Harris and Holdiman smokin' at Smoke Under The Oaks

If you had ever run cross country in high school or college, the scene at Bainbridge Country Club on Saturday morning, 10 August 2013 was sure to stir feelings of nostalgia. There were all those green fairways, covered with dew and just waiting to be run on. The pin flags were set out, showing where to run. Athletes stretched or jogged up and down, getting ready to run. It wasn't the first cross-country meet of the season, though. It was the inaugural Smoke Under The Oaks 5K, and the scent of burning hickory was in the air as a reminder that the race was part of the Smoke Under The Oaks Barbecue Festival.


The race started just after 8:00 AM; the runners assembled on a cart path next to the clubhouse. Chase Harris, a junior class member of the Bainbridge High cross-country team, darted to the front, closely followed by BHS senior Dre Banks and Erick Juarez. Just behind the three was Anna Holdiman, a recent graduate of Waverly-Shell Rock High in Iowa and an even more recent signee with the Florida State University women's cross-country team. After nearly three kilometers of racing, Harris had built up a 150-meter lead. Holdiman had passed Juarez and then Banks to move into second place. Tallahassee mathematician Geb Kiros was holding onto fifth place, leading the master competitors around the course.


Harris continued to run away from the field, finishing the race with a 200-meter lead in a winning 17:29. Erick Juarez caught Dre Banks then outkicked Anna Holdiman in the final hundred meters to take second in 18:23. Holdiman was the first woman across the finish line, coming in third overall at 18:24. Banks was fourth in 18:50. Jack McDermott of Tallahassee moved up late in the race to finish fifth overall in 19:01, robbing Geb Kiros of top master honors. Kiros was sixth in 19:20. Florida State sophomore distance runner Carly Thomas was the runners-up on the women's side, taking seventh in 19:25.


Top Ten Males, 2013 Smoke Under The Oaks 5K

1. 17:28.1 ~ Chase Harris (M, 16) Bainbridge, GA
2. 18:22.8 ~ Eric Juarez (M, 20) Bainbridge, GA
3. 18:49.9 ~ Dre Banks (M, 17) Bainbridge, GA
4. 19:00.2 ~ Jack McDermott (M, 44) Tallahassee, FL
5. 19:19.4 ~ Geb Kiros (M, 46) Tallahassee, FL
6. 19:30.9 ~ Michael Kennett (M, 39) Tallahassee, FL
7. 19:37.4 ~ Brenden Greene (M, 16) Bainbridge, GA
8. 19:45.6 ~ Tae Ross (M, 19) Bainbridge, GA
9. 19:50.7 ~ Ridge Harper (M, 36) Bainbridge, GA
10. 19:56.1 ~ Bennett Enfinger (M, 16) Bainbridge, GA

Top Ten Females, 2013 Smoke Under The Oaks 5K

1. 18:23.7 ~ Anna Holdiman (F, 18) Waverly, IA
2. 19:24.7 ~ Carly Thomas (F, 19) Tallahassee, FL
3. 22:37.4 ~ Paige Braswell (F, 17) Bainbridge, GA
4. 22:50.7 ~ Laura Mcdermott (F, 33) Tallahassee, FL
5. 27:27.8 ~ April Winston (F, )
6. 27:28.9 ~ Kristin Bennett (F, )
7. 27:52.1 ~ Julie Harris (F, ) Bainbridge, GA
8. 27:53.2 ~ Mary Bailey (F, 31) Camilla, GA
9. 27:54.1 ~ Casey Rea (F, )
10. 29:02.3 ~ Anita King (F, 49)

Links

• Complete results of the 2013 Smoke Under The Oaks 5K at racesplitter.com
  http://racesplitter.com/races/26C7DA94D
  
  
• More photos of the 2013 Smoke Under The Oaks 5K
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10103408536063253.1073741878.5215641&l=be856190b7
  
  
• Looking for another barbecue race? Try the Trouble Afoot! race calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1