On the morning of May 2, 2026, runners came to Swainsboro for the 25th running of the Knotty Pine 5K Race as part of the Pine Tree Festival. The 5K was sponsored by the Swainsboro Kiwanis Club, who provided logistics and support for the race. This year the route began and ended at the parking lot across from First Baptist Church and ran out Moring Avenue to the city limits and back. This year as last year, SAR members lead by Dess Smith and Steve Burke fired the starting cannon. Mother Nature provided a cooling shower throughout the race. It was Pines, Patriotism, and Praying for Rain that marked the day. The 1st place overall winner in the 5K male division was 20-year-old Schuyler Coney from Swainsboro with a time of 19 minutes and 45 seconds, while the overall winner in the female division was 12-year-old Aracery Astrada from Brooklet in a time of 23 minutes and 19 seconds. The 1st place master’s male winner was Daniel James Salem from Vidalia, GA, with a time of 19 minutes and 50 seconds and Joni McNeely from Swainsboro came in 1st place in the master’s female division with a time of 29 minutes and 26 seconds.
Age group winners in the male division were: age 10 and under, 1st place Denton Parker in 25 minutes and 12 seconds, 2nd place Kellan McNeeley in 25 minutes and 22 seconds, and 3rd place Noah Estrada in 25 minutes and 39 seconds; age 11 to 19, 1st place Ryan McKenzie in 22 minutes and 42 seconds, 2nd place Kendal Arden in 23 minutes and 12 seconds, and 3rd place Mercer Johnson in 24 minutes and 34 seconds; age 20 to 29, 1st place Jonathan Thomas, in 20 minutes and 28 seconds, 2nd place Samuel Auker in 21 minutes and 19 seconds, and 3rd place Caleb Auker in 22 minutes and 18 seconds; age 30-39, 1st place Juan Estrada in 22 minutes and 57 seconds, 2nd place Martin Neal in 23 minutes and 03 seconds, and 3rd place Roscoe Parker in 27 minutes and 57 seconds; age 40-49, 1st place Jason Martin in 21 minutes and 13 seconds, 2nd place Juan Parron 22 minutes and15 seconds, and 3rd place Guy Singletary in 23 minutes and 36 seconds; age 50-59, 1st place Chan Carter in 25 minutes and 31 seconds, 2nd place Ted Moen in 26 minutes and 18 seconds, and 3rd place David Bolton 29 minutes and 26 minutes; age 60 to 69, 1st place Anthony Freeman in 26 minutes and 03 seconds, 2nd place Kevin Faircloth in 33 minutes and 49 seconds, and Michael Holsenback in 41 minutes and12 seconds; age 70 and older, 1st place Jose Becerril in 25 minutes and 15 seconds and 2nd place John Torpy in 41 minutes and 36 seconds.
Age group winners in the female division were: age 10 and under, 1st place Madi Buxton in 35 minutes and 49 seconds and 2nd place Caroline Lewis in 44 minutes and 13 seconds; age 11 to 19, 1st place Abby Lewis in 25 minutes and 22 seconds, 2nd place Sophia Estrada in 26 minutes and 4 seconds, and 3rd place Tiffany Parra-Pina in 26 minutes and 9 seconds; age 20 to 29, 1st place Trish Miller in 23 minutes and 25 seconds, 2nd place Ellie Moen in 27 minutes and 51 seconds, and 3rd place Camille Thomas in 35 minutes and 26 seconds; age 30-39, 1st place Gloria Estrada in 28 minutes and 15 seconds, 2nd place Mallory Wheeler in 28 minutes and 41 seconds, and 3rd place Breanna Horton in 45 minutes and 5 seconds; age 40-49, 1st place Rosario Pina in 30 minutes and 59 seconds, and 2nd place Jennifer Woodson in 53 minutes and 52 seconds; age 50-59, 1st place Beth Lane in 46 minutes and 0 seconds.
The Swainsboro Kiwanis Club would like to thank all the Kiwanis members who helped. Also, thanks to Dr. Alan Brasher and Dr. John Cadle for helping with logistics and timing, and Martin Neal and Gabriel Moen for helping with the awards ceremony. We want to give a special thanks to our sponsors; Domino’s Pizza, Haddock Chiropractic, Leannas, Nordson, Piggly Wiggly, Shop Rite, Stitch-N-Print, Statesboro Coca-Cola Bottling, Swainsboro Ford, Swainsboro Raceway, Walmart, and Ware’s Bar-B-Que. A special thanks also to the Swainsboro Police Department for their assistance as they kept our runners safe even with all the people around for the Pine Tree Festival and in the much-appreciated rain. Complete results of the runs can be found soon on the Swainsboro Kiwanis Club website at swainsborokiwanis.org and the Pine Tree Festival page at pinetreefestival.org.
Just Keep Running and Run Fast, Run Hard, and Run Safe!
