Schmidt and Skalski top Miller Landing Madness

On Saturday morning, 22 August 2015, Roger Schmidt of Capital City Runners won Gulf Winds Track Club's Miller Landing Madness 8K. His five-mile run through Tallahassee's Phipps Park wasn't without incident though.


"I got a sweet gum tree ball stuck to my spikes," said Schmidt.


Schmidt weathered that and the other perils of cross country running to finish the race in 28:45, almost half a kilometer ahead of the next runner. Maclay School cross country coach Gary Droze was the top master runner in the race, coming in second overall in 30:31. Jane Skalski won the women's title, placing 21st overall in 38:07. Deborah Congdon was the first woman master and fifth female finisher, 40th overall in 42:40. 126 athletes finished the race.


The 8K started just after 8:00 AM, with runners in the Miller Landing Madness 5K sharing the first mile or so of the course--or all the running up to the first time through the water hazard. Roger Schmidt was content to follow the front runners in the 5K for that early part of the run. After all, the athletes in the shorter race would be running faster, right?


"I ran 29:03 last year. That's about a 5:50 per mile average," said Schmidt. "I thought those guys would pull me through pretty fast, but we ended up going through the mile in 6:05."


After the 5K runners turned off to do their shorter loop, Schmidt picked up the pace, running faster than the 5K field, running faster than anyone in the park that morning.


"I didn't hear any pitter patter of footsteps behind me or anything," said Schmidt. "It got lonely on the back part of the course."


Schmidt endured the solitude on his way to posting a winning time of 28:45. Behind him, master runner Gary Droze pulled away from fellow master Bryan Koon to take second in 30:31. Koon was third in 31:00.


The woman to reach the water was Victoria Richmond. At that point, a mile into the race, Jane Skalski was over half a minute behind Richmond and fifth in the women's standings. But Skalski was moving up. With a mile to go, Skalski was leading the women, ten seconds ahead of Richmond and pulling away. At the finish line Skalski was the first woman across, running 38:07. Richmond was the women's runner-up, finishing 27th overall in 39:22. Emma Spencer was third for the ladies, 28th overall in 40:00.


Top Ten Men, 2015 Miller Landing Madness 8K

1. 28:45 ~ Roger Schmidt (M,24)
2. 30:31 ~ Gary Droze (M,54)
3. 31:00 ~ Bryan Koon (M,43)
4. 32:07 ~ Peter Kaus (M,31)
5. 31:57 ~ Tony Guillen (M,43)
6. 32:30 ~ Geb Kiros (M,48)
7. 32:38 ~ Paul Guyas (M,37)
8. 32:49 ~ Terance Keenan (M,50)
9. 33:02 ~ Colin Abbey (M,20)
10. 33:18 ~ Joel Piotrowski (M,45)

Top Ten Women, 2015 Miller Landing Madness 8K

1. 38:07 ~ Jane Skalski (F,30)
2. 39:22 ~ Victoria Richmond (F,25)
3. 40:00 ~ Emma Spencer (F,34)
4. 42:16 ~ Beverly Hamilton (F,37)
5. 42:40 ~ Deborah Congdon (F,45)
6. 42:44 ~ Sarah Craig (F,20)
7. 43:02 ~ Kelly Garland (F,44)
8. 43:12 ~ Sarah Monbarren (F,29)
9. 43:51 ~ Nancy Moody (F,31)
10. 44:07 ~ Martha Bademan (F,31)

In the period leading up to the Miller Landing Madness, Roger Schmidt was preparing for the Berlin Marathon later in the fall.


"The volume of training for the marathon is crazy," said Schmidt.


The mileage did nothing to hurt Schmidt's race. In the 5K, James McClure also had a twist to his training. The Maclay sophomore is taking weight training as his P.E. class. However that may affect his running during cross country season this fall, it didn't harm his performance in the Miller Landing Madness. McClure won the race in 18:16, running five seconds faster than in the 2014 Miller Landing Madness 5K. To get the win, McClure had to outkick another Maclay cross country runner, junior Jake Mazziotta. Mazziotta was second in 18:17. Maclay frosh Clay Milford placed third in 18:24. The top master runner in the 5K was Michael Martinez, 11th overall in 19:26.


Maclay junior Caroline Willis also improved on her 2014 Miller Landing Madness performance. Taking the women's title for the second year in a row, Willis finished 20th overall in 20:33, 40 seconds faster than her previous year's time. Maclay junior cross country runner Molly McCann was the second female finisher in the 5K, coming in 52nd overall in 22:40. Taylor County High senior Meagan Giddens (57th, 23:07) edged Wakulla junior Haleigh Martin (58th, 23:09) for the third female spot.


