Dale Pate says goodbye to Southwest Georgia with a record race at Run To Remember

In Moultrie, Georgia, on Saturday morning, 2 August 2014, Dale Pate won Sha Missions' third annual Run To Remember 10K, setting a new event record of 39:16. Chad Johnson of Thomasville, Georgia, was the fastest master in the race, finishing fourth overall in 44:23. Another Thomasville runner, Jennifer Bendewish, took the women's title, placing ninth overall in 52:49. 15th overall in 57:05, Tracy Davis was the top woman master.


The 10K started under cloudy skies about 7:15 AM, with the Run To Remember 5K taking off simultaneously from the same starting line. Temperatures were moderate for August, but Dale Pate wasn't checking the thermometer. The Sylvester, Georgia, runner bolted out front immediately. Colquitt County High cross country runner Jake Merritt ran in second behind Pate till the third mile, when he was overtaken by Jose Trejo. Trejo, the 2013 Run To Remember 10K champion, had left Merritt behind by the halfway point of the race, but Pate was over two minutes ahead. And Pate stayed ahead, winning the race in 39:16. Trejo finished runner up in 42:24, and Gareth Pyle was third in 44:10. Master runner Chad Johnson of Thomasville's Rose City Tri Club was fourth in 44:23, and Jake Merritt finished the race fifth in 45:38.


Only months ago Pate graduated from Worth County High, where he was a standout distance runner in cross country and track for the Rams. Pate will soon be taking his athletics to the next level at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Very soon in fact.


"I leave Thursday," said Pace.


Norman Park athlete Whitney Diers was leading the women's competition at the halfway point of the Run To Remember 10K, but Jennifer Bendewish was just a few steps behind. Most of the second half of the race was an out-and-back run on the Moultrie Trail. The trail was where Bendewish caught Diers.


"It was before the turnaround, around four-and-a-half miles," said Bendewish. "But at the water stop she was still right behind me. She was always close."


Late in the race Bendewish was able to open a gap, and with 200 meters to go she was 15 seconds up on Diers. It took Bendewish's personal best 10K performance, but at the finish line she had outrun Diers for the women's title, 52:49 to 53:09. Katherine Harrell of Macon, Georgia, was third in the women's standings, finishing 13th overall in 54:59. Master runner Tracy Davis was the fourth woman finisher, 15th in 57:05.


Top Ten Men, Sha Missions' 2014 Run To Remember 10K

1. 39:16 ~ Dale Pate (M, 18) Sylvester, GA
2. 42:24 ~ Jose Trejo (M, 35) Fitzgerald, GA
3. 44:10 ~ Gareth Pyle (M, 35)
4. 44:23 ~ Chad Johnson (M, 43) Thomasville, GA
5. 45:38 ~ Jake Merritt (M, 14)
6. 47:48 ~ Juan Carlos Trejo (M, 37) Fitzgerald, GA
7. 48:59 ~ Jared Toman (M, 37) Moultrie, GA
8. 51:51 ~ Tony Sheffield (M, 43)
9. 53:52 ~ Robbie Tabb (M, 40) Leary, GA
10. 53:56 ~ Steve Middleton (M, 52)

Top Seven Women, Sha Missions' 2014 Run To Remember 10K

1. 52:49 ~ Jennifer Bendewish (F, 35) Thomasville, GA
2. 53:09 ~ Whitney Diers (F, 26) Norman Park, GA
3. 54:59 ~ Katherine Harrell (F, 30) Macon, GA
4. 57:05 ~ Tracy Davis (F, 46)
5. 57:27 ~ Anna Wade (F, 46)
6. 59:54 ~ Shannon Hall (F, 44)
7. 63:10 ~ Miriam Hunter (F, 27)

By the end of the first mile, Elizabeth Funderburk was ahead of all the other runners in the 2014 Run To Remember 5K. The Colquitt County High cross country ace was also ahead of all the runners in the 10K except for eventual winner Dale Pate. Funderburk would go on to win the 5K by nearly half a kilometer, setting a Run To Remember record of 20:12. 11-year old Moultrie runner Baylen Young held off Brad Ruis 22:14 to 22:16 for second overall and the top male spot. Adam Gatzemeier was fourth overall in 22:23. Jason Browning was the top master in the 5K, coming in fifth overall in 23:41.


The Run To Remember is an annual benefit for Sha Missions, a nonprofit Christian organization formed in memory of Sha Wetherington. Chip timing and finish line services were provided by Event Tech of Sylvester, Georgia.


Top Ten Women, Sha Missions' 2014 Run To Remember 5K

1. 20:12 ~ Elizabeth Funderburk (F, 14) Moultrie, GA
2. 25:53 ~ Skylar Gibbs (F, 24)
3. 28:36 ~ Amber Campbell (F, 31) Macon, GA
4. 29:54 ~ Javan Gay (F, 30)
5. 30:24 ~ Rebecca Mobley (F, 29)
6. 30:34 ~ Amber Cling (F, 16) Norman Park, GA
7. 30:34 ~ Carly Horne (F, 17)
8. 30:34 ~ Christin Michel Hunnicutt (F, 16) Norman Park, GA
9. 30:54 ~ Stephanie Moses (F, 35) Moultrie, GA
10. 33:21 ~ Angela Hall (F, 42) Moultrie, GA

Top Ten Men, Sha Missions' 2014 Run To Remember 5K

1. 22:14 ~ Baylen Young (M, 11) Moultrie, GA
2. 22:16 ~ Brad Ruis (M, 35)
3. 22:23 ~ Adam Gatzemeier (M, 37)
4. 23:41 ~ Jason Browning (M, 40)
5. 25:20 ~ Joshua Campbell (M, 32) Macon, GA
6. 25:44 ~ Grady Whiddon (M, 28) Doerun, GA
7. 25:44 ~ Tyler Mobley (M, 26) Moultrie, GA
8. 25:45 ~ Robert Jones (M, 28)
9. 26:59 ~ Elijah Miranda (M, 33)
10. 27:17 ~ G W Jenkins (M, 28)

Run 2 Remember 5K winners, 2012-2014
Date	Distance	Men	Women	Finishers
4 August 2012	10K	54:04, Dale Pate	54:32, Lori Richardson	34
	5K	20:30, Matt Collmar	29:38, Christy Cherry	178
17 August 2013	10K	44:40, Jose Trejo	50:26, Tiffany Powell Nunnally	20
	5K	21:05, Lucas Trejo	22:03, Elizabeth Funderburk	81
2 August 2014	10K	39:16, Dale Pate	52:49, Jennifer Bendewish	20
	5K	22:14, Baylen Young	20:12, Elizabeth Funderburk	59

Links

• Complete results of Sha Missions' "Run To Remember" at active.com
  
  • 10K: http://results.active.com/events/3rd-annual-run-2-remember/10k-overall-results/expanded
    
  • 5K http://results.active.com/events/3rd-annual-run-2-remember/5k-overall-results/expanded
    
  
  
• More photos of Sha Missions' "Run To Remember"
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10104863159151923.1073741996.5215641&l=5f18cf0f93
  
  
• Sha Missions
  http://shamissions.org/
  
  
• Find your next race in the region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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