Downtown Mount Airy hosted more than 300 participants over the weekend for the annual Downtown Rocks & Runs 5K and 10K to help raise money for The United Fund of Surry.
The United Fund’s executive director Melissa Hiatt said in the lead up to the event that the threat from Hurricane, turned Tropical Storm, turned Tropical Depression, Debby may have kept some participants who would have signed up early from doing so. However as Thursday plugged along, the anticipated high amount of rain from the slow moving storm had not really materialized.
Saturday morning as the sun shone on downtown Mount Airy, there was dew and damp grass to be sure, but there was no localized flooding or lingering aftereffects from the storm that may have necessitated an alternate route. Hiatt said an alternate course route had been determined and approved by City of Mount Airy officials and Police Chief Dale Watson.
That route would have kept runners off the normal race path that takes them onto the Greenway down toward the H.B. Rowe Environmental Park before doubling back and sending runners into Riverside Park toward Independence Boulevard. Residents of this area know that the entire low-lying area around the Ararat River, Riverside Park, and the greenway are prone to flooding after a heavy rain.
Mount Airy Public Works officials at the Doggett Water Treatment Plant said they had registered less than two inches of rain Thursday while other locations saw much higher rainfall totals or, in the case of Yadkin County, saw a heavier weather incident from Debby than did Surry County.
In all more than 330 racers participated in the Downtown Rocks & Runs with participants coming from all corners of the state and many crossed the border with a large number of participants coming up from the area around Columbia, South Carolina.
With 247 runners participating in the 5K the overall race winner on the men’s side was Orinthal Striggles of Columbia, who finished the race in 17 minutes, 41 seconds. He was followed by Isaac Riggs (17:54) of Mount Airy, and Samuel Haynes (17:58) of Cana, Virginia.
On the ladies’ side the overall winner was Joy Miller of West Columbia, who finished the 5K at 18:56. In second place was Purity Muene (19:53) of Columbia. and third place was State Road’s Ella Kleinheksel (21:25). Those finishing in the top three overall were not counted again in their age group’s final standing.
For the 5K race, age group winners in the 13 and under were Carter Kelly (22:49), representing Team Altec, and Sofia Rodriguez (30:21.2); age 14-19 Garrett Weaver (18:00.8) and Brooke Haynes (22:57); age 20-29 Nathanael Melton (23:34) and Katlin Creed (25:55.1); age 30-39 Hannah Hampton (27:05) and Roger Haynes (21:54.8).
In age group 40-49 Jeremy Weaver (20:43.2) and Amy Devore (27:35.3) of Team Northern Regional Hospital; age 50-59 Joseph Willis (24:07.6) and Beth Wease (28:15.5); age 60-69 Tom Pobgee (20:57.6) and Delcie Gunnell (38:47.7); age 70 plus, David Taylor (33:34.2) and Marie Haynes (41.47.7).
With 66 runners in the 10K race it was Lydia Mathathi of Columbia, S.C., who won the women’s group with a time of 40:04.4 followed by Marlana Riley (43:25.8) of Hamptonville and Carla Nicks (49:23.5) of Yadkinville.
Solomon Kagimbi (34:13.6) of Columbia, led the men’s field followed by Jarred Beverly (39.57.8) of Mount Airy, and Nathan Beamguard (41:23.8) of Hamptonville.
Age group winners were Brook Settle (52:05.6) and Blake Fink (43:22.5) in age group 14-19; age 20-29 Bo Starnes (52:57.3) of Team Altec and Hanna Cooke (53:00.9); age 30-39 Skyler Harrison (45:01.5) and Amber Horton (56:41.3); age 40-49 Ann Riggs (58:46.3) of Team Northern Regional and Anthony Harris (49:01.7).
In age group 50-59 the winner was Jonathan Cuthrell (52:34.2); age group 60-69 Emily Read (1:22:08.9) and Randy Burrier (52:55.9); and Bill Raabe (49:40.5) took first place in the 70 plus group.
Team Altec took home the bragging rights this year in the team competition for having the most participants, at 30, over their chief rival Northern Regional Hospital, at 26. This represented a changing of the guard from last year when it was the team from NRH besting Altec by eight runners. The Galax Running Club and Policy Pirates also fielded teams this year.
After the grown-ups had crossed the finish line and were handed participation medals featuring Mayberry’s Ernest T. Bass, official “spokes-yokel” of the event, the pace was slowed somewhat for the little ones in attendance to take part in the annual Fun Run.
The kids lined up and parents as families gathered to watch and the junior racers took off like a shot from a cannon down South Main Street toward Church Street. One little racer took a tumble and the tears started flowing which prompted other racers to stop in their tracks, perhaps a testament to their adolescent sense of empathy.
Mount Airy Parks and Recreation Director Peter Raymer showed off a broad smile as the second round of racers crossed back over the finish line, the fun run having delivered on the promise of its name — and without any additional scraped knees along the way.
The United Fund of Surry uses the Downtown Rocks & Runs as a sort of launchpad for their annual campaign. Funds raised from the race, and other United Fund events, go to help fund the organization that supports over two dozen local nonprofit groups who serve over a third of Surry County residents. According to Hiatt, that number is likely to continue to grow as the population of the county continues its aging trend.
This campaign season the United Fund of Surry has set a goal of $575.000; the group raised a total of $529,000 last year. Final numbers for this year’s race were still being tabulated at time of press.
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