Sixty-three runners and 21 walkers lined up in downtown Collins on Saturday May 6 ready to race in the 10^th annual edition of the Okatoma Festival River 5K Run along a nice course plenty of rolling hills. Seventeen children and their parents participated in the 1-mile fun run. The forecast rain never arrived, making for nice weather conditions with temperatures in the 60’s and overcast skies.

In the 5K run Mark Lipking, Murray Mills, and Keith Murray took an early lead and quickly pulled away from the rest of the group. At the end, 47-years-old veteran Lipking defeated the two teenagers crossing first in a time of 19:05 followed by Mills in 19:11 and Murray in 19:17. In the women’s race Miriam Allred won easily in 23:40. It was a close race for second place as Cherie Dill just beat out Teresa Crothers, the Masters winner, in the last yard. Both runners finished in 24:27. Pine Belt Pacers Nestor Raul Anzola led the walkers winning the race in 33:34, just eight second ahead of Carolyn Graham, who took the women’s title (33:42). Marshall McKellar and Sara Golson won the 1-mile race.

There were a lot of runners from the Hattiesburg area who got trophies in the different categories. However, I don’t know whether they are PBP club members. Laurel resident Iva Lightsey placed first in her age group.