Runners in the 36th Annual AdventHealth Silver Classic 5K and 3K suited up for the cold, with temperatures in the 30s at start time, Keili Dorn of Killeen crossed the finish line first with a time of 18:49.6 minutes.
“It’s a beautiful morning for a run,” said AdventHealth’s President and CEO Kevin Roberts in the minutes before the start of the race on Sunday. “We had 340 register for this event and I believe this shows a great measure of community involvement to maintain a healthier lifestyle, something AdventHealth Central Texas can help with.”
The hospital, which has many programs for seeking and maintaining a health lifestyle, will use the proceeds from the Silver Classic to put toward the building of a new Wellness Center at the hospital’s complex on Clear Creek Road. At present, the Wellness Center has a price tag of just over $1M, and proceeds from this event will be added to the total raised so far, which is about $800,000 according to Roberts.
In a field of 281 participants for both races, the 5K and the 3K, the 25-year-old Dorn was about seven seconds ahead of the next runner, Wayne Strebe, 47, of Harker Heights at 19:57.6. Sgt. Troy Watson, 26, from Fort Hood in the 1-62 Air Defense Artillery Battalion crossed next with a time of 20:08.2. He and his wife, Emily, both participated in the run this year.
“Running, competing was part of my New Year’s resolution to be healthier,” said Watson, a Marion, S.C. native. “Running clears my head and helps me think.”
In the 3K Division, Jose Buenaventura, 56, of Killeen crossed first with a time of 19:56.7 followed closely by John Warnes, 47, of Temple at 19:58.0. Warnes is the track and cross country coach at Holy Trinity Catholic School in Temple.
Interestingly, Warnes also holds a record in the Guinness Book of World Records for the fastest time on a treadmill in a 24 hour period at 161 miles.
“I just love running,” said Warnes after Sunday’s race.
The first female to cross the finish line in the 3K event was Andrietta Gayles, 39, of Copperas Cove with a time of 22:18.7.
Amanda Forristal, 51, of Harker Heights and her trusty four-legged companion Jack made the 5K event in 26:20.3. Not bad for a Colonel in the U.S. Army.
Col. Forristal is the chief nursing officer at Darnall Medical Center on Fort Hood. She and her husband, Matt Forristal, 55, with his run partner, Spade, finished with only five seconds difference between their respective times.
Other notable finishers were Mary Kaplan, 84, of Sunrise Beach and Jan Ward, 77, of Kempner.
Kaplan, a retired U.S. Air Force nurse has run in a race in all 50 states, she has also run a 5K event in every single Texas county. Sunday, she was accompanied to the race by her husband, Hall, who’s 92. He could be seen seated near the finish line with his camera in hand.
Ward has also run 5K events and other races in all 50 states. In 2021, the Herald did an article on her goal to run a half-marathon in every state. Ward was accompanied on her races throughout the United States by grandson “Turtle,” who was 11 at the time the pair decided to tackle the goal. They finished the list in 2018.
“These days, I try to do something every day to stay in shape,” Ward said. “I have young grandkids to be with and I don’t want to miss a thing.”
Pro-Fit Race Timing was on hand to manage the statistics. Owner Kirsten Lancaster has done this for more than 20 years and enjoyed the race Sunday. Her company is located in Belton providing services for all types of races throughout Central Texas.
“It’s really a pleasure to get to work with some great sponsors and to follow some of these racers as they work on personal goals,” Lancaster said.
Each competitor was handed a commemorative medal and trophies were presented during a post-race ceremony.
“We appreciate the community involvement and send out a congratulations to all of the participants,” Roberts said.
