232 brave cold Cancer Freeze 5K
Published 12:01 am Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Two-hundred-and-thirty-two runners and walkers braved the winter cold Saturday to participate in the 2013 Cancer Freeze 5K at Lake Jackson in Florala.
Race coordinator Karen Johnson said she was overwhelmed by the number, given the number of other races taking place at the same time.
“My heart was so touched because they chose our race,” Johnson said.
Johnson said the age range for walkers and runners was wide.
“We had a 4-year-old walker and had a 79-year-old runner,” she said. “That’s pretty amazing to me, too. It was really fabulous, the whole day, taking it in and remembering why people were there.”
The Cancer Freeze 5K is a fundraiser, and all money collected will go directly to the Cancer Freeze fund to help three local cancer patients with medial expenses.
Award ribbons went to an overall male and female running and walking winner, and a first place ribbon went to the top finisher in each category.
Johnson said a race highlight for her came when 25-year-old Megan Landreth walked the 5K.
Johnson said Landreth had two brain tumors and is now cancer free.
“She was diagnosed cancer free and walked the 5K,” Johnson said. “That was really neat.”
The first place overall male runner was Dylan Scott, 16, who ran the 5K in 17 minutes, and 2 seconds. The overall female runner was Jennifer Hughes, 32, who ran the 5K in 25:33.
The first place overall male walker was Jeff Gilmore, 26, who walked the 5K in 31:44. The overall female walker was Kimberly Harrison, 42, who walked the 5K in 37:45.
First place winners for each category are listed below, along with their age and race time:
Male runners
• Gage Messick, 9, 26:09
• Hayden Hammond, 14, 21:45
• Chris Gay, 19, 25:58
• Travis Caldwell, 29, 22:35
• Luciano Ramos, 32, 24:46
• Jarett Hughes, 36, 27:24
• Matt Dobson, 43, 17:31
• Mark McCarra, 47, 20:50
• John Twitty, 54, 22:17
• John Covington, 57, 23:14
• Ferrell McDougald, 79, 26:38
Female runners
• Shaleigh Geoghagan, 12, 29:42
• Anastasia Scott, 14, 27:51
• Jordan Irwin, 19, 27:51
• Hope Riley, 28, 31:07
• Valerie Anderson, 33, 29:00
• Susan Petrey, 38, 27:56
• Macee Anders, 40, 36:30
• Michele Gerlach, 48, 32:53
• Susan Anderson, 50, 38:28
• Frances Williams, 58, 32:09
• Shelley Robinson, 62, 32:07
Male walkers
• Jeff Bulger, 8, 47:45
• Tyler Colonna, 19, 51:18
• Tyler Sanders, 26, 41:41
• Josh Weeks, 34, 46:27
• Mark Johnston, 45, 49:00
• Ken Smalewich, 52, 34:00
• Jimmy Jackson, 63, 40:07
Female walkers
• Kaitlyn Bulger, 7, 45:24
• Jayla Fleming, 13, 41:42
• Lauren Smith, 28, 40:38
• Mollie Ray, 31, 42:05
• Irene Tinkler, 47, 44:42
• Debra Gamble, 58, 40:54
• Janet Twitty, 65, 50:01
• Diane Stevenson, 72, 57:06