Kelly and Morse race the roads because "Cross Country is Fun"

The "Cross Country is Fun" 5K in Valdosta on Saturday morning, 17 August 2013 was actually a road race. It seems a bit odd to have a race on pavement that celebrates racing on good green earth. But more importantly than a celebration of cross country, though, the race was a fundraiser for Valdosta State University cross country. And it is entirely appropriate to hold a distance run to raise support for distance running. Certainly it's more appropriate than holding a distance run to raise support for volleyball, tennis, or some other sport.


Ryan Kelly, coach of the Valdosta Middle School cross-country team, won the 3.1-mile race in 18:47. Finishing runner up behind Kelly, Matthew Baun, a freshman on the Valdosta High School cross-country team, ran 19:23. Kerry Underwood of Ty Ty, Georgia beat out Valdosta's Tom Phillips for the top master spot, finishing third in 20:45 to Phillips's fourth-place 21:06.


Ten-year-old Kelsey Morse of the Viking Runners Club was the first female finisher, coming in fifth overall in 22:22, just ahead of Lowndes High cross-country runner Mackenzie Morse (6th, 22:25). Makenzee Page (7th, 22:34) and Elizabeth Smith (22:47) were the next two female finishers. Valdosta's Debbie Green (12th, 23:13) was the fifth female finisher and the first master woman.


30 athletes finished the race.


Top Ten Males, 2013 Cross Country Is Fun 5K

1. 18:46.6 ~ Ryan Kelly (M, 34) Lake Park, GA
2. 19:22.1 ~ Matthew Baun (M, 14) Valdosta, GA
3. 20:44.7 ~ Kerry Underwood (M, 50) TyTy, GA
4. 21:06.0 ~ Tom Phillips (M, 49) Valdosta, GA
5. 22:50.2 ~ Michael Baun (M, 56) Valdosta, GA
6. 22:55.1 ~ Alan Sanderson (M, 38) Valdosta, GA
7. 22:59.7 ~ Jerrod Morse (M, 39) Valdosta, GA
8. 23:36.2 ~ Rick Mazurkiewicz (M, 46) Valdosta, GA
9. 23:49.5 ~ Rob McGhin (M, 33) Valdosta, GA
10. 25:30.3 ~ Kyle Baxter (M, 28) Hahira, GA

Top Ten Females, 2013 Cross Country Is Fun 5K

1. 22:21.5 ~ Kelsey Morse (F, 10) Valdosta, GA
2. 22:24.6 ~ Mackenzie Morse (F, 13) Valdosta, GA
3. 22:34.0 ~ Makenzee Page (F, 13) Ray City, GA
4. 22:46.8 ~ Elizabeth Smith (F, 35) Valdosta, GA
5. 23:12.2 ~ Debbie Green (F, 47) Valdosta, GA
6. 23:35.7 ~ Martha Mazurkiewicz (F, 45) Valdosta, GA
7. 24:24.8 ~ Ali Thornhill (F, 33) Valdosta, GA
8. 26:24.6 ~ Heather Kelly (F, 35) Lake Park, GA
9. 26:50.1 ~ Krissy Singley (F, 34) Valdosta, GA
10. 26:56.8 ~ Brianna Prinsloo (F, 26) Hahira, GA

Links

• Complete results, 2013 Cross Country Is Fun 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AuBsYKIIn3TCdExaV0twMTc4bnVPNDRlVENMak1iRkE
  
  
• Have yourself some fun; find a cross-country race to run on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1