On August 28th, approximately 240 runners participated in The King’s Academy’s second annual 5K Off-Road Lion Run, an increase from the 200 participants for the race’s inaugural running.  This growth pleased TKA race director Tracy Bussey.  “We were so excited to see the additional registrations this year and pleased to hear that participants rated the course as interesting and challenging for both novice and experienced runners,” she said.

Awards were given to Morgan Hull of Wellington (19:06.8) and Nicholas Palermo of Coconut Creek (17:09.0) as overall female and male winners, respectively.  Deanna Drolet of West Palm Beach (23:20.9) and Keneth Bonenberger of West Palm Beach (18:53.4) were the race’s overall masters winners.  TKA students also performed well in the race with senior Michael Miller and junior Scott Simpson finishing second and third in the male open division.  King’s juniors Chip Corley and Andrew Albert also finished fifth and eighth overall.

Prior to the 5K, race organizers held a kid’s fun run.  This race was won by King’s fourth grader Christopher Pappas (1:59.1) with Andres Castillo-Lares and TKA’s Kyle Martin finishing second and third.  Maria Ramirez (2:18.7) was the girls’ fun run winner.

The Lion Run was held on TKA’s multi-surface, off-road, USATF certified course located on the grounds the School’s 60-acre West Palm Beach campus.  One of the participants described the race as, “. . . really well organized and fun. It was a wonderful family race.  I was concerned about running ‘off-road’, but the event organizers did an excellent job of marking obstacles and clearing a very clean path.  I will definitely run it again next year.”  Supported by title sponsor, Braman Honda of Palm Beach, proceeds from the Run benefited The King’s Academy’s Annual Fund.