From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

For the first time in 30 years, the winner of the Broad Street run is an American. And a former Parochial A star from Burlington County.

Moorestown native and Camden Catholic graduate Kevin McDonnell was first across the line Sunday morning in the 43rd annual 10-mile race from Central High School at Broad and Fisher in North Philadelphia to the Navy Yard in South Philly.

McDonnell ran 47:33, 9th-fastest time in the world this year for a 10-mile road course and 6th-fastest by an American.

He’s the first American winner since Holy Cross and Wake Forest graduate Eric Lorenz and Willingboro native ran 49:21 on a similarly cold, rainy day in 1994.

McDonnell’s time is 3rd-fastest ever by a New Jersey native and fastest by a South Runner. The previous South Jersey record over 10 miles is 4:19 by Cherry Hill West and Glassboro State graduate Jack Kruse, who ran 48:19 in Washington, D.C., in 1983.

McDonnell came through three miles in 14:15, five miles in 23:45 and seven miles in 33:11, so he was basically on almost exactly 4:45 per mile pace the entire race.

McDonnell’s previous 10-mile PR was a 49:50 when he placed 12th in the 2022 Broad Street Run.

Kruse won Broad Street in 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1985. His one-second win in 1982 over Lee Edmunds from Lewisburg High and Bucknell was one of the closest finishers in race history.

McDonnell has PRs of 8:14.40 for 3,000 meters, 14:03.52 for 5,000 meters, 29:16.01 for 10,000, 1:07.26 for the half marathon and 2:17.22 for the marathon. He warmed up for the 10-miler with a 14:08.74 at Payton Jordan at Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif., two weeks ago.

McDonnell won by about 50 meters over Zack Holden, who ran 47:45 for 2nd place. Holden is a 2018 graduate of James Madison and placed 37th at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February in Orlando in 2:17.50.

All-Time New Jersey 10-Mile Road Performance List
46:51 … Ed Moran [Notre Dame], 2011, St. Paul, Minn.
47:25 … Joe LeMay [Ridgewood], 1995, Washington, D.C.
47:49 … Mike Mykytok [Bound Brook], 1997, Far Hills, N.J.
47:33 … Kevin McDonnell [Camden Catholic], Philadelphia, 2024
48:19 … Jack Kruse [Cherry Hill West], Washington, D.C., 1983

McDonnell is a 2013 graduate of St. Joe’s, where he ran 29:16.01 and 14:03.52 and placed 10th in the NCAA Championships at 10,000 meters in 2013 in Eugene.