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Winners of the 5K race Saturday were, from left, female winners: Angela Gray, first place, Karen Perez, second place, Jordan Jones, third place, Kevin Perez, first place men’s, Gustavo Trejo, second place, and Herb Clements, third place. Photo C. Leinbach

It was sports day on Ocracoke as 266 runners of all ages competed in the 5K/10K in the morning and children competed on the new ball field in the afternoon.

Keith Gray, 50, of Buxton, won the 10K in the men’s division, with a time of 37:25. It was his first win, besting

Keith Gray is the winner of the 10K and his wife, Angela, both of Buxton, is the 5K winner.  Photo by C. Leinbach
Keith Gray is the winner of the 10K and his wife, Angela, both of Buxton, is the 5K winner. Photo by C. Leinbach

Alfonso “Chito” Guerrero, defending champion of the 10K last year, who came in second with a time of 38:58.

“I’ll take it,” Gray, 50, said as he cooled down in front of Gaffer’s Sports Pub where the race ended.  “The older you get the better you are at longer distances.”

Guerrero, 34, also beat Gray the prior two years when the event was still only the 5K.

Guerrero noted that he had twisted his ankle a couple of months ago and that it was still bothering him.

Alfonso
Alfonso “Chito” Guerrero is the second-place finisher in the 10K. Photo by C. Leinbach

But he gets extra points for running in the one-mile family fun run that started at 10 a.m. at the Ocracoke Child Care Center and ended at the Ocracoke Coffee Company, Back Road and Sunset Drive.

Guerrero’s son, Imanol, 6, came in second in that event, behind Vanessa Lora, an Ocracoke School seventh-grader. Jade Lopez, 16, a ninth-grader was third.

Lulu Perez, 39, of Ocracoke was the women’s 10K winner with a time of 45:19. She was followed by Marissa Gross, 36, of Ocracoke at 46:01, and Chelsea Smith, 28, was third with a time of 51:09.”

Before that, Kevin Perez, 17, repeated his performance last year and was the overall winner of the 5K with a time of 18:40.

Three Perez family race winners are daughter Karen, second-place finisher  for women in the 5K, mom Lulu, female winner of the 10K and overall fifth place finisher, and son Kevin, men's 5K winner.  Photo by C. Leinbach
Three Perez family race winners are daughter Karen, second-place finisher for women in the 5K, mom Lulu, female winner of the 10K and overall fifth place finisher, and son Kevin, men’s 5K winner. Photo by C. Leinbach

Gustavo Trejo of Ocracoke was second at 20:17, and Herb Clements of Hatteras was third at 20:32.

Angela Gray, 33, of Buxton and who is Keith’s wife, was the overall women’s winner in the 5 K with a 21:52 time.

Karen Perez, 15, of Ocracoke and Kevin’s sister, was second at 21:59, and Jordan Jones, 22, was third at 23:52.

Greg Honeycutt, race director, was again pleased with the turnout and the day as he sat in the bleachers of the new ball field at Ocracoke Community Park after the dedication ceremony and between games with the Ocracoke Blue Claws and Raptors.

“I don’t think it could have been better,” he said, though noting that his goal is to eventually see 400 participating. This year’s race had one shy of the number in last year’s race.

“I had so many people come up and tell me it’s their favorite race,” he said.

A number of first-time runners participated.

A group of 13 runners, some pushing baby carriages and accompanied by dogs, from Cedar Island wore T-shirts proclaiming “We Got the Runs” Southern Pamlico Sounders.

They are family members of Noel Goodwin, the middle school girls basketball coach.

“We do runs every year,” said Maggie Smith, a member of the group. “We’re going to keep on wearing the shirts wherever we go.”

Kelly and Chris Robbins of Greenville were celebrating a birthday and their anniversary by running in the 10K.

A runner for 14 years, Kelly said she enjoyed the Ocracoke 10K b prefers half-marathons. She’s fully expecting to return next year to participate in a half-marathon that will be added to the weekend.

Honeycutt earlier this year had announced this addition to the race for 2016. Proceeds from that race will benefit the Ocracoke Child Care Center.

He hopes that this year’s race will yield more than $30,000 for three island charities: Ocracoke Community Park, WOVV 90.1 FM and the Ocracoke School Athletic Boosters.

Stephen Kronlage, 17, of Camden, NC, placed third overall in the 10K.

A high school senior who has competed in Ocracoke with is cross-country team, enjoyed running through the village.

“It was a fun race,” he said. “I liked the village and the people cheering us on along the way.”

Herb Clements, 45, of Hatteras, was third overall in the 5K.
For complete results, click here.

Martha Garrish won the raffle.

They're off! The 5K/10K begins. Photo by C. Leinbach
They’re off! The 5K/10K begins. Photo by C. Leinbach

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Winner Kevin Perez . Photo by P. Vankevich
Kevin Perez overall winner of the 5K. Photo by P. Vankevich
David Scott Esham 2015-04-25 08.18.20
David Scott Esham. Photo by P. Vankevich
Chito Guerrero and Keith Gray, neck and neck. Photo by P. Vankevich
Chito Guerrero and Keith Gray, neck and neck. Photo by P. Vankevich

 

Emila Jordan and Elise Kattenburg. Photo by P. Vankevich
Emila Jordan and Elise Kattenburg. Photo by P. Vankevich
Kare Perez. Photo by P. Vankevich
Kare Perez, second-place finisher for women in the 5K.  Photo by P. Vankevich

 

Dylan Esham. Photo by P. Vankevich
Dylan Esham. Photo by P. Vankevich
Rodrigo Perez 2015-04-25 08.21.03
Rodrigo Perez . Photo by P. Vankevich

 

Jason Miles. Photo by P. Vankevich
Jason Miles. Photo by P. Vankevich
Nasho Villanueva. Photo by P. Vankevich
Nasho Villanueva. Photo by P. Vankevich
Joshua Christ out for a stroll. Photo by  P. Vankevich
Joshua Christ out for a stroll. Photo by P. Vankevich
Raul Ibarra. Photo by P. Vankevich
Raul Ibarra ran the race without touching the ground (just kidding). Photo by P. Vankevich

 

Jenn Esham.  Photo by P.Vankevih
Jenn Esham used her walking power techique to complete the race. Photo by P.Vankevih
David Scott Esham crosses the 5K finish line. All of the Esham family placed in the race:  David first in the 40 to 49 men's age group; David's mom, Jen, first in the 70+ age group; wife Melinda, second in the women's 40 to 49 age group;  Dylan, first, in the 11 to 15 age group; and Damon, first in the 10 and under age group. Photo by C. Leinbach
David Scott Esham crosses the 5K finish line. All of the Esham family placed in the race: David first in the 40 to 49 men’s age group; David’s mom, Jen, first in the 70+ age group; wife Melinda, second in the women’s 40 to 49 age group; Dylan, first, in the 11 to 15 age group; and Damon, first in the 10 and under age group. Photo by C. Leinbach
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