207 athletes finished the 5K.


Top Ten Men, 2015 Miller Landing Madness 5K

1. 18:16 ~ James McClure (M, 16)
2. 18:17 ~ Jake Mazziotta (M, 17)
3. 18:24 ~ Clay Milford (M, 15)
4. 18:33 ~ Bryce Cole (M, 17)
5. 18:42 ~ George Gwynn (M, 17)
6. 19:15 ~ Clayton Carlson (M, 15)
7. 19:17 ~ Joshua Liles (M, 16)
8. 19:21 ~ Moritz Busch (M, 16)
9. 19:25 ~ Alex Smythe (M, 16)
10. 19:26 ~ Dylan Peebles (M, 15)

Top Ten Women, 2015 Miller Landing Madness 5K

1. 20:33 ~ Caroline Willis (F,16)
2. 22:40 ~ Molly McCann (F,16)
3. 23:07 ~ Meagan Giddens (F,17)
4. 23:09 ~ Haleigh Martin (F,16)
5. 23:25 ~ Rachel Rumana (F,16)
6. 23:39 ~ Connie Lewis (F,17)
7. 23:53 ~ Jainey Coates (F,14)
8. 24:03 ~ Kate Chunka (F,32)
9. 25:00 ~ Blessing Nkembo (F,16)
10. 25:18 ~ Summer Hill (F,16)

Joseph Ashebo of Holy Comforter Episcopal was an early leader in the Miller Landing Madness 3K, with Swift Creek Middle School eighth-grader Alyson Churchill pushing him. Maclay School eighth-grader Johnny McClure overtook both of them, then went on to win the race in 11:14. Florida State University School seventh grader Jahaz Morgan took second in 11:25. Alyson Churchill was the first female finisher, placing third in 11:34--the fastest girls' time ever in the Miller Landing Madness 3K. Swift Creek eighth-grader Megan Churchill was the second girl across the finish line, coming in ninth overall in 11:52.


205 athletes finished the 3K.


Top Ten Males, 2015 Miller Landing Madness 3K

1. 11:14 ~ Jonathan McClure (M,13)
2. 11:25 ~ Jahaz Morgan (M,12)
3. 11:39 ~ Morgan Castano (M,13)
4. 11:43 ~ Hunt Deison (M,13)
5. 11:50 ~ Trey Jackson (M,14)
6. 11:51 ~ Joseph Ashebo (M,13)
7. 11:51 ~ Jackson Roberts (M,13)
8. 11:59 ~ Weston Blake (M,12)
9. 11:59 ~ Brecht Heuchan (M,13)
10. 12:00 ~ Spencer Amsellem (M,14)

Top Ten Females, 2015 Miller Landing Madness 3K

1. 11:34 ~ Alyson Churchill (F,13)
2. 11:52 ~ Megan Churchill (F,13)
3. 12:01 ~ Emily Molen (F,13)
4. 12:30 ~ Lindsay James (F,12)
5. 12:46 ~ Tonie Morgan (F,11)
6. 12:54 ~ Avery Smith (F,13)
7. 13:04 ~ Elizabeth Calabro (F,13)
8. 13:05 ~ Caitlin Wilkey (F,13)
9. 13:16 ~ Maia Mast (F,13)
10. 13:42 ~ Olivia Dean (F,12)

