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Dahlonega resident Penny Sharp and her dog Clarence Oddbody make up some time as they race through downtown in the Wimpy Mile.
It was bigger and better than ever. Despite freezing temperatures at the starting line, the field of competitors gathered next to Hancock Park on Saturday morning.
An enthusiastic group of runners, ranging from kids to adults and even pets, readied themselves for the third annual Wimpy Mile.
The event, organized by the Dahlonega Sunrise Rotary Club, had a record number of participants this year.
“We saw very good continued growth in sponsorship and a big 60 percent jump in participation,” said Rotary representative Pat Conarro. “This year we had 253 people register, up from 158 last year.”
Conarro added that the Rotary appreciated the contributions of The Nugget as this year’s Presenting Sponsor.
“Dahlonega Sunrise Rotary is proud to report that the 3rd annual Wimpy Mile was well-received and very successful,” he said.
The race took runners from downtown Dahonega to the all-downhill stretch of Wimpy Mill Road.
It’s unlike most charity races, as the race course is designed with a user-friendly theme that appeals to any kind of runner.
The event has taken on its own personality,” said Conarro, “namely, a real opportunity for serious runners to click a competitive time, and also a course that encourages those who want to participate at their own pace, under any circumstances, all with the LCHS band pumping up the crowd.”
With that in mind, finishing times for the race ran the spectrum between speedy and leisurely.
“We had a runner with a winning time of 4:06 and also a gentlemen [who crossed] the finish line at the 32-minute mark,” Conarro said. “In between were walkers, joggers, people with kids in strollers, dog walkers, etc. All of these people were enjoying the spirit of a high energy outdoor event right here in Dahlonega in mid-February.”
RESULTS
The top three finishers in the men’s category were Matt Bird, 30, of Cumming, who finished first overall with a time of 4:06; Mike Jones, 30, of Dawsonville, who finished second overall with a time of 4:51; and Paulo Ramirez, 15, of Cumming, who finished third overall with a time of 4:52.
The highest placing local runner in the men’s category was Earl Porter, 36, of Dahlonega, who finished seventh overall with a time of 5:31.
The top three finishers in the women’s category were Mo Olocha, 25, of Buford, who finished sixth overall with a time of 5:22; Katharine Serrano, 53, of Duluth, who finished 20th overall with a time of 6:23; and Audrey Ferguson, 27, of Lynchburg, Va., who finished 30th overall with a time of 7:07.
The highest placing local runner in the women’s category was Hadleigh Lord, 10, of Dahlonega, who finished in 35th place with a time of 7:32.
And from the sound of it folks enjoyed themselves, whether they were on the podium or not.
“This event is growing as we had hoped, and participants have given positive feedback,” Conarro said. “One said he ‘had a blast,’ another said it was ‘great fun’ for his family. One called the experience ‘joyful.’ All of these reactions speak to what we had hoped to accomplish with the Wimpy Mile beginning in 2022.”
FOR A GOOD CAUSE
The Wimpy Mile has become one of the Sunrise Rotary’s most important fundraisers.
Conarro said the proceeds benefit many local community organizations. “We all should remember that the funds raised in this event go to many worthy causes right here in Lumpkin County, including Community Helping Place, the Literacy Coalition, Jeremiah's Place, Connectability, No One Alone (NOA) and many more.”
In addition to those, the Rotary helps to improve the community in other ways.
“One recent special project was the funding of some beautiful cherry trees now thriving alongside Wimpy Mill Road,” Conarro said.
The funds are used in many ways throughout the year.
“There are many recipients, so Wimpy Milers can be sure that the money all goes back out to do good in our community,” Conarro said. “The Rotary Club members are volunteers in service to our community and we are proud to see the Wimpy Mile grow such that more people can be served in more ways.”
LAST BUT NOT LEAST
The Wimpy Mile event strives to appreciate efforts of any type, from fast to slow to everything in between.
And of course, not all medals handed out at the finish line were for the first place finishers.
The Perseverance Award went to the oldest runner to finish the race, longtime Dahlonega resident Ralph Prescott, 88, with a time of 32:48.
In addition, this year’s Sportsmanship Award went to long-serving Rotary member Ron Larson, who finished in 191th place with a time of 19:56.
But not to be outdone, this year’s Mediocrity Awards to recognize the finishers in the middle of the pack went to Samantha Christopher, 11, of Dahlonega, with a time of 8:58; Asher Smith, 10, of Dawsonville, with a time of 9:01; and Catalina Smith, 26, of Dahlonega, with a time of 9:16.
During the finish line ceremony, while attempting to hand out the awards, Conarro didn’t miss the irony in the fact that none of the Mediocrity Awards winners stuck around long enough to claim their recognition. Allegedly, the allure of a bus ride back to the starting line, courtesy of Sheriff Stacy Jarrard, proved to be too much to resist.