Boles, Jones race to Stop, Drop & Roll 5K victory

Clark, Hogan notch runner-up finishes

* Spark’s Dash video (coming soon)
* Complete results
* Age group awards
* Jones Racing Company photos (coming soon)
* Piedmont Post advance coverage

Staff report

SUMMERFIELD — Emily Boles did not have to run faster to improve upon last year’s finish in the Stop, Drop & Roll 5K. She simply had to run smarter.

Kevin Spradlin | PiedmontPostNC.com
The start of the third annual Stop, Drop & Roll 5K is just seconds away.

The 38-year-old Greensboro woman did just that on Saturday at the third annual 3.1-mile charity race, leading the field of 142 finishers with a time of 20 minutes and 24 seconds. She led nearly wire to wire, all but the first few hundred yards of an enthusiastic start, to earn the victory. In 2017, Boles ran 41 seconds faster but placed fourth overall — adding evidence to the concept that you can beat only those who show up on race day.

Landon Jones, 11, of Summerfield, posted a solid second half to hold off Walker Clark, 17, of Clemmons, for the men’s title. Jones finished in 20:54.3 while Clark stopped the clock in 21:33.3 — but the two were much closer than that at the turnaround point of the out-and-back course that begins and ends at the Summerfield Fire District Station 9 and takes participants in front of Summerfield Elementary School and through Summerfield Community Park.

Rob Grider, 42, of Jamestown, earned the men’s masters (40-plus) title and placed fourth overall in 21:52.7 — slightly ahead of fellow masters runner Kevin Clark, 42, of Clemmons (21:53.9). Nine-year-old Cameron Tobin, of Summerfield, rounded out the top six runners by stopping the clock in 22:55.4.

Kevin Spradlin | PiedmontPostNC.com
A photo captures Jerry and Sybil Kilimanjaro, in good spirits as they make their way along Greenlawn Drive early in the second half of the Stop, Drop & Roll 5K on Saturday in Summerfield.

After Boles, 22-year-old Taylor Hogan, of Summerfield, offered a runner-up finish and seventh overall in 23:07.7. Kelsey Gravely, 27, of Summerfield, was third female (13th overall) in 25:13.5.

Elizabeth Seymour, 46, of Lexington, claimed the women’s masters title with a time of 26:35.2.

Proceeds from the event are split equally between Red Dog Farm Animal Rescue Network and the Summerfield Fire District Charitable Corporation.