March 25, 2019
By Wyatt Massey wmassey@newspost.com
With the sun barely above the eastern horizon Sunday morning, Troy Jordan bent over towards his neon-colored running shoes to stretch his hamstrings.
The 56-year-old Frederick resident said the cold temperatures were perfect for him. This would be his first Mission 10 Miler. With the urging of the race emcee, Jordan moved toward the starting corral to stand among the dozens of other runners.
“I’m trying to do this thing in 8-minute miles, but we will see,” Jordan said
Beside him, runners sported a variety of layers to brave the near-freezing morning temperatures, from running shorts and tank tops to full sweats.
The annual race is a fundraiser for the Frederick Rescue Mission. The mission offers daily breakfast and lunch meals to the community, a free clothing program and a food bank for residents in need.
The 10-miler course ran south from Harry Grove Stadium along New Design Road to English Muffin Way to the 5-mile turnaround on Ballenger Creek Pike.
More than 600 people registered for the 10-mile race. There were another 50 people registered for the 1-mile race. Emily Vaughn was the first female finisher in the 10-mile race with a time of 01:03:37 and Scott Baker was the first male finisher with a time of 55:50.
Arnold Farlow, executive director, said fundraiser would benefit all programs at the mission.
“This is one of our main events,” he said. “This is one of our events where we can reach a wider audience.”
Farlow said the annual race is often a good way for runners to start the racing season.
Elizabeth Souder was one of those runners using the Sunday race as a stepping stone for later races. The 34-year-old Urbana resident said she is racing the Frederick Half Marathon and the New York City Marathon. Her goal Sunday was to finish the 10-mile race strong, she said.
