotter, were the top two female finishers and 15th and 21st overall in 30:55 and 32:33. Lucas Cotter's wife, who like Gilpin just finished her UTC running career, aggravated a hip injury from a couple of weeks ago and couldn't stay with Stewart the last mile or so.

"We'll take it," Lucas said about the couple doubling up as runners-up.

"I ran with her about three and a half miles but then said, 'Keeley, go on,'" said Amanda, who with Lucas said they were going to get the injury "looked at."

"But she still finished second. That's amazing," said Stewart, a 22-year-old education major from Winchester who has one year of track left at UTC. "I've always looked up to her."

Amanda suggested that she run the Missionary Ridge race "a few days ago," Stewart said after her victorious debut in the longtime race. As it turned out, she had run part of the course a couple of months ago with her father, a lieutenant colonel still active in the Tennessee National Guard.

"He was in town and wanted to see the battle monuments, so we went for a run up here," Stewart said. "Whatever sport I was doing growing up, he would become like my personal coach. He's always been very interested in my athletics as well as my academics."

Jennifer Curtis was the third woman finisher and 27th overall in 32:48, and Lisa Logan was the female masters winner and 44th overall in 34:52.

Jack McGinness, 22, was third overall in 25:35 behind the 23-year-old ex-Mocs. Then came a wave of veteran local runners, led by Geno Phillips, 44, as the masters winner in 25:59, and Alan Outlaw, 37, in 26:31. Two other former UTC runners, 27-year-old Andy Highlander and 52-year-old grand masters winner Tim Ensign, sandwiched seventh-place Dean Thompson, 49. First-year race director Ryan Shrum, 47, was ninth.

But no one was catching Gilpin, although Lucas Cotter stayed with him for about half the race.

"John's really running great. He's on fire right now," Lucas Cotter said. "It wasn't so much that he pulled away as that I faded. He probably ran a pretty even pace, but my last two miles or so were pretty ugly."

Gilpin, who's about to begin physical therapy school at UTC and says he's now running "to stay healthy," agreed that he "kept it steady." He said he "wanted to get out in in under 5:20 (for the first mile) and just run hard but under control."

He kept the course as well as the field under his control.

Contact Ron Bush at rbush@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6291.

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