SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Motorists perplexed by joggers clogging the Causeway Saturday morning should know there was more at stake than thrill-seeking.

The Spanish Fort Educational Enrichment Foundation attracted 191 participants for its third annual Gator Chase 5-K-Fun Run. About 150 runners competed in the 5-K, Sandy Cook, SFEEF’s chairperson for the annual fundraiser, said, adding the remainder showed their support at a more leisurely pace.

Fourteen-year-old Reece Stevens won the overall competition, running the course in 18 minutes and 43 seconds and drawing loud cheers from the crowd of early-morning supporters.

Cook said the event’s financial success won’t be known for a few more days because several pledges are still outstanding but all funds will be distributed among the four schools in the Spanish Fort feeder pattern to supplement classroom needs and encourage the overall excellence of students.

“It was a great time, and I haven’t heard any negative feedback at all,” said Cook.

Past races have been held at both the Spanish Fort Town Center and the Eastern Shore Centre, but the decision was made this year to offer a more scenic course; and Meaher State Park — across from the entrance to 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center on the Causeway — offered to host the runners.

“I had several people ask me which way they’d be running because they said if they were expected to tear up the hill into Spanish Fort that was a deal-breaker,” Cook said, noting the race was wisely routed to the west instead.

Cooper Middleton, 5, of Fairhope stood anxiously just outside the park’s entrance waiting with his grandmother, JoAnn Trevilion of Vicksburg, Miss., for his mother to pass.

He waved and screamed when Lauri Middleton came whizzing past.

Jon Adams, a Fairhope business man, kept runners and spectators laughing as master of ceremonies as he encouraged participants nearing the finish line to “run toward the light.”

Meanwhile, Madison Anderson, 4, of Spanish Fort, stood with little sister Marissa, 3, near the digital time clock at the course’s end waiting for their mother, Jennifer, to complete the 5-K.

Winners:

• Overall Male: Reece Stevens
• Overall Female: Joy Lueck
• Male, Age 1-7: Ross Cooper
• Female, Age 8-9: Kayla Johnston, first place; Molly Armstrong, second place
• Male, Age 8-9: Grayson Nocera
• Female, Age 10-12: Lily Morris, first place; Cameron Nocera, second place; Lillian Willett, third-place
• Male, Age 10-12: Keaton Morris, first place; Blake Edwards, second place; Clint Hoover, third place
• Female, Age 13-14: Sarah Carrico, first place; Madison Copeland, second place; Presley Ready, third place
• Male, Age 13-14: Will Huff, first place; Garrett Thompson, second place
• Female, Age 15-18: Whitney Arrington, first place; Chelsea Long, second place; Megan Long, third place
• Male, Age 15-18: Connor Irion
• Female, Age 19-24: Laura Gattis
• Male, Age 19-24: Robert Hadley
• Female, Age 25-29: Brandi Thomas, first place; Jennifer Yadon, second place; Kristin Oakes, third place
• Male, Age 25-29: Randy Gurley, first place; Jeremy Lundberg, second place; Jake Ledkins, third place
• Female, Age 30-39: Alison Brumfield Jones, first place; Julie Padgett, second place; Tana Hegan, third place
• Male, Age 30-39: David Adams, first place; Jeffrey Willett, second place; Bucky Hicks, third place
• Female, Age 40-49: Rachel Robinson, first place; Jan Finney, second place; Kenya Dennis, third place
• Male, Age 40-49: Troy Stevens, first place; Cristopher Grossman, second place; Anthony Presley, third place
• Female, Age 50-59: Lu Jeffrey, first place; Linda Smith, second place; Mary Brabner, third place
• Male, Age 50-59: Joe Wilson, first place; Stephen Marshall, second place; Jeff Carrico, third place
• Male, Age 60-69: David Jeffrey, first place; Tommy Payne, second place; Charles Mallory, third place
• Male, Age 70-79: Dale Ross