The ninth annual Baptist Campus Ministries Run For Missions Four-Miler was contested on the streets of Valdosta, Georgia on Saturday morning, 25 January 2020. Master runner Ryan Kelly was there, a three-time winner of the race. So was the defending champion, Alec Munger, who had won the race in both 2018 and 2019. But neither Kelly nor Munger were Valdosta State University cross-country runners, and it was VSU harriers who took nine of the top ten places in the race, including first. Blazer Nick Flatt took that top spot, setting a new course record of 21:07. The Blazer claimed the top seven women's spots as well, with VSU ace Angie Cipriani taking the women's title in 26:09, a course record for female athletes.Angie Cipriani
Flatt, a VSU junior, didn't go unchallenged. Blazer sophomore Brishen House was less than a second behind him, also clocked in 21:07. Both athletes were under the previous BCM Four Mile record, 22:50, run by Parker Childree at the inagural Run For Missions in 2012. Flatt's winning mark is also a pending Georgia state record for a four-mile road race.
Two other Blazers were also under the old record--Nick Rosatti was third in 22:03, and Logan Kraus fourth in 22:27. Alec Munger, a senior on the Lowndes High cross-country team, likewise ran faster than Childree's record, placing fifth in 22:29.
Munger was the only non-Blazer among the top ten men. The other Valdosta State harriers cracking the top ten were Braedon Bensley (6th, 22:59), Khiro Hoilett (7th, 23:03), Riley Matlock (8th, 23:38), Dalton Pender (9th, 23:47), and Kevin Favard (10th, 23:59). Ryan Kelly was the first master runner in the race for the second year in a row, placing eleventh overall in 24:05.
Valdosta State harriers also dominated the women's standings, led by Cipriani's 26:09--a new Run For Missions record and a pending Georgia state record for women. Blazer cross-country runner Samantha Murray took the women's runner-up spot, placing nineteenth overall in 27:35. Kaley Brough, another Blazer cross-country athlete, was the third woman and 22nd overall in 27:58. Blazers took the next four women's places-- Khamryn Smith (23rd, 28:13), Yasmeen Hammad (24th, 28:31), Olivia Rosener (27th, 28:58), and Kayle Smith (30th, 30:25). Tracey Cole of Pinetta, Florida was the first woman master and eighth female finisher, 32nd overall in 30:56.
106 athletes finished the 2020 Run For Missions Four-Mile. A Course/Line, LLC, of Valdosta timed the race and provided finish line services.
Top Ten Men, 2020 Run 4 Missions
- 21:06.2, Nick Flatt (M, 20) Valdosta, GA
- 21:06.9, Brishen House (M, 19) Valdosta, GA
- 22:02.4, Nick Rosatti (M, 23) Hahira, GA
- 22:27.0, Logan Kraus (M, 19) Valdosta, GA
- 22:28.5, Alec Munger (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
- 22:58.1, Braedon Bensley (M, 19) Valdosta, GA
- 23:02.5, Khiro Hoilett (M, 19) Valdosta, GA
- 23:37.9, Riley Matlock (M, 18) Valdosta, GA
- 23:46.1, Dalton Pender (M, 19) Valdosta, GA
- 23:58.3, Kevin Favard (M, 21) Valdosta, GA
Top Ten Women, 2020 Run 4 Missions
- 26:08.8, Angie Cipriani (F, 20) Valdosta, GA
- 27:34.5, Samantha Murray (F, 20) Valdosta, GA
- 27:57.4, Kailey Brough (F, 20) Valdosta, GA
- 28:12.7, Khamryn Smith (F, 19) Valdosta, GA
- 28:40.4, Yasmeen Hammad (F, 19) Valdosta, GA
- 28:57.8, Olivia Rosener (F, 20) Valdosta, GA
- 30:24.4, Kayle Smith (F, 21) Valdosta, GA
- 30:55.3, Tracey Cole (F, 40) Pinetta, FL
- 31:44.5, Kelly Lunceford (F, 30) Valdosta, GA
- 31:45.1, Pollyanna Bass (F, 47) Pavo, GA
| Valdosta BCM Run 4 Missions Four-Mile Road Race champions, 2012 - 2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Men | Women | Finishers |
| 21 January 2012 | 22:50, Parker Childree | 28:10, Alice Smoot | 140 |
| 19 January 2013 | 23:48, Ryan Kelly | 31:08, Audrey Williams | 100 |
| 18 January 2014 | 23:32, Ryan Kelly | 28:49, Mackenzie Morse | 86 |
| 24 January 2015 | 23:19, Ryan Kelly | 26:48, Makenzee Page | 116 |
| 23 January 2016 | 25:43, Rick Mazurkiewicz | 28:44, Debbie Green | 109 |
| 21 January 2017 | 26:46, John Lewis | 29:32, Melanie Ellis | 128 |
| 20 January 2018 | 24:35, Alec Munger | 28:46, Alice Smoot | 93 |
| 26 January 2019 | 23:34, Alec Munger | 29:03, Sandra Griffin | 91 |
| 25 January 2020 | 21:07, Nick Flatt | 26:09, Angie Cipriani | 106 |
Links
- Complete results of the 2020 Run 4 Missions four-mile road race
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTZEQDSOIt10Nv8ALEZW0pGX9BDqvqEiKK9Jhy6AkJyotO1o1cLtzAFsxsann3d3PVtcTHUw8oldeID/pubhtml
- 2019 story, “Alec Munger rides again at Valdosta's Run For Missions Four Mile”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/01/missions-2019.html
- 2018 story, “Alec Munger and Alice Smoot were at the fore in the Run For Missions Four”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/01/missions-2018.html
- 2017 story, “Four fast for Lewis and Ellis at Miles For Missions”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/01/missions-2017.html
- 2016 story, “Four-mile wins in Valdosta for master runners Mazurkiewicz and Green”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/01/missions-2016.html
- 2015 story, “A third win for Kelly and record run for Page at Run 4 Missions”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/01/missions-2015.html
- 2014 story, “Kelly and Morse take four”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/01/missions-2014.html
- 2013 story, “Mission accomplished for Ryan Kelly and Audrey Williams”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/01/missions-2013.html
- USATF course-certification map GA18031WC for the 2019 Run For Missions
https://certifiedroadraces.com/certificate/?type=l&id=GA18031WC
- Find your next Valdosta road race on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
Back in my father's day, four miles was the championship distance in collegiate cross country.
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