Sunday, April 21, 2013

Ryan Kelly repeats at Gully Run 5K

Withlacoochee River trestleI only know one story about Clyattville, Georgia. A few years ago, a man in Madison, Florida told me that decades ago, when the railroad was still running between Clyattville and Madison, he and a buddy were driving around in the buddy's truck one Saturday night. About the time they decided that they might as well be back home in Madison, the two found themselves at the railroad crossing in Clyattville.


Putting the truck into gear, the driver turned south onto the track and started heading toward Madison. After all it was the shortest route back to town.


At the state line, the tracks crossed the Withlacoochee River. The driver advised his passenger to open the door of the truck.


"Why?"


"So if we go over into the river, you can get out of the cab."


They made it home alive so that I was able to hear the story years later. Those high-spirited lads actually outlived the railroad; the tracks were torn up long ago. Half the trestle over the Withlacoochee has fallen into the river, and what is left standing doesn't look like it will be standing much longer. On the Florida side of the river, the old rail grade has been turned into a paved trail, running from Madison to the river. If Georgia decides to pave their portion, only a bridge over the river would be needed to allow you to walk or run or bicycle from Clyattville to Madison. In Clyattville itself you could run workouts on the trail. You could even run races on it.


In the meantime, Clyattville Elementary School hosts their annual 5K Gully Run on the streets of the village. At the front of the race the second annual Gully Run on Saturday morning, 20 April 2013, repeated the results of the first. For the second year in a row, Valdosta Middle School cross-country coach Ryan Kelly outran Lowndes High distance runner Tyler Thurman for the title. This time around Kelly ran 18:00 to Thurman's 18:20. Unlike 2012, though, Thurman found himself in a fight for second place, closely challenged by Tim Komarek and Caleb Coil. Unfortunately, the three runners went off course. Maybe they were too intent on the competition. When they got back on track Komarek finished on Thurman's heels at 18:21, with Coil another few heartbeats behind at 18:23.


Ten-year-old Kelsey Morse of Valdosta's Viking Runners Club took the female title, placing eighth overall in 21:23. Eryn Wilkey (9th, 21:38), another Viking Runner, was the second female finisher. Third in the division was the first female master, Valdosta's Tammy Jo Allen (13th, 22:28).


78 athletes finished the 3.1-mile race.


Top Ten Males, 2013 Gully Run 5K
  1. 17:59.2 ~ Ryan Kelly (M, 34) Lake Park, GA
  2. 18:19.3 ~ Tyler Thurman (M, 17) Valdosta, GA
  3. 18:20.3 ~ Tim Komarek (M, 29) Valdosta, GA
  4. 18:22.3 ~ Caleb Coil (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
  5. 19:55.3 ~ Colin Prinsloo (M, 27) Hahira, GA
  6. 20:37.4 ~ Justin Brooks (M, 20) Valdosta, GA
  7. 21:22.3 ~ Jacob Bearrentine (M, 20) Valdosta, GA
  8. 22:01.5 ~ Toby Wilkey (M, 14) Valdosta, GA
  9. 22:19.3 ~ Jordan Weise (M, 20) Valdosta, GA
  10. 22:26.0 ~ Danielle Swilley (M, 14) Valdosta, GA

Top Ten Females, 2013 Gully Run 5K
  1. 21:22.7 ~ Kelsey Morse (F, 10) Valdosta, GA
  2. 21:37.8 ~ Eryn Wilkey (F, 10) Valdosta, GA
  3. 22:27.2 ~ Tammy Jo Allen (F, 41) Valdosta, GA
  4. 22:52.0 ~ Mackenzie Morse (F, 13) Valdosta, GA
  5. 23:09.0 ~ Martha Mazurkiewiez (F, 45) Valdosta, GA
  6. 24:27.6 ~ Ashley Luke (F, 23) Valdosta, GA
  7. 24:42.3 ~ Jade Evans (F, 22) Valdosta, GA
  8. 24:45.2 ~ Robin Cobb (F, 55) Valdosta, GA
  9. 25:14.9 ~ Holly Stouppe (F, 29) Valdosta, GA
  10. 25:15.2 ~ Makenzee Page (F, 13) Ray City, GA

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Posted by Herb Wills at 11:49 PM
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