Event Name: Move with MADD Fort Myers 5K
Location: Fort Myers, FL

There's something a little surreal about lining up for a 5K where the finish line is home plate. That's exactly what runners got on May 16, 2026, when the Move with MADD Fort Myers 5K took over JetBlue Park at Fenway South — the spring training home of the Boston Red Sox. The start line sat right in front of the team store, the course wound out and back past a single water station, and the last few strides dropped runners onto the warm dirt of the infield to finish on home plate. How often do you get to round the bases of a big-league ballpark with a race bib on?

The morning had that early-summer Southwest Florida feel — sticky air, low gold light spilling over the empty grandstands, and those tall red Move with MADD flags snapping in the breeze. In-person registration and packet pickup opened at 6:30 a.m., the opening ceremony hit at 7:00, and the gun sent everyone off at 7:30 before the heat could really turn up. This is the signature fundraising event for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and you could feel that purpose in the air. People weren't just chasing a personal best. They were moving for somebody — for those who no longer can, and right alongside those who are learning to move again.

So here's how the day worked. Every runner got chip-timed by Southern Timing, every finisher earned a medal, and anyone who registered by April 16 was guaranteed a shirt. There was even a Dog 5K, with treats waiting for the three fastest pups. We've shot tons of themed races across Southwest Florida, but a charity 5K inside a ballpark — with a cause this personal and a finish line this iconic — is a special one to photograph. We were on the warning track before sunrise, and we stayed until the very last finisher crossed. Here's the day through our lens.

And get this — the cause behind it all is what made the energy so different from a typical fun run. Move with MADD is the signature fundraiser for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, raising money and awareness to end impaired driving for good. The goal this year was big, the donations kept climbing, and you could see the "why" stitched right onto people's shirts and pinned to their bibs. Some folks ran for a personal best. A lot more ran in memory of someone, or in support of a community working to make the roads safer. That mix of competition and compassion is rare, and it shows up in the photos.

First Across the Line

Some races make you wait to see who's winning. Not this one. William Santnana (bib 1129) of Cape Coral came flying down the track all by himself, hair bouncing, eyes locked on home plate, and absolutely nobody in the frame behind him. He won the whole thing outright in 16:50 — first overall, first in his gender, first in his age group. At just 17 years old. Wild, right? You can see the focus on his face; this kid knew exactly how far ahead he was and kept pushing anyway.

Not far behind, Hernan Hernandez (bib 734) brought it home in a bright blue singlet, grinding across the timing mat in 20:17. That was good enough for fifth overall and first place in his age group — a seriously strong morning for the Cape Coral runner. We love this shot because you can read the effort in every line of his face. That's what the last 100 meters of a 5K actually feels like. Here's a little behind-the-scenes thing, too: the light at a ballpark finish is tricky. The grandstands throw shade while the infield bakes in full sun, so we're constantly adjusting to keep faces sharp and skin tones natural as runners move from dark to bright in a single stride. Hernan ran straight into that gorgeous low-angle morning light, and it paid off.

Pushing Through the Heat

The thing about a Florida summer 5K is that the sun doesn't care how fast you are. Raull Tello (bib 1198) of Fort Myers met it head-on, running shirtless behind a pair of mirrored shades, and he flat-out flew — crossing in 21:44, good for 10th overall. Another runner chased in the background, but Raull had daylight on him. That out-and-back course gives you nowhere to hide from the heat, and he attacked it anyway.

Then came one of our favorite stories of the day. Rebecca Crofts (bib 1075) of Naples wasn't just the first woman across the line — she beat almost everybody. She finished in 22:14, which was 16th overall, first in her gender, and first in her age group. In our photo she's wincing through that final effort with a younger runner closing fast behind her, and she held them all off. That's a champion's finish, plain and simple.

<h2>Personality on the Course</h2>

<p>You should see the outfits that show up at a charity 5K. <strong>Nancy Morales (bib 729)</strong> of Fort Myers ran the whole thing in shorts covered in little rubber ducks, and still posted a blazing 23:31 — third among all women and second in her age group. Fast and fun? That's the whole vibe of this event right there.</p>

<p>Right behind her in the lineup was <strong>Eric Taylor (bib 944)</strong>, a masters runner who looked dialed in the entire way. Black tank, neon shorts, headband, sunglasses, and a steady stride that carried him to 24:47 and 32nd place overall. At 57, he was outrunning people half his age. Seriously, the masters crowd at this race brought it.</p>

Neck and Neck to the Finish

Now this is the kind of moment we live for. Ricardo Cerda (bib 912) and Jose Eatrada (bib 942) came down the home stretch shoulder to shoulder, both in their white Move with MADD shirts, both clearly refusing to give an inch. Want to know how close it was? Ricardo crossed in 27:56. Jose crossed in 27:57. One single second apart after 3.1 miles. You can't script a finish-line battle better than that, and we're just glad we had the shutter ready.

A little later, another runner came through in a black hydration vest with headphones on, fully locked into his own world for those last few strides. We weren't able to make out the bib number on this one, so we won't guess at a name — but the focus on his face tells you everything about how much that finish meant.

