Bonilla and Green keep 'em flying in Valdosta

2015 marked the tenth straight year of Independence Day racing in the streets of Valdosta, Georgia. The first three years, 2006 through 2008, the morning of July 4 was the occasion for the Baytree 8K, reminiscent of the slightly longer and somewhat larger Peachtree 10K in Atlanta. Starting on 4 July 2009 the Baytree 8K was replaced by the Valdosta 5K, which athletes have raced annually ever since.


Jesup, Georgia, master runner Roberto Bonilla won Valdosta's seventh Independence Day 5K on Saturday morning, 4 July 2015, running a fast 16:36 and finishing nearly 100 meters ahead of his nearest challenger. Another master runner--Joseph Carnegie III of Ocala, Florida--took the runner-up spot with a 17:05. Two Lowndes High distance runner battled for third, with rising senior Chance Roe edging out rising junior Kaleb Wolfenden 17:20 to 17:22. Fifth went to Valdosta High sophomore Matthew Baun in 17:36. Lowndes High rising sophomore Elijah Boyd outfought Valdosta State University distance runner Josh Hall for sixth, 17:57 to 17:59.


Valdosta master runner Debbie Green took the women's title, crossing the finish line with a 350-meter lead over the rest of the women's field. Green was 21st overall with a time of 22:26. Amber Elam of Valdosta was second in the women's standings, coming in 25th overall in 24:09. Valdosta master runner Martha Mazurkiewicz captured the third women's spot, placing 26th overall in 24:27. Josie Mazurkiewicz, who performed the National Anthem before the race started, was the fourth female finisher, 36th overall in 25:19.


128 athletes finished the 2015 Valdosta Independence Day 5K. The race was produced, timed, and scored by A Course / Line, LLC, of Valdosta, Georgia.


Top Ten Men, 2015 Valdosta Independence Day 5K

1. 16:35.8 ~ Roberto Bonilla, Jr (M, 41) Jesup, GA
2. 17:04.8 ~ Joseph Carnegie, III (M, 49) Ocala, FL
3. 17:19.4 ~ Chance Roe (M, 17) Valdosta, GA
4. 17:21.6 ~ Kaleb Wolfenden (M, 17) Valdosta, GA
5. 17:36.0 ~ Matthew Baun (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
6. 17:56.9 ~ Elijah Boyd (M, 15) Valdosta, GA
7. 17:58.5 ~ Josh Hall (M, 21) Valdosta, GA
8. 18:00.9 ~ Dan Butzin (M, 30) Valdosta, GA
9. 18:18.0 ~ Quin McGlamery (M, 15) Valdosta, GA
10. 18:38.0 ~ Ryan Kelly (M, 36) Lake Park, GA

Top Ten Females, 2015 Valdosta Independence Day 5K

1. 22:25.2 ~ Debbie Green (F, 49) Valdosta, GA
2. 24:08.9 ~ Amber Elam (F, 26) Valdosta, GA
3. 24:27.0 ~ Martha Mazurkiewicz (F, 47) Valdosta, GA
4. 25:18.7 ~ Josie Mazurkiewicz (F, 19) Valdosta, GA
5. 25:19.9 ~ Erin Murphy (F, 34) Oxford, AL
6. 26:30.3 ~ Nancy Elam (F, 52) Valdosta, GA
7. 26:41.2 ~ Lauren Bewley (F, 33) Valdosta, GA
8. 26:48.4 ~ Jordanne Cary (F, 25) Milledgeville, GA
9. 27:02.9 ~ Michelle Iturralde (F, 41) Valdosta, GA
10. 27:35.3 ~ Ashli Southern (F, 26) Ray City, GA

Champions of the Valdosta Independence Day 5K, 2009 - 2015
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
4 July 2006*	32:33, Dave Bernacki	35:28, Susan Fischer	144
4 July 2007*	28:16, John Seppala	37:47, Beth DeLoach	181
4 July 2008*	28:42, John Seppala	33:15, Kelly Fleming	193
4 July 2009	16:38, Alan McGough	20:32, Ashley McGee	228
4 July 2010	16:32, Chris Rice	20:26, Angelina Horne	215
4 July 2011	16:15, Jeff Powers	20:16, Jordanne Helton	123
4 July 2012	16:57, Chris Rice	20:18, Christine Shattles	192
4 July 2013	17:28, Wright Calhoun	20:13, Mary Alice Smoot	163
4 July 2014	17:38, Chance Roe	21:04, Makenzee Page	124
4 July 2015	16:36, Roberto Bonilla, Jr	22:26, Debbie Green	128
* The predecessor of the Valdosta Independence Day 5K was the Baytree 8K, run in the streets of Valdosta on Independence Day from 2006 to 2008.

Links

• Complete results of Valdosta's 2015 Independence Day 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qZqh6OiFXt53njlxwWEmuwZmjozkQzks7aoS1GsoMYA/pubhtml
  
  
• More Independence Day 2015 racing coverage on Trouble Afoot!
  • Dothan AL: troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/07/dothan-firecracker-2015.html
  • Gainesville FL: http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/07/ftc-melon-2015.html
  • Jay FL: http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/07/jay-freedom-2015.html
  • Panama City Beach FL: http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/07/pcb-firecracker-2015.html
  • St George Island FL: http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/07/spritzer-2015.html
  • Tallahassee FL: http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/07/firecracker-2015.html
  
  
• 2013 story, "Calhoun wins and Smoot sets record on Independence Day in Valdosta"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/07/valdosta-independence-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, "Rice and Shattles celebrate America's birthday with Valdosta 5K wins"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/07/valdosta-independence-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, "Powers and Helton make the records fall in Valdosta"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/07/valdosta-independence-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, "2010 story, "Rice and Horne rock the Fourth in Valdosta"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/07/2010-valdosta-independence-day-5k.html
  
  
• Find a race to run on the next patriotic holiday using the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1426