A field of 90 10K-runners, 67 5k-runners, 40 walkers, and more than 30 One-milers gathered for the 8:30am start of the Sixth Annual Meridian Run for Hope that was held at Bonita Lakes in Meridian on Saturday November 11.  The event included a 10K Trail Run, a 5K road race, a 2-mile walk, and a 1-mile Fun Run.  The heat and humidity were not a factor for this year runners field!  In fact, it was the contrary: temperatures in the 50's at the beginning of the race which kept 

falling and falling as the 20-25 mph wind chilled the air as it blew across the lakes the participants were running around.

 

One runner who did not seem to be bothered by the cold conditions in the challenging 10K trail run was the race winner, local runner Mike Trailkill, who finished the event in 38:50, 21 seconds ahead of Randy Putman from Huntsville, AL who ran 39:11 for second place.  Antonio Serton finished third overall in 40:36 followed by James Johnson (40:43) and Stephen Kay (41:30).  The top female was 16-year old U-Coach runner Anna Smith who completed the 10K in 48:19.  Second place went to Jodie Burrell (50:01) and third to Amy Davis (50:08).

 

The 5K race was dominated by Yousri's pupils from the U-Coach team in both categories.  17-year old Matthew Cameron from Madison, MS easily won the event in 16:25.  David Shumate from Clinton, MS finished as the runner-up in 19:05, and the female winner, 14-year old Ruth-Anne Hadjis, was three second back for third overall.  Melinda Solomon, another U-Coach girl, finished in 22:12 to take second place in the women race and seventh overall.

 

In addition to the presence of coaches Yousri Elmejdoubi and Deb Osteen, the Pine Belt Pacers were represented by Larry Sykes and Nestor Raul Anzola.  Larry was very fast in his race and was smoking the competence in the 2-mile Walk but made a wrong turn in the second mile of the event.  He finished two hours later completely lost and close to Philadelphia, MS missing the awards ceremony.  On the other hand, in his slowest performance for the season, Nestor Raul finished the 5K in 23:17, tenth overall.  However, its time was good enought to place first in his age group.  In this occasion, he could not make up any good excuse for his weak presentation (the wind, the cold weather, blablabla...)

 

After the race, we had a great party where we enjoyed pizza, sandwiches, chicken wings, bagels, coffee, fruit, gatorade, coke, and a lot of other goodies.  All proceeds from the event benefited the Hope Village for Children, a United Way agency and non-profit organization which provides extended care, residential and therapeutic treatment for children in the Meridian area.

 

Complete results can be consulted in the Meridian Athletic Association.

© Pijume Diwesi

Pic 1: Beginning of the 1-mile Fun Run

Pic 2: 1-mile Fun Run, uphill at the start!

Pic 3: Surprise, surprise! Abe Mars didn't realize Patrick Harper was right behind him at the end of the race.  He slowed down, and Patrick pased him in the last 10 yards.  Look at his expression!

Pic 4: 1-mile Fun Run, overall girl, Hayley Rank

Pic 5: 10K Runners ready to start

Pic 6: The gun goes off!

Pic 7: 10K winner, Mike Thrailkill

Pic 8: Deb and Yousri waiting for their pupils

Pic 9: 10K, second place, Randy Putman

Pic 10: 10K, fourth place, James Johnson

Pic 11: 10K, fifth place, Stephen Kay

Pic 12: 10K, third place, Antonio Serton

Pic 13: 10K, top female, Anna Smith

Pic 14: The finish line and the Meridian Athletic Association crew

Pic 15: The lower lake in Bonita Lakes

Pic 16: The U-Coach gang, Matthew Cameron, Melinda Solomin, Ruth-Anne Hadjis, and Anna Smith