Chris Holt and Abby Patterson gather kudos at the First Option Care 5K

The First Option Care 5K returned to Thomasville, Georgia for a second annual running on Saturday morning, and Chris Holt was there. A Thomasville athlete, Holt won the race by more than 600 meters, running 21:22. Abby Patterson of Sylvester, Georgia was the first woman in the race, finishing fifth overall in 26:50.


Cairo, Georgia's Seth Stanaland was runner-up to Holt at 24:18. Dax Maisto of Thomasville took third in 25:27.


Just 30 meters behind Abby Patterson, Susan Hutchinson of Poulan, Georgia was the top master runner in the race and the second female finisher, placing sixth overall in 27:01. Brady Hammond placed third in the women's standings and seventh overall in 28:10.


Richard Vaupel of Thomasville was the first male master in the 5K, placing sixth in the men's standings and eighth overall in 28:20.


90 athletes finished the 2019 First Option Care 5K. Event Technical Service, Inc., of Sylvester, Georgia timed the race.


Top Ten Men, 2019 First Option Care 5K

1. 21:22, Chris Holt (M, 37) Thomasville, GA
2. 24:18, Seth Stanaland (M, 34) Cairo, GA
3. 25:27, Dax Maisto (M, 38) Thomasville, GA
4. 26:20, Ricky Lackey (M, 35) Cairo, GA
5. 28:13, Caleb Waller (M, 16) Thomasville, GA
6. 28:20, Richard Vaupel (M, 71) Thomasville, GA
7. 29:02, Gray Patterson (M, 17) Sylvester, GA
8. 33:13, Daniel Hammond (M)
9. 34:11, Caleb Lynch (M)
10. 34:11, Jonathon Lynch (M)

Top Ten Women, 2019 First Option Care 5K

1. 26:50, Abby Patterson (F, 22) Sylvester, GA
2. 27:01, Susan Hutchinson (F, 67) Poulan, GA
3. 28:10, Brady Hammond (F)
4. 28:37, Ashley Griffin (F, 37) Thomasville, GA
5. 29:13, Shelby Sutton (F, 17) Sumner, GA
6. 30:52, Lana Baughman (F, 23) Thomasville, GA
7. 30:55, Samantha Green (F, 46) Thomasville, GA
8. 30:55, Kimberly Cooper (F, 45) Whigham, GA
9. 31:01, Morgan Singleton (F, 21) Pelham, GA
10. 31:01, Sherrie Jones (F)

First Option Care 5K winners, 2018 - 2019
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
10 February 2018	19:36, Adam Graham	28:40, Julie Posey	25
9 February 2019	21:22, Chris Holt	26:50, Abby Patterson	90

Links

• Complete results of the 2019 First Option Care 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQasNlmBbeLS03TPvhyMm7YuzYoAvPPpggUhbJ1kSxjTKyQ95f9Oh_MfeGOTdF-1UrtaA8-oD0tvf0f/pubhtml
  
  
• Upcoming races in Thomasville and other cities in the region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2428

More distance at Encounter 316 means more wins for Guyas and Johnson

Tallahassee athlete Paul Guyas won the Encounter 316 five-mile run on Saturday morning, 18 June 2016. Guyas covered the five miles through the streets of Thomasville, Georgia in 31:25. Beverly Johnson was the first woman in the race, finishing fourth overall in 40:05.


I don't have a large enough sample size to state a statistically significant conclusion, but my gut feeling is that there is a trend of races adding longer distance events to their program. For example, fixtures that have gotten by with a 5K and a one-mile fun run for years are including a 10K on the menu. Other races are suddenly offering a half marathon option. This is just a casual observation that I don't intend to explore any farther, so if you want to crunch some numbers and get a scholarly paper out of it then feel free.


Encounter 316 fueled my suspicions by starting out in 2015 as a 5K race, then adding the five mile event in 2016. Guyas took advantage of the longer run, as did Thomasville's Chad Johnson. Johnson was the fastest master runner in the five mile, finishing second overall in 34:47. Lance Parker took third in 36:55.


