Lake Run fun

AZLE — The Azle Lake Run has zipped through the community once again. The annual race, presented annually by the Azle Area Ministerial Alliance, was held Saturday, Nov. 2 at Ash Creek Park and surrounding neighborhoods. A total of 327 people signed up to race, with more than 200 people from across North Texas participating in the 5K and around 100 more taking part in the color fun run.

Larry Davis, pastor of Grace and Faith Center, started the morning with a prayer, then Don and John Webster sang the national anthem.

Gannon Dolan, a 16-year-old from Granbury, was the overall winner of the 5K with a chip time of 16 minutes and 29 seconds. Parker Huffaker, an 18-year-old from Weatherford, has placed highly in past Lake Runs and won second place in the 2024 bout. Angelle Turner, a 24-year-old woman from Fort Worth, won third place.

Last to be recognized, but certainly not least, was Joe McCreary. At the age of 90, McCreary was the Azle Lake Run’s oldest participant this year. He also has a special connection to the race through its founder, his wife.

Linda McCreary, who passed away in 2017, devised the Azle Lake Run 43 years ago to raise money for the Azle Pastoral Counseling Center. Always a family of avid runners, Joe McCreary still belongs to running clubs across the D-FW metroplex. Many of the McCreary kids and grandkids participate in the Azle Lake Run and are also runners. Linda McCreary liked to incorporate sea motifs in the trophies and always organized a great race. Joe McCreary said it was voted among the best by the Fort Worth Runners Club.

Jessica Brace Payne, an organizer for the event, said more than 90% of those that signed up for the race actually ran. She said the number usually sits closer to 75%. This year, the event dropped the half-marathon and 10K races is has organized in the past.

“Everything went off really smooth, especially for offering only two races,” Brace said. “I think that the half marathon is intimidating to some people, and so it kind of prevents them from coming where we're more of a fun community 5K and fun run.”

Brace said she is grateful to the Hayley Carter State Farm crew for continuing to be the race’s pickle juice sponsor and the other businesses, organizations and individuals that have been putting in work since June to make sure the race was successful. Proceeds from the Azle Lake Run benefit the Eagle Mountain Pregnancy Help Center, the Community Caring Center, Azle High School’s Marching Green Pride, and other initiatives of the Azle Area Ministerial Alliance.

“There’s a lot of planning and stuff that goes in into it, but it's a whole lot easier when you’ve got a community that really embraces the event and looks forward to it every year,” AAMA member and organizer Alton Davis said. “They're very supportive. We couldn't do it without all our volunteers and our committee. We're very thankful and very proud of this event.”