Kiwanis Run Turnout Tops 100
Harvey Simpson - Cordele Dispatch

Pictured are the top performers in Monday’s Cordele Kiwanis Club 8K run. In the front row are, from left, Rae Anne Watkins of Tucker, JoAnn Pope of Albany, Molly McWilliams of Cordele and Cynthia Richmond of Cobb. In the back row are, from left, Mike Beeman of Tifton, Frank Eady of McIntyre, Brian Grimsley of Gray and Kerry Underwood of Ty Ty.
Harvey Simpson/Cordele Dispatch /

From as nearby as a few blocks from the start/finish line to as far away as Virginia they came 101 strong Monday to compete in the inaugural Cordele Kiwanis Club Memorial Day 8K.

And at the conclusion of the grueling run that was just 56 1/3 yards short of an even five miles, Cordele’s Molly McWilliams and Ty Ty’s Kerry Underwood were the overall female and male winners with times of 36.06 and 30.49, respectively.

“I thought the course was difficult in that it was just so hot,” said McWilliams who said she “had a good time despite the heat and

the several long hills that were deceivingly tough. Overall, it was a fun course that I really enjoyed.”

McWilliams, who normally runs a race “every two months of so,” described yesterday’s 8K as “a fun, social event during which dad (her father Bill placed first in the 55-59-year-old division) and I encouraged some friends to run with us.

“With this being my first 8K race, I was a little surprised at my time. I took a chance going out fast early on. It (that strategy) kind of caught up with me there at the end but I found something deep inside to be able to finish strong.

“I kind of realized my abilities on Saturday (when she had placed as the second female overall in the Loop the Lake 5K at Lake Blackshear with a time of 21:22). I figured I could push it again today so I did.

“Still,” continued McWilliams who plans to run in Saturday’s Torture Trail 10K at Eatonton where she clocked 47:59 last year), “I’m kind of surprised I did as well. At the same time, I’m honored to win.”

Other top feminine entries included Tucker’s Rae Anne Watkins, whose time of 45:41 earned her grand masters honors; Albany’s JoAnn Pope, whose clocking of 55.25 qualified her as the super grandmaster, and Cobb’s Cynthia Richmond, a Crisp County Middle School teacher whose time of 41:20 earned her designation as female masters.

In addition to Underwood’s top overall performance in the masculine ranks, Tifton’s Mike Beeman took masters honors with a 32:30 run; McIntyre’s Frank Eady was great grandmaster at 37:40, and Gray’s Brian Grimsley was grandmaster at 35:37.

“I like out-and-back events like this one as you can see where you stand when you make the turnaround,” said Underwood in describing the course that started at the middle school wound past the high school and returned to the middle school.

“The weather was very humid, though, so it didn’t take long to break a sweat, especially on the couple of inclines — one going out and coming back. I run somewhere just about every weekend, though, and like it warm like it was today.”

Jokingly acknowledging that he now “holds the course record since this was the first one,” Underwood said events like this help to prepare him for the Rocket City Marathon (26.2-mile) he plans to enter this summer at Huntsville, Ala.

“Overall, it was a well-organized run and I appreciate Benny (Wade, the race director who normally competes in such events himself but sat this one out in order to avoid a conflict with his duties) and the Kiwanis Club for putting it on.”

Wade was ecstatic over the turnout that in addition to competing in the race took part in an early morning memorial service honoring all those who have served the United States from Bunker Hill in the American Revolutionary War to Iraq today.

“We were hoping to hit 100 entries and we did,” Wade said after the awards ceremony during which Kiwanis Lt. Gov. Dewey Smith of Albany passed out trophies and ribbons.

“We had a good turnout of runners, a good list of sponsors and a pile of volunteers who helped things go as smoothly as they did, although we did experience a few minor glitches.

“When we started planning for the race last February, we picked out this date to hold it because in my 23 years of running I’d never known a race to be held in this area on Memorial Day. In fact, there were only seven being held today throughout the entire Southeast.

“All things considered, I really feel this is a good time to hold our event that we’re planning on making an annual affair.”

