Wright, Heile top the field at Velpen’s Honor and Remember Run
VELPEN, Ind. — Jace Wright crossed the finish line first at Saturday’s 6th Annual Honor and Remember Run, clocking 19 minutes 45 seconds to win the men’s 5K, while Cassandra Heile led the women’s field in 22:59.
Runners gathered at Cool Springs on State Road 64 for the event, which honors military veterans, their families, first responders and those killed on Sept. 11 and in the wars that followed. The race offered 5K and 10K trail options, along with a 10K “ruck run” in which participants carried weighted packs and stopped twice to perform sets of 22 push-ups and pull-ups — a nod to the statistic that 22 veterans die by suicide each day.
Wright, 17, of Huntingburg, finished the 5K at a 6:22-per-mile pace to take the overall win. Garrett Herbaugh, 19, also of Huntingburg, was next across the line in 20:01.6, followed by 17-year-old Isaac Heile of Holland in 21:26.2.
On the women’s side, Heile, 43, of Holland won going away, more than a minute and a half ahead of the next finisher. Melanie Krueger, 57, of Jasper and Rita Uebelhor, 65, also of Jasper, finished within a second of each other at 24:35.6 and 24:35.7, respectively.
Proceeds from the race benefit the police departments in Huntingburg and Jasper, supporting their efforts to keep the communities safe.
Top 5 Male Finishers – 5K
- Jace Wright, 17, Huntingburg, Ind. — 19:45.0
- Garrett Herbaugh, 19, Huntingburg, Ind. — 20:01.6
- Isaac Heile, 17, Holland, Ind. — 21:26.2
- Malakyi Porter, 16, Otwell, Ind. — 21:44.5
- Q. Fromme, 11, Birdseye, Ind. — 21:52.9
Top 5 Female Finishers – 5K
- Cassandra Heile, 43, Holland, Ind. — 22:59.0
- Melanie Krueger, 57, Jasper, Ind. — 24:35.6
- Rita Uebelhor, 65, Jasper, Ind. — 24:35.7
- Aubrey Neuhoff, 13, Huntingburg, Ind. — 25:27.4
- R. Belcher, 12, Ellettsville, Ind. — 25:42.3