Lakewood Ranch 'Beer Belly' run supports Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee
About 250 runners turned out for the first-year event.
By
Pam Eubanks
| 9:41 a.m. March 25, 2017
East County
Neighbors
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Robert Stanton didn’t even slow down as he broached the halfway point for the first Beer Belly 5K March 25.
Following behind the race’s front runners and seeing them grab a cup of beer, drink and run without stopping, he thought he better do the same. Sure, he got a little beer on his shirt, but that was OK.
“It’s hard to drink and run,” he said with a chuckle. “The race was great.”
About 250 runners turned out to Lakewood Ranch Main Street for the first-time event featuring beer and Gatorade at the halfway point and at the end of the race, which benefitted Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee.
Tyler and Richard Padgett, of Parrish, kick of a healthy-living campaign with the run.
Connie Hogan, who just moved to Lakewood Ranch from Alaska, doles out T-shirts as a volunteer, just a day after learning about the event.
Natalie Chisholm , of Palmetto, runs with Julie Emrick, of Lakewood Ranch.
Petyon, Chase, Sarah and Blake Willis cheer on Levi Willis, of Parrish.
Carol Binion and Danny Smith, of Sarasota, run for the exercise and the cause.
Anne Marie Oliveto, Karen Nelson and Jacqueline Helm make the run part of their girls weekend.
Donald and Jennifer Barto, of North Port, and Susan Cannon, of Sarasota, say "New race, why not?"
East County residents Lina Garcai, Astrid Figueroa, Michele Doodnaught and Donna Tran like the mixing of beer, running and fun with friends.
Kim Kutch, of Ellenton, and Susan Rivera, of Lakewood Ranch, try a morning of running for beer, rather than their typical wine tastings they attend together.
Ivy and Victor Pena find a run to participate in every year they come down for a visit from Illinois.
Ivy Pena, visiting from Illinois, runs with her husband, Victor Pena.
Jolene McHugh, 3, helps her mother and race organizer Leslie McHugh, prepare the finishers' medals.
Robert Stanton, of Sarasota, didn' t even slow down as he grabbed his sip of beer at the halfway point. "It' s hard to drink and run," he laughed after the race.
Matt Maurer makes sure to snag his cup of beer at the halfway point.
Justin McDonald grabbed beer and Gatorade at the halfway point.
