Competing against nearly 200 runners, Matt Shechtman won the sixth annual Lakeside Foundation Viking 5K on Nov. 17, finishing in 16 minutes and 46 seconds (16:46). The 28-year-old ran decisively ahead of second-place 17-year-old Dawit Alemu, winner of the Men 15-19 division (17:22) and Masters Division winner Lucas Andrews (17:51).
The top women’s finisher was 38-year-old Holly Ortloff in 18:20, taking fourth overall. The annual event, which started and ended at Oak Grove United Methodist Church raised approximately $5,000 for departmental and educational grants as well as scholarships to help continue the Lakeside standard of excellence, said Tara Stamps, foundation president.
Teen runners took five of the top 10 places, the youngest being 15-year-old Connor Keisling in 19:20, fast enough for eighth place. The second place women’s finisher was Lakeside cross-country standout Jenn Cora in 20:25. Twelve-year-old Matthew Biggham finished in less than 24 minutes, one of only 31 runners under the 8-minutes-per-mile mark.
Race sponsors this year included:
Equifax
Lavista Animal Hospital
The Grove
Oak Grove Market
Dovetail Homes
Gwinnett Chrysler/Dodge
Big Peach North Atlanta Urgent Care
Gartzman Law Firm
Briarcliff Pharmacy
Consolidated Planning
Noah Peeters
Jackson Spalding
Dr. Ken Gilbert
Gene Massey State Farm
The foundation recently approved a $2,500 grant to the band and music department as well as $1,000 in Lakeside campus landscaping.