Last Thursday, July 4, almost 90 runners came to participate in the 20th Celebrate Freedom 5K and One Mile Fun Run/Walk in Jay at Bray-Hendricks Park. The annual event was cancelled, then fortunately made a comeback.
In 1980, the ‘running boom’ had spread across the U.S. and the Town of Jay decided to host a community road race on the 4th of July. They called it the ‘Jay Oil Run,’ since oil had been discovered within the city limits and neighboring communities just 10 years earlier. Former City Recreation Director, David Bush, contacted longtime resident and runner, Roger Dobson, (Matthew’s father) to help with its coordination.
The event lasted four years and was discontinued until the Jay Area Merchants Association contacted Roger’s son, Matthew Dobson in 2000 to bring the race back to the July 4th festivities once again. The race, now called Celebrate Freedom 5K and One Mile Fun Run/Walk, has been running strong for 20 years now.
“I ran in the first Jay Oil Run in 1980 as a 10-year-old,” said Matthew. “The funny thing was the race distance. It was a 4.5-mile race. We decided on a 5K in 2000 after plotting a flat, fast course that had participants starting and finishing in the park. The original Jay Oil Run did the same thing, but the course route took the runners a little farther east.
“Dobson said back in the early 1980’s, there used to be a Sheriff’s Bayfront 5K Run in Pensacola at midnight on July 3rd. Several runners would participate in that race, then drive to Jay and run the Jay Oil Run eight hours later.
“It was fun times with great memories!” said Dobson. Matthew said he was a little bummed, even as a kid, when the Jay race was discontinued in 1983.“But we brought it back years later,” recalls Dobson.
In its 20th year, Dobson says he hoped to match last years participant total of 155 runners and walkers.
“We always hope registrations cover the expense of the shirts and trophies,” said Dobson. “Part of the proceeds of the race go towards the Jay Volunteer Fire Department and Jay High School Cross-Country Team. It’s a home town race with home town hospitality.”
