When he saw Meggan Franks in the field, Jason Wheat figured he was running for second place.
Wheat, of Jackson, won the men’s side of the Viking Half Marathon Saturday in Greenwood, but his time of 1 hour, 28 minutes and 14.7 seconds wasn’t nearly good enough to give Franks a run for her money.
Franks, of Starkville, became the first female overall winner in the five-year history of the Half Marathon with a time of 1:21:51.6.
Franks, 32, the mother of two young children and a former member of the Mississippi State track team, said she knew she was in control of 13.1-mile race early on.
“I am pretty pleased with my effort. This is not my fastest time ever but definitely the fastest in several years,” said Franks, who ran the race in a 6-minute, 14-second per mile pace.
For Wheat, it was his first time to race in Greenwood and his first half marathon in about six years.
“Meggan is a very strong, fast runner. We all kind of know each other and keep up with how one another are doing,” Wheat said. “I didn’t think anyone here today would beat her.”
Jim Brown of Tupelo, the winner the last two years, didn’t participate Saturday. His 1:15:13. time was the best in the short history of the event.
The half marathon drew 280 participants and the 5k 174.
In the 5K portion of the race, it was a banner day for area runners. Porter Spell of Glendora won it all with a time of 18:55.3 — a minute off his personal best time of 17:54 set last year in this same event.
“I was out in front early. When you have no one to push you, it’s hard to have your best time,” said Spell, a ninth-grader at Pillow Academy.
Minter City’s Alex Lindsey finished third at 21:21.19, while Stewart Forman of Williamsburg, Pennsylvania, a a part-time Greenwoodian, got fourth at 21:55. Christian Belk of Greenwood was fifth (22:31.8) and Madeline Kelly of Greenwood was sixth overall and first in the female division (24:32.2).
Sue Bailey of Greenwood was seventh overall and was first in the female 50-59 age division.
nContact Bill Burrus at 581-7237 or bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com.