The last three in the race today were Kiwans Club president Bill Hughes' 70-year-old sister, his daughter and his granddaughter. It was the first race of any type the three had ever entered.

His sister, Frances Crow, and granddaughter, Kristin Easom, won first place in their age groups and his daughter, Tina Orrick, won second place in her age group.

The top finishers, their hometowns and their clockings in each of the age divisions during Monday’s Cordele Kiwanis Club’s 8K race were as follows:

MALES

Overall Winner – Kerry Underwood, Ty Ty, 30:49.

Masters – Mike Beeman, Tifton, 32.30.

Grandmaster – Brian Grimsley, Gray, 35:37.

Super Grandmaster – Frank Eady, McIntyre, 37:40.

70-74 – Jim Hite, Millen, 47:59, and Ken Ruppert, Albany, 50:30.

65-69 – John Rakestraw, Tallahassee, 39:24); Jack Grimes, Macon, 40:04, and Bill Pack, Cordele, 46:30.

60-64 – David Watkins, Tucker, 42:43; Danny Wall, Leesburg, 50:20, and Richard Marshall, no hometown listed, 59:10.

55-59 – Bill McWilliams, Cordele, 42:54; Jim Shenue, Albany, 44:47; Larry Golain, no hometown listed, 52:09.

50-54 – Roger Keel, Beulah, Ala., 37:23; Tommy Hllman, Irwinton, 39:46, and Terry Patterson, Macon, 41:38.

45-49 – Mitchell Sinyard, Hawkinsville, 32:42; Homer King, Macon, 35:50, and Charlie Manson, Elko, 36:18.

40-49 – Buddy Davis, Gray, 33:17; Gary Skeen, Perry, 36:10, and (no first name listed) Worley, Ft. Benning, 41:57.

35-39 – Gerry Nipper, Cordele, 34:34; Tripp Conner, Vienna, 41:40, and Johnny Johnson, Americus, 42:33.

30-34 – Blake Greene, Cordele, 41:17.

25-29 – Scott Berrier, Macon, 32:15, and Paul Hrad, Warner Robins, 33:45.

15-19 – Geremy Skeen, Perry, 39.23.

11-14 – Nathan Norton, Americus, 33:48, and Taylor Withers, no home town listed, 36.05.

10-and-Under – Colin Little, Warner Robins, 58:20.

FEMALES

Overall Winner – Molly McWilliams, Cordele, 36:06.

Masters – Cynthia Richmond, Cobb, 41:20.

Grandmasters – Reeanne Watkins, Tucker, 45:41.

Super Grandmasters – JoAnn Pope, Albany, 55:25.

70-74 – Frances Crow, Cordele, 1:29.54.

65-69 – Joyce Hodge-Hite, Millen, 57.26.

60-64 – Barbara Mayo, McDonough, 1:29.56.

55-59 – Luanne Sewell, Vienna, 46:11; Kathy Williams, Dexter, 51:33, and Janice Vick, Cordele, 1:05.38.

50-54 – Brenda Wall, Leesburg, 1:10.24, and Paula Greene, Cordele, 1:29.33.

45-49 – Carol Wiggins, Americus, 44:54; Susan Akridge, Sale City, 47:29, and Melissa Hall, Cordele, 53:45.

40-44 – Suzanne Moree, Albany, 52:51, and Tina Orrick, Cordele, 1:29.55.

35-39 – Dale Lawson, Cordele, 41:42; Melodie McGlamry, Abbeville, 42:08, and Kathy Bradford, Vienna, 44:02.

30-34 – Billie Lumley, Danville, 52:22; Stacie McGair, Cordele, 1:05.36, and Lauren Greene, Raleigh, N.C., 1:29.31.

25-29 – Kathryn Ellis, Albany, 36:16; Tiffany Brantley, Eastman, 36:26, and Julie Raislums, LaGrange, 41:33.

20-24 – Suzanne Givan, Cordele, 36:13; Callie Rackley, Sylvester, 52:56, and Elexis Wade, Arabi, 1:11.12.

10-and-Under – Kristin Easom, Cordele, 1:29.55.