On Saturday, 16 March 2013 the citizens of Fitzgerald, Georgia were celebrating their Wild Chicken Festival. Chickens weren't Fitzgerald's first choice; for a few decades they sold funnel cakes, displayed classic cars, and selected beauty queens around a rattlesnake roundup. Around 2001, though, Fitzgerald decided to leave the snakes alone, choosing as a new totem the burmese chicken. During the 1960s the chickens had been introduced into Georgia as a new game animal. This is an example of the same wisdom which inspired kudzu, starlings, and killer bees to be added to the American landscape. Fortunately, the burmese chickens failed to become an invasive species, quickly dying off everywhere--everywhere, that is, except Fitzgerald. In Fitzgerald the chickens thrived, giving the whole town a barnyard charm.So the burmese chickens became the mascot of the annual Wild Chicken Festival. The new festival featured a pancake breakfast, chicken crowing competitions, and a wing-eating contest. And, of course, a 5K road race. The running event was first known as the Wild Chicken Sprint, then more accurately as the Wild Chicken Run. In 2011 the race became the Michael Buras Memorial 5K. Mark McLeod, a 2010 graduate of Fitzgerald High, became the first Michael Buras 5K champion. In 2012 he became the second Michael Buras 5K champion.
So Mark McLeod's mission at the 2013 race was to make sure that he was still the only title-holder that there had every been. Mission accomplished; McLeod ran 17:36 to finish at the front of a record field of 139 runners. Fitzgerald's Dustin was the runner-up, putting up an 18:12 for the 3.1-mile race. Tifton's Marton Kozma was the top master in the race, finishing sixth overall in 19:53. Danielle Sumner of Fitzgerald took the women's title, placing 18th overall in 23:25.
Top Ten Males, 2013 Michael Buras Memorial 5K
17:35.7 ~ Mark McLeod (M, 21) Fitzgerald, GA- 18:11.1 ~ Dustin Bengston (M, 36) Fitzgerald, GA
- 18:58.3 ~ Kurt Henninger (M, 27) Fitzgerald, GA
- 19:28.1 ~ Kaleb Henniger (M, 24) Fitzgerald, GA
- 19:33.7 ~ Jose Trejo (M, 34) Fitzgerald, GA
- 19:52.6 ~ Marton Kozma (M, 44) Tifton, GA
- 20:37.2 ~ Lorenzo Gomez (M, 47) Omega, GA
- 20:46.3 ~ Lucas Trejo (M, 39) Fitzgerald, GA
- 21:10.4 ~ Jay Davis (M, 28) Fitzgerald, GA
- 21:53.5 ~ Ronald Garcia (M, 14) Fitzgerald, GA
Top Ten Females, 2013 Michael Buras Memorial 5K
- 23:24.1 ~ Danielle Sumner (F, 26) Fitzgerald, GA
- 23:43.9 ~ Amanda Allison (F, 30) Fitzgerald, GA
- 24:04.3 ~ Karen Garcia (F, 11) Fitzgerald, GA
- 24:35.3 ~ Lenna Lamas (F, 22) Fitzgerald, GA
- 24:54.7 ~ Karsyn Vaughn (F, 13) Fitzgerald, GA
- 24:57.5 ~ Heidi Meeks (F, 34) Fitzgerald, GA
- 25:46.9 ~ Leslie Clemons (F, 31) Fitzgerald, GA
- 26:17.9 ~ Katy Calhoun (F, 30) Fitzgerald, GA
- 26:20.7 ~ Rebecca Rhodes (F, 25) Fitzgerald, GA
- 26:49.1 ~ Christina Mooney (F, 27) Fitzgerald, GA
| Wild Chicken 5K champions, 2007-2013 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Men | Women | Finishers |
| 17 March 2007 | 16:41, David Marley | 21:15, Brittney Skiles | 52 |
| 15 March 2008 | 19:19, Adam Ross | 25:20, Maritza Pryor | 69 |
| 21 March 2009 | 17:02, Adam Ross | 24:37, Ashley Graves | 63 |
| 20 March 2010 | |||
| 19 March 2011 | 17:44, Mark McLeod | 23:30, Katherine McGarr | 107 |
| 17 March 2012 | 17:36, Mark McLeod | 21:59, Leah Miller | 98 |
| 16 March 2013 | 17:36, Mark McLeod | 23:25, Danielle Sumner | 139 |
Links
- Complete results of the 2013 Michael Buras Memorial 5K
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AuBsYKIIn3TCdGEwMU53VkNyaGxtNnNMNzMweEo5QWc
- The Fitzgerald, Georgia Wild Chicken Festival
http://www.wildchickenfestival.com/
- Airman Michael J. Buras
http://militarytimes.com/valor/air-force-senior-airman-michael-j-buras/4787286
- Looking for a 5K to run? Try the Trouble Afoot! calendar
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
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