Keeping a tradition of four-mile races alive in an era when the competitive calendar is choked with five-kilometer events, 128 athletes finished the sixth annual Run For Missions Four Mile in Valdosta, Georgia on Saturday morning, 21 January 2017. Naylor, Georgia athlete John Lewis won the 6,437-meter race, posting a time of 26:46. Valdosta master runner Melanie Ellis was the women's champion, placing fifth overall in 29:32.Rob McGhin of Valdosta took the runner-up spot in 27:37, just ahead of third-place finisher Parker Reid Jackson. Jackson, a seventh-grader on the Valdosta Middle School cross-country team, ran 27:46. Valdosta High sophomore cross-country runner Bryce Jackson placed fourth in 28:31.
Valdosta's Vanessa Spry was second in the women's standings and eighth overall in 30:52. Pavo, Georgia master runner Pollyanna Bass was the third female finisher and twelfth overall in 31:15.
A Course/Line, LLC, of Valdosta, Georgia provided timing and finish line services for the 2017 Run For Missions Four Mile.
Top Ten Men, 2017 Run 4 Missions
- 26:45.9, John Lewis (M, 36) Naylor, GA
- 27:36.3, Rob McGhin (M, 37) Valdosta, GA
- 27:45.1, Parker Reid Jackson (M, 12) Valdosta, GA
- 28:30.3, Bryce Jackson (M, 15) Valdosta, GA
- 30:09.2, Billy Taylor (M, 68) Valdosta, GA
- 30:42.7, Joseph Miles (M, 41) Valdosta, GA
- 30:57.0, Wesley Heruska (M, 40) Hahira, GA
- 31:00.1, Steve Taylor (M, 52) Valdosta, GA
- 31:02.5, Greg Morris (M, 48)
- 31:38.8, Karl Brown (M, 41) Valdosta, GA
Top Ten Women, 2017 Run 4 Missions
- 29:31.4, Melanie Ellis (F, 43) Valdosta, GA
- 30:51.5, Vanessa Spry (F, 31) Valdosta, GA
- 31:15.0, Pollyanna Bass (F, 44) Pavo, GA
- 31:25.7, Brandy Van Jura (F, 37) Hahira, GA
- 32:40.9, Lauren Bewley (F, 35) Valdosta, GA
- 34:53.5, Gina Purvis (F, 57) Tifton, GA
- 36:22.4, Megan Morris (F, 38)
- 36:32.1, Amy Reese (F, 42) Valdosta, GA
- 37:16.9, Traci Ferris (F, 34) Valdosta, GA
- 37:34.1, Chelsea Holcombe (F, 27) Valdosta, GA
| Valdosta BCM Run 4 Missions Four-Mile Road Race champions, 2012 - 2017 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Men | Women | Finishers |
| 21 January 2012 | 22:50, Parker Childree | 28:10, Alice Smoot | 140 |
| 19 January 2013 | 23:48, Ryan Kelly | 31:08, Audrey Williams | 100 |
| 18 January 2014 | 23:32, Ryan Kelly | 28:49, Mackenzie Morse | 86 |
| 24 January 2015 | 23:19, Ryan Kelly | 26:48, Makenzee Page | 116 |
| 23 January 2016 | 25:43, Rick Mazurkiewicz | 28:44, Debbie Green | 109 |
| 21 January 2017 | 26:46, John Lewis | 29:32, Melanie Ellis | 128 |
Links
- Complete results of the 2017 Run 4 Missions four-mile road race
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TG8mPHwfFXJnmRxlP2nf_9cRg_UncRLFLtBpBPLcWzc/pubhtml
- 2016 story, “Four-mile wins in Valdosta for master runners Mazurkiewicz and Green”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/01/missions-2016.html
- 2015 story, “A third win for Kelly and record run for Page at Run 4 Missions”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/01/missions-2015.html
- 2014 story, “Kelly and Morse take four”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/01/missions-2014.html
- 2013 story, “Mission accomplished for Ryan Kelly and Audrey Williams”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/01/missions-2013.html
- Find your next Valdosta road race on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
