KEYSTONE HEIGHTS - Twelve-year-old runner Kyleigh Thomas had a bronze and a silver in her last two forays at the Freedom 5K in Keystone Heights on July 4, but 2025 proved fruitful as the Keystone Heights seventh grader finally went gun to the finish line as the top female runner in the annual foray around Keystone Heights. The race was the largest in its history, with 422 racers.

"I really wanted to get the first place female today after a third and second," said Thomas. "I went out hard at the start and kept running up front. I got near a friend's house in the middle of the race, and she ran with me a while and told me I was like 100 yards ahead."
For the second half of the race, runner-up Megan Bishop, a 44-year-old Lake Butler stalwart, closed the gap but stayed in second with Thomas crossing the line in 21 minutes, 37 seconds to finish 13th overall with Bishop just 39 seconds away in 15th place, 22:16.
"I just worked hard from last year's race to be able to win today," said Thomas. "Finally."
In the men's race, with a bevy of Keystone Heights High School athletes battling for the top prize, including cross country and track teammates, Noay Yara, Ryder Thomas and Hunter Sheppard, all blasting from the start.
Yara, with Thomas suffering a cramp near mid-race, took the win with a 17:36 effort, with Thomas fifth and Sheppard eighth.

For the race, race director Kerri Collins was ecstatic about the 422 racers that competed, the largest field for the small race atmosphere.
"I think this race itself is a unique destination because of the small town feel visitors get in Keystone Heights," said Collins, noting the race benefits the Jordan Cooper Memorial Scholarship Fund that rewards a Keystone Heights senior with college money. "We race, the parade, the hot dog eating contest, and the many vendors and people can spend a whole day here."
Gene Bridgeman, 79, was the oldest Keystone Heights finisher with a 1:04.42 time for the 3.1 miles.