Small fields, long races, and record times in Youth Ranch Marathon

Tucked away in the country outside of Live Oak, Florida is the Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch, home to the Youth Ranch Marathon. It's the smallest marathon in north Florida, if not the entire state, with a total of fewer than 116 finishers in the entire four-year history of the race. Even the associated Youth Ranch Half-Marathon, 10K, and 5K don't swell the numbers by much. Don't be fooled by the diminutive fields, though. It's still a legitimate marathon, with a certified course and professional timing. And on Sunday morning 10 March 2013, the fourth annual edition of the event produced four new course records.


The first was in the men's marathon, where Tallahassee's Roger Schmidt posted a winning 2:49:19, a personal best and almost two minutes faster than the old record of 2:51:17, set by Jack McDermott in 2011. Schmidt finished more than ten minutes before the runner-up, master runner Eric John of Covington, Georgia. Fort Walton Beach based runner Anna Komitov set the second record in the women's marathon competition, a 3:13:19 that was good for fifth-place overall in the field of 46 finishers.


Top Ten Men, 2013 Youth Ranch Marathon

1. 2:49:19 ~ Roger Schmidt (M, 21) Tallahassee, FL
2. 2:59:21 ~ Eric John (M, 41) Covington, GA
3. 3:00:47 ~ John Van Steenbergh (M, 46) Flowery Branch, GA
4. 3:02:01 ~ Michael McClure (M, 18) St. Marys, GA
5. 3:26:14 ~ Ryan Kaelin (M, 40) Trinity, FL
6. 3:32:17 ~ Paul Servais (M, 45) North Attleboro, MA
7. 3:45:39 ~ Michael Kennett (M, 39) Tallahassee, FL
8. 3:49:09 ~ Richard Parades (M, 47) Delray Beach, FL
9. 3:49:40 ~ Juan Soto (M, 19) Deltona, FL
10. 3:51:12 ~ Mark Scott (M, 44) Ocala, FL

Top Ten Women, 2013 Youth Ranch Marathon

1. 3:13:19 ~ Anna Komitov (F, 34) Fort Walton Beach, FL
2. 4:17:48 ~ Michelle Ping (F, 43) St. Augustine, FL
3. 4:18:59 ~ Alexis Senick (F, 23) Ocala, FL
4. 4:22:27 ~ Heidi Minken (F, 53) Baltimore, MD
5. 4:41:58 ~ Michelle Meeks (F, 30) Chiefland, FL
6. 5:09:32 ~ Tammy McGinnes (F, 44) Bronson, FL
7. 5:23:34 ~ Terri Varnadoe (F, 53) Ocala, FL
8. 5:23:46 ~ Elanine Trettel (F, 50) Silver Springs, FL
9. 5:29:13 ~ Jacqueline Conniff (F, 55) Venice, FL
10. 5:55:40 ~ Kasey Uran (F, 24) Fayette, IA

The next two records were in the half marathon. In the men's competition, Tallahassee master runner Jay Silvanima established a new course standard of 1:37:14, a whisker under Jim Heberle's 2011 record of 1:37:20. The runner-up, Denise Watson of Live Oak, broke the old event mark for women, running 1:41:34. 32 runners finished the half marathon.


Top Ten Men, 2013 Youth Ranch Half-Marathon

1. 1:37:14 ~ Jay Silvanima (M, 53) Tallahassee, FL
2. 1:42:21 ~ Kel Lutz (M, 16) Belle Glade, FL
3. 1:42:56 ~ Kenny Lutz (M, 38) Belle Glade, FL
4. 1:43:22 ~ Crevan O'Ceallaigh (M, 27) Jupiter, FL
5. 2:00:05 ~ Ken Overmoe (M, 66) Gulfport, MS
6. 2:04:57 ~ Mike Connors (M, 48) Panama City, FL
7. 2:13:39 ~ Don Baker (M, 55) Live Oak, FL
8. 2:15:57 ~ Carl Falconer (M, 44) Jacksonville, FL
9. 2:16:19 ~ Jerry Hale (M, 61) Punta Gorda, FL
10. 2:26:27 ~ Braxton Treverrow (M, 15) Lake City, FL

Top Ten Women, 2013 Youth Ranch Half-Marathon

1. 1:41:34 ~ Denise Watson (F, 36) Live Oak, FL
2. 1:43:32 ~ Nancy Stedman (F, 51) Tallahassee, FL
3. 1:55:38 ~ Brenna Lopez (F, 31) Fort Stewart, GA
4. 1:59:38 ~ Dawn Koval (F, 35) St. Augustine, FL
5. 2:16:19 ~ Jennifer Loring (F, 27) Jacksonville, FL
6. 2:16:49 ~ Mary Bonetz (F, 69) Port Charlotte, FL
7. 2:17:17 ~ Ashley Register (F, 27) Lake City, FL
8. 2:26:10 ~ Kristi Gordon (F, 36) Tallahassee, FL
9. 2:26:46 ~ Beth Bernier (F, 35) Jacksonville, FL
10. 2:28:37 ~ Christina Thomas (F, 34) Tallahassee, FL

Florida Boys Ranch Marathon champions, 2010-2013
Date	Race	Men	Women	Finishers
14 March 2010	Marathon	3:25:07, Dave Carver	3:48:52, Julia Keevey	6
	Half	1:48:55, Bobby Sauer	1:59:15, Catherine Burke	6
13 March 2011	Marathon	2:51:17, Jack McDermott	3:48:06, Laura McDermott	28
	Half	1:37:20, Jim Heberle	2:01:59, Ericka Wright	25
11 March 2012	Marathon	3:13:54, Troy Mitchell	3:30:56, Kay Evans	36
	Half	1:47:47, Bobby Sauer	1:48:21, Marisa Rea	25
10 March 2013	Marathon	2:49:19, Roger Schmidt	3:13:19, Anna Komitov	46
	Half	1:37:14, Jay Silvanima	1:41:34, Denise Watson	32

Links

• Complete results of the 2013 Florida Youth Ranch Marathon races at stateofmindsports.com
  http://www.stateofmindsports.com/results/2013BRM/boys_ranch.htm
  
  
• USATF certification map FL10028EBM of the marathon and half-marathon course
  http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL10028EBM
  
  
• Upcoming races long and short, large and small, on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1