Quite the Streak
The Butler Road Race has become a streak for Nick Edinger.
And the 26-year-old Mars graduate plans on keeping it going.
“I guess it's become a bit of a pride thing with me,” Edinger said after winning his third consecutive BRR 5-mile race Saturday. “I feel like I have to keep coming back and see how long I can keep doing it.”
Edinger completed the course in 26 minutes, 26.82 seconds. He beat out runner-up Theo Reynolds by 22 seconds.
The outcome was never in doubt.
“I was pretty much running alone out there,” Edinger said. “That makes you a little nervous because it's harder to pace yourself and you don't know if someone's gaining momentum coming up behind you.”
Saturday marked Edinger's first competition since finishing eighth overall at the Pittsburgh Marathon. He has also qualified for the Olympic Trials in February of 2020.
“That's been a dream of mine,” Edinger said of the Olympic Trials. “Everything I do now is geared toward that. This race is a great rust-buster for me that way.
“Finishing a race running uphill is always tough. You have to prepare for that finishing push here. I've always had the ability to change gears for the last 100 meters or so, so it wasn't a concern.”
While Edinger — who also won in 2013 — became a four-time BRR 5-mile champion, Tina Seech earned her first victory at the event in the female category.
Seech, 56, of Upper St. Clair finished 17th overall with a time of 33:14.22. This was her fifth race of the year, having also run in Mars, Canfield, Bentleyville and Houston (Pa.).
“I am thrilled, just ecstatic over this,” Seech said. “It means a lot to me to win this ... This is pretty good for someone my age.”
Seech beat out Mckenna Bowes, 15, by 10 seconds.
“This is the fourth year I've run the Butler race and I've been running for 25 years now,” Seech said. “I probably do 50 to 60 miles a week. It's a healthy addiction.”
David Convery, 60, of Butler was the lone wheelchair entrant in the Butler Road Race. He started out first and completed the course in 44 minutes, 15.10 seconds.
He competed in the Pittsburgh Marathon against one other wheelchair entrant and finished in four hours and 50 minutes.
“That's a long time to be doing anything, including holding up a beer,” he said, laughing.
Convery competed in his fourth Butler Road Race and is hopeful other wheelchair competitors eventually join the field.
“It'd be fun to have a few of us out there,” he said. “I'd love to do this race for another 10 years or so. I'm hoping to be out here when I'm 70.”
Heavy rains before the race limited the BRR's same-day registrations. The Butler YMCA — which took over operation of the event this year — fell short of its goal of 500 runners.
The race began in sunshine, though rain returned before the completion of the 5-mile race.
“It's still a great day because this is the 43rd annual year for the race,” said Francine Mills, executive director of the Butler YMCA. “This event is a part of Butler. It's history, tradition and its important to keep that going.”
BUTLER ROAD RACE 5-mile resultsMen (top 5)1. Nick Edinger 26:26.82, 2. Theo Reynolds 26:48.75, 3. Daniel Spaulding 27:22.39, 4. Owen Venesky 28:07.90, 5. Zach Leachman 28:46.46Women (top 5)1. Tina Seech 33:13.22, 2. Mckenna Bowes 33:23.88, 3. Tammy Slusser 33:45.46, 4. Camille Bromley 34:30.70, 5. Maddie Gagnon 35:38.11Age WinnersMale12-15 — Noah Peterson 31:21.9416-19 — Steven Patterson 29:28.8420-29 — Jacob Taciuch 32:58.3330-39 — Michael Fagan 32:50.7340-49 — Gar Bercury 30:16.9550-59 — Greg Mussitsch 31:09.3660-69 — John Ciafre 39:01.5270-over — Lou Alaksin 46:05.87FemaleUnder 12 — Cara Roxberry 59:35.9612-15 — Ansley Haught 40:01.8420-29 — Brittni Geibel 39:11.8330-39 — Elizabeth Maskal 36:41.3440-49 — Connie Hoffer 38:36.3050-59 — Sharyl Relic 40:14.8260-69 — Debbie Deddo 39:19.20Over 70 — Patricia Offstein 53:19.85
