- December 20, 2024
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Runners at the start of the Race of the Runways 5K at the Flagler Executive Airport. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Runners run under the wing of the PBY Catalina. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Winner Chris Batista, left, gets a hug from second-place finisher Douglas Seth, a seventh-grader at Buddy Taylor Middle School. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Race of the Runways 5K winner Chris Batista, whose company timed the race. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Kiddie Dash runners race to the finish. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Participants begin the Kiddie Dash prior to the Race of the Runways 5K. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Runners and spectators walk around the PBY Catalina prior to the Race of the Runways 5K at the Flagler Executive Airport.
Ormond Beach's Angelika Grubel. File photo by Michele Meyers
Normally Chris Batista would be timing the Race of the Runways 5K at the Flagler Executive Airport.
But on Saturday, Feb. 24, Batista left the timing in the capable hands of his staff members at 5K Race Director, and ran the race, winning with a time 16:45.8.
Batista, 42, who is also the founder of Run 4 a Cause Foundation, is training for the 2024 Boston Marathon. He edged 13-year-old Douglas Seth of Palm Coast, a seventh grader at Buddy Taylor Middle School who placed second with a time of 16:51.95.
Seth is coming off his Florida Middle School Indoor Championship in the 3,000 meters where he ran the fastest time in the nation this year and the fastest time in Florida history with a 9:33.40.
Angelika Grubel, 52, of Ormond Beach, won the women’s title with a time of 22:46.79.
Runners from age 5 to 84 — 421 finished the race — ran in the 13th annual event. Each runner received a finisher medal modeled after the PBY Catalina airplane and ran under the wing of an actual PBY Catalina just past the race starting point. The runners continued on the airport runways before ending back at the start/finish line.
The event benefits the Rotary Club of Flagler Beach.
“It’s such a unique race being on a runway,” said Rotarian Shelia Pillath, the event organizer. “We’re really fortunate we’re able to do something like this, and all the proceeds go back into the community.”
The race, which previously had been run during sunset and darkness, was moved up a half hour to 6 p.m.
“It improves safety and we have more daylight and an awesome sunset,” Pillath said.
The event included a Kiddie Dash, a Virtual 5K and an after-race party. For complete results, visit runsignup.com/Race/Results/5866#resultSetId-439005.
