A North Hall family is reminding the community to “Do Hard Things” as they prepare to host a 5K race to honor the legacy of a beloved football coach.
The Shane Clark Memorial 5K/Walk will kick off on Saturday, March 15 at the Gainesville Midland Greenway at 8:30 a.m. The race will continue throughout Gainesville and end at the Midland Greenway. The 5K is a USATF Certified Road Race and a 2025 Atlanta Journal-Constitution Road Race Qualifier.
A Gainesville High School graduate, Shane and his wife Kara raised their two children Callie and Buddy in the North Hall community. He was heavily involved in the cluster’s football program, having coached the Junior Trojans team and assisting with North Hall’s middle and high school programs. The event will officially be hosted by the Shane Clark Memorial Foundation, which was established by the Clark family following Shane's unexpected passing in June 2024.
“Shane wanted every young person he coached to become the best they could be,” the race’s official website stated. “He wanted to push them out of their comfort zone because he truly believed that was the only way to grow. Shane followed this same advice in his own life as he often pushed himself out of his own comfort zone by completing triathlons, marathons, and half-marathons. Shane did not love running but he loved the accomplishment of having run. Shane could often be found on a miserably hot day running the hills around his home, again not because he loved running but because he believed the only way to get everything out of what God has given you is to ‘DO HARD THINGS.’”
The 5K commemorates Shane’s passion for athleticism, with all proceeds supporting a memorial scholarship in his name. The scholarship will go to one graduating North Hall High School senior football player. However, Kara highlighted that the intention is to eventually expand the funding to support other senior athletes in Hall County.
“My main focus for starting the scholarship is to help students further their education,” Kara said. “It's my family’s way of giving back and showing our appreciation to the community that has supported us in more ways than one.”
So far, 289 individuals have registered. The 5K will accept same-day registrations at the event from 7 a.m. until 8 a.m. For more information and the official route, click here.
