Mike Slinskey cruises to victory in Dooley 5K

By Bond Brungard
Posted 3/27/19

Mike Slinskey did not have to worry about not winning the 2019 Mark Dooley 5K Race of Honor Sunday, when he cruised easily to the finish line with a time of 18:06.

“It was good,” said …

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Mike Slinskey cruises to victory in Dooley 5K

Posted

Mike Slinskey did not have to worry about not winning the 2019 Mark Dooley 5K Race of Honor Sunday, when he cruised easily to the finish line with a time of 18:06.

“It was good,” said Slinskey.

Slinskey had never run this race, now in its 14th running to honor Mark Dooley, a Wallkill graduate killed while serving as in Iraq as an Army officer. And as he turns 50 years old this year, he said he wants to continue competitive running.

“I am thinking (about running) in the US(ATF) Masters and hoping for the best,” said Slinskey.

As Slinskey was cooling down, Richard Samuels and Anthony Cruz battled during the final sprint for second and third place. Samuels turned the corner into the parking lot of Thomas Felten Park, the finish line in front of him, in second place. But Cruz raced up behind him and took second place with a timeof 19:35. Samuels was third with a time of 19:36.

Katie Reid was the fastest female and 15th overall with a time of 24:16. Johanna Kiernan, the second fastest female at 17th overall, finished with a time of 25:07. Sophia Marcinik was the third fastest female and 18th overall with a time of 26:36.

The race attracted 73 runners and walkers and has been conducted at times under snowy and windy conditions. It was partly sunny Sunday, and chilly without the wind.

The race has been run in April, but Chris Dawes, who helps organize the race for the Southern Ulster Rotary Club, said the race has been moved to March, so it can attract more high school runners, and not interfere with their running schedules during the varsity season later in the spring.

Thomas Felten Park in Modena has been the site of the race since 2011. But the contest had a prior life known as the Plattekill Plunge, a few miles south in the hamlet of Plattekill.

Carolyn Best-Hall participated in that inaugural event in 1993, and that day was an important one in her life.

“It was the due date of my son,” she said. “I actually walked.”

Best-Hall is a runner, and Sunday was her 26th consecutive race, finishing 44th with a time of 37:29.

“I have been running my whole life,” said Best-Hall.