Thursday, May 28, 2009

Martha Wellman Park dedication slated for Monday, 1 June 2009

The benches are in, the signs are up, and almost all of the landscaping is in place. In short, everything is just about ready for the official dedication of Martha Wellman Park, which is scheduled for 9:30 am ET on Monday, 1 June 2009, according to Henree Martin's article in the Tallahassee Democrat:


Park Sign photoMartha Wellman Park is a Blueprint 2000 project, a Leon County park built around a stormwater retention pond constructed as part of the widening of Capital Circle Northwest between US 90 (West Tennessee Street) and Interstate 10. The park is located on the south side of West Tennessee Street between Capital Circle Northwest and Aenon Church Road, and includes a 10-foot wide asphalt trail that makes a 3870-foot circuit of the pond, suitable for a stroll, a jog, a skate, or a leisurely bicycle ride. My earlier description of the park and its trail is here:

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

27 May 2009 Tallahassee 100-Mile Race Calendar

This is the Tallahassee vicinity road-race schedule for 27 May 2009. If that's more than a week ago, the latest schedule is always available via this link:


This is a listing of upcoming races within 100 miles of Tallahassee, Florida, roughly the area in the map below. If a race isn't listed, I probably haven't heard of it, so post a comment and let me know about it.

Map

6 JUNE 2009
  • Run for the Children 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run. 8:00 am ET 5K / 9:00 am ET 1 mile. Children's Advocacy Center of Lowndes County, 200 W Moore St, Valdosta, GA. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Emily Browning ebrowning@valdostacpa.com or 229-245-5369
  • Stroll-N-Roll Duathlon. 8:00 am CT (5K run, 13-mile bike, 1-mile run). Beverlye Middle School. Prevatt Rd and S. Beverlye Rd., Dothan, AL 36301. Event web page. Sherry Creel 334-677-6195 or Bill Davenport 334-798-1192
13 JUNE 2009
  • Potluck Bash 4-Mile Run. 6:00 pm ET. Forestmeadows Athletic Center, 4750 N Meridian Rd, Tallahassee, FL. Entry form and flyer. David Yon, 850-425-6671 or david@radeylaw.com
  • Watermelon Road Race 12K / 5K / 1-Mile Fun Run. 8:00 am ET. Cordele, GA. Event web page. Jamie Fernandez 229-271-1900 or jamiecfernandez@yahoo.com
20 JUNE 2009
  • Big Bend Victim Assistance Coalition “Run for One, Run for All” 5K. 8:00 am ET. Southwood State Office Complex on Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, FL. Erica Higgins, (850) 922-3498 or HigginsE@leoncountyfl.gov
  • Melon Run 5K. Old Jefferson County High School gym, Monticello, FL. USATF certified course #FL06044DL. Online registration at active.com. Entry form and flyer.
  • Sunshine Trail Trot 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run. 8:00 am CT. H.G. Harder's Sports Complex, 8110 John Pitts Road, Panama City, FL. Online registration at active.com.
27 JUNE 2009
  • Hot Trot 5K. 7:30 am CT. Washington-Holmes Technical Center, 757 Hoyt Street, Chipley, FL 32428. Stan Owens 850-547-2244
  • Summer Sizzler 5K / 1 Mile. 7:00 pm ET (1 mile), 7:30 pm ET (5K). St. George Island, FL. USATF certifed course #FL99035DL. Entry form and flyer. Hobson Fulmer, 850-927-2510 or hobson@fairpoint.net
4 July 2009
  • Firecracker 5K. 7:30 am ET. Greensboro, FL. Greensboro Kiwanis, PO Box 97, Greensboro, FL 32330.
  • Valdosta 5K. 7:15 am ET. Valdosta, GA. Five Points, North Ashley Street, Valdosta, Georgia.
  • Freedom Springs Triathlon. 7:00 am CT. Blue Springs Recreation Park, 5461 Blue Springs Road, Marianna, FL. Entry form and flyer. Terry Edwards (850)482-3415 or fst1@earthlink.net
11 July 2009
  • Greeks In The Streets 5K. 8:00 am ET. Langford Green, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL. Online registration at active.com.
18 July 2009
  • Critter Run 5K. 6:00 pm CT. Westgate Park, 801 Recreation Road, Dothan, AL 36303. USATF certified course #AL86003JD. Larry Dykes (334) 792-6021
  • Summer Sprint 5K. 7:30 am CT. Panama City, FL. 850-234-4370
  • Loop the Lake 5K. 7:30 am ET. Lake Blackshear Resort and Golf Club, 2459-H US Highway 280 West, Cordele, GA 31015. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Online registration at active.com.
1 August 2009
  • Possum Trot 5K. 7:30 am CT. Wausua, FL. Frank or Carol Kreis 850-773-2030
8 August 2009
