Jack Blocher and Rae Rackley splash to wins at Valdosta's Turkey Trot

It was a rainy Saturday morning in Valdosta, Georgia on 28 November 2024 for Lowndes High Cross-Country's Turkey Trot 5K. Still, it was Thanksgiving, so everyone was thankful that it wasn't snowing, and that the start of the race was only delayed fifteen minutes. The road was wet, but you could be thankful it was paved. Jack Blocher of Valdosta won the road race by 50 meters, clocking 17:41. Rae Rackley of Tallahassee, Florida was the first woman in the 5K, coming in thirteenth overall in 20:44.


Hahira, Georgia's Jacob Howington, an alum of the Highland Christian Academy cross-country team, took the runner-up spot with a 17:50. Gary Rowan of Adel, Georgia was third in 18:01. Lake Park, Georgia's Ryan Kelly was the fastest master runner in the race, placing eleventh overall in 20:09. Kelly had won the Valdosta Thanksgiving Day race in 2014 and 2015.


The women's field that morning included Angie Cipriani Stewart, an alum of the Thomasville High and Valdosta State cross-country teams as well as the women's champ of Valdosta's 2020 Thanksgiving Day road race. Also on the starting line was Valdosta's Reese Miller, who less than three weeks earlier had posted a win in the TKO Fairway 5K. Rae Rackley beat them both with her winning 20:44. Another former harrier, Rackley had run cross-country at Holy Comforter School in Tallahassee and at R. J. Reynolds High. Fourteen-year-old Miller finished runner-up to Rackley in 21:14, placing seventeenth overall. Angie Cipriani Stewart took third in the women's standings and 24th overall in 23:10. Tamara Martin of Valdosta was the first woman master and seventh female finisher, 46th overall in 25:58.


The wet weather didn't dampen turnout; 273 athletes finished Lowndes High Cross-Country's 2024 Turkey Trot 5K, making it one of Valdosta's largest races. A Course/Line, LLC, of Valdosta timed the race and provided finish line services.


Top Ten Men, 2024 Valdosta Thanksgiving Day 5K

1. 17:41.0, Jack Blocher (M, 20) Valdosta, GA
2. 17:49.8, Jacob Howington (M, 18) Hahira, GA
3. 18:00.0, Gary Rowan (M, 36) Adel, GA
4. 18:04.1, Oscar Lopez Pech (M, 34) Mexico City, MEX
5. 18:57.0, River Thurston (M, 15) Valdosta, GA
6. 19:24.3, David Jones (M, 29) Valdosta, GA
7. 19:32.5, Morgan House (M, 37) Gainesville, GA
8. 19:43.9, David Dennis (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
9. 19:47.2, Noah Howington (M, 16) Hahira, GA
10. 20:03.9, Landon Rudiger (M, 17) Newnan, GA

Top Ten Women, 2024 Valdosta Thanksgiving Day 5K

1. 20:43.6, Rae Rackley (F, 19) Tallahassee, FL
2. 21:13.5, Reese Miller (F, 14) Valdosta, GA
3. 23:09.3, Angie Cipriani Stewart (F, 25) Fort Walton Beach, FL
4. 23:27.4, Sarah Kiggins (F, 38) Valdosta, GA
5. 25:13.5, Kendall Folsom (F, 20) Valdosta, GA
6. 25:23.5, Sara Hamblin (F, 39) Valdosta, GA
7. 25:57.1, Tamara Martin (F, 47) Valdosta, GA
8. 26:07.7, Ana Paula Lima (F, 32) Valdosta, GA
9. 26:39.7, Anna Cannister (F, 11) Hahira, GA
10. 26:44.5, Carson Oliver (F, 38) Hahira, GA

Valdosta, Georgia, Thanksgiving Day 5K winners, 2009 - 2024
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
26 November 2009	16:39, John Seppala	19:20, Ashley McGee	118
25 November 2010	17:48, Masked Avenger	21:31, Gretchen Bielmyer	191
24 November 2011	17:42, Nathan Norton	22:01, Gretchen Bielmyer	146
22 November 2012	17:45, Masked Avenger	21:10, Angela Bruhl	115
28 November 2013	16:55, Brandon Hough	19:03, Erin Miller	101
27 November 2014	17:14, Ryan Kelly	18:28, Erin Miller	103
26 November 2015	18:22, Ryan Kelly	22:13, Amber Elam	203
24 November 2016	17:11, Hailey Myddelton	20:29, Gracie Woods	191
11 November 2017	18:33, David Shrier	26:32, Emma Cambell	83
22 November 2018	17:45, Alec Munger	18:53, Erin Miller	129
28 November 2019	17:22, Nick Rosatti	22:02, Pollyanna Bass	162
26 November 2020	17:34, Andrew Caruana	18:54, Angie Cipriani	104
25 November 2021	18:55, Matthew Herndon	22:43, Brianna Prinsloo	148
24 November 2022	16:56, Matt Herndon	21:44, Erin Miller	177
23 November 2023	16:20, Parker Jackson	19:38, Amy Hines	198
28 November 2024	17:41, Jack Blocher	20:44, Rae Rackley	273

Links

• Complete results of the Valdosta's 2024 Thanksgiving Day 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSQz9-zzJOcgRZtooCk_OtAc7I57rP-7YF8uj-69AB_i67lw7WBamxbE5D02gwqBgLqFeyMqZD61AVR/pubhtml
  
  
• 2019 story, “Nick Rosatti and Pollyanna Bass collect Turkey Day wins in Valdosta”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/11/valdosta-thanksgiving-2019.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Prep runners Myddelton and Woods star at the Valdosta Thanksgiving 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/11/valdosta-thanksgiving-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Kelly repeats and Elam wins at the Valdosta Thanksgiving Day 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/11/valdosta-thanksgiving-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Kelly wins as Miller sets record at Valdosta's Turkey Day 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/11/valdosta-thanksgiving-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Hough and Miller fly to Thanksgiving Day wins in Valdosta”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/11/valdosta-thanksgiving-2013.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “A speedy Thanksgiving morning in Valdosta for Norton and Bielmyer”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/12/valdosta-thanksgiving-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Avenger, Bielmyer run to Thanksgiving Day wins in Valdosta”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/11/valdosta-thanksgiving-2010.html
  
  
• Find a future holiday race on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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