Kelly and Green deserve decoration at Valdosta's Memorial Day 5K

Since 2009 the athletes of Valdosta, Georgia, have celebrated Memorial Day with a 5K road race. On a warm Monday morning, 25 May 2015, 73 runners turned out for the seventh-year, 3.1-mile celebration. Lake Park's Ryan Kelly, the Valdosta High cross country coach, won the race in 17:54. In a tight 18:08 to 18:10 race for second, Valdosta High frosh cross-country runner Quin McGlamery got the runner-up spot over Dan Butzin. Brian Rohrbach was fourth in 18:20, while Valdosta's Rick Mazurkiewicz was the top master runner in the race, placing fifth overall in 19:35.


Kelly had also won the 2013 Valdosta Memorial Day 5K. Likewise, Valdosta master runner Debbie Green had won the women's title in 2013, and took it again in the 2015 race, coming in twelfth overall in 22:44. Melanie Ellis of Valdosta finished second in the women's standings, placing 17th overall in 23:58. Ali Thornhill (17th, 23:58) was the third female finisher and Nancy Elam (19th, 24:11) the fourth. Highland Christian Academy distance runner Alden Lisse (22nd, 25:01) took the fifth women's spot.


One thing about annual Memorial Day races is that there is never any mystery as to the date of next year's race. Valdosta's Memorial Day 5K is no exception. Mark your calendar for its return on Monday, 30 May 2016.


Top Ten Men, Valdosta's 2015 Memorial Day 5K

1. 17:53.2 ~ Ryan Kelly (M, 36) Lake Park, GA
2. 18:07.8 ~ Quin McGlamery (M, 15) Valdosta, GA
3. 18:09.4 ~ Dan Butzin (M, 30) Valdosta, GA
4. 18:19.4 ~ Brian Rohrbach (M, 38) Valdosta, GA
5. 19:34.7 ~ Rick Mazurkiewicz (M, 48) Valdosta, GA
6. 20:54.5 ~ Randy Rathmann (M, 45) Valdosta, GA
7. 21:19.2 ~ Dylan Guilmette (M, 19) Lake Park, GA
8. 22:11.6 ~ Rob McGhin (M, 35) Valdosta, GA
9. 22:15.8 ~ Case Gregory (M, 11) Norman Park, GA
10. 22:22.0 ~ Wesley Heruska (M, 39) Hahira, GA

Top Ten Women, Valdosta's 2015 Memorial Day 5K

1. 22:43.7 ~ Debbie Green (F, 49) Valdosta, GA
2. 23:19.6 ~ Melanie Ellis (F, 42) Valdosta, GA
3. 23:57.6 ~ Ali Thornhill (F, 35) Valdosta, GA
4. 24:10.9 ~ Nancy Elam (F, 51) Valdosta, GA
5. 25:00.6 ~ Alden Lisse (F, 15) Valdosta, GA
6. 25:13.8 ~ Josie Mazurkiewicz (F, 19) Valdosta, GA
7. 25:15.7 ~ Lauren Bewley (F, 33) Valdosta, GA
8. 25:21.6 ~ Martha Mazurkiewicz (F, 47) Valdosta, GA
9. 25:36.1 ~ Amy Edwards (F, 28) Lakeland, GA
10. 25:42.7 ~ Mary Lisse (F, 45) Valdosta, GA

Valdosta Memorial Day 5K Champions, 2009 - 2015
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
25 May 2009	16:34, Chris Rice	20:47, Ashley McGee	86
31 May 2010	16:50, Chris Rice	21:38, Jordan Helton	79
30 May 2011	17:10, Chris Rice	21:06, Alice Smoot	102
28 May 2012	18:33, Masked Avenger	21:38, Alison Peters	53
27 May 2013	18:05, Ryan Kelly	23:21, Debbie Green	87
26 May 2014	17:26, Dylan Rogers	22:01, Makenzee Page	92
25 May 2015	17:54, Ryan Kelly	22:44, Debbie Green	73

Links

• Complete results of Valdosta's 2015 Memorial Day 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yQNIJduZu3WjqWjdKG1bfLChbzAtBkurrOlc8tnb-qk/pubhtml
  
  
• 2014 story, “Rogers and Page rule the roads in Valdosta on Memorial Day”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/05/valdosta-memorial-day-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Kelly and Green lead the charge at Valdosta's Memorial Day 5K”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/06/valdosta-memorial-day-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “Avenger and Peters mark Memorial Day with wins”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/05/valdosta-memorial-day-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Memorial Day three-peat for Rice in Valdosta”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/05/valdosta-memorial-day-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Blazers Rice and Helton race to victory in Valdosta”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/06/valdosta-memorial-day-5k-2010.html
  
  
• Upcoming races in Valdosta and other cities in the Trouble Afoot! region
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1444 (38 x 38)