Avenger and Arreguin emerge from the Wood Valley Hills as Bun Run Champs

Todd Smoot and the Masked Avenger led nearly 80 runners through the streets of Valdosta's Wood Valley neighborhood on Saturday morning, 23 July 2011 as they dueled for the title in the second annual Break Bread Bun Run 5K. At race's end it was the Avenger in 18:47, with Smoot finishing in second as the top master in 18:56. Valdosta's David Burnett was third in 19:48, and for the second year in a row Lowndes High cross-country runner Jose Gibbbs took fourth, this time in 20:23. The Avenger's winning time of 18:47 just 19 seconds slower than the course record of 18:28 set by Scott Gardner in the 2010 race.


But the women's course record fell, shattered by South Georgia College distance runner Minerva Arreguin. Arreguin ran 23:07, over a minute under Nicole Kump's 24:16 course record and a good 700 meters ahead of runner up Sarah Van Kuiken (23rd, 26:37). Hahira runner Christina DiTomasso edged out Morgan Washburn of Valdosta for third, 27:34 to 27:38. Billie Washburn (33rd, 28:10) was the first woman master and seventh woman overall.


Last year Todd Smoot watched the race and described the course as the hilliest in the area. This year Smoot ran the race and amended his description to "the most difficult course run in the Valdosta area." The runners also had to cope with heat and humidity, but no more than to be expected in south Georgia in July. The 78 finisher of the 2011 Bun Run decided that they would rather run in the summer than hide in the air conditioning and wait for autumn. Even knowing about the hills and the heat, participation was up from 2010's 49 finishers--a testimony to the courage of Valdosta's runners.


The Break Bread Bun Run 5K is hosted by the First Presbyterian Church of Valdosta as a fundraiser for its Break Bread Together program, a local meals-on-wheels type project.