<h2>Every Finisher Has a Story</h2>

<p>Here's the thing about a charity race — the people in the middle of the pack are every bit as important as the folks up front. <strong>Chevado Stone (bib 1178)</strong> ran a smart, steady race in his gray Fit2Serve shirt and clocked 30:08, holding good form all the way to the mat. And just look at that frame — early light, empty seats, one runner doing the work. That's a race photographer's favorite kind of quiet.</p>

<p><strong>Kathy Boldissar (bib 908)</strong> brought serious style and serious speed, finishing in 31:38 behind a pair of bright orange shades and a ball cap. She placed fourth in her age group, and you can tell from her stride she's done this before. We've shot a lot of runners over the years, and you can always spot the experienced ones — they make 31 minutes of effort look almost easy.</p>

<h2>All Smiles in the Ballpark</h2>

<p>Some runners chase the clock. Others chase the joy — and they're just as fun to photograph. <strong>Gissell Herrera (bib 1218)</strong> came down the track beaming behind her sunglasses, white Move with MADD shirt catching the morning sun, finishing in 34:05 with a smile that never quit. A pack of runners trailed behind her, but she clearly owned that moment.</p>

<p>And then there's the finish we keep coming back to. <strong>Dubraska Ollarves (bib 1128)</strong> of Cape Coral threw both arms straight up as she crossed, head back, pure celebration, a water bottle still in one hand and two young runners sprinting in behind her. She finished in 38:53, and you'd think she'd just won Boston. That's the look every race photographer hopes to catch — and the reason finish-line photos matter so much to runners and sponsors alike.</p>

<h2>Dogs, Kids, and a Whole Lot of Heart</h2>

<p>Did we mention the dogs? The Move with MADD Dog 5K let runners bring their pups along, and <strong>Valerie Sweely (bib 865)</strong> came across the line in a teal tank with her Australian shepherd trotting happily on the leash beside her, finishing in 40:02. Another runner, <strong>Lance Metcalf (bib 899)</strong>, rolled in just behind them. Treats were waiting at the finish for the fastest dogs, and that pup sure looked like it earned one.</p>

<p>We also love seeing the next generation out there. <strong>Jeremy Fletcher Jr (bib 1044)</strong> ran his heart out in his white Move with MADD shirt, ball cap, and sunglasses, crossing in 45:33. He's only 12 years old — out here at sunrise running a 5K for a cause that helps keep families safe. That's the kind of thing that sticks with you long after the medals are handed out. You should see the faces of the younger runners when they realize they're finishing on an actual big-league home plate. It hits different, and we make a point of catching that moment for every kid who toes the line.</p>

<h2>Saving the Best Spirit for Last</h2>

<p>If there's an award for most festive finisher, <strong>Mary Bartoshuk (bib 878)</strong> ran away with it. Picture a bright red tutu, a Move with MADD headband bouncing with red and blue streamers, and a pair of red pom-poms shaking high in the air as she stepped onto home plate, grinning ear to ear. She finished in 49:01 — and she's 78 years old. We've said it before and we'll say it again: this is what these races are all about. Mary didn't run for a podium spot. She ran for the joy of it, and she gave us one of the best photos of the entire day.</p>

<p>And to close things out, <strong>Tabarie Sullivan (bib 969)</strong> got the kind of finish-line escort you only get at a ballpark race — he came charging down the track stride for stride with Wally the Green Monster, the Red Sox mascot, in his full uniform and red sneakers. Another runner grinned along behind them. Tabarie crossed in 1:00:42, racing a giant green mascot to the line. Where else does that happen? Only at JetBlue Park.</p>

<h2>Why Fort Myers Runners Trust Us With Race Day</h2>

<p>Here's what we know after years of covering races across Southwest Florida: the photos are what last. The medal goes in a drawer. The shirt ends up in the laundry. But that shot of you crossing home plate with your arms in the air, or finishing beside your dog, or racing a mascot to the line — that's the thing you share, the thing your family sees, the thing a race director uses to fill next year's start line.</p>

<p>That's why we treat every event like it matters, because it does. We get there before the sun's up, we stay until the final finisher, and we shoot the whole field — the champions, the first-timers, the dog walkers, and the 78-year-olds in red tutus. Then we turn galleries around fast so runners can relive the morning while it's still fresh. If your race is on RunSignup, we even sort the photos so athletes can find their own shots in seconds.</p>

<p>And that's really the secret for race directors: great photos aren't a luxury, they're marketing. The image of Dubraska throwing her arms up, or Mary shaking those pom-poms, or that one-second sprint between Ricardo and Jose — those are the photos that get shared, that sponsors notice, and that quietly sell next year's race before registration even opens. If you're a race director in Fort Myers or anywhere in Lee County looking for a <a href="https://www.jppedicino.com/sports-photographer-fort-myers">Fort Myers sports photographer</a> who knows the local race scene, the heat, and the light, we'd love to be your crew.</p>

<p>To every runner who moved with MADD this year — thank you for letting us tell your story. Find the complete set of race results at <a href="https://www.southerntimingfl.com/">Southern Timing</a>.</p>

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