SPORTS

Tenth year of Rock the Quarry is biggest yet

Fred McCormick
Black Mountain News

On Sept. 16, a crisp, foggy September morning in the quarry at Grove Stone & Sand, runners of all skill levels anxiously paced and stretched as they awaited the start of the 10th annual Rock the Quarry Trail Challenge 5K and Kids Fun Run. 

The 350-plus participants was a record crowd for the race, as was the amount of money raised to benefit the Black Mountain Home for Children and the Asheville Museum of Science. 

Will Norris, who finished in first place in the Sept. 16 Rock the Quarry at Grove Stone & Sand, enters the mouth of the quarry on his way to a time of 18:00.0.

The event, held each year by Hedrick Industries (owner of Grove Stone & Sand) and presenting sponsor Asheville-based Carolina CAT, raised between $60,000-$70,000. 

"We were blessed with a beautiful day and a bunch of smiling faces," said Jon Neumann, one of the many Hedrick employees in charge of organizing the race. 

Dozens of children take off to begin the kids' fun run that precedes the Rock the Quarry Trail Challenge 5K every year at Grove Stone & Sand in Black Mountain.

Prior to the 5K, dozens of kids participated in the fun run, which loops around a small pond. As the children finished hundreds of runners took on the quarry itself. 

Will Norris was the top overall finisher with a time of 18:00. He was followed by David Short and Jonathan Ibach, who rounded out the top three overall. Anna Wheatly was the top finisher among women with a time of 20:31.  

Hundreds of runners showed up to Grove Stone & Sand on Sept. 16 to take part in the Rock the Quarry Trail Challenge 5K, which raised between $60,000-$70,000 for Black Mountain Home for Children and Asheville Museum of Science.