The Sundown Salute annual Freedom Run is a long standing tradition that encompasses the meaning of “community”.
The heavy favorite in the men’s 5k race, Joe Moore, 32, of Keats, KS said that this is more about tradition than it is about winning.
“I’ve been coming to this race since I was probably a baby – my dad has done it almost every single Fourth of July since the early 80s. I remember running the one mile Fun Run back in the day…it’s a tradition for a lot of people, but especially me and my family to come to Junction City on the Fourth of July and do this race,” said Moore.
Moore finished first overall in the 5k with a time of 16:30, roughly a 5:19 mile pace.
The Melgares family from Manhattan, KS won big at the Freedom Run with top finishers in every division in which they competed.
Chris Melgares, 20, a student-athelete at Kansas Univeristy won the 10k in a time of 31:18, or 5:03 mile pace.
Little brother Michael, 19, was the 2nd overall finisher in the 5k with a time of 16:48, or 5:25 mile pace; and seventeen year old younger sister Cara was the first female finisher in the 5k race in a time of 20:37, or 6:38 mile pace.
Mama Melgares – Susan, 49 – was the 2nd overall female finisher in the 5k with a time of 23:19, or 7:31 mile pace.
Susan said that she is very proud of all her children, but this was more about having fun as a family than winning.
“It’s just a really fun family tradition coming over here and regardless of where people place, it’s nice to see their hard work pay off; but the better thing is [that] it is something we can all do together and enjoy together,” said Susan Melgares.
Echoing the sense of community was 50 year old Betty Sunnenberg who completed her 5k with her fitness goals in mind.
“It was amazing,” Sunnenberg began recalling hearing everyone cheer her along the race and as she came up the home stretch. “It was a lot of support, I belong to Audiofit (fitness group based out of Manhattan) and they all came out to support me…It just means a lot, it’s a lot of encouragement to keep going on my journey.”
Sunnenberg finished her 5k in a time of 56:13 as she continues to muster toward her weight loss and fitness goals.
Thirty nine year old Jamie Jones says that this 5k was a good starting point for her on her fitness journey.
“That was a great feeling,” said Jones speaking on the way everyone cheered her to the finish. “I’ve never run a marathon before so I decided that this could be my first attempt at trying something like this, and the other part of this was a personal goal to just get out there and see what I can do.”
Ella Moloney, 69, also felt the sense of community during her 5k run.
“It was awesome, I mean really awesome to run down the street and have people cheer you on,” said Moloney.
Moloney’s daughters and grandchildren also ran as 45 members of her family cheered her on.
The unique thing about Junction City is that when you are a part of anything that takes place in town, you too, become a part of the community.
On this Fourth of July Monday – a celebration of our Independence and sovereignty – the love of community, something that the National news will tell you we are lacking, was on a magnificient display at the 2016 Freedom Run.