Saturday, August 9, 2014

Molen and Molen roll on the Cadillac Trail

Brian Molen"We were going for the sweep today," said Tallahassee runner Brian Molen.


Indeed, Gulf Winds Track Club's Cadillac Trail 5.5-mile race turned out to be an all-Molen affair. Tallahassee's Brian Molen won the Saturday morning, 9 August 2014, race in 41:38. A few minutes later his daughter, Emily Molen, crossed the finish line in 48:25, winning the women's division. 88 athletes completed the race, the final event in this year's Summer Trail Series.


The race started at 8:00 AM in Tom Brown Park on the Goose Pond Trail. The course quickly turned onto the Cadillac Trail, taking the runners into Lafayette Heritage Park. Brian Molen took the lead early, but he was always aware of the competition.

Greg Bargo
"I kept seeing the guy in the green shirt behind me every once in a while," said Molen. "I'd pick it up when I saw him."


"The guy in the green shirt" was Greg Bargo, who held on to second place behind Molen for most of the race. Master runners Duane Evans and Jon Mason trailed Bargo in third and fourth place about a mile and a half into the race, but Tony Guillen had them in his sights. Guillen overtook Mason, then passed Evans just before the four-mile mark, taking over third. Molen maintained a lead over Bargo, winning the race 41:38 to 41:53. Guillen was third in 41:55, the top master runner in the race. Evans was fourth in 42:52 and Mason fifth in 44:09.


Emily Molen led the women's field through the first two miles, but Brook Pace took over mid-race as the course looped around the East Cadillac Trail. Pace had won the first two races in the four-race Summer Trail Series, but Emily Molen had won the third. Molen wasn't ready to concede the fourth and final race in the series.


"I led for about a mile, then Emily passed me at the water station when I was getting a drink," recalled Pace. "She's fast."


It was less than two miles from the water table to the finish line, and Emily Molen used that distance to open up a gap on Pace. Molen got home 12th overall in 48:25, first in the women's standings. Pace was the women's runner-up, 14th overall in 48:43. Melissa Hooke edged Jane Skalski for the third women's spot, 51:59 to 52:00, the two runners finishing 18th and 19th overall. Coming in 29th overall in 54:39, Tsige Tadesse was the top woman master.



Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2014 Cadillac Trail 5.5-Mile Race
  1. 41:38 ~ Brian Molen (M, 38) Tallahassee, FLDuane Evans and Tony Guillen
  2. 41:53 ~ Greg Bargo (M, 31)
  3. 41:55 ~ Tony Guillen (M, 45)
  4. 42:52 ~ Duane Evans (M, 47)
  5. 44:09 ~ Jon Mason (M, 40)
  6. 44:43 ~ Sean Isenberg (M, 17)
  7. 45:02 ~ Jeff Nielsen (M, 56)
  8. 45:34 ~ Daniel Stewart (M, 29)
  9. 45:50 ~ Michael Kennett (M, 40)
  10. 47:15 ~ Hal Fravel (M, 33)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2014 Cadillac Trail 5.5-Mile RaceBrook Pace
  1. 48:25 ~ Emily Molen (F, 12) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 48:43 ~ Brook Pace (F, 35)
  3. 51:59 ~ Melissa Hooke (F, 35)
  4. 52:00 ~ Jane Skalski (F, 29)
  5. 54:10 ~ Kristen Bowers (F, 39)
  6. 54:15 ~ Crystal Douglas (F, 38)
  7. 54:39 ~ Tsige Tadesse (F, 41)
  8. 54:57 ~ Kelly Garland (F, 43)
  9. 56:12 ~ Kasey Law (F, 27)
  10. 57:22 ~ Michelle St Onge (F, 34)


A Summary of Gulf Winds Track Club's 2014 Summer Trail Series
DateRaceTop MaleTop FemaleFinishers
June 21Red Bug Trail 4½M38:30, Charn McAllister42:02, Brook Pace114
July 12Swamp Forest Trail 4½M29:06, Charn McAllister33:13, Brook Pace109
July 26Magnolia Trail 3½M26:03, Charn McAllister30:16, Emily Molen108
August 2Cadillac Trail 5½M41:38, Brian Molen48:25, Emily Molen88


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