Gilpin, Stocks win Chattanooga Chase

John Gilpin and Jenn Stocks became double Chase champions in area running competition Sunday morning.

Gilpin, a recent University of Tennessee at Chattanooga graduate about to start physical therapy school at UTC this fall, and Stocks, a Berry College alumna who has a year to go in the same PT school, were the overall winners of the 49th Chattanooga Chase.

Each already had a Chickamauga Chase 15k triumph, Stocks in 2014 and Gilpin in 2013, when several weeks later he was a close second to UTC teammate Paul Stuart in the Chattanooga Chase.

This time he completed the 4.7-mile course from Riverview Park in 25 minutes, 33 seconds. Geno Phillips, 43, was second and the masters winner in 26:08, and Jack McGinness and Alan Outlaw were third and fourth in 26:41 and 26:54.

Stocks, who won the Chickamauga Chase 5k this year as she returned to competitive racing from a hurt knee, was ninth overall in the Chattanooga Chase in 29:08. Her husband and running director, Lucas, was sixth in 27:23, 11 seconds behind Matt Jenkins.

The top-10 couple said they had run the North Chattanooga course probably six times in the past five weeks.

"The preparation made it easier," Jenn Stocks said, her husband interjecting, "It still wasn't easy."

"By no means," she agreed. "By the top of Minnekahda, it hurt. But only one person passed me coming down."

Gilpin also spoke of the pain of ascending Minnekahda hill but said the race was "fun." Even though he no longer has to train, having finished his UTC running eligibility this spring, he said he is "trying to stay in shape so I can help the guys who are still here."

He said he was aiming for a time around 25:30 but did have 25:04 as a potential target if the race was going well.

"That's the fastest time I know" for the race, he said. "I don't know if it's a record -- the course has changed a lot -- but that's the time I look at."

He ran alone most of the race. Phillips admitted he didn't try to stay with Gilpin, who's 20 years younger, but the former Moc was aware of him anyway.

"I kept checking back. Geno's a strong runner," said Gilpin, who grew up in Antioch, Tenn., and went to high school in downtown Nashville. "I was trying to get out and go and then hang on up Minnekahda. It's still very tall."

Jennifer Curtis was the second female finisher, 23rd overall in 33:14, and Lisa Logan was next and the masters winner in 35:37.

Joseph Goetz won the later 1-mile race in 4:45, 30 seconds faster than runner-up Jeremy Miller, who was seventh in the main race. Masters winner Tim Ensign, 52, was third in the mile in 5:20.

Trish Newsom was 11th and the women's winner in 7:03 after finishing 41st overall in the 4.7-miler. Marla Hood was the female masters winner.

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

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