The Crowdis Run continues with wins by Gibson and Winkler

Over two decades ago in Blakely, Georgia, Donalsonville's Myles Gibson won the 1993 James H. Crowdis 5K. It was the thirteenth annual Crowdis, and anyone superstitious about the number thirteen will be interested to know that thirteenth race had to be rescheduled because of a severe winter storm. Sporting events don't often get snowed out in south Georgia. The thirteenth Crowdis 5K wasn't unlucky for Gibson, though, and neither was the eighteenth race on 19 July 2014 where the master runner picked up his second Crowdis title with an 18:12 victory. The Crowdis 5K had been on hiatus from 1996 to 2011 before being revived as an annual event in 2012; Gibson is the first runner to have won both the original race and the revived one. Blakely athlete Margaret Scarborough had also run in the original Crowdis 5K during the 1990s, finishing high in the women's standings but never at the top. As master runner Margaret Winkler, though, she won the women's division at the 2014 Crowdis, placing 16th overall in 23:24. It was the largest Crowdis 5K since the race's revival, with 103 finishers.


The race started just after 8:15 AM from in front of Blakely First United Methodist Church. The runners were sent on their way with a countdown by race director Tony Gilbert, the winner of the first James H. Crowdis 5K in 1981. Myles Gibson was out in front after the first 800 meters, with Bainbridge High runner Caleb Harris a few steps back with Ed Shattles. Davy Helms trailed Harris and Shattles. When the runners turned around at the halfway point to head back to the church, Gibson had a lead of nearly half a minute. Harris was still in second, but Helms had moved up to run with Harris and Shattles.


1200 meters from the finish line Gibson was still running away from the rest of the field Meanwhile Helms had dropped Shattles and Harris to take over second. Chasing Helms, Shattles had taken sole possession of third, leaving Harris behind in fourth.


Rain started to fall as Gibson approached the finish line. The Donalsonville master runner barely had time to get damp, though, before he raced home first in 18:12. When Davy Helms claimed second in 19:23, the pavement was just starting to get moist. Ed Shattles finished third in 19:42 and Caleb Harris fourth in 20:07 before the rain got heavy. It was a full shower, though, when Kurt Anthony placed fifth in 20:37.


Margaret Winkler got ahead of the women's field early and widened the margin steadily throughout the race on her way to her 23:24 win. Bonifay master runner Val Lichner was second in the women's standings for the second year in a row, placing 18th overall in 24:29. Likewise, Jill Wofsey had been third behind Lichner in 2013 and was again in 2014; Wofsey was 20th overall in 24:47.


Top Ten Men, 2014 Dr. James H. Crowdis 5K

1. 18:12 ~ Myles Gibson (M, 48) Donalsonville, GA
2. 19:23 ~ Davy Helms (M, 30)
3. 19:42 ~ Ed Shattles (M, 51)
4. 20:07 ~ Caleb Harris (M, 13)
5. 20:37 ~ Kurt Anthony (M, 49)
6. 21:01 ~ Mark McCarra (M, 49)
7. 21:44 ~ Shawn Harris (M, 28)
8. 21:55 ~ Jay Wrenn (M, 50)
9. 22:09 ~ Andy Tucker (M, 28)
10. 22:16 ~ Blake Holley (M, 15)

Top Ten Women, 2014 Dr. James H. Crowdis 5K

1. 23:24 ~ Margaret Winkler (F, 40) Blakely, GA
2. 24:29 ~ Val Lichner (F, 55)
3. 24:47 ~ Jill Wofsey (F, 51)
4. 26:41 ~ Cathy Jones (F, 54)
5. 26:47 ~ Julie Harris (F, 48)
6. 27:20 ~ Tara Whaley (F, 39)
7. 28:07 ~ Darlene Cowart (F, 47)
8. 29:22 ~ Malisa Jordan (F, 43)
9. 29:27 ~ Suzanne Angell (F, 48)
10. 29:37 ~ Ginger Cushing (F, 40)
11. 29:53 ~ Wendy Powell (F, 44)

James H. Crowdis Run 5K Champions, 1981-2013
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
28 MAR 1981	17:14, Tony Gilbert	21:09, Connie Cullifer
27 MAR 1982	17:20, Brian Doby	, Connie Cullifer	108
12 MAR 1983	16:19, Kirk Thomas	20:10, Maurine Farley	143
10 MAR 1984	15:50, Louis Floyd	21:16, Ann Lee	139
9 MAR 1985	15:46, Mike Mead	19:54, Donna Duty	179
9 MAR 1986	15:31, Mike Mead	19:36, Donna Duty	198
14 MAR 1987	15:20, Lee Fidler	19:36, Donna Duty	158
12 MAR 1988	15:53, John Devine	18:59, Janice Hochstein	151
11 MAR 1989	14:59, Matt Parker	17:03, Kim Byrd	178
10 MAR 1990	15:05, Matt Parker	19:47, Donna Duty	152
9 MAR 1991	15:36, Matt Parker	18:29, Connie Robertson	130
14 MAR 1992	14:52, Paul Waldron	20:09, Janice Hochstein	102
15 MAY 1993*	16:54, Myles Gibson	20:22, Donna Duty	65
12 MAR 1994	16:51, Scott Hoxie	18:32, Connie Robertson	97
11 MAR 1995	16:54, Dale Thomas	19:19, Connie Robertson	105
No race held, 1996-2011
3 SEP 2012	18:27, Jonathon Davison	23:13, Debra Hunter	87
13 JUL 2013	17:34, Chase Harris	21:14, Paige Braswell	88
19 JUL 2014	18:12, Myles Gibson	23:24, Margaret Winkler	103
* The 1993 race was originally scheduled for March 13, but was one of several races in the region that day postponed by a severe winter storm. A huge "thank you" to Larry Dykes of the Dothan Runners for his help in filling many blanks in the above history.

Links

• Complete results of the 2014 Dr. James H. Crowdis 5K
  http://crowdisrun.weebly.com/2014-results.html
  
  
• More photos of the 2014 Dr. James H. Crowdis 5K
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10104805628703403.1073741993.5215641&l=625c9944d1
  
  
• 2013 story, "Bainbridge High athletes Harris and Braswell conquer Crowdis 5K"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/07/crowdis-201313.html
  
  
• 2012 story, "Early County harrier Jonathon Davison leads 87 runners in resurrecting the Crowdis 5K"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/09/crowdis-5k.html
  
  
• Dr. James H. Crowdis Run web site
  http://crowdisrun.weebly.com/
  
  
• Find your next race in the Apalachee region using the Trouble Afoot! calendar:
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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