Runners, walkers hit downtown for Laces For Love 5K

Published 3:50 pm Saturday, February 15, 2025

By Ernest Bowker

Dozens of runners and walkers hit the streets of downtown Vicksburg on Saturday morning for a little fun, a little exercise, and plenty of community service.

Nearly 100 people participated in the second annual Laces For Love Run, a 5- and 10-kilometer run and race walk that is a fundraiser for the Junior Auxiliary of Vicksburg. The event helps support the JAV’s community service programs throughout the year.

The race included a combination Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day theme. Participants were treated to bowls of jambalaya and pieces of king cake after they finished. In addition to the races, the JAV collected footwear for needy families in Vicksburg. That part of the effort is what gives the race its name.

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“With our second year, I felt like that was a great number. We look for improvements every year, and more and more people come. I think we had a really good turnout for the weather and all those things,” race chairman Julianna Smith said. “It’s for the kids and the community. We try so hard to make sure it goes right back out into the community, everything we raise.”

Samuel Terrett was the overall winner in the 5K run, with a time of 24 minutes, 4 seconds. The 21-year-old Vicksburg native is a distance runner with Jackson State’s men’s track team and is training for the spring season.

“My mom is hosting a breakfast today, so I figured I’d come over for the weekend and spend some time with my family. I was like, ‘I’ll give this race a shot.’ It worked out,” Terrett said.

Terrett wasn’t overly pleased with his time, he added, but was happy to win — and win easily. Runner-up Alex Atkinson crossed the finish line nearly a minute and a half behind Terrett, in 25:28.

Joshua Goodin finished third, in 25:53, and the women’s winner Caroline Calhoun was fourth overall in 26:01.

“Not a very good time at all. But I didn’t have the competition so it wasn’t really a problem. I still won the race,” Terrett said.

Becky Sloan was the 10K run winner, with a time of 53:34, but had even less competition than Terrett. Most of the runners opted for the 5K, so Sloan was one of only three who competed in the longer race.

Patrick Weaver finished second and was the men’s champion, with a time of 57:12. Alex Ander brought up the rear of the short field in 1 hour, 4 minutes and 50 seconds.

In the 5K race walk, Vicksburg resident Terrie Foster won easily. Her time of 34:15 was more than 3 1/2 minutes ahead of runner-up Lee Fore’s mark of 37:49. Fore was the men’s champion.

Elizabeth Joyner finished third, in 38:29. Andrew McCaskill (39:09) and Steve Pranger (39:26) rounded out the top five.

Foster won the women’s championship in the inaugural Laces For Love in 2024. She improved two places and nearly three minutes from last year’s performance.

“I was worried it was going to rain. I’ve been training and training and training and rain played a big factor in it. I thought it was going to rain so I tried to count that in,” Foster said. “Last year I did a 37-something and I said I’m going to beat that this year. I set little time goals. Today it was 35 and I did it in 34.”

About Ernest Bowker

Ernest Bowker is The Vicksburg Post's sports editor. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post's sports staff since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured reporters in the paper's 140-year history. The New Jersey native is a graduate of LSU. In his career, he has won more than 50 awards from the Mississippi Press Association and Associated Press for his coverage of local sports in Vicksburg.

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