Kelly and Spry light up the course at Blaze The Day

The first day of class for the 2017 fall semester at Valdosta State University was 14 August 2017. With classes underway, the Blaze the Day 5K couldn't be far off. Sure enough, on Saturday morning, 26 August 2017, the twelfth annual Blaze the Day 5K came to VSU's Valdosta, Georgia campus. Valdosta High cross-country coach Ryan Kelly won the 3.1-mile race, running 19:00. Vanessa Spry of Valdosta was the women's champ, placing seventh overall in 20:22.


Valdosta athlete Dan Butzin took the runner-up spot with a 19:19. Cameron Watson--a frosh on the Coffee High cross-country team in Douglas, Georgia--took third in 19:31.


Abbey Arnett, a sophomore on that same Coffee High team, was second in the women's standings and eighth overall in 22:41. Pavo, Georgia's Pollyanna Bass was the first master runner in the race and the third female finisher, ninth overall in 22:45.


Karl Brown of Alapaha, Georgia was the first male master and seventh on the men's side, placing tenth overall in 23:01.


43 athletes finished the twelfth annual Blaze the Day 5K, each of whom had a chance to meet the VSU cross-country teams at the event. A Course/Line, LLC, of Valdosta timed the race and provided finish line services.


Top Ten Men, 2017 Blaze the Day 5K

1. 18:59.7, Ryan Kelly (M, 38) Lake Park, GA
2. 19:18.1, Dan Butzin (M, 32) Valdosta, GA
3. 19:30.9, Cameron Watson (M, 14) Douglas, GA
4. 19:53.6, Yotzen Helo (M, 25) Norman Park, GA
5. 21:17.3, Jonathan Miller (M, 30) Valdosta, GA
6. 21:31.9, Connor Watson (M, 17) Douglas, GA
7. 23:01.0, Karl Brown (M, 41) Alapaha, GA
8. 23:08.2, Justin Naylor (M, 44) Hahira, GA
9. 23:27.5, Lukas Smidtas (M, 17) Naylor, GA
10. 23:40.3, Billy Taylor (M, 68) Valdosta, GA

Top Ten Women, 2017 Blaze the Day 5K

1. 22:22.0, Vanessa Spry (F, 32) Valdosta, GA
2. 22:40.8, Abbey Arnett (F, 15) Douglas, GA
3. 22:44.8, Pollyanna Bass (F, 45) Pavo, GA
4. 25:36.9, Lauren Bewley (F, 36) Valdosta, GA
5. 25:44.7, Gina Purvis (F, 58) Tifton, GA
6. 25:58.7, Tiffany Mulligan (F, 38) Valdosta, GA
7. 28:41.4, Lina Smidt (F, 53) Naylor, GA
8. 29:00.4, Traci Ferris (F, 34) Valdosta, GA
9. 30:01.8, Carrie Naylor (F, 37) Hahira, GA
10. 31:37.8, Meredith Nuckols (F, 29) Valdosta, GA

Valdosta State University Community 5K champions, 2006 - 2017
Date	Men	Women
19 August 2006	16:54, Derek Storbeck	20:06, Melissa Daugherty
18 August 2007	16:58, John Seppala	20:12, Jana Grygarova
23 August 2008	17:17, Austin McDonald	20:12, Jordanne Helton
22 August 2009	16:15, Christopher Rice	20:03, Ashley McGee
21 August 2010	16:40, Christopher Rice	20:13, Sarah Turner
20 August 2011	17:03, Christopher Rice	20:23, Jordanne Helton
25 August 2012	16:33, Christopher Rice	20:22, Jessie Usry
24 August 2013	20:04, Colin Prinsloo	21:55, Alice Smoot
23 August 2014	20:13, Shaundon Moore	22:33, Carsen Pastirik
29 August 2015	18:22, Greg George	22:04, Anne Price
27 August 2016	18:00, Jackson Green	21:47, Alice Smoot
26 August 2017	19:00, Ryan Kelly	22:22, Vanessa Spry

Links

• Complete results of the 2017 Blaze The Day 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRlqz-BjjHhSr7AyEIJljOP2paOqq6tY537cp5pCrGBKytzNCYNYrLgINc-bTyhb5QMjZ4COP9y_E44/pubhtml
  
  
• 2015 story, “George and Price celebrate in a hurry at the Blazer Dash's tenth anniversary”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/08/vsu-community-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Moore and Pastirik are the fastest Blazer Dashers in 2014”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/08/vsu-community-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Prinsloo and Smoot say 'Welcome to VSU!' in the Community 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/08/vsu-community-2013.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Rice goes for three and Helton for two at VSU Community 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/08/vsu-community-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Rice and Turner victorious at VSU Community 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/09/vsu-community-2010.html
  
  
• Upcoming races on and off university campuses listed on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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