It was an early Saturday morning at Pleasant Run Creek Park, but that didn’t stop runners and walkers from coming out to participate in the annual Tennessee Forest Festival 5K run. This is the second year the race has been held as one of the several events that are part of the Tennessee Forest Festival.
There were 13 participants ranging in age from four to 68. The weather was just right for a morning run with a backdrop of beautiful scenery. Forest Festival board member Caitlin Plunk shared about the race and why Pleasant Run was the chosen location for it to be held.
“We just, we wanted to open this up for all participants, you know, we wanted to try, last year when we were talking about different events for the Forest Festival, we came up with the idea of a 5K and we really, over the past few years for it to just be the second year we’ve had a really good turnout so far and we’re happy with it and we hope to continue to see it grow,” said Caitlin, who likes the healthy lifestyle aspect the 5K brings to the Forest Festival. “I think that it’s awesome you know especially if we can get a lot of young kids out here you know to run and implement good healthy habits I think it is really important.
Women’s Division
| Age 0 – 10 | Age 11 – 17 | Age 18 – 35 |
| Lennox Canady – 37:23 | Morga Houston – 49:57 Lily Porch – 49:58 | Kat Canady – 41:50 |
| Age 36 – 55 | Age 56+ | |
| None | Ellen Fulghum – 42:35 Sherry Kuroda – 41:28 Kim Paras – 52:17 |
Men’s Division
| Age 0 – 10 | Age 11 – 17 | Age 18 – 35 |
| Porter Canady – 37:31 | Matthew Townsend – 41:24 Pierson Townsend – 24:30 |
| Age 36 – 55 | Age 56+ | |
| Clayton Canady – 37:32 Daniel Domonique – 31:22 | Mark Fulghum – 42:34 |
Participants crossed the finish line, one by one, and some in pairs. It was a family affair for the Canady family from Whiteville.
“So, I started running last year after doing a 5K and learned that I enjoyed it and the kids picked up on it and they started, they wanted to run with Daddy, so we just continued Myself and my daughter ran a 5K a few months ago and she loved it and our boy he wanted to get one so we came out and ran the trails today. It was a great trail. it was a great race. We enjoyed every bit of it,” said Clayton Canady.
“I think we enjoyed most today about this race was that it was local We wanted to do one that was close to home and this is our first time being on the trails out here now we know and we can come back as a family and do it togehter.
Sherry Koroda of Middleton stated running in her late forties/early fifties and has never stopped
“I’ve been running for about 20 years, give or take a few, and what I like about running is how i feel after the run I always feel great all my hormones are swirling around and I just feel really good. Feel like facing the day.
It was differnt terrain for Koroda, but she still enjoyed the run.
This run was challenging. especially being a trail run and I’m, used to running on a paved run, so the hills, and I enjoyed being out in nature too.
Daniel Dominue, who was the first to finish the race, ran with 265 pounds of additional weight. He shared how he managed completing the race carrying more than his body weight.
“I do a lot of strength training as well as running that’s probably the reason for it,” said Dominique.
All participants received a medal and a T-shirt.