Polyanna Bass was the first woman master in the race, placing second in the women's standings behind Beverly Johnson. Bass was sixth overall in 45:31. Lori Richardson was the third female finisher, coming in tenth overall in 47:16.


Top Ten Men, 2016 Encounter 316 Five Mile

1. 31:25 ~ Paul Guyas (M, 38)
2. 34:47 ~ Chad Johnson (M, 45)
3. 36:55 ~ Lance Parker (M, 34)
4. 42:35 ~ Tony Gilbert (M, 61)
5. 46:09 ~ Todd Bennett (M, 51)
6. 46:57 ~ Jeremy Emmett (M, 37)
7. 47:06 ~ Frank Hachmuth (M, 51)
8. 47:49 ~ Jeffrey Drawdy (M, 38)
9. 60:45 ~ Abhilash Parepally (M, 27)
10. 64:23 ~ Divya Prabhat Gundepa (M, 27)

Top Ten Women, 2016 Encounter 316 Five Mile

1. 40:05 ~ Beverly Johnson (F, 38)
2. 45:31 ~ Pollyanna Bass (F, 42)
3. 47:16 ~ Lori Richardson (F, 30)
4. 50:20 ~ Robin Cartright (F, 38)
5. 50:49 ~ Susan Bennett (F, 45)
6. 57:08 ~ Kathy Payne (F, 36)
7. 61:14 ~ Hart Arlene (F, 45)
8. 66:07 ~ Jean Krier (F, 54)
9. 66:09 ~ Jane Krier (F, 54)
10. 66:51 ~ Kasi Ross (F, 28)

The five mile didn't replace the 5K at Encounter 316; it supplemented it. The 3.1-mile race was still on the Encounter 316 schedule and Chris Holt of Thomasville won in 22:27. Tallahassee's Martha Guyas took the women's title, coming in second overall in 23:18.


Top Ten Men, 2016 Encounter 316 5K

1. 22:26.49 ~ Chris Holt (M, 34)
2. 23:33.74 ~ Christopher Warren (M, 33)
3. 24:06.09 ~ Jacob Smith (M, 35)
4. 24:11.55 ~ Austin Willis (M, 11)
5. 25:51.97 ~ Matthew Huddleston (M, 52)
6. 26:16.81 ~ Tyler Fulton (M, 17)
7. 26:19.79 ~ Devin Moss (M, 29)
8. 26:38.16 ~ Alan Matthews (M, 52)
9. 27:09.60 ~ Will Bundrick (M, 36)
10. 28:42.09 ~ Allen Corbin (M, 51)

Top Ten Women, 2016 Encounter 316 5K

1. 23:17.03 ~ Martha Guyas (F, 31)
2. 24:37.14 ~ Anna James (F, 13)
3. 25:15.03 ~ Wendy Owens (F, 45)
4. 25:43.78 ~ Nancy Herring (F, 61)
5. 27:39.75 ~ Melinda Owens (F, 36)
6. 29:20.33 ~ Miff Hendriksen (F, 61)
7. 29:30.84 ~ Tina Carson (F, 41)
8. 29:53.18 ~ Alison Parker (F, 33)
9. 31:21.26 ~ Abigail Clark (F, 21)
10. 31:31.51 ~ Eleanor Hall (F, 53)

Encounter 316 winners, 2015 - 2016
Date	Distance	Men	Women	Finishers
27 June 2015	5 km	18:35, Daniel Anthony	21:26, Ashley Saba	130
18 June 2016	5 mi	31:25, Paul Guyas	40:05, Beverly Johnson	20
	5 km	22:27, Chris Holt	23:18, Martha Guyas	46

Links

• Complete results of the 2016 Encounter 316 Run at gulfwinds.org
  http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2016/Encounter%20316%202016.asp
  
  
• 2015 story, “Anthony and Saba fastest at Thomasville's first Encounter 316 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/06/316-2015.html
  
  
• Upcoming races, chapter and verse, on the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1722