On the morning of May 6, 2023, runners came to Swainsboro for the 22nd running of the Knotty Pine 5K Race as part of the Pine Tree Festival.  The 5K was sponsored by the Swainsboro Kiwanis Club, who provided logistics and support for the race.  Last year the start/finish line was moved to the corner of Pine and Green Streets and the route changed to run mainly on Moring Street.  This year the same route was used.  This year as last year, SAR members Dess Smith and Steve Burke assisted Swainsboro Police Chief Randy Ellison fire a starting cannon.  The 1^st place overall winner in the 5K male division was Mike Smith from Statesboro, GA with a time of 21 minutes and 7 seconds, while the overall winner in the female division was Anita Cerpovicz also from Statesboro in a time of 28 minutes and 17 seconds.  The 1^st place master’s male winner was Jason Martin from East Dublin, GA, with a time of 22 minutes and 25 seconds and Kellye Thurman from Swainsboro, GA was 1^st place in the master’s female division with a time of 32 minutes and 4 seconds. 

Age group winners in the male division were: age 10 and under, 1^st place Charley McNeely in 25 minutes and 56 seconds, 2^nd place Reese McNeely in 31 minutes and 11 seconds, and 3^rd place Kellan McNeely in 31 minutes and 12 seconds; age 11 to 19, 1^st place Evan Rogers in 21 minutes and 26 seconds, 2^nd place Brantley Smith in 22 minutes and 29 seconds, and 3^rd place Peyton Taylor in 23 minutes and 30 seconds; age 20 to 29, 1^st place Noah Aholelei, in 23 minutes and 28 seconds, 2^nd place Andrew Anderson in 32 minutes and 35 seconds, and 3^rd place Jared Sapp in 32 minutes and 35 seconds; age 30-39, 1^st place Martin Neal in 21 minutes and 54 seconds, 2^nd place James Webb in 23 minutes and 24 seconds, and 3^rd place Roscoe Parker in 46 minutes and 23 seconds; age 40 to 49, 1^st place Jason Edenfield in 29 minutes and 44 seconds; age 50-59, 1^st place Kevin Faircloth in 29 minutes and 31 seconds; age 60 to 69, 1^st place Steve Stiegman in 36 minutes and 40 seconds; age 70 and older, 1st place Tom Lamb 25 minutes and 29 seconds and 2^nd place John Torpy in 39 minutes and 43 seconds.       

Age group winners in the female division were: age 10 and under, 1^st place Brooklyn Lewis in 33 minutes and 21 seconds, 2^nd place Rachelle Stoltzfus in 37 minutes and 37 seconds, and 3^rd place Julianne Way in 43 minutes and 37 seconds; age 11 to 19, 1^st place Kim Yoder in 30 minutes and 31 seconds and 2^nd place Lauren Sapp in 48 minutes and 55 seconds; age 20 to 29, 1^st place Ami Scott in 48 minutes and 8 seconds; age 30-39, 1^st place Harriet Smith in 29 minutes and 14 seconds, 2^nd place Joni McNeely in 31 minutes and 53 seconds, and 3^rd place Rebecca McNeely in 32 minutes and 9 seconds; age 50-59, 1st place Beth Lane in 37 minutes and 18 seconds and 2^nd Place Alexandra Flowers in 46 minutes and 1 second; age 60-69, 1^st place Beverly Walker in 34 minutes and 57 seconds, 2^nd place Barbara Ervin in 43 minutes and 4 seconds, and 3^rd place Dee Whitehead in 43 minutes and 36 seconds; and age 70 and over, 1^st place Carol Edwards in 42 minutes and 40 seconds.       

The Swainsboro Kiwanis Club would like to give a special thanks to our sponsors; Domino’s Pizza, Haddock Chiropractic, Harvey’s, Shop Rite, Statesboro Coca-Cola Bottling, Swainsboro Ford, Swainsboro Raceway, Swainsboro Internal Medical Clinic, Walmart, and Ware’s Bar-B-Que.  A special thanks also to the Swainsboro Police Department for all the assistance as they kept our runners safe even with all the people around for the Pine Tree Festival.  Complete results of the runs can be found on the Swainsboro Kiwanis Club website at swainsborokiwanis.org, and photos can be found at http://dwightwatt.com/swainsboro-kiwanis/knottypine2023pictures.html.

Just Keep Running and Run Fast, Run Hard, and Run Safe!