Miller Landing Madness Winners, 2008 - 2015
Date	Race	Men	Women	Finishers
30 August 2008	8K	28:57, David Altmaier	32:49, Sheryl Rosen	76
	5K	17:12, Austin Stevens	18:46, Jana Stolting	110
	3K	11:21, Will Henderson	13:14, Autumn Wable	73
29 August 2009	8K	28:05, Chris Lake	33:03, Sarah Docter-Williams	151
	5K	18:17, Austin Stevens	18:17, Jana Stolting	243
	3K	11:26, Chase Harris	12:04, Cecelia Williams	136
28 August 2010	8K	26:28, Kevin Cook	33:29, Sheryl Rosen	168
	5K	17:15, Patrick Swain	19:22, Stefanie Kurgatt	160
	3K	11:14, Wil Luca	13:30, Madeline Horgan	110
27 August 2011	8K	25:54, Kevin Sullivan	32:17, Sheryl Rosen	236
	5K	16:59, Jacob Slupecki	20:14, Stefanie Kurgatt	212
	3K	11:08, Evan Francis	12:59, Cheyenne Hildinger	157
25 August 2012	8K	27:50, Vince Molosky	36:36, Jane Johnson	190
	5K	16:32, Joseph Garcia	19:12, Stefanie Kurgatt	258
	3K	10:57, Jake Mazziotta	12:16, Adrianna Dugan	148
24 August 2013	8K	26:29, Will Stanford	35:11, Katie Showman	150
	5K	16:55, Joseph Garcia	19:20, Emily Ness	237
	3K	10:48, James McClure	12:20, Chase Merrick	135
23 August 2014	8K	28:26, Chris Lake	35:26, Brittney Barnes	154
	5K	17:09, Joe Garcia	21:13, Caroline Willis	172
	3K	11:33, Jonathan McClure	12:34, Alyson Churchill	173
22 August 2015	8K	28:45, Roger Schmidt	38:07, Jane Skalski	126
	5K	18:16,James McClure	20:33, Caroline Willis	207
	3K	11:14, Jonathan McClure	11:34, Alyson Churchill	205
The Miller Landing Madness was preceded in history by the Miccosukee Madness (2004-2007) and the Tom Brown Bash (1977-2003) races.

Links

• Complete results of the 2015 Miller Landing Madness at gulfwinds.org
  http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2015/MLM%202015.asp
  
  
• More photos of the 2015 Miller Landing Madness
  
  • 8K and 5K, Part 1: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10106596379728993.1073742114.5215641&l=712dcf1a89
  • 8K and 5K, Part 2: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10106597191078043.1073742115.5215641&l=e0f9fc1633
  • 3K: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10106597514814273.1073742116.5215641&l=861b10c6ec
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of the 2015 Miller Landing Madness
  
  • Part A: https://picasaweb.google.com/112560881455823075870/MLM_15a
  • Part B: https://picasaweb.google.com/112560881455823075870/MLM_15
  
  
• 2014 story, “Lake and Barnes take Miller Landing Madness 8K”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/08/madness-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Stanford and Showman go crazy on the competition”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/08/madness-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “Isaac a no-show at Madness, Molosky and Johnson dominate”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/08/madness-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Sullivan and Rosen run like mad in Miller Landing 8K”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/08/madness-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Cook and Rosen lead the Madness”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/08/madness-2010.html
  
  
• 2009 story, “Chris Lake wins Miller Landing Madness 2009”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2009/08/chris-lake-wins-miller-landing-madness.html
  
  
• Lots of upcoming races, some more mad than others
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1466

Stanford and Showman go crazy on the competition

Take it from an old distance runner, there is land that demands that you lace on some shoes and do a cross-country run. Tallahassee's Phipps Park is such a property. Managed first for agriculture and then for hunting until coming under the control of the Northwest Florida Water Management District, it's a rolling mixture of meadow and woodland akin to the rural districts of Britain where cross-country running became a sport. So for the last six years Phipps Park has been home to one of Gulf Winds Track Club's annual cross-country races, the Miller Landing Madness.


There are actually three races at the Madness, eight kilometers, five kilometers, and three kilometers. The 8K and the 5K were first, with close to 400 athletes gathering for the 8:00 AM combined start.


Stanley Linton launched himself into the lead as the race started, speeding ahead of even the runners in the shorter 5K race. At the mile mark Linton, a second-year NROTC midshipman at FSU, was three seconds up on the defending champion, Vince Molosky. Will Stanford trailed Molosky, followed by 2009 Miller Landing Madness champion Chris Lake. Molosky faded, leaving the chase to Stanford. Stanford made the most of the pursuit, overtaking Linton early in the second half of the five-mile race.


"I put in a surge about three miles," said Stanford.


It was effective. A mile later, Stanford was over half a minute up on Linton and going away. Stanford went on to post a winning time of 26:29, finishing the race with a lead of almost 400 meters. Lake started to close in on Linton late in the race, but Linton was still well ahead of the UF med student at the finish line, taking second in 27:44. Lake was third in 28:04 and Molosky fourth in 29:23. Fifth place went to the top master runner in the 8K, Bryan Koon, Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Koon's time was 29:31.


