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SPORTS
Davis, Mulvaney hit finish line first in Ashland
Runners participate in the Summer Motion 10K distance run on Saturday, July 3, 2010, in Ashland.
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ASHLAND -- John Davis won the men's division, Sasha Mulvaney finished first in the women's field and 11-year-old Cameron Sanders won the admiration of the spectators stationed at the finish line Saturday in the Summer Motion 10K.
Davis, 26, didn't get pressed as he ran through the downtown streets and made the dash over and back across the 13th St. Bridge that spans the Ohio River to hit the line first in 34:18 to make it two straight wins here.
"It's kind of hard," the Huntington resident said of being by yourself for most of a race. "You try to self motivate. It's your mindset."
Mulvaney, who was born in Ashland, lives in Madison, Ala. She comes back often to visit family and on this trip she had time to run the race. Her winning time was a personal-best 43:51, one second ahead of runner-up Katie Coldiron of Greenup, Ky.
"It's exciting to win and nice to see your friends waving at you and rooting for you," she said.
Spectators standing in front of Park Place where the race would conclude began cheering and clapping for Sanders as the youngster came down the home stretch. His time was 41:13, making him first in the 1-14 male category and 11th overall.
"When you hear them cheering it makes you run harder," Sanders said as he headed to the refreshment table to pick up a Gatorade G.
Last month Davis won the 10K division in the Kiwanis Run By The River. He's also won the Marshall Marathon two straight years. He is a former cross country runner at Marshall and Spring Valley High School.
"The longer the better," he said of distances. "I have more endurance than speed."
Skies were clear and the temperature was 58 degrees when the cannon sounded to start the race.
"Ideal," Davis said. "Temperature in the 50s. Nice. It's what a runner wants."
To Davis, a major challenge in the race is the dash across the bridge when runners are in Ohio until they make the turn and come back to Kentucky.
"That's the part of the course that gives the race character," Davis said. "The last two miles you focus and let loose. I had a good gap. I just had to find the groove."
In the family team division, Davis and father Ed won with a combined time of 1:17.09. Ed's time was 42:51. Sanders and his father Travis placed second in 1:35.29. Travis covered the course in 54:16.
Madison is located in the northern part of Alabama. Mulvaney, 26, said it's about a seven-hour drive to Ashland and she makes it in often to visit her father, Danny, and friends. She ran cross country at Ashland Paul Blazer and Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky.
The toughest part of the race for Mulaney is when runners sped by a Jolly Pirate Donuts on Winchester Ave.
"I wanted to stop in and get one," she said. "I'm competitive. The big thing is to get comfortable. And I got beat by an 11 -year-old."
Sanders, who attends Oakview Elementary, said distance running works for him.
"I ran because it's fun and keeps me in shape," he said.
About running with his dad, Sanders said, "it's a family thing. I beat him."
