Patrick Wallace and Reese Miller lead Valdosta distance running into the New Year

Just a few hours into 2024, Valdosta, Georgia's new year of racing got under way with the New Year's Day 5K. Valdosta High junior Patrick Wallace won the race that Monday morning, 1 January 2024, posting a winning 17:18. Thirteen-year-old Reese Miller led the women's standings, coming in eleventh overall in 23:04.


Valdosta's final road race of 2023 had been the Christmas Parade 5K on 16 December 2023. Parker Jackson had won that race, with Patrick Wallace 200 meters back in the runner-up position. Just over two weeks later, both Jackson and Wallace were on the starting line of the New Year's Day 5K. This time Wallace got the win, crossing the finish line with a lead of just over 200 meters. Adel, Georgia athlete Alexander Ayala placed second to Wallace, running 18:04. Brandon Reyes, Valdosta High frosh Brandon Reyes, a teammate of Wallace on the VHS cross-country squad, took third in 18:16. Jackson was fourth in 18:30. Daniel Hamblin of Valdosta was the first master runner in the 5K, placing sixteenth overall in 24:20.


Valdosta's Kelly Lunceford was runner-up to Reese Miller in the women's standings, fourteenth overall in 23:28. Two weeks earlier, Lunceford had taken the women's title in the Valdosta Christmas Parade 5K. Sara Hamblin of Valdosta was the third woman and 21st overall in the New Year's Day 5K, running 25:55. Jamie Brown was the first woman master and the fourth female finisher, 23rd overall in 26:39.


78 athletes finished the 2024 Valdosta New Year 5K. A Course/Line, LLC, of Valdosta timed the race and provided finish line services.


Top Ten Men, 2024 Valdosta New Year 5K

1. 17:17.3, Patrick Wallace (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
2. 18:03.4, Alexander Ayala (M, 19) Adel, GA
3. 18:15.5, Brandon Reyes (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
4. 18:29.2, Parker Jackson (M, 19) Valdosta, GA
5. 18:50.8, Canaan Ponce (M, 18) Adel, GA
6. 19:41.4, Oliver Horne (M, 16) Whigham, GA
7. 19:43.9, Chad Northcutt (M, 39) Quitman, GA
8. 20:47.2, Aaron Farris (M, 37) Hahira, GA
9. 21:22.8, Gabriel Ponce (M, 24) Adel, GA
10. 21:23.3, Avery Adkins (M, 16) Valdosta, GA

Top Ten Women, 2024 Valdosta New Year 5K

1. 23:03.8, Reese Miller (F, 13) Valdosta, GA
2. 23:27.3, Kelly Lunceford (F, 34) Valdosta, GA
3. 25:54.5, Sara Hamblin (F, 38) Valdosta, GA
4. 26:38.6, Jamie Brown (F, 40) Valdosta, GA
5. 26:47.0, Laura Solomon (F, 41) Nashville, GA
6. 26:57.0, Sarah Ray (F, 37) Nashville, GA
7. 27:02.2, Allison Tolman (F, 28) Hahira, GA
8. 27:07.2, Jane Swayze (F, 15) Valdosta, GA
9. 28:28.3, Heather Pettus (F, 36) Valdosta, GA
10. 29:26.9, Tia Oleary (F, 35) Adel, GA

Valdosta, Georgia, New Year 5K winners, 2012 - 2024
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
31 December 2012	17:58, Mark McLeod	24:56, Martha Mazurkiewicz	50
31 December 2013	18:04, Ryan Kelly	22:30, Makenzee Page	75
31 December 2014	16:59, Andrew Elam	20:52, Makenzee Page	69
31 December 2015	18:01, Michael Martinez	22:59, Debbie Green	61
31 December 2016	16:53, Andrew Elam	22:48, Gracie Woods	93
1 January 2020	18:19, Morgan Bolmer	19:43, Angie Cipriani	47
1 January 2021	17:00, Brishen House	22:18, Brianna Prinsloo	47
1 January 2022	16:03, Logan Kraus	18:34, Angie Cipriani	37
31 December 2022	17:59, Logan Kraus	18:51, Angie Cipriani	64
1 January 2024	17:18, Patrick Wallace	23:04, Reese Miller	78

Links

• Complete results of Valdosta's 2024 New Year 5K (Courtesy of A Course/Line, LLC)
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSZoXI1g5F4x0lPlyEFOMNdZByz7Du0sqWpbgUvBt3MeQInPM_jll2Ium3AYlCjfuMKAW_Gs8B-iC00/pubhtml
  
  
• 2022 story, “New year, new records for Logan Kraus and Angie Cipriani”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2022/01/valdosta-nyd-2022.html
  
  
• 2020 story, “New year, new decade, new wins for Morgan Bolmer and Angie Cipriani”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2020/01/valdosta-nyd-2020.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Elam and Woods answer 2016's last call with a win”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/01/valdosta-nye-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “One last win in 2015 for Martinez and Green”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/01/valdosta-nye-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “New year, new records for Elam and Page”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/01/valdosta-nye-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Kelly and Page headline a New Year's Runnin' Eve in Valdosta”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/01/valdosta-nye-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “In Valdosta, McLeod and Mazurkiewicz ring out the old year with new wins”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/01/valdosta-nye-2012.html
  
  
• Find upcoming races in the region during the new year using the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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