Lakisha Flanagan finished first among the women in the Fort Gordon Chapter of the Ordnance Corps Association's 5th Annual Fall Challenge Veterans Day 10K Run held Nov. 1 on post. Quade Klepper, assigned to Company C, 369th Signal Battalion, placed first in 40:19. Klepper earned first place in the men's 19-under age category and overall male winner for the event. The Fort Gordon Chapter of the Ordnance Corps Association hosted their 5th Annual Fall Challenge Veterans Day 10K Run and 5K Run/Walk Nov. 1 on post.

The day held promise with clear skies, but the air temperature was a nippy 68 degree Fahrenheit. Prior to the start of the 10K Run Sgt. 1st Class David Rentz, chief instructor for the Ordnance Electronic Maintenance School at Fort Gordon, requested 5 minute runners to line up first at the starting line. Then he asked the 7 minute runners to fall behind the first line of runners.

"Will the 10 minute runners now go to the starting line," he said. The signal was given; the clock was started and the 10K race began at 8 a.m.

Fifteen minutes later another clock was set and the 5K run/walk began with the runners and walkers heading in the opposite direction of the 10K runners. Each race started and finished at the Hazen Hall, Building 29815, located at 8th Street and Chamberlain Avenue.

The event also included a 5K Run/Walk team competition. All teams consisted of five members, with four team players required to finish the race to remain eligible for the awards. Lowest combined score of the top four runners won.

Forty minutes and 19 seconds into the 10K Run, Quade Klepper, assigned to Company C, 369th Signal Battalion, crossed the finish line first. He was followed behind by Johnne Waddles, who placed second, and David Aquais, who earned third place in the 19 - and under age category.

As the winner of the 19-and under category and the overall male winner of the 10K Run, Klepper took home two trophies and a gift certificate from Road ID.

In the 20-29 age category, Gregory Davis placed first with an overall time of 44:32. Brent Gallagher placed second and Kyle Niederhauser finished third. In the women's 20-29 age group, Lakisha Flanagan placed first with a time of 57:34, Debbie Benavides earned second place and Nicole Terry took third.

Flanagan left the race with a gift card from Road ID and two trophies - one for winning first place in her age category and another trophy for the overall female winner.

In the 30-39 age group, Joe Smith placed first with a time of 46:36. Clifford Adams placed second and Bryon Wren finished third. Eric Brooks placed first for the women in the 30-39 age group with a time of 61:15 and Sara Galan finished second. In the 40-49 age group, Sean McKenney placed first with a time of 45:44. Cartes Morales placed second and Gregory Shunk came in third. Laura Salman earned first place with a time of 49:58 for the women in the 40-49 age group.

Dale White placed first in the male, age 50 and over category, with a time of 60:11. Stephanie White finished the race in the women's 50 and over category with a time of 55:50. Trophies were given to the top two winners in every age category.

In the 5K Run/Walk event Christopher Labeause earned first place in the male 19 and under category with a time of 22:56. Josh Ewald placed second and Michael Boesen took third place. Alyssa Ulrich took first place in the female 19 and under category with a time of 26:54. Brittney Litton earned second place and Samantha Ross placed third.

Brett Johnston took first place in the men's 20-29 age group with a time of 20:41. Arron Peoples placed second and Bautista Okeris earned third place. Tiffany Tuley placed first in the same age group for the women with a time of 35:43.

Gregory Rhodes completed the event in 24:20 to take first place for the men in the 30-39 age group.

Mark Horoho took first place with a time of 23:20 for males 40 -49 years of age. No one ran in the 50 or over category. The top three runners in the 5K Run received trophies.

Company C, 73rd Ordnance Battalion, known as the Black Devils, received a trophy for placing first in the team competition. Making up that team were Amos Larson, Kenneth Rowland, Jaime Terrazas, and Amaury Romero.

A portion of proceeds from this annual fundraiser will be donated to the Fort Gordon Christmas House, according to 1st Sgt. Fred Murry of Company B, 73rd Ordnance Battalion.