In the women's competition, Tallahassee's Renee Cox led for the first two miles before being overtaken by FSU professor Katie Showman. Cox fought to remain in contact, keeping Showman in sight. With a mile to go, Cox was still less than ten seconds behind Showman. But it was the economics professor's race, and Showman finished the 8K with the Miller's Landing Madness women's title, placing 26th overall in 35:11. Cox was runner-up in the women's division, taking 30th overall in 35:32. Lisa Rutledge, the sixth female finisher, took women's master honors, coming in 43rd overall in 39:10.


Top Ten Males, 2013 Miller Landing Madness 8K

1. 26:29 ~ Will Stanford (M, 20)
2. 27:44 ~ Stanley Linton (M, 19)
3. 28:04 ~ Chris Lake (M, 25)
4. 29:23 ~ Vince Molosky (M, 34)
5. 29:31 ~ Bryan Koon (M, 41)
6. 29:42 ~ Zach De Veau (M, 25)
7. 29:43 ~ Gary Droze (M, 52)
8. 30:14 ~ Jay Wallace (M, 49)
9. 30:21 ~ Roger Schmidt (M, 22)
10. 30:48 ~ Tony Guillen (M, 44)

Top Ten Females, 2013 Miller Landing Madness 8K

1. 35:11 ~ Katie Showman (F, 31)
2. 35:32 ~ Renee Cox (F, 26)
3. 37:01 ~ Cora Atkinson (F, 19)
4. 38:16 ~ Langlee Toothman (F, 16)
5. 38:59 ~ Joti Keshav (F, 37)
6. 39:10 ~ Lisa Rutledge (F, 52)
7. 39:28 ~ Urska Dobersek (F, 30)
8. 39:40 ~ Nancy Stedman (F, 51)
9. 40:01 ~ Andrea Duffy (F, 37)
10. 41:02 ~ Hanna Gordon (F, 30)

Lincoln High alumnus Joseph Garcia saw that there was no drama in the Miller Landing Madness 5K. The defending champion in the shorter event, Garcia jumped out to an early lead and held it, covering the 3.1 miles in 16:55. It wasn't as fast as the Miller Landing Madness record that Garcia set in 2012, but it was good enough for the title, putting him ahead of runner-up Brian Griffith. Griffith, the cross-country coach at Florida State University School, ran 17:20. Emily Ness of Capital City Runners led wire-to-wire on the women's side, earning the women's championship with a 19:20 and placing 11th overall. Wakulla High student-athlete Madison Harris was the second female finisher in the 5K, coming in 16th overall in 20:13.


Top Ten Males, 2013 Miller Landing Madness 5K

1. 16:55 ~ Joseph Garcia (M, 18)
2. 17:20 ~ Brian Griffith (M, 28)
3. 17:21 ~ Connor Daughton (M, 18)
4. 17:53 ~ Jake Mazziotta (M, 15)
5. 18:09 ~ Jack Rutledge (M, 18)
6. 18:57 ~ Elijah Ingram (M, 17)
7. 19:01 ~ Bryce Cole (M, 15)
8. 19:02 ~ Christoher Duncan (M, 24)
9. 19:14 ~ Stephen Veliz (M, 14)
10. 19:17 ~ C J Barkas (M, 17)

Top Ten Females, 2013 Miller Landing Madness 5K

1. 19:20 ~ Emily Ness (F, 23)
2. 20:13 ~ Madison Harris (F, 17)
3. 20:37 ~ Micah Adriani (F, 35)
4. 20:51 ~ Caroline Willis (F, 14)
5. 22:01 ~ Margaret Wiedeman (F, 18)
6. 22:28 ~ Meagan Giddens (F, 15)
7. 23:00 ~ Lydia Wiedeman (F, 16)
8. 23:08 ~ Savannah Jo Fisher (F, 17)
9. 23:48 ~ Whitney Austin (F, 24)
10. 23:52 ~ Heather Hill (F, 17)

The Miller Landing Madness 3K is usually a preview of the local middle school cross-country season, and this year was no exception. Two eight graders, James McClure of Maclay and Jacob Dodson of Raa, reached the halfway point of the 1.8-mile race together, far ahead of the rest of the field. The two continued to outdistance the rest of the runners in the second half of the race, but McClure outdistanced Dodson as well, finishing first in 10:48. Dodson, who was fifth in last year's Leon County School's middle school championships, was runner-up in 10:59. Maclay seventh-grader Max Eastman was third in 12:03.


