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Early Saturday morning at Lake Lanier, the horn sounded at 7:40 a.m. for the Annual Ache Around the Lake, a two-state 8.4-kilometer foot race that raises funds for the St. Luke’s Foundation. 

This year’s run had over 235 participants across several events. The day featured the Kids 1 Mile Fun Run, the Ouch 2 Mile, and the signature event, the Ache Around the Lake 8K. The roughly 5-mile course runs a loop around Lake Lanier along Lakeshore Drive. 

 

St. Luke’s Board Trustees Kim Adams and her daughter Alexandra Adams were two of the many volunteers out early on the cool October morning. Kim says, “This is a great event for a wonderful cause, and we’re glad to be able to help out.” Alexandra adds, “We enjoy opportunities like these to give back to the community, and this is one of our favorite events of the year.” 

 

Amanda Thompson, the Executive Director of St. Luke’s Foundation, says “This event wouldn’t be possible without all the wonderful volunteers, the work of the board members, and especially all the sponsors. And all of the funds raised go to provide a new CT scanner for the hospital.” 

 

Organizer Katie Malone added, “We truly appreciate the Lake Association and all of the homeowners, who are so supportive of the race.” She also shares that this is the first year that the person who named the race will compete. Colette Kinney, of Canada, a frequent visitor to the area, suggested the name ‘Ache Around the Lake’ to Katie many years ago. 

The winner of the 8k was David Barton, with a time of 29:46, which averages out to 6:01 minutes per mile. Braxton Edwards of Tryon finished second, followed by Branson Reid, Jennifer Fisher, and Javin Miller. A. Eadus and C. Eadus of Tryon finished first and second in the 2-mile Ouch.