47 runners compete for the 2024 title
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – The 2024 Chester Fall Festival 5K Race took place Saturday October 19. The event organized on the BV Bank parking lot with race day registration, packet pick up, refreshments, information and trophy presentations.
It was a perfect day for running as the skies were clear with sunshine and temperatures in the 60’s. The race started at 9:00 a.m. on State Street in front of the Jade Leopard Boutique and proceeded to the high school, back uptown to the starting area, and down to the Randolph County Courthouse, then returned back uptown to the finish line which was located Jade Leopard Boutique.
The 5K Competitive Walk, the 5K Race, and the Fun Run/Walk all started at the same time. The Fun Run/Walk finished after the first trip to the high school and back uptown, while the Competitive Walk and 5K Race both had to make the way to the courthouse and back uptown to complete the 3.1-mile course.
The overall grand winner of the 5K Race was Chester’s Joshua Chambers. Chambers actually serves as the Race Director and has worked very hard to win this year’s event. Chambers (39) crossed the finish line 1st overall with a time of 18:32.64 and a race pace of just 5:58 pare mile.
After winning the race, Chambers said, “I really wanted to win this year. I trained hard and ran hard. I wanted to break the 19:00 mark and did that with my 18:32.64. Two weeks ago I ran a half-marathon and I hope to qualify for the Boston Marathon. It really feels good to accomplish my goal of winning the 2024 Fall Festival 5K.”
The first female to cross the finish line was 13 year old Katelynn Vallett of Chester. Vallett said, “I go to school at St. John’s Lutheran School here in Chester and I live in Bremen.” Vallett won the Female Division with a time of 23:54.86 and a race pace of 7:42 per mile. She was the 6th overall finisher.
All together there were a total of 47 runners in the 5K race event. There were 24 female runners and 23 male runners.
AGE GROUP RACE RESULTS
Male Results
Male 14 & Under
1st Jayden Fernandez age 9 4th overall 23:39.15 avg. 7:37
2nd Parker Knott age 11 7th overall 23:54.94 avg. 7:42
3rd Will Petrowske age 9 9th overall 24:41.16 avg. 7:57
4th Blake Petrowske age 12 10th overall 24:44.06 avg. 8:01
5th RP Edwards age 13 14th overall 26:26.48 avg. 8:31
6th Aystin Guerra age 9 15th overall 26:28.18 avg. 8:31
7th Ryder LeGrand age 11 18th overall 27:52.32 avg. 8:58
8th Zachary Kuhlman age 9 24th overall 29:47.92 avg. 9:35
9th Jase Tindall age 9 25th overall 29:49.84 avg. 9:36
10th Toby Tindall age 9 26th overall 29:51.58 avg. 9:37
Male 20-24
1st Aiden Jany age 20 3rd overall 22:36.40 avg. 7:17
2nd Jackson Kramawetter age 20 8th overall 24:17.84 avg. 7:49
3rd Dalyn Eilers age 20 19th overall 28:35.38 avg. 9:12
Male 25-29
1st Caleb Golding age 28 2nd overall 21:36.37 6:57
Male 35-39
1st Josh Cox age 35 5th overall 23:46.78 avg. 7:39
2nd Daniel Schroeder age 35 39th overall 33:55.45 avg. 10:55
Male 40-44
1st Matt Seymour age 42 29th overall 29:58.68 avg. 9:39
2nd Keith Karr age 41 45th overall 36:31.58 avg. 11:45
Male 45-49
1st Aaron Petrowske age 47 13th overall 25:17.82 avg. 8:09
2nd Joshua Berry age 47 20th overall 28:38.58 avg. 9:13
3rd Robert Guerra age 45 42nd overall 35:36.09 avg. 11:28
Male 60-64
1st James Falker age 63 32nd overall 30:40.09 9:25
Female Results
