Perfect running conditions and the fastest course in Salisbury drew more than 225 runners to the seventh annual Teens With a Mission 5K on Friday night.
Josh Readling of Salisbury was the overall winner with a time of 18 minutes and 16 seconds, and Elizabeth Murphy of Granite Quarry led the females with a time of 21 minutes and 35 seconds.
Christian Kluttz won the half mile fun run over another 20 runners, all 12 and under, with a time of 4 minutes and 4 seconds.
Martin Thorne of Salisbury led the male Masters runners with a time of 19:51, while Leigh Graham of Salisbury was the top female Masters runner with a clocking of 24:04. Masters runners are those who are 40 or more years of age.
Top sponsors for the event were Gordon and Carolyn Hurley, Jeff and Lyn Beaver, Bob and Sara Cook, Bob and Margaret Harris, Innes Street Drug, Lowe’s Home Improvement and PepsiCo.
TWAM, or Teens With a Mission, is a service organization of First Presbyterian Church in Salisbury. All proceeds from the event will help to fund an international mission trip this summer to San Jose, Costa Rica. The teens will be building a home for a family in need. The teens and advisers who will make the trip headed a huge number of volunteers from the church to work the race.
“This was our second year of having our race in the downtown area, and even with several huge races nearby, we had another spectacular turnout,” race director Tricia Johnson said. “We had great sponsorship and volunteers once again. This is a happening. There was so much energy here tonight. We already can’t wait till next year.”
Top Masters runner Thorne once again bested his previous 5K efforts. “They were not lying about this course,” he said. “I loved it. The cool temperatures were nice too.”
Jim Crotts of Clemmons is a regular at Salisbury area races. “Runners feel special when they come here,” he said, “and I especially look forward to the TWAM race. I will definitely be back.”
Bobby and Nicole Aswell came from Davidson, bypassing a huge race in the Charlotte area. Nicole set a personal best 5K time at age 10, while Bobby was the third overall finisher. Bobby said “This is one of our favorite races. We loved the engraved hammers for the winners. And the food, what a spread! See you next year.”
For the second straight year, the TWAM events were part of Salisbury’s Friday Night Out. Race workers Dan and Pam Roseman headed that way as soon as the 5K was complete.
Results are at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org