Chad Northcutt and Hensley Wall return to win the Jingle Jog

Back in 2022, Chad Northcutt finished second in Valdosta-Lowndes Park and Recreation Authority's December race, the Jingle Jog 5K. Likewise, in 2022 Hensley Wall placed runner-up in the women's standings of the Jingle Jog 5K. In spite of those second-best showings, both Northcutt and Hall were back in Valdosta, Georgia's Freedom Park on Saturday, 9 December 2023, for the eighth annual Jingle Jog 5K. This time Northcutt was second to no one, winning the five-kilometer race by nearly a kilometer, running 18:50. Likewise, eleven-year-old Wall took first in the Jingle Jog women's division, placing fourth overall in 26:45.


Finishing second to Quitman, Georgia's Northcutt, Roper Wheeler ran 23:25. Wheeler is an eighth-grader on the cross-country team at Berrien County Middle School. The top master runner in the 5K was Steve Jones of Valdosta, third overall in 24:28.

Valdosta athlete Ashley Nicole Goerke was the second woman in the race, placing fifth overall in 28:31. Another Valdosta runner, seven-year-old Sophia Kuhlmann, was third in the women's standings and seventh overall in 31:09. A few steps behind Kuhlmann, Heather Kelly of Lake Park, Georgia was the first woman master and fourth female finisher, eighth overall in 31:13.


Hosted by the Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreation Authority annually since 2016, the Jingle Jog 5K was known as the Ugly Sweater 5K from 2016 to 2019. VLPRA adopted the Jingle Jog name in 2020.


28 athletes finished VLPRA's 2023 Jingle Jog 5K. A Course/Line, LLC of Valdosta, Georgia timed the race and provided finish line services.


Top Ten Men, 2023 VLPRA Jingle Jog 5K

1. 18:49.3, Chad Northcutt (M, 39) Quitman, GA
2. 23:24.2, Roper Wheeler (M, 15) Nashville, GA
3. 24:27.3, Steve Jones (M, 53) Valdosta, GA
4. 30:45.7, Jim Hall (M, 73) Valdosta, GA
5. 32:56.5, Jose Contreas (M, 35) Valdosta, GA
6. 33:24.9, William Kuhlmann (M, 10) Valdosta, GA
7. 33:33.2, Raul Diaz (M, 39) Thomasville, GA
8. 33:39.9, Gary Kuhlmann, II (M, 41) Valdosta, GA
9. 36:19.5, Carlos Landaverde (M, 14) Valdosta, GA
10. 40:05.3, Christopher Wall (M, 41) Valdosta, GA

Top Ten Women, 2023 VLPRA Jingle Jog 5K

1. 26:44.1, Hensley Wall (F, 11) Valdosta, GA
2. 28:30.1, Ashley Nicole Goerke (F, 32) Valdosta, GA
3. 31:08.4, Sophia Kuhlmann (F, 7) Valdosta, GA
4. 31:12.5, Heather Kelly (F, 45) Lake Park, GA
5. 31:17.8, Dawn Wachtel (F, 41) Hahira, GA
6. 33:14.3, Angel Bates (F, 40) Valdosta, GA
7. 33:17.4, Jessica Wheeler (F, 41) Nashville, GA
8. 34:29.6, Whitney Apperson (F, 33) Hahira, GA
9. 34:44.7, Natalie Kuhlmann (F, 36) Valdosta, GA
10. 36:38.5, Leesandra Maria Quinones (F, 28) Valdosta, GA

VLPRA Jingle Jog 5K winners, 2016 - 2023
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
24 December 2016	18:17, Caleb Watson	21:46, Gracie Woods	50
23 December 2017	17:49, Andrew Elam	22:27, Tara McFarland	96
15 December 2018	18:33, David Degon	23:48, Tracey Cole	42
14 December 2019	19:48. Ryan Kelly	23:47, Tracey Cole	37
24 December 2020	18:50, Ryan Kelly	24:44, Jill Clark	45
18 December 2021	17:50, Carson Purvis	25:30, Sara Cherstin Hamblin	47
17 December 2022	17:57, Patrick Wallace	25:10, Sara Cherstin Hamblin	39
9 December 2023	18:50, Chad Northcutt	26:45, Hensley Wall	28

Links

• Complete results of VLPRA's 2023 Jingle Jog 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vR_NWwt7p1ZAbIgf_xT0hgWdG5j8YIMDXVgomPQxkYVqAN7aLelH-bVh_UH0pZLoFokcgmxtnoFlxas/pubhtml
  
  
• 2021 story, “Carson Purvis and Sara Hamblin ring victory bells at Freedom Park in the Jingle Jog 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2021/12/vlpra-ugly-sweater-2021.html
  
  
• 2019 story, “Ryan Kelly and Tracey Cole finish the Valdosta running year with Ugly Sweater 5K wins”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/12/vlpra-ugly-sweater-2019.html
  
  
• 2018 story, “No gnarly knitwear for David Degon and Tracey Cole at the Ugly Sweater 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/12/vlpra-ugly-sweater-2018.html
  
  
• 2017 story, “Elam and McFarland run pretty races at the Ugly Sweater 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/12/vlpra-ugly-sweater-2017.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Watson and Woods are faster than fashion faux pas at the Ugly Sweater 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/12/vlpra-ugly-sweater-2016.html
  
  
• Find upcoming seasonal events on the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#3023