Female 14 and under
1st Penelope Seymour age 11 27th overall 29:52.52 9:37
2nd Piper Seymour age 9 28th overall 29:58.21 9:39
3rd Bailey Cross age 13 31st overall 30:10.20 9:43
4th Cheyenne McDonald age 14 34th overall 31:29.44 10:08
5th Kaylee Karr age 22 44th overall 36:31.09 11:45
6th Brystol Stellhorn age 13 46th overall 37:00.01 11:55
Female 15-19
1st Heidi Blank age 18 11th overall 25:03.64 8:04
2nd Lauren Cowell age 15 36th overall 33:12.90 10:41
3rd Addy Jany age 24 47th overall 38:23.64 12:21
Female 20-24
1st Shea Petrowske age 23 12th overall 25:06.45 8:05
2nd Jocelyn Landeros age 22 23rd overall 29:39.69 9:33
3rd Ashtyn Jany age 22 35th overall 32:29.06 10:27
4th Cara Cowell age 24 37th overall 33:18.17 10:43
Female 25-29
1st Zoe Ross age 27 22nd overall 29:37.99 9:32
2nd Maribeth Golding age 28 30th overall 30:06.65 9:42
3rd Jaclyn Brockhouse age 25 41st overall 33:55.53 10:55
4th Megan Stewart age 27 42nd overall 34:33.19 11:07
Female 30-34
1st Marci Klein age 32 17th overall 26:35.43 8:34
Female 35-39
1st Lacey Jones age 38 16th overall 26:35.17 8:33
2nd Victoria Barbour & 2 kids age 38 21st overall 28:40.54 9:14
3rd Kendra Brown age 35 33rd overall 30:33.42 9:54
4th Lindsay Schroeder age 35 40th overall 33:55.45 10:55
Female 40-44
1st Amy Savoy age 44 38th overall 33:47.10 10:52
The 5K Race was deemed a huge success. Trophies were awarded for the Top-Male and Top-Female finishers overall and the first three finishers in every age group.
The Top Female and Male finishers in the 2024 Chester Fall Festival 5K Race were Katelynn Vallett (left) and Josh Chambers (right). Josh was the overall first place finisher with his time of 18:32.64 and race pace of 5:58 per mile. Katelynn finished 6th overall and was the first female to finish. Her time was 23:54.86 and race pace was 7:42 per mile. Jim Beers Photo
The gun went off at precisely 9:00 a.m. Saturday October 19 for the start of the 2024 Chester Fall Festival 5K Race, Competitive Walk and Fun Run/Walk. Approximately 100 participants charged off the starting line with the firing of the horn including 47 5K Racers, 14 5K Competitive Walkers, and the Fun Run/Walkers. Jim Beers Photo
Jayden Fernandez, 9 years old, was the first child to cross the finish line at the 2024 Chester Fall Festival 5K Race. Fernandez finished 4th overall out of 47 racers with his time of 23:39.15 and race pace of 7:37 per mile. He was 1st Place in his age group, 14 and under. Shown here Fernandez crosses the finish line in good spirits! Jim Beers Photo
Chester’s Caleb Golding, 28, was the Runner-Up finishing 2nd overall at the 2024 Chester Fall Festival 5K Race Saturday October 19. Golding had a time of 21:36.37 and a race pace of 6:57 in his 3.1-mle race. Jim Beers Photo
Aiden Jany, 20, finished in 3rd Place overall out of 47 racers in the 2024 Fall Festival 5K Race Saturday October 19. Jany ran a time of 22:36.40 and had a race p[ace of 6:57. Jim Beers Photo
Victoria Barbour of Smithton was one of several participants who walked or ran pushing a stroller in the 2024 Chester Fall Festival 5K Race, Competitive Walk, or Fun Run/Walk. Barbour ran the 5K Race pushing her two children Carson and Patricia for the entire 3.1 miles. Her time and finish were impressive as she finished 21st overall and 2nd in her age group (35-39) with her time of 28:40.54 and her race pace of 9:14 per mile. Jim Beers Photo