Chase Merrick of Swift Creek Middle School was well ahead of the rest of the girls in the race about halfway through the 3K, but Katherine Resavage of Holy Comforter closed that gap. Merrick and Resavage were just a few steps apart with a quarter mile to go. They were still only a few steps apart at the finish line, where Merrick was a few steps ahead of Resavage, 12:20 to 12:22. Grace Jackson of Deer Lake Middle School was the third girl in, running 12:57.


Top Ten Males, 2013 Miller Landing Madness 3K

1. 10:48 ~ James McClure (M, 14)
2. 10:59 ~ Jacob Dodson (M, 13)
3. 12:03 ~ Max Eastman (M, 13)
4. 12:16 ~ Dennis Majano (M, 13)
5. 12:28 ~ Zach Smith (M, 14)
6. 12:29 ~ Clayton Carlson (M, 13)
7. 12:31 ~ Bryce Valveri (M, 12)
8. 12:32 ~ Michael Molen (M, 13)
9. 12:49 ~ Harrison Obrecht (M, 14)
10. 12:52 ~ Ben Smith (M, 14)

Top Ten Females, 2013 Miller Landing Madness 3K

1. 12:20 ~ Chase Merrick (F, 11)
2. 12:22 ~ Katherine Resavage (F, 12)
3. 12:57 ~ Grace Jackson (F, 13)
4. 13:06 ~ Emma Romuald (F, 11)
5. 13:10 ~ Emily Molen (F, 11)
6. 13:24 ~ Emma Mcgibany (F, 13)
7. 13:40 ~ Amya Bryant (F, 13)
8. 13:40 ~ Hannah Hosay (F, 11)
9. 13:45 ~ Shayla Nguyen (F, 13)
10. 13:46 ~ Hailey Hobbs (F, 13)

Miller Landing Madness Winners, 2008-2013
Date	Race	Men	Women	Finishers
30 August 2008	8K	28:57, David Altmaier	32:49, Sheryl Rosen	76
	5K	17:12, Austin Stevens	18:46, Jana Stolting	110
	3K	11:21, Will Henderson	13:14, Autumn Wable	73
29 August 2009	8K	28:05, Chris Lake	33:03, Sarah Docter-Williams	151
	5K	18:17, Austin Stevens	18:17, Jana Stolting	243
	3K	11:26, Chase Harris	12:04, Cecelia Williams	136
28 August 2010	8K	26:28, Kevin Cook	33:29, Sheryl Rosen	168
	5K	17:15, Patrick Swain	19:22, Stefanie Kurgatt	160
	3K	11:14, Wil Luca	13:30, Madeline Horgan	110
27 August 2011	8K	25:54, Kevin Sullivan	32:17, Sheryl Rosen	236
	5K	16:59, Jacob Slupecki	20:14, Stefanie Kurgatt	212
	3K	11:08, Evan Francis	12:59, Cheyenne Hildinger	157
25 August 2012	8K	27:50, Vince Molosky	36:36, Jane Johnson	190
	5K	16:32, Joseph Garcia	19:12, Stefanie Kurgatt	258
	3K	10:57, Jake Mazziotta	12:16, Adrianna Dugan	148
24 August 2013	8K	26:29, Will Stanford	35:11, Katie Showman	150
	5K	16:55, Joseph Garcia	19:20, Emily Ness	237
	3K	10:48, James McClure	12:20, Chase Merrick	135
The Miller Landing Madness was preceded in history by the Miccosukee Madness (2004-2007) and the Tom Brown Bash (1977-2003) races.

Links

• Complete results of the 2013 Miller Landing Madness at gulfwinds.org
  http://www.gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2013/MLM%202013.asp
  
  
• More photos of the 2013 Miller Landing Madness
  
  • 8K and 5K: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10103461894547423.1073741883.5215641&l=4f93b83fed
  • 3K: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10103462447374553.1073741884.5215641&l=bca3e3069e
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of the 2013 Miller Landing Madness
  
  • 8K and 5K: https://picasaweb.google.com/Freddecka/MLM1304
  • 3K: https://picasaweb.google.com/Freddecka/MLM13_3K
  
  
• 2012 story, "Isaac a no-show at Madness, Molosky and Johnson dominate"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/08/madness-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, "Sullivan and Rosen run like mad in Miller Landing 8K"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/08/madness-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, "Cook and Rosen lead the Madness"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/08/madness-2010.html
  
  
• 2009 story, "Chris Lake wins Miller Landing Madness 2009"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2009/08/chris-lake-wins-miller-landing-madness.html
  
  
• Lots of upcoming races, some with sanity
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1