Published: October 06, 2008 12:34 am            

Husband, wife prevail in Johnstown Marathon

The 33rd Johnstown YMCA Marathon became a family affair on Sunday.

A husband and wife captured the men’s and women’s championships, and the 10K included a family name that is synonymous with running excellence in the area.

Mike McGee, 46, captured the men’s title with a time of 2:47.47, and his wife, Gina, 43, repeated as women’s champion with a time of 2:58.53.

“It was great to win it last year, and then to come in and win it again this year was even better,” Gina McGee said in an interview at Point Stadium, where the finish line was located.

She added that while she and her husband train together, she knew that they could not run together in the marathon.

“I said that even though I could not see him, my heart was with him,” Gina McGee said.

The McGees, who are IUP graduates, live in Westmont with their daughters, Amanda and Casey Rose, who watched their parents compete. Mike McGee works in the accounting department of the Diocese of Greensburg.

Last year’s men’s champion, Justin Gilette, who would have been seeking a fourth title, did not compete as anticipated.

Doug Basinski finished second in the men’s competition (2:54.00), and Karsten Brown (2:54.44) was third.

Tracey McGee was second to Gina McGee with a time of 3:13.56, and Laurissa Graudins (3:29.42) was third.

The 10K competition featured a former state cross country champion from Westmont, who joined his father, a role model who had inspired him to run competitively. Dave Mock, who captured the PIAA cross country championship in 2004, won the 10K even though he is no longer running competitively.

“It was nice to come back here and run with my dad (Ron),” the younger Mock said with his 54-year-old father at his side. “I was just running for fun (Saturday).”

Mock competed successfully at the Division I College of William & Mary after graduating from Westmont Hilltop High School, and is now working in the accounting department for PPG in Pittsburgh.

The weather was appreciated by the runners, with the morning fog holding down the temperatures and hiding the sun until late morning.

“The weather was spectacular,” Jackie Horvath, 41, of Ligonier, said after winning the women’s 10K. “I train with the McGees, so (their winning) was special for me.”

Matt Kardos finished first in the adaptive competition with a time of 2:27.54.

One hundred and four runners competed in the marathon.

A Punt, Pass & Kick competition was held at Point Stadium as part of the day’s activities.

        

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