The Brookshire's YMCA 5K Classic was held in downtown Jackson on November 18 with 105 runners and 46 race walkers completing the course. When I arrived at the race site, all I heard from several of the participants was that the course was at least 3.27 miles, which is just a bit on the long side. After warming up and getting ready, we lined up for the last minute instructions. Jack Ward shot the gun and we were off.  The first few runners went out very fast even though everyone seemed to know who the winner was going to be before the race even started. Everyone also seemed to know who the Masters winner was going to be, which just left us old guys as the only ones in doubt. The early predictions proved true: Daniel Simpkins won easily by beating the second person by almost a minute, but after the race Daniel said that he should have been about a minute faster. Mike Thrailkill lived up the the pre-race prediction and won the Masters. Luckily for Phillip Wedgeworth all of the really fast old men stayed home,so he took the Grand Masters award. Teresa Crothers should have felt like it was old times when she was winning everything she entered since she was the first female finisher. Della Hilbun was the Masters winner and Monica Baldwin was the Grand Masters winner. David Smalley was able to hold off Nestor Raul Anzola (AKA the fastest Colombian in Hattiesburg) to win the race walk; however, Nestor was the Masters winner. Larry Sykes took Grand Masters honors. Carolyn Graham was the female race walk winner. Martha Smith and Scottie Stauddy took Masters and Grand Masters awards. After the race we had a nice variety of refreshments including cookies, chips, fruit, and drink. The entire MTC crowd did a great job with this race. Results are on the MTC web page.  © Phillip Wedgeworth