Parker Jackson gets his second Labor Day 5K win, Olivia Gregory her first

Labor Day road racing returned to Georgia on Monday, 6 September 2021, particularly in Valdosta. There, Parker Jackson won Valdosta's Labor Day 5K by close to 200 meters, running 17:25. Olivia Gregory was the first woman in the race, placing thirteenth oveall in 21:54.


Jackson, a senior at Valdosta High, is in the middle of cross-country season, so this was his third race in ten days. He had run 17:30 at the Cecil Field Summer Classic on 27 August 2021 and a winning 17:45 at the Yellow Jacket Invitational on 2 September 2021. But Jackson couldn't pass up the Labor Day 5K, a race he had won in 2019. The race was different this time around for Jackson--he ran faster; more than three minutes faster than his winning time two years previously.

Parker Jackson

Burnis Williams, another Valdosta High cross-country runner, took second in 18:16. Conner Shelton of Lakeland, Georgia was third in 18:32. The fastest master runner in the race was Lake Park, Georgia's Ryan Kelly, fifth overall in 19:34. Kelly, the Valdosta High cross-country coach, won the Labor Day 5K in 2015.


In the women's division, Olivia Gregory's winning 21:54 also gave her a lead of almost 200 meters.


Gaylen Griner, a junior on the Lanier County High cross-country team, took second in the women's standings, placing eighteenth overall in 22:45. Another high school harrier, Valwood sophomore Ella Burnett, was third in the women's division and 22nd overall in 23:54. Suzie Puckett of Hahira, Georgia was the top woman master and ninth female finisher, 36th overall in 27:05.


68 athletes finished Valdosta's 2021 Labor Day 5K. Proceeds of the race benefitted Valdosta city schools cross-country teams. A Course/Line, LLC, of Valdosta timed the race and provided finish line services.


Top Ten Men, 2021 Valdosta Labor Day 5K

1. 17:24.9, Parker Jackson (M, 17) Valdosta, GA
2. 18:16.0, Burnis Williams (M, 17) Valdosta, GA
3. 18:31.1, Conner Shelton (M, 27) Lakeland, GA
4. 18:50.8, Julio Perez (M, 30) Moultrie, GA
5. 19:33.6, Ryan Kelly (M, 42) Lake Park, GA
6. 19:53.0, Tristen Lesley (M, 20) Valdosta, GA
7. 19:57.6, Ethan Burnett (M, 13) Valdosta, GA
8. 20:42.1, Terrell McNeil (M, 19) Valdosta, GA
9. 20:57.7, David Burnett (M, 45) Valdosta, GA
10. 21:03.6, Patrick Wallace (M, 14) Valdosta, GA

Top Ten Women 2021 Valdosta Labor Day 5K

1. 21:53.1, Olivia Gregory (F, 22) Gainesville, FL
2. 22:44.3, Gaylen Griner (F, 16) Nashville, GA
3. 23:53.2, Ella Burnett (F, 15) Valdosta, GA
4. 24:03.5, Emma Burnett (F, 15) Valdosta, GA
5. 25:38.5, Emily Asola (F, 17) Valdosta, GA
6. 26:11.0, Jamie Brown (F, 37) Valdosta, GA
7. 26:24.6, Laura Solomon (F, 39) Nashville, GA
8. 26:27.8, Sarah Grace Puckett (F, 12) Hahira, GA
9. 27:05.0, Suzie Puckett (F, 50) Hahira, GA
10. 29:13.8, Kelsie Herndon (F, 12) Lake Park, GA

Valdosta Labor Day 5K winners, 2009 - 2021
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
7 September 2009	18:19, Drew Dunbar	20:28, Ashley McGee	122
6 September 2010	16:18, Chris Rice	20:27, Jordanne Helton	290
5 September 2011	17:55, Masked Avenger	20:59, Mary Alice Smoot	108
3 September 2012	17:44, James Marino	22:27, Taylor Harrington	93
2 September 2013	18:15, Matthew Baun	19:48, Mary Alice Smoot	89
1 September 2014	17:07, Matthew Baun	21:58, Alice Smoot	65
7 September 2015	18:56, Ryan Kelly	22:38, Darien Andreu	87
5 September 2016	18:03, Dan Butzin	21:44, Debbie Green	106
4 September 2017	Canceled
3 September 2018	19:39, Rick Mazurkiewicz	21:42, Sandra Griffin	80
2 September 2019	20:35, Parker Jackson	23:29, Kelly Lunceford	44
7 September 2020	16:35, Alec Munger	22:39, Victoria Garcia	99
6 September 2021	17:25, Parker Jackson	21:54, Olivia Gregory	68

Links:

• Complete results of the 2021 Valdosta Labor Day 5K courtesy of A Course/Line, LLC
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTiCc1q_S1S6smZAaCLDSaMgPXecLUtcCWOAC-ddZIu3rVhIUzM1FqLi_gyRqk6QyPS8NOdY4B_Chep/pubhtml
  
  
• 2020 story, “Lowndes harriers Alec Munger and Victoria Garcia win Valdosta's Labor Day 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2020/09/valdosta-labor-day-5k-2020.html
  
  
• 2019 story, “Parker Jackson and Kelly Lunceford win at Valdosta's Labor Day 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/09/valdosta-labor-day-5k-2019.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Hermine can't halt Butzin or Green”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/09/valdosta-labor-day-5k-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Kelly and Andreu work the Valdosta roads on Labor Day”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/09/valdosta-labor-day-5k-2015.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Mary Alice Smoot's 19:48 is a new mark in the Valdosta Labor Day 5K”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/09/valdosta-labor-day-5k-2013.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Rain can't spoil Valdosta's Labor Day picnic on the roads”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/09/valdosta-labor-day-5k-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Valdosta Labor Day 5K, Valdosta, Georgia, 6 September 2010”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/09/valdosta-labor-day-5k-2010.html
  
  
• Find your next holiday road race in the region using the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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