119 runners take part in Gator Chase 5K in Spanish Fort

Yesterday, I found myself among the 119 runners that took part in the Gator Chase 5K and Fun Run in Spanish Fort, and it was a picture perfect day for a foot race.

The 5-K (3.1-mile) race began at 8 a.m. at Meaher State Park in Spanish Fort, and it was 36 degrees under clear and sunny skies at race start time. The one-mile fun run began at 9 a.m.

The 5-K course began near the park entrance, but mostly consisted of an out-and-back stretch on the Spanish Fort Causeway. The course was mostly a flat track on asphalt, except for a slight hill on the Causeway before the turn around for the final stretch back to the finish line inside the park.

Reece Stevens, 14, of Spanish Fort was the overall male winner. He ran the race in 18:43, an average of 6:01 per mile.

Joy Lueck, 30, of Spanish Fort was the overall female winner. She finished the race in 23:10, an average of 7:27 per mile.

I finished 27th overall and fifth in the 30-39 male division. I crossed the finish line in 25:01, an average of 8:04 per mile. For the complete race results, visit http://www.productionsbylittleredhen.com/resultsinfo4.asp?raceid=gatch10.

Runners in the race came from all over, but mostly from Baldwin and Mobile counties. Runners in the race represented Atmore, Bay Minette, Biloxi, Miss., Daphne, Excel, Flomaton, Foley, Grand Bay, Gulf Port, Miss., Loxley, Mobile, Moss Point, Miss., Ocean Springs, Miss., Pascagoula, Miss., Pelham, Pensacola, Fla., Saraland, Satsuma, Semmes, Silver Hill and Spanish Fort.

When it comes to races of this sort, they are often judged on the quality of their race t-shirts, and this race gets an A+ in that category. The Gator Chase 5K shirt was a high quality shirt with a stylish logo across the front. The back listed the race’s many sponsors. I meant to post a picture of the shirt, but just didn’t get around to it.

Another interesting thing about this race was that it began and ended inside of a state park, which appeared to have a number of guests camping in several dozen RVs near the park entrance. The race began early on a Saturday morning, and I wondered about how many folks didn’t get to sleep in because of all the race activity. Who knows? Maybe some of the folks in the RVs actually took part in the race.

The park, located at 5200 Battleship Parkway East, offered a nice setting for the race. The park consists of 1,327 acres and is located along the Mobile Bay’s wetlands. It features camping hook-ups, a picnic area, bathhouses, laundry facilities, a boat ramp, a fishing pier and two nature trails. The park is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to sunset. Entrance fees are 50 cents for children 6-11, $1 for visitors 12-61 and 50 cents for seniors age 62 and older.

The Gator Chase 5K and Fun Run benefited the Spanish Fort Education Enrichment Foundation, which provides educational enrichment opportunities for students in Spanish Fort schools.