By Shawn Wansley

JCJC Sports Information Director

ELLISVILLE – A pair of runners from central Mississippi made a successful journey south on Saturday morning.

Mike Thrailkill of Hickory and Vicki Alexander of Meridian claimed the overall titles in the second annual Bobcat 5K Run here on the campus of Jones County Junior College.

Thrailkill, a member of the Mississippi Track Club, finished the course in a time of 18:25 to take the overall male title, while Alexander crossed the finished line in 23:18 to claim the overall female crown.

Both runners were complimentary of the race and the course. The race begins and ends in Bobcat Stadium and goes through the JCJC campus.

“It is a very good course,” said Thrailkill. “It’s flat with good straightaways. It’s a well-marked course and the race was very organized.”

“I really like the course,” said Alexander. “It was not hilly and it just had a few inclines. But, it was very good.”

Thrailkill had hoped to do a bit better, but still came out on top.

“I’m disappointed in my time,” said Thrailkill, who has been competing in Grand Prix races around the state. “I’m trying to come back from an injury and I’m not running what I should. I was running in the mid to low 17s up until a year ago and I’m now in the 18s.”

Alexander has gotten into running competitively in the past three years. Her husband, Keith, helps her train and they enjoy traveling to different venues for races.

“I raised my young-uns, I’ve got grandbabies and now it’s ‘Nana’s turn,” she said with a laugh. “It’s a lot of fun. My husband helps me a lot and we meet a lot of nice people. We have made a lot of friends going around.”

Thrailkill said the overcast conditions were nice for the runners.

“It was a little on the humid side, but it was cooler which kind of helped to offset the humidity,” he said. “Actually, the conditions were good for this time of year. It was a good day.”

Alexander, who plans to run in the Labor Your Legs 5K in Hattiesburg on Sept. 13, is using 5K runs around the south to help her prepare to run a marathon. She attempted one earlier in Huntsville, Ala., but had to bow out after 22 miles.

“I got sick and had to stop,” she said. “But, a marathon is my next goal.”

Thrailkill has no definite race plans at the moment. But, he does plan on competing in several races over the next several months.

“I don’t have anything specifically planned,” he said. “From here on through the rest of the year, there are pretty much races every weekend. So, you can kind of pick and choose where you want to go. I am going to spend more time training and try to bring my time down.”

Justin Bynum finished second in the overall male standings with a time of 18:44, while Steve Champine was third with an 18:54.

JCJC women’s assistant basketball coach Cara Hyatt was the second overall female with a time of 23:35, while JCJC athletic director Katie Herrington was third with a 23:47.

Almost 300 runners competed in Saturday’s event. All JCJC athletes –excluding football players – participated in the run.

The run raises money for the JCJC Alumni Association.

Photo 1 Runners take off at the start of Saturday morning's Bobcat 5K Run at Jones County Junior College.
Photo 2 Mike Thrailkill gets ready to cross the finish line first at Saturday's Bobcat 5K Run.
Photo 3 Vicki Alexander was the overall female winner at Saturday's Bobcat 5K Run.
Photo 4 Vicki Alexander and Mike Thrailkill after Saturday's race.
Photo 5 Bobcat on a bike