Triumph in Tallahassee's Midtown for Rhodes and O'Neill in the 5K at Fifth

10 June 2017 was a very good Saturday morning for master runners in the Midtown section of Tallahassee, Florida. Master runners Michael Rhodes and Duane Evans took the first two spots in the sixth annual 5K at Fifth, with Rhodes winning the race in 18:49 and Evans finishing runner-up in 19:53. The first two athletes in the women's standings were also master runners, with Paula O'Neill taking the women's title in 23:31 and Angela Dempsey right behind her in 24:21.

Michael Rhodes

The race started on Ingleside Drive at 8:00 AM, then almost immediately made a 90-degree turn to the right to head into Lafayette Park. Three more right-angle turns and a few hundred meters later, the field was out of the Park and headed east on Ingleside with fourteen-year-old Reed Turner leading. About a kilometer into the race the course turned north onto Crestview Avenue, heading downhill. Master runner Michael Rhodes had overtaken Reed Turner by the turn, and proceeded to leave him behind as the race circled Winthrop Park. When the runners returned up the Crestview hill, Rhodes was alone out front and Duane Evans had caught Turner. Rhodes was nearly 300 meters ahead when he crossed the finish line in a winning 18:49. Evans was second in 19:53 and Turner third in 20:48.

Paula O'Neill

Paula O'Neill was already setting the pace for the women's field by the end of the first kilometer. For the remaining four kilometers she just expanded her lead, ultimately winning the women's title and finishing sixth overall in 23:31. Women's runner-up Angela Dempsey was tenth overall in 24:21. Melanie Leitman was third in the women's standings and eleventh overall in 24:50.


78 athletes finished the 2017 5K at Fifth. Proceeds of the race benefit the Tallahassee Memorial Cancer Center and the Leon High School volleyball team.


Top Ten Men, 2017 5K at Fifth

1. 18:48.52, Michael Rhodes (M, 48)
2. 19:52.61, Duane Evans (M, 49)
3. 20:47.39, Reed Turner (M, 14)
4. 21:56.48, Millard Rhodes Heath (M, 18)
5. 22:51.99, Craig Willis (M, 65)
6. 23:32.27, Mike LaBossiere (M, 51)
7. 23:42.43, Doug Gorton (M, 58)
8. 24:16.33, Jack Powell (M, 13)
9. 25:11.60, Philip Licquia (M, 10)
10. 25:14.56, Jim Tully (M, 70)

Top Ten Women, 2017 5K at Fifth

1. 23:30.08, Paula O'Neill (F, 55)
2. 24:20.22, Angela Dempsey (F, 48)
3. 24:49.15, Melanie Leitman (F, 33)
4. 25:45.06, Jordan Goracki (F, 17)
5. 25:59.68, Aydan Molthen (F, 16)
6. 27:41.96, Caroline Kirk (F, 18)
7. 28:08.47, Cathy Jones (F, 57)
8. 28:18.74, Madi Sims (F, 10)
9. 28:24.09, Laura Hansen (F, 32)
10. 29:02.17, Jennifer Tappen (F, 34)

5K at Fifth winners, 2012 - 2017
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
8 September 2012	, Peter Kaus	Unknown. Do you know?	???
14 September 2013	20:10, Tom Konrad	20:38, Renee Cox	116
14 June 2014	17:39, Bill Clift	20:21, Renee Cox	145
13 June 2015	18:39, Adam Greenstein	19:35, Sheryl Rosen	145
11 June 2016	18:40, Geb Kiros	24:30, Martha Guyas	102
10 June 2017	18:49, Michael Rhodes	23:31, Paula O'Neill	78

Links

• Complete results of the 2017 5K at Fifth at gulfwinds.org
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZpymRZa6C8G3EN2T9uihNkbkj68G1WV_5w7HRvL3Jgg/pubhtml
  
  
• More photos of the 2016 5K at Fifth
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10109940115251203.1073742281.5215641&type=1&l=4b432fa61b
  
  
• 2016 story, “Kiros and Guyas go to town in Midtown”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/06/fifth-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Greenstein and Rosen take the Fifth”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/06/fifth-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Clift and Cox are first in the third annual 5K at Fifth”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/06/fifth-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Konrad and Cox go to town in Midtown”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/09/fifth-2013.html
  
  
• Find an upcoming race on a numbered street or avenue using the Trouble Afoot! race calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2005