There was a photo finish in the annual 5K for FCA on Monday morning at Chattanooga State.
Geno Phillips was the defending champ for the 10K, but he opted for the shorter 3.1-mile course.
The 44-year-old middle school teacher won it too, but he had to run for his life in the final stretch to beat Jonathan Boyd, an up-and-coming high school standout. Both were given times of 16 minutes, 55 seconds, but Phillips was victorious by less than a step.
While these two were battling step for step at the front, Dean Thompson was third overall and the masters champ with a time of 17:19. Thompson was the 5K winner last year.
Jennifer Curtis was the female winner in the 5K with a time of 20:54 while Ashley Patrick was the runner-up in 21:51. Amy Baird was the third female in 22:20.
Jeremy Miller and Karla Vradenburgh were winners in the 10K race with times of 37:54 and 44:46.
Both races started at the same time next to the lake in front of Chattanooga State. After going around the circle and heading to Amnicola Highway, the runners turned toward town before turning right again into the Tennessee Riverpark.
The 5K turned right again onto the sidewalk by the boat ramp while the 10K runners went on out a little further.
The 5K stayed on the sidewalk before turning right into the rear entrance of the Chattanooga State campus and heading to the finish line just past the tennis courts.
Boyd, who won the first race in the Chattanooga Cross Country League on Tuesday at Camp Jordan, has been running this race since he was seven. He was the leader for most of the way, but Phillips dug down deep and pulled out the win in the final stretch.
“I just got lucky,” said Phillips afterward.
“We ran together the whole way, but I ended up passing him in the final 100 meters. I was hoping that he’d drop off in the second or third mile, but he never did. I won that 8K downtown yesterday and was a little bit sore, but I was hoping to break 17 minutes and I did.
“I won this race back in 2005 and again today, but I had to run as hard as I could to beat Jonathan. He’s a good runner,” Phillips added.
“I led for the first mile and hung with him the rest of the way, but he outkicked me at the end,” the 15-year-old home-schooled sophomore expressed afterward.
“I was able to keep a steady pace and I’m happy about that, but this was a personal record on this course by about 90 seconds. I started my running career on this course when I was seven and have done it every year since, but I need to work on my finish,” he concluded with a smile.
While Phillips and Boyd were battling for first place, Thompson had the best spot to watch the race unfold. He was just happy that Phillips pulled it out.
“I just trailed behind them, but I watched it develop. It was a fun race, but they were finishing about the time I came around the final turn. I’m happy that Geno won because that means I won the masters division,” Thompson, who’ll celebrate his 50th birthday on Friday, added.
Curtis posted a time of 20:54 to win the women’s division after winning the Superhero 10K on August 22 at Enterprise South. This 33-year-old social worker has been paying her dues in training, but she’s yet to have the breakthrough race she’s looking for.
“I pushed as hard as I could and was hoping to be around 20, but I’ll get there. I love this race as it supports a great cause, but I may have started out too fast. There weren’t any real hills on this course and that was nice, but I’ll do anything to support the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and to promote the gospel,” she added.
Patrick is a 29-year-old pharmacist who lives and works in Ringgold. She came really close to the time she was shooting for and within 12 seconds of her personal best.
“It was a fun race, but it was hot. I went out pretty fast and I was hoping to be around 21:50. The good news is that it was flat,” she explained.
Miller was third overall in the 10K last year, but he was the winner this time despite running about 17 seconds slower than last year. He actually prefers longer trail runs, but he did just fine on a road course this time.
“I knew I’d have a better shot at winning if the faster guys chose to run the 5K,” the 38-year-old project manager at Chattem said after receiving his overall award for the longer race.
“I’ve never won a race in Chattanooga before. Ryan wasn’t far behind me, so I was running scared after we turned around at the half-way point. I think I could have run faster if it had been about 30 degrees cooler,” he laughed.
Heming was fifth last year, so the 31-year-old personal trainer at Gold’s Gym was actually happy with Monday’s results.
“I went out strong and led for about a mile. I had a great race and a great day as I just did the best I could do. I would have loved to have won, but I’ll take second,” he nodded.
Vradenburgh is a 21-year-old employee of the Chattanooga Software Center who really didn’t have any goals on Monday. She just wanted to get a good workout on a good course for a good cause and she was able to accomplish all three.
“It was a little rough as I started out too fast with all of the 5K runners. I haven’t done many 10Ks, but it was a good course. I started cramping around the fifth mile, but I just pushed through until I finished,” she added.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)