Frozen Foot Race, Running for Recreation

HIGH SPRINGS ‒ On a chilly Feb. 12 morning, 50 runners gathered at the High Springs Civic Center to compete in the aptly named 5K Frozen Foot Race. The 3.1 mile run winds through the High Springs Sports Complex, around Bailey Estates and back into town with varying terrains and elevation changes.

Runners were divided by age and gender into eight groups, with competitors in both male and female categories starting at ages 1 to 18; 18-39; 40-49 and finishing with over 50 years old. Younger kids accompanied their parents in strollers.

The event was started in 2016 by the City of High Springs Parks Department to raise money for improvements at City owned parks. All proceeds go to the department’s budget to purchase playground equipment and facility improvements at area parks. The race has garnered support and sponsorship from other groups as well, including the Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe and the High Springs Police and Fire departments. Additional organization sponsoring this year’s event were AAA Porta Serve, Florida Credit Union, McDonalds and Start To Finish Race Management.

The event has grown each year, although the event was canceled last year due to the pandemic, and this year’s event was scaled down with fewer activities than previous races. High Springs CRA director David Sutton says the City is working toward reestablishing the event next year and expand it with children's activities, bounce houses and food trucks.

With the City's recent purchase of the Canoe Outpost on the Santa Fe River, the future may bring a triathlon of sorts that would include a bike ride to the river, a swim and then back to the Civic Center for the footrace.

This past Saturday, at 9 a.m., runners started on the 3.1-mile course, and 21 minutes and 36 seconds later the overall winner, Tim Guinn, crossed the finish line. Female winner Jessica Frey crossed the finish line three minutes later. Both were also the winners in the 18-49 age category.

Awards are given for the top three runners in each group who completed the course. Hudson Williams and Eisley Moore were the winners in the 1 – 18 age category. The winners of the 40-49 category were Spencer- Smith Corbett and Carol Ellis. High Springs Police Chief Antione Shepard finished third in the 40-49 category. In the Senior category of 50 – 98, winners were Thomas Story and Sally Chappell.

Two runners not receiving awards were High Springs Fire Department Lt. Kevin Pearson and Deputy Chief Andy Burkhalter who ran the 3.1-mile course in full turnout gear and on-air, which is similar to a SCUBA tank, in just 41 minutes. The combined weight of the gear and air pack comes in at over 60 pounds.

“This is what we would wear to an actual fire, so doing it for the marathon was good practice to stay fit,” said Burkhalter. “We wanted to challenge ourselves and always be physically prepared for an actual emergency and this was a cause that benefits the community as well with funding for our parks.”

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