Last week the first annual Run For Faith 5K was inaugurated out at Country Estates with a good turnout of 82 runners and walkers.
The course was a straight out-and-back that some runners like; and others are still deciding if it is nice to run the same route except from a different perspective. I like an out-and-back on occasion, as I get to see the frontrunners during the race, other than a quick glimpse of them at the starting line.
The course was a good race route with a few inclines here and there, but for the most part has to be considered a flat course. Nice scenery and minimal traffic; and the cars that happened onto the course were very courteous, and some even offered encouragement for the runners.
The one problem was the temperature got very warm for the walkers that came in after an hour’s time. Cindy Brooks, the race director, made a promise that next year’s race would start at 8:00 a.m. for cooler temperatures.
Andy Rangel, Del Rio, was the overall champion in 18:31, and Jennifer Garcia, San Marcos, was the women’s champion in 22:52. The masters champion for the women was Teresa Irwin in 23:08.
Local and area runners that ran the race included the under-19 first-place winner, Keith Laue, age 11, in 30:10. The female runners included first-place winner Solana Dever in 26:30; in second place was Risa Paredes Juarez in 35:26, and third place was Sarah Swann in 36:58. Kelsey Chandler had fourth in 38:13, followed by Kayla Kimrey in 41:02 and Morgan Mitchell in 1:09:41.
In the 20-29 year age category Evan Brooks took second in 24:36, with Matt Daubert in third with a 26:23 time. For the female runners Holly Hood, Kyle, took third in 38:15 and Diana Ortiz was in fourth in 45:56.
In the 30-39 age category, a slightly unusual thing happened for the men. It is usually the largest age category; but this time, it was the only age group that did not fill out the awards. James Eastland, Canyon Lake, took third overall and first place in 20:16, with Joseph Ortiz in second with a 34:58 time. For the women, Sonja Brunson, Kyle, took first place with a 25:44, with Yolanda Quintanilla running in at 32:09, followed by Shelly Burris, Kyle, in 52:42 and Amy Mitchell in 1:10:23.
For the male 40-49 age category, San Marcos track coach Eloy Collazo took first in 24:05; Richard Laue had second place in 25:42, with Texas State head football trainer David Gish running a 28:25 for fourth and Bill DeSoto finishing in 51:06. For the women, Rae Ann Roberts gathered a first place in 26:54.
In the male 50-59 age group, Alan Atchison had a first place in 24:46, with James Taylor, Luling, in second in 35:49. Women place finishers included marathon runner Gina Eben in third with a 34:21 and Pam Kimrey in 50:13. Gina mentioned that the route ran right by her home, and she just used the run to the start as a warm-up for the race.
In the male 60-and-over age group, local runner Richard Earl gathered in a first place in 27:15, with Shannon Miller in third in 41:26 and Wendell Wilson in fourth with a 43:31. Other runners included Erwin Hagedorn in 51:05 and Tim Rankin, Buda, in 51:46 and H.C. Kyle in 57:38. For the women, Barbara Scates took first in 48:39, with Vickye Lambdin in third in 52:02 and Janet Aron in fourth in 52:04. Judy Allen crossed the finish in 57:17 with Martha Rankin, Buda, in 1:00:06; Mary Polk, at a young 72 years, outstrode her group with a 1:07:01, followed by Jane Scarborough in 1:07:02 and Jayne Baker in 1:07:03.
The next race in the central Texas area is the Camp Ben McCulloch 5K out at Camp Ben McCulloch near Driftwood on June 19th starting at 8:00 a.m. This is another out-and-back course that has a nice downhill slope on the way back.
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