JROTC cadets minutes before the start of the annual Back Your Blue 5K on Sept. 21 that took place in Downtown Jeffersonville with a total participant count of 767.The team leader for the Greater Clark County Schools sponsorship, Colonel Bob Benning, finished the race in 171st place. Incentivising the cadets to try hard and run faster, he offered a uniform pass for those cadets that beat him in the race. “I think every year I’m a little bit slower, but it seems that the cadets get faster each year,” he said.Sophomore cadet Shelby Ramge loops her laces and ties a knot that will hopefully stay for another 3.1 miles, as she completed this race in 419th place.A minute before the racers line up behind the start line, some there to crush the race and be in the front, while others supported by walking behind, the local medevac team touches down on the grass.Master Sergeant Christopher Manley’s son, Joseph, takes charge in the very front for the first mile. He thought he was going to place in the top 30, while his dad thought he was going to be in the top 10. Final race results revealed Joseph placing 6th in the race overall.Junior Quintin Smith did not intend on running this race, but showed up anyway. He ended up placing 24th and before the race said his goal was to, “better myself and to get faster.”Senior Cadet Alexander Sampaio catches up to Senior Cadet Braylon Walker for the last block of the race. Sampaio placing in 161st and Walker one runner behind, finishing in 163rd place. Walker said, “I felt like I needed to run since it’s my last year.”
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