OCALA, FL – The inaugural Cogent Bank Ocala Cup 5K brought together community members for an evening of competition, inspiration, and charity on May 3, 2025. The twilight race through Ocala’s historic district saw 143 participants and raised approximately $20,000 for local charities.
Former middle school teammates stole the show, with Chapman Stewart of Belleview High School winning the men’s division with a time of 17:33, while Rachel Chiles of Leesburg High School took the women’s title with a time of 22:21. Both freshmen previously trained together with the Ocala Distance Project. Their names will be permanently etched on a trophy to be displayed at Cogent Bank’s downtown location.
The event was conceptualized by Nick Blaser, Market President of Cogent Bank, who sought to promote healthy lifestyles in the Ocala community while making a lasting philanthropic impact.
“SUCCESS! I don’t have enough words to express how thankful and grateful I am to everyone that participated and supported our Cogent Bank Ocala Cup 5K,” Blaser shared on social media following the event. “We had 143 people register for this inaugural event and we are already looking forward to next year!”
A distinctive feature of the race allows high-tier sponsors to direct their sponsorship funds to charities of their choice, with proceeds being distributed through the Community Foundation. This innovative approach to fundraising helped attract numerous local business sponsors, including Zinnia Wealth Management as a Platinum sponsor and several Gold-level sponsors like McGraw, Rauba & Mutarelli, PA and Mountain River Physical Therapy.
Perhaps the most moving story of the day belonged to Tom Ingram, who completed the 5K exactly two years after waking up paralyzed from spinal cord surgery. On May 3, 2023, doctors told Ingram he would likely never walk again and should prepare for life in a powered wheelchair.
“With my incredible wife Jenn by my side and a deep determination to fight, I set a goal: to walk again,” Ingram shared in a heartfelt social media post. “It took a month in rehab, countless setbacks, and more grit than I knew I had—but I walked out of that hospital on a walker.”
Ingram’s participation in the race marked a triumphant milestone in his recovery journey. “Today, on the two-year anniversary of my injury, I completed the Cogent Bank 5K. Not to prove anything to anyone else—but to honor the journey, the struggle, and the prayers that got me here,” he wrote.
For Blaser, witnessing Ingram’s achievement was one of many emotional highlights of the event. “It truly was a special and emotional event for so many reasons,” Blaser said, citing “playing a role and watching Tom Ingram finish his 5K after not knowing if he’d ever walk again” as a particularly meaningful moment.
The race course featured the rolling hills of north-central Florida, winding through Ocala’s Victorian-era architecture and Spanish moss-draped oaks. Participants received premium race shirts and finisher medals commemorating their achievement in the “Horse Capital of the World.”
City Councilman James P. Hilty Sr. was on hand to present trophies to award winners, further highlighting the community-wide support for the event.
With strong participation and positive feedback from the community, the Cogent Bank Ocala Cup 5K seems poised to become an annual tradition in Marion County, continuing to promote health and philanthropy while celebrating personal victories like Ingram’s remarkable journey.
