Swinging Bridge 5K

The Swinging Bridge 5K was held in Byram on July 10 with 86 people running the 5K, 39 race walkers, and 13 one milers. After a prayer and a few instructions from Jack Ward, MTC race director, Jack shot the gun and we were off on a very hot and somewhat hilly course. Chuck Engle jumped out into the early lead and was never seriously challenged. Chuck finished the course in 17:02. Rob Oates finished behind Chuck for the third week in a row with a time of 17:37. Rachel Cowan was the first female with a 22:40. Mark Lipking and Miriam Allred were the Masters winners. Carlos Prevost and Mary Porter took Grand Masters honors. Larry Sykes and Kay Moseley were the race walk winners. F. D. Grant and Debra Kinser were the Masters winners in the race walk, and Tom Anderson and Donna Gonzales were the Grand Masters race walkers. Lee Moseley won the one mile.

The Pine Belt Pacers were well represented by Nestor Anzola, Richard Sims, Ray Martin, and Phillip Wedgeworth. Ray was second in his age group, and Phillip was first in his. The heat was as bad as it has been at any race this year, and for the third year in a row people questioned the length of the course with most thinking that it might be a little long. The event was well run, but the ten-year age groups made placing more difficult than usual with the normal five-year age groups.

Jack Ward and Jim Myrick are to be commended for all of the hard work that they and the rest of the MTC crew do to make the MTC races successful--much thanks. © Phillip Wedgeworth See Results

Part of the crowd