2019 Head Over Teal 5K, 10K, Fall Festival raises $50,000 to battle gynecologic cancer
The 2019 Head Over Teal 5K, 10K and Family Fall Festival held Saturday in The Preserve community in Hoover raised an estimated $50,000 for gynecologic cancer research and support, organizers said.
Nearly 800 people registered to participate in the two races, including about 700 in the 5K and about 100 in the 10K, said Mary Anne King, executive director for the Laura Crandall Brown Foundation, which organized the event.
There were 428 finishers in the 5K and 80 in the 10K, online race results show.
The winner of the 5K was 32-year-old Zach Ridgway of the Brook Highland community in north Shelby County, with a time of 18 minutes and 12 seconds. Keri Frazier, 37, of Birmingham came in second and was the top female finisher, with a time of 19:13.
In the 10K, Ryan Thomas, 39, of Birmingham won first place, with a time of 45:28. The top female finisher was Whitney Woodard, 31, of Birmingham, with a time of 47:22. Woodard came in third overall in the 10K.
Some people formed teams in honor of people who died of gynecologic cancer or are battling it. A group called Shay’s Rays had the largest team, with 55 participants. They were there in memory of Shay McNamee, a Homewood resident who died of gynecologic cancer three years ago at the age of 47.
Her mother, Marguerite McNamee, said it means so much to see people honor her by coming out to the Head Over Teal races. Shay McNamee was so active with the races before her death, and the event meant a lot to her, her mother said.
Friends and family members were always very supportive of her during her battle with cancer, Marguerite McNamee said. “There wasn’t a day that passed that they didn’t rally or come see her,” she said. “I couldn’t make it a day without my family.”
Marguerite McNamee said there was no history of gynecologic cancer in their family prior to her daughter being diagnosed with it. She strongly urges women to get checked out, saying a blood test is the only way to detect it.
King said she was pleased with the turnout and the money raised with this year’s Head Over Teal event, which was the 10th year for the event. Turnout is always affected a little bit when the Alabama football team has an 11 a.m. home game on the same day, but “we had a great crowd,” she said. “We had the highest sponsorship total we’ve ever had.”
In addition to the races, the festival included games, an inflatable bounce house, pumpkin decorating, a photo booth and food.