Results, 2011 Break Bread Bun Run 5K

1. 18:47 Masked Avenger (M, 32) Valdosta, GA
2. 18:56 Todd Smoot (M, 49) Valdosta, GA
3. 19:48 David Burnett (M, 35) Valdosta, GA
4. 20:23 Jose Gibbs (M, 18) Hahira, GA
5. 20:35 Chris Stover (M, 25) Valdosta, GA
6. 20:55 Adam Ledbetter (M, 28) Hahira, GA
7. 21:06 Tom Phillips (M, 47) Valdosta, GA
8. 21:18 David Jones (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
9. 21:33 Tyler Thurman (M, 15) Valdosta, GA
10. 22:02 Caleb Coil (M, 15) Valdosta, GA
11. 22:30 Rusty Jones (M, 58) Valdosta, GA
12. 22:39 Justo Cabral (M, 38) Valdosta, GA
13. 23:07 Minerva Arreguin (F, 20) Avon Park, FL
14. 23:17 Kevin Langley (M, 40) Adel, GA
15. 24:10 Lars Leader (M, 59) Valdosta, GA
16. 24:22 Dylan Guilmette (M, 15) Lake Park, GA
17. 24:40 Frank Ryan (M, 43) Hahira, GA
18. 24:49 Larry Morts (M, 59) Valdosta, GA
19. 24:56 Michael Boice (M, 41) Valdosta, GA
20. 25:17 Joel Harper (M, 34) Valdosta, GA
21. 25:34 Hank Santicola (M, 48) Valdosta, GA
22. 26:24 Nicolas Baer (M, 14) Valdosta, GA
23. 26:37 Sarah Van Kuiken (F, 29) Valdosta, GA
24. 26:56 Robert Preston (M, 38) Douglas, GA
25. 27:20 Matthew Howard (M, 35) Hahira, GA
26. 27:34 Christina DiTomasso (F, 37) Hahira, GA
27. 27:38 Morgan Washburn (F, 14) Valdosta, GA
28. 27:42 Jim Hall (M, 60) Valdosta, GA
29. 27:45 Michael Guilmette (M, 48) Lake Park, GA
30. 27:51 Nickoalas Lutsko (M, 20) Brussels, Belgium
31. 28:00 Heather Kelly (F, 33) Valdosta, GA
32. 28:03 Joi Jones (F, 16) Valdosta, GA
33. 28:10 Billie Washburn (F, 49) Valdosta, GA
34. 28:20 Alden Walker (F, 15) Valdosta, GA
35. 28:59 Scott Routsong (M, 45) Valdosta, GA
36. 29:05 Charles Parramore (M, 39) Valdosta, GA
37. 29:53 Jim Lutsko (M, 47) Brussels, Belgium
38. 30:03 Gee Edwards (M, 34) Valdosta, GA
39. 30:08 Eryn Guilmette (F, 15) Lake Park, GA
40. 30:11 Andy Robinson (M, 33) Valdosta, GA
41. 31:17 Dawn Shapses (F, 36) Staten Island, NY
42. 31:24 Michael Edwards (M, 64) Valdosta, GA
43. 31:30 Terry Adams (M, 37) Valdosta, GA
44. 32:00 Rhonda Robinson (F, 44) Valdosta, GA
45. 33:18 Galen Mirate (F, 55) Valdosta, GA
46. 34:31 Jan Kent (F, 29) Lakeland, GA
47. 34:31 Mary Howard (F, 40) Hahira, GA
48. 34:48 Whitney Blanton (F, 25) Valdosta, GA
49. 35:04 Keri Langdale (F, 34) Valdosta, GA
50. 35:20 Christine Cabral (F, 35) Valdosta, GA
51. 35:55 Deborah McDonald (F, 53) Valdosta, GA
52. 36:26 Beth Haun (F, 40) Valdosta, GA
53. 36:35 Brandy Willaman (F, 36) APO, AE
54. 36:40 John Adeimy (M, 59) Valdosta, GA
55. 36:44 Allan Jepson (M, 36) Valdosta, GA
56. 36:53 Emily Ryan (F, 35) Hahira, GA
57. 37:02 Jessica Westmoreland (F, 28) Valdosta, GA
58. 37:20 Candace Aussant (F, 29) Valdosta, GA
59. 37:52 Lenora Van Pelt (F, 56) Valdosta, GA
60. 36:21 Jenna Mulvey (F, 24) Valdosta, GA
61. no card turned in
62. 39:31 Brigid Burns (F, 26) Valdosta, GA
63. 40:47 Susan Santicola (F, 48) Valdosta, GA
64. 40:51 Gary Thomas (M, 73) Valdosta, GA
65. 40:53 Joy Cowart (F, 42) Hahira, GA
66. 41:44 Lisa Ruse (F, 51) Valdosta, GA
67. 43:58 Sara Guilmette (F, 15) Lake Park, GA
68. 44:57 Mary Manning (F, 61) Valdosta, GA
69. 44:57 Mark Haworth (M, 63) Valdosta, GA
70. 49:22 Cindy Guilmette (F, 46) Lake Park, GA
71. 50:16 Sheri Perry (F, 50) Ray City, GA
72. 50:16 Mark Perry (M, 54) Ray City, GA
73. 50:18 Karen Corby (F, 51) Valdosta, GA
74. 52:00 Mary Anderson (F, 49) Valdosta, GA
75. 52:00 Leslie Hafer (F, 44) Valdosta, GA
76. 53:14 Kathleen Reaves (F, 46) Valdosta, GA
77. 54:55 Patrick Sheridan (M, 14) Valdosta, GA
78. 54:56 Robert Sheridan (M, 50) Valdosta, GA

Links:

• Tom Durham's photos of the 2011 Break Bread Bun Run 5K
  http://tdurham.zenfolio.com/p323394603
  
  
• 2010 story, "Gardner conquers Valdosta's Wood Valley hills to win the Bun Run 5K"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/07/break-bread-2010.html
  
  
• Hilly or not, you'll find the area's upcoming road races here
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1