Alec Munger and Kelly Lunceford repeat in Valdosta's Independence Day 5K

In Valdosta, Georgia's 2019 Independence Day 5K Road Race, Alec Munger was the first overall male and Kelly Lunceford the first overall female in a field of 91 athletes.


Wait a second.


In Valdosta, Georgia's 2018 Independence Day 5K Road Race, Alec Munger was the first overall male and Kelly Lunceford the first overall female in a field of 91 athletes.


You may be getting a sense of deja vu, or suspecting that someone simply changed the year on the 2018 results, but it actually happened that way. Of course, not everything was the same about the two races--in the event on Thursday morning, 4 July 2019, Alec Munger ran over half a minute faster than the previous year, posting a winning time of 17:22. Likewise, Valdosta's Lunceford ran a few seconds faster than her 2018 mark, placing eleventh overall in 21:19.


It was also a year where young runners excelled in the race. Alec Munger, first overall, is a rising junior at Lowndes High, where he was the ace of the boys' cross-country team during the 2018 season. Aaron Munger edged Michael Kelly for second, 19:33 to 19:34. Aaron is just fourteen years old, and Michael finished his final cross-country season at Lowndes High only eight months ago. Of the top ten runners, eight were less than twenty years old. A notable exception was Brian Rohrback of Lake Park, Georgia. Rohrback was the first master runner in the race, placing eighth overall in 20:32.


Sandra Griffin of Valdosta, Georgia was the first woman master, coming in second in the women's standings and thirteenth overall in 21:53. Pinetta, Florida master runner Tracey Cole was the third female finisher, placing sixteenth overall in 22:42.


As for 91 athletes finishing both the tenth annual and the eleventh annual Independence Day 5K, that's just eerie. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket.


Top Ten Men, 2019 Valdosta Independence Day 5K

1. 17:21.2, Alec Munger (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
2. 19:33.0, Aaron Munger (M, 14) Valdosta, GA
3. 19:33.3, Michael Kelly (M, 18) Dasher, GA
4. 19:49.3, Chad Northcutt (M, 35) Quitman, GA
5. 20:05.0, Andrew Caruana (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
6. 20:15.9, Andrew Smith (M, 18) Valdosta, GA
7. 20:25.0, Andrew Francis (M, 16) Hahira, GA
8. 20:31.4, Brian Rohrback (M, 42) Lake Park, GA
9. 20:42.7, Isaac Chambers (M, 13) Hahira, GA
10. 20:47.5, Aidan Evans (M, 14) Tifton, GA

Top Ten Females, 2019 Valdosta Independence Day 5K

1. 21:18.2, Kelly Lunceford (F, 29) Valdosta, GA
2. 21:52.6, Sandra Griffin (F, 52) Valdosta, GA
3. 22:41.4, Tracey Cole (F, 40) Pinetta, FL
4. 23:46.3, Tanija Turner (F, 18) Lake Park, GA
5. 23:50.0, Alexandra Sayre (F, 17) Valdosta, GA
6. 23:56.4, Greta Mikell (F, 21) Lakeland, GA
7. 25:47.6, Jamie Brown (F, 35) Valdosta, GA
8. 26:10.4, Lindsay Colson (F, 34) Valdosta, GA
9. 26:23.8, Kaylee O'Quinn (F, 15) Valdosta, GA
10. 26:27.3, Suzie Puckett (F, 48) Hahira, GA

Champions of the Valdosta Independence Day 5K, 2009 - 2019
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
4 July 2016	16:28, Kaleb Wolfenden	22:37, Brianna Prinsloo	119
4 July 2017	17:49, Brishen House	21:46, Brianna Prinsloo	126
4 July 2018	18:00, Alec Munger	21:25, Kelly Lunceford	91
4 July 2019	17:22, Alec Munger	21:19, Kelly Lunceford	91
* 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 2019 Independence Day 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQ631rUFLtA-60sBkBk2PGSjZ2ujf8lIdvtRiAEFCCcd5_iHWZ3lPGbLIrxkvd3Y9K7ryFqtRzkvAgM/pubhtml
  
  
• Independence Day 2019 racing coverage on Trouble Afoot!
  • Gainesville FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/07/ftc-melon-2019.html
  • Jay FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/07/jay-freedom-2019.html
  • Saint George Island FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/07/spritzer-2019.html
    
  • Tallahassee FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/07/firecracker-2019.html
    
  • Valdosta GA: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/07/valdosta-independence-2019.html
  
  
• 2018 story, “Alec Munger and Kelly Lunceford were first on the Fourth in Valdosta”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/07/valdosta-independence-2018.html
  
  
• 2017 story, “In Valdosta, House and Prinsloo lead the Independence Day 5K fireworks”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/07/valdosta-independence-2017.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Bonilla and Green keep 'em flying in Valdosta”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/07/valdosta-independence-2015.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Calhoun wins and Smoot sets record on Independence Day in Valdosta”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/07/valdosta-independence-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “Rice and Shattles celebrate America's birthday with Valdosta 5K wins”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/07/valdosta-independence-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Powers and Helton make the records fall in Valdosta”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/07/valdosta-independence-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “2010 story, "Rice and Horne rock the Fourth in Valdosta”
  https://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
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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