  • Mike Schneider Memorial 5K and 1 mile fun run. 8:00 am ET. Cobb Middle School, 915 Hillcrest Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32308. Tolar Griffin 850-294-6456 or peoples.champ34@yahoo.com
15 August 2009
  • Breakfast On The Track One Mile Run. 7:45 am ET. Maclay School track, 3737 N Meridian Rd, Tallahassee, FL. Bonnie Wright, 850-386-3500 or bwright@electro-net.com
  • Georgia Veterans Duathlon and Triathlon. 8:00 am ET. Georgia Veterans State Park, 2459 U.S. Highway 280 W, Cordele , GA 31015. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Online registration at active.com
29 August 2009
  • Miller Landing Madness 8K/5K/3K. 8:00 am ET. Elinor Klapp Phipps Park, Miller Landing Road, Tallahassee, FL 32312. Mike Sims (850)514-3424 or Tom Perkins (850)894-2019
  • Winnersville Half-Ironman & Sprint Triathlon. 7:30 am ET (Half-Ironman, 1 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13 mile run), 8:00 am ET (Sprint, 45 mile swim, 14 mile bike, 3.6 mile run). Valdosta Lowndes 4-H Facility, 5000 4-H Club Road, Lake Park, GA 31636. Event web site. Online registration at active.com. Registration form.
5 September 2009
  • 30th annual Midnight Chase 5K Run & 1-Mile Fun Run. 12:00 am CT. Panama City, FL. Nancy Dingus 850-763-6891 or Joe Edgecombe 850-774-0018
7 September 2009
  • 2nd annual Red Cross Hurricane Run 5K. 8:00 am ET. Southwood Office Complex, Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, Florida. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Debara Jump, 878-6080 ext. 106 or debara.jump@tallyredcross.org
12 September 2009
  • Sickle Cell Foundation of the Big Bend 5K. 8:00 am ET. Jake Gaither Park, 801 Tanner Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32305. Velma Penermon Stevens, (850)222-2355
19 September 2009
  • Tallahassee Women's Distance Festival 5K. 8:00 am ET. Optimist Park, East Indianhead Drive, Tallahassee, FL. USATF certified course #FL00022DL. Lisa Unger, 850-562-2901 or ungertl@juno.com
  • Gulf Coast Community College Commodore Sun Run 10K / 5K / Fun Run. 6:30 am CT. Aaron Bessant Park (at Pier Park), 500 West Park Drive, Panama City, FL. Online registration at active.com.
26 September 2009
  • Salute to Prefontaine 5K Cross-Country Run. 9:00 am ET. Silver Lake Recreation Area of the Apalachicola National Forest, Silver Lake Road, Tallahassee, FL. Jeff Nielsen, 850-459-8859 or dobieman@comcast.net
  • Quail Trail 5K. 8:00 am ET. Historic Pebble Hill Plantation, US 319, Thomasville, Georgia. Entry form and flyer. Helen Fennelly, 229-225-2186 or htfenn@hotmail.com
  • Trot with S.W.A.T. 10K. 8:00 am CT. Dothan Civic Center Parking Lot, 126 N. St. Andrews Street, Dothan, Alabama. Brian Goguen 334-794-9029 or cgoguen@sw.rr.com
10 October 2009
  • Pine Run at Tall Timbers 20K. 7:30 am ET. Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Drive, Tallahassee, FL. Gordon Cherr, 850-556-5957 or scam22@aol.com
  • Stepping Out for your Heart 5K. 8:00 am ET. Tift County High School, Northeast Campus, 3021 Fulwood Rd, Tifton, Georgia 31794. Darian Peavy 229-353-7796 or darian.peavy@tiftregional.com, or Ernest Lang 229-383-4264.
  • Oyster Spat Festival 5K. 8:00 am ET. Sugar Hill Beach in St George Island State Park, 1900 E. Gulf Beach Dr., St. George Island, Florida 32328. Event web site. rickplesinger@yahoo.com
24 October 2009
  • Expression 5K. 8:30 am ET. Christian Heritage Church, 2820 Sharer Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32312. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Liz Baker, 850-212-7406 or lizbaker777@aol.com or expressionrun@gmail.com
31 October 2009
  • Boston Mini-Marathon. 8:00 am ET. Commercial Bank, 124 West Jefferson Street, Boston, GA 31626. Entry form and flyer. Brad Johnson, bradjohnson@bankcb.com or 229-498-8500 (day) / 229-226-4679 (evening).
14 November 2009
21 November 2009
  • 15th Annual Draggin' Tail 18-Mile Run & Relay 5K. 8:00 am CT. St Theresa's Catholic Church, 2056 Sunny Hills Boulevard, Sunny Hills, FL. Event web site. Marty Kirkland 850-265-8439 or Joe Edgecombe 850-763-5005, joeruns@yahoo.com
26 November 2009
  • Tallahassee Turkey Trot 15k / 10K / 5K. 8:00 am ET. State Office Satellite Complex at SouthWood, Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, FL. Event web site.
28 November 2009
  • Pilgrim Chase Trail Run 5K. 8:00 am CT. Westgate Park, 801 Recreation Road, Dothan, AL 36303. Larry Dykes 334-792-6021
5 December 2009
  • 2009 Gulf Winds Track Club Ten-Mile Challenge / Five-Mile Run. 8