Harriers Rosatti and Smoot win Hahira's Honeybee 5K

Hahira, Georgia, is a source of historical mysteries. The first is the source of its name. Brief research will turn up three or more stories, equally preposterous, for why a town on the north side of Lowndes County should be called "Hahira." The year of Hahira's first Honeybee Festival 5K is also a mystery, as well as the winner of that race. But whatever year the race was added, it is known that the Hahira Honeybee Festival started in 1982, and has continued annually on the first weekend of October.


It's also know that on Saturday morning, 4 October 2014, Cook High junior-year cross-country runner Nick Rosatti ran 19:26 to win the latest edition of the Hahira, Georgia, Honeybee 5K. University of Tampa cross-country runner Mary Alice Smoot took the women's title, finishing second overall in 19:51. Smoot also won the race in 2011 as a Valwood School sophomore. Valdosta athlete Steve Plymale was the fastest master runner in the race, placing eight overall in 20:59. Debbie Green of Valdosta was the top woman master, coming in 14th overall in 22:17.


Rosatti and Smoot weren't the only cross country runners on the street of Hahira that morning. Smoot was joined by fellow University of Tampa Spartans Aimee Epps (3rd, 20:11), Brianna Jackson (6th, 20:53), and Jane Ojasu (7th, 20:59). On the male side, Cook Middle School harrier Cody Pezent was ninth overall in 21:20, and Cook High sophomore Fabian Hesse was twelfth overall in 22:09.


Top Ten Men, 2014 Hahira Honeybee 5K

1. 19:25.3 ~ Nick Rosatti (M, 17) Hahira, GA
2. 20:19.4 ~ Dallon Kerby (M, 22) Hahira, GA
3. 20:58.9 ~ Steve Plymale (M, 65) Valdosta, GA
4. 21:19.5 ~ Cody Pezent (M, 13) Adel, GA
5. 21:33.2 ~ Jake Jackson (M, 15) Hahira, GA
6. 22:00.0 ~ Hayden Bills (M, 14) Hahira, GA
7. 22:08.3 ~ Fabian Hesse (M, 15) Adel, GA
8. 22:11.5 ~ Steven Johnson (M, 37) Norman Park, GA
9. 22:30.1 ~ Coby Kent (M, 12) Valdosta, GA
10. 22:31.9 ~ B Beverly (M, 34) Adel, GA

Top Ten Women, 2014 Hahira Honeybee 5K

1. 19:50.8 ~ Mary Alice Smoot (F, 18) Valdosta, GA
2. 20:10.4 ~ Aimee Epps (F, 21) Tampa, FL
3. 20:22.0 ~ Elena Gully (F, 35) Hahira, GA
4. 20:52.3 ~ Brianna Jackson (F, 19) Lithia, FL
5. 20:58.6 ~ Jane Ojasu (F, 21) Tampa, FL
6. 22:16.2 ~ Debbie Green (F, 48) Valdosta, GA
7. 24:28.4 ~ Karen Cauthen (F, 45) Murfreesboro, TN
8. 24:39.9 ~ Gracie White (F, 12) Moultrie, GA
9. 24:46.5 ~ Brittany Folsom (F, 29) Hahira, GA
10. 25:02.4 ~ Jazz Garmon (F, 22) Tifton, GA

Known Honeybee 5K Champions, 2001-2014
Date	Men	Women
2 October 1999
6 October 2001	17:21, Rich Sumrall
4 October 2003	16:31, John Seppala	23:14, Amy Mark
2 October 2004	16:30, John Seppala	22:13, Sundonia Williams
8 October 2005	16:47, John Seppala	20:41, Susan Fischer
7 October 2006	16:54, John Seppala	20:43, Susan Fischer
6 October 2007	16:54, John Seppala	18:57, Jana Grygarova
4 October 2008	17:02, John Seppala	21:13, Heidi Gonzalez
3 October 2009	16:51, John Seppala	20:12, Ashley Powell
9 October 2010	16:46, Scott Gardner	20:08, Ashley Powell
8 October 2011	17:49, Masked Avenger	19:46, Mary Alice Smoot
6 October 2012	18:37, Ryan Kelly	21:52, Gretchen Bielmyer
5 October 2013	18:39, Ryan Kelly	22:27, Debbie Allen
4 October 2014	19:26, Nick Rosatti	19:51, Mary Alice Smoot

Links

• Complete results of the 2014 Honeybee 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T5vOFN21zWYd9nliVqLhBgcKre_z60Pf6wur8Tkqhqw/pubhtml
  
  
• 2013 story, "Ryan Kelly and Debbie Allen are victors at Hahira's 2013 Honeybee 5K"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/10/honeybee-2013.html
  
  
• 2011 story, "Avenger and Smoot lead the swarm at Honeybee 5K"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/10/honeybee-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, "Gardner stings Seppala at Honeybee 5K"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/10/honeybee-2010.html
  
  
• Find the next insect-themed race in the region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1227

Mary Alice Smoot's 19:48 is a new mark in the Valdosta Labor Day 5K

Matthew Baun has started his freshman season of cross-country at Valdosta High School, and Mary Alice Smoot has started her senior season of cross-country at Valwood School. Nevertheless, both harriers took some time away from the trails to score wins at Valdosta's fifth annual Labor Day 5K on Monday, 2 September 2013.


Baun was the overall winner, finding a way to beat Ryan Kelly after losing to the Valdosta Middle School cross-country coach 16 days earlier at the "Cross-Country Is Fun!" 5K in Valdosta. Shrugging off the results of that earlier race, Baun won the Labor Day 5K in 18:15, while Kelly finished second-best in 18:24. Mary Alice Smoot was third across the finish line, taking the women's title and establishing a new women's record of 19:48 for the Labor Day race.


Valdosta runner Tom Phillips was the fastest master runner in the race, coming in fourth overall in 20:45. Alice Smoot of Valdosta was the top master woman, running 21:53 to finish third in the female standings behind Mary Alice Smoot and ten-year-old Kelsey Morse (7th, 21:33).


89 athletes finished the race. Finish line and timing services were provided by A Course/Line, LLC, of Valdosta, Georgia.


Top Ten Men, 2013 Valdosta Labor Day 5K

1. 18:14.5 ~ Matthew Baun (M, 14) Valdosta, GA
2. 18:23.9 ~ Ryan Kelly (M, 34) Lake Park, GA
3. 20:44.1 ~ Tom Phillips (M, 49) Valdosta, GA
4. 21:00.7 ~ Tom Grant (M, 36) Valdosta, GA
5. 21:26.5 ~ Jake Lyons (M, 29) Valdosta, GA
6. 21:34.7 ~ Derek Cummings (M, 35) Valdosta, GA
7. 21:44.5 ~ Rick Mazurkiewicz (M, 46) Valdosta, GA
8. 22:17.2 ~ Andy Gibbs (M, 35) Valdosta, GA
9. 22:34.8 ~ Ryan Kuemmerlin (M, 28) Valdosta, GA
10. 22:51.4 ~ Michael Baun (M, 56) Valdosta, GA

Top Ten Women 2013 Valdosta Labor Day 5K

1. 19:48.0 ~ Mary Alice Smoot (F, 17) Valdosta, GA
2. 21:32.8 ~ Kelsey Morse (F, 10) Valdosta, GA
3. 21:52.7 ~ Alice Smoot (F, 56) Valdosta, GA
4. 22:29.7 ~ Elizabeth Smith (F, 35) Valdosta, GA
5. 22:34.5 ~ Natalie Wright (F, 27) Valdosta, GA
6. 23:41.6 ~ Debbie Green (F, 47) Valdosta, GA
7. 24:17.5 ~ Mackenzie Rogers (F, 9) Valdosta, GA
8. 24:28.9 ~ Melissa Mekpongsatorn (F, 31) Valdosta, GA
9. 24:40.9 ~ Kay Smith (F, 24) Valdosta, GA
10. 25:10.8 ~ Makenzee Page (F, 13) Ray City, GA

Valdosta Labor Day 5K winners, 2009-2013
Date	Men	Women
7 September 2009	18:19, Drew Dunbar	20:28, Ashley McGee
6 September 2010	16:18, Chris Rice	20:27, Jordanne Helton
5 September 2011	17:55, Masked Avenger	20:59, Mary Alice Smoot
3 September 2012	17:44, James Marino	22:27, Taylor Harrington
2 September 2013	18:15, Matthew Baun	19:48, Mary Alice Smoot

Links:

• Complete results of the 2013 Valdosta Labor Day 5K courtesy of A Course/Line, LLC
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AuBsYKIIn3TCdDFieml2ZFhNdThrNmlhYk5hekV0Rnc
  
  
• 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
  
  

Kelly leads the way and Smoot sets record at the fifth Barnes 5K

First opening its doors in 1909, Barnes Healthcare is a very old company based in Valdosta, Georgia. First run in 2009, the Barnes 100 Years 5K is on its way to becoming an old road race on the streets of Valdosta. First used in 2013, the course for this year's Barnes 5K run is brand new. That new course was where Ryan Kelly of Lake Park, Georgia ran 3.1 miles in 18:13 on Saturday morning, 13 July 2013, winning the fifth annual Barnes 100 Years 5K. Matthew Baun, a three-year veteran of the St. Johns School cross-country team, finished runner-up behind Kelly in 18:21. Adel, Georgia athlete Sean McConnell was the first master runner in the race, finishing third overall in 19:33.


Repeating her performance from nine days earlier in Valdosta's Fourth of July 5K, Mary Alice Smoot both won the women's title and set a new women's record in the fifth annual Barnes 5K. A senior-to-be and cross-country runner at Valwood School, Smoot placed fifth overall in 20:12, trimming six seconds off of Angelina Horne's four-year-old Barnes 5K record of 20:18. Nearly 400 meters behind Mary Alice Smoot was the runner-up in the women's field, 2011 Barnes 5K champion Alice Smoot. Alice Smoot, who happens to be Mary Alice Smoot's mother, was also the top female master in the race, coming in 10th overall with a 21:47.


72 athletes finished the 2013 Barnes 100 Years 5K. Proceeds from the race were earmarked for the Hopes and Dreams Riding Facility of Quitman, Georgia.


Top Ten Males, 2013 Barnes 100 Years 5K

1. 18:12.8 ~ Ryan Kelly (M, 34)
2. 18:20.1 ~ Matthew Baun (M, 14)
3. 19:32.5 ~ Sean McConnell (M, 42)
4. 19:52.7 ~ Jonathan Miller (M, 26)
5. 20:29.9 ~ Milo Mirate (M, 17)
6. 20:58.9 ~ Tom Phillips (M, 45)
7. 21:15.7 ~ Derek Cummings (M, 34)
8. 21:27.5 ~ Dylan Rogers (M, 15)
9. 22.29.3 ~ Michael Baun (M, 56)
10. 22:34.5 ~ Rob McGhin (M, 33)

Top Ten Females, 2013 Barnes 100 Years 5K

1. 20:11.2 ~ Mary Alice Smoot (F, 17)
2. 21:46.9 ~ Alice Smoot (F, 56)
3. 23:15.4 ~ Debbie Green (F, 47)
4. 23:24.6 ~ Martha Mazurkiewicz (F, 45)
5. 24:30.3 ~ Makenzee Page (F, 13)
6. 24:36.6 ~ Mackenzie Rogers (F, 9)
7. 24:38.8 ~ Jennifer Hummel (F, 39)
8. 26:13.6 ~ Kristina Singley (F, 34)
9. 26:19.8 ~ Heather Kelly (F, 35)
10. 27:22.0 ~ Janis Lee (F, 58)

Barnes 100 Years 5K Champions, 2009-2013
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
18 July 2009	19:05, Masked Avenger	20:18, Angelina Horne	96
17 July 2010	16:45, Daniel Broadhead	20:31, Angelina Horne	119
16 July 2011	18:02, Masked Avenger	20:54, Alice Smoot	67
14 July 2012	18:29, Nathan Norton	23:23, Lauren Tosky	80
13 July 2013	18:13, Ryan Kelly	20:12, Mary Alice Smoot	72

Links

• Complete results of the 2013 Barnes 100 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AuBsYKIIn3TCdGVYbWkzYVYxYXVmWUFEck5pd2Q2aEE
  
  
• Al Barkley's photos of the 2013 Barnes 100 5K
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/valdosta_pics/
  
  
• 2012 story, "Norton and Toskey beat 'em all at Barnes"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/07/barnes-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, "No settling for second for Avenger and Smoot at 2011 Barnes 5K"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/07/barnes-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, "Broadhead breaks record and Horne builds streak at Barnes 5K"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/07/barnes-5k-2010.html
  
  
• Find another centennial race in the Tallahassee region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

Calhoun wins and Smoot sets record on Independence Day in Valdosta

Wright Calhoun may be looking forward to his sophomore year high school cross-country season this fall, but he isn't waiting till fall to race. On Thursday, 4 July 2013, the Americus, Georgia distance runner outraced a field of 163 to win Valdosta's fifth annual Independence Day 5K. Calhoun clocked 17:28 for the 3.1-mile run on Patterson Street from Five Points to downtown, a four-second improvement on his 17:32 runner-up performance in the 2012 Independence Day 5K. Devin Long followed Calhoun across the finish line, runner up in 18:06. Long, an alumnus of Texas's Schertz Steele High School and its cross-country team, is a cadet at the United States Military Academy. Valdosta Middle School cross-country coach Ryan Kelly took third, clocking 18:26. Adel, Georgia athlete Sean McConnell was the fastest master runner in the race, finishing eighth overall in 19:26.


Mary Alice Smoot, a rising senior at Valwood School, trimmed three seconds from Jordanne Helton's 2011 women's course record, establishing a new female standard of 20:13 for the Independence Day race. Smoot finished over 300 meters ahead of the runner-up in the female competition, Kelsey Morse of Valdosta. Morse was 22nd overall in 21:44. Alison Peters was third in the female standings, placing 23rd overall in 22:04. For the fourth straight year, Valdosta's Mary Smoot was the first master woman across the finish line at the Independence Day 5K. Smoot's 22:21 was good for 25th overall.


Top Ten Males, 2013 Valdosta Independence Day 5K

1. 17:27.4 ~ Wright Calhoun (M, 15) Americus, GA
2. 18:05.4 ~ Devin Long (M, 19) West Point, NY
3. 18:25.3 ~ Ryan Kelly (M, 34) Lake Park, GA
4. 18:37.8 ~ Jadon Long (M, 17) Hahira, GA
5. 18:49.9 ~ Tyler Thurman (M, 17) Valdosta, GA
6. 19:02.7 ~ Chris Stover (M, 27) Valdosta, GA
7. 19:11.4 ~ Ryan Sealy (M, 29) Valdosta, GA
8. 19:25.8 ~ Sean McConnell (M, 42) Adel, GA
9. 19:32.5 ~ Matthew Baun (M, 14) Valdosta, GA
10. 19:33.0 ~ David Burnett (M, 37) Valdosta, GA

Top Ten Females, 2013 Valdosta Independence Day 5K

1. 20:12.2 ~ Mary Alice Smoot (F, 17) Valdosta, GA
2. 21:44.0 ~ Kelsey Morse (F, 10) Valdosta, GA
3. 22:03.2 ~ Alison Peters (F, 17) Valdosta, GA
4. 22:20.7 ~ Alice Smoot (F, 56) Valdosta, GA
5. 22:44.1 ~ Sarah Stover (F, 31) Valdosta, GA
6. 23:09.0 ~ Jacki Pinkerton (F, 17) Valdosta, GA
7. 23:14.6 ~ Makenzee Page (F, 13) Ray City, GA
8. 23:20.0 ~ Mackenzie Morse (F, 13) Valdosta, GA
9. 23:22.7 ~ Debbie Green (F, 47) Valdosta, GA
10. 23:42.0 ~ Beth DeLoach (F, 40) Valdosta, GA

Champions of the Valdosta Independence Day 5K, 2009-2013
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
4 July 2009	16:38, Alan McGough	20:32, Ashley McGee	228
4 July 2010	16:32, Chris Rice	20:26, Angelina Horne	215
4 July 2011	16:15, Jeff Powers	20:16, Jordanne Helton	123
4 July 2012	16:57, Chris Rice	20:18, Christine Shattles	192
4 July 2013	17:28, Wright Calhoun	20:13, Mary Alice Smoot	163
The predecessor of the Valdosta Independence Day 5K was the Baytree 8K, run in the streets of Valdosta on Independence Day from 2006 to 2008.

Links

• Complete results of Valdosta's 2013 Independence Day 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AuBsYKIIn3TCdF9fYW9ZdzhCTEpnYzVpaFBjTmRHYUE
  
  
• 2012 story, "Rice and Shattles celebrate America's birthday with Valdosta 5K wins"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/07/valdosta-independence-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, "Powers and Helton make the records fall in Valdosta"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/07/valdosta-independence-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, "2010 story, "Rice and Horne rock the Fourth in Valdosta"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/07/2010-valdosta-independence-day-5k.html
  
  
• Find a race to run on the next patriotic holiday using the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

Rain can't spoil Valdosta's Labor Day picnic on the roads

Some people spend Labor Day weekend on the beach, others go to the mountains. Some go fishing, some camp, some have a Labor Day picnic.


Valdosta's Masked Avenger spent his Labor Day weekend winning races.


After picking up a victory at the Lakeland, Georgia Dawg-Gone Good 5K Road Race on Saturday, 3 September 2011, the Avenger was back home in Valdosta on Monday for the third annual Labor Day 5K. The runner in the mask was first again, clocking 17:55 to finish 50 meters ahead of the runner-up, Juan Castanon (2nd, 18:06) of Hahira, Georgia. South Georgia College cross-country runner Joshua Holcombe was third in 18:22. The fastest master of the morning was Valdosta's Tom Phillips, tenth overall in 20:15.


Valwood School cross-country runner Mary Alice Smoot ran away with the women's division, winning by over 300 meters with a time of 20:59. Lowndes High sophomore distance runner Alison Peters was second in 22:26, and South Georgia College's Jennifer Cumbus was the third woman in at 23:31. Lowndes High junior Emily Singletary outkicked her senior teammate, Alejandra Francis, for fourth, both clocked in 23:41. Hahira's Janis Lee ran 25:55 to finish as the top woman master and ninth woman overall.


108 runners finished the third annual Valdosta Labor Day 5K. All who came out enjoyed relatively pleasant weather for September, in spite of a rain threat from the fringes of dying tropical system Lee that the Weather Channel insisted on describing as the meteorological equivalent of the Apocalypse.


Top Ten Men

1. 17:55 ~ Masked Avenger (M, 32) Valdosta, GA
2. 18:06 ~ Juan Castanon (M, 18) Hahira, GA
3. 18:22 ~ Joshua Holcombe (M, 20) Douglas, GA
4. 18:26 ~ David Burnett (M, 35) Valdosta, GA
5. 18:42 ~ Caleb Coil (M, 15) Valdosta, GA
6. 19:11 ~ Austin Wallace (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
7. 19:33 ~ David Jones (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
8. 19:43 ~ Eli Gilmore (M, 16) Valdosta, GA
9. 20:07 ~ Tyler Thurman (M, 15) Valdosta, GA
10. 20:15 ~ Tom Phillips (M, 47) Valdosta, GA

Top Ten Women

1. 20:59 ~ Mary Alice Smoot (F, 15) Valdosta, GA
2. 22:26 ~ Alison Peters (F, 15) Valdosta, GA
3. 23:31 ~ Jennifer Cumbus (F, 19) Douglas, GA
4. 23:41 ~ Emily Singletary (F, 16) Valdosta, GA
5. 23:41 ~ Alejandra Francis (F, 17) Valdosta, GA
6. 24:40 ~ Jody Penney (F, 37) Valdosta, GA
7. 24:59 ~ Brianna Johnson (F, 16) Hahira, GA
8. 25:03 ~ Josie Mazurkiewicz (F, 15) Valdosta, GA
9. 25:22 ~ Amanda Merck (F, 29) Valdosta, GA
10. 25:24 ~ Joi Jones (F, 16) Valdosta, GA
11. 25:55 ~ Janis Lee (F, 56) Hahira, GA
12. 26:19 ~ Nancy Elam (F, 48) Valdosta, GA

Valdosta Labor Day 5K winners, 2009-2011
Date	Men	Women
7 September 2009	18:19 Drew Dunbar	20:28 Ashley McGee
6 September 2010	16:18 Chris Rice	20:27 Jordanne Helton
5 September 2011	17:55 Masked Avenger	20:59 Mary Alice Smoot

Links:

• Complete results of the 2011 Valdosta Labor Day 5K at runningintheusa.com
  http://www.runningintheusa.com/Results/View.aspx?ResultsID=92009
  
  
• Tom Durham's photos of the 2011 Valdosta Labor Day 5K
  http://tdurham.zenfolio.com/p266017954
  
  
• 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