PROUD MOMENTS

Father, son pursue Ironman triathlons

Some fathers and sons bond over relaxing pursuits like watching football or fishing. Others, like Bill and Chris Dennis, do it while training for Ironman triathlons. Bill, 54, and Chris, 21, recently completed the Ironman Florida triathlon in Panama City Beach. Bill, of Roswell, finished the 2.4-mile swim/112-mile bike/26.2-mile run in 13:34:30. Chris, a junior at the University of Georgia, finished in 11:28:45, good for 15th in the men’s 18-24 age group.

The two trained together a few times a month but talked on the phone every day comparing notes. “I am very honored that Chris wanted to do the Ironman with me,” Bill said. “It was one of the most memorable times of my life watching him do this.”

It was the first Ironman distance race for Chris, who remembers cheering his dad on during Bill’s first Ironman in 1999. “I remember how when I was younger and we would go to cheer him on how I would think to myself that there is absolutely no way … I could ever do that,” Chris said. “It feels really good to be able to have something that means so much to both of us in common.”

A good day for marathoners

Lynn Mooney of Marietta finished second in the women’s race with John Van Steenbergh of Flowery Branch second in the men’s race at the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon in Fort Oglethorpe. Mooney finished in 3:22:20, Van Steenbergh in 2:48:45. Tim Prichard of Decatur was fourth in the men’s race in 2:53:50. Joe Bowman of Dunwoody was sixth in 2:56:33. Amy Stewart of Woodstock was 10th in the women’s race in 3:33:10.

Local runners with top-10 age group finishes included: Ashley Carson, Atlanta, 4:36:54; Heather Shoemaker, Tucker, 5:08:21; Ryan Seals, Atlanta, 3:52:14; Shannon O’Brien, Acworth, 3:50:45; Rebecca Russell, Smyrna, 3:52:39; Caroline Burnet, Atlanta, 3:53:33; Amy Krieg, Atlanta, 3:54:06; Benjamin Campbell, Gainesville, 3:28:16; Jeff Wilkerson, Duluth, 3:45:17; Kimberly Tuttle, Atlanta, 4:13:13; Eric Hoyme, Atlanta, 3:25:43; Shelly Hobbs, Atlanta, 3:42:14; Tina Lowe, Atlanta, 3:45:17; Vivian Clarke, Atlanta, 3:46:26; Will Burns, Marietta, 3:17:23; Corona Horton, Mableton, 3:52:24; Fran Killeen, Dunwoody, 4:00:17; Eleni Debord, Marietta, 4:00:44; Mark Dillard, Atlanta, 3:19:20; Travis Birts, Marietta, 3:23:41; Orlando Daniels, College Park, 3:28:12; Tammy Alderman, Marietta, 3:55:01; Nordia Lee, Mableton, 4:05:10; Loraine Hillard, Gainesville, 4:09:05; Robert Greenwood, Lawrenceville, 3:24:08; Trey Shipp, Atlanta, 3:26:47; Jim Parker, Cumming, 3:33:14; Carmen Moss Hodnett, Buford, 4:43:14; Stephen King, Marietta, 3:54:01; Theresa Vangrov, Smyrna, 4:09:03; Jackie Myers, Kennesaw, 4:42:06; Randi Stillman, Avondale Estates, 4:58:27; Paul Posl, Marietta, 3:38:32; Robert Obst, Roswell, 3:46:29; Donald Langdon, Marietta, 3:47:44; and Roger Ackerman, Duluth, 4:06:07.

Marietta marathoner excels

Guy Andrews of Marietta was the top Georgia finisher at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. He finished in 3:52:21. Ronnie Frostig of Atlanta finished in 5:14:57. Local runners who finished the half marathon included: Gregg Davis, Newnan, 1:35:41; Wendy Clements, Gainesville, 1:55:55; Joshua Griggs, Atlanta, 2:24:17; Robin Shires, Sugar Hill, 3:27:45; and Beci Falkenberg, Atlanta, 3:47:27.

Krige Schabort of Cedartown finished sixth overall in the wheelchair race at the New York City Marathon in 1:49:06. Michael Sprouse of Rome finished in 2:04:54, Ken Higgins of Lilburn in 2:06:23. Peggy Floback of Rome finished in 2:50:34.

Decatur man claims trail run

Dennis Bauer of Decatur edged Malcolm Campbell of Marietta by just over a minute to win the Georgia Ultrarunning and Trailrunning Society’s Mystery Mountain Marathon trail run at Fort Mountain State Park in Chatsworth. Bauer finished in 3:34:19, and Campbell finished in 3:35:28. Jenna Carver of Smyrna was second in the women’s race in 5:16:50. In the event’s 12-mile race, Tim Tatarka of Acworth won the men’s title in 1:35:58, and Jacquelyn King of Douglasville was the top women’s finisher in 1:50:40.

If you know someone who deserves recognition for a proud moment, send the information in an e-mail to Michelle Wilson (mwilson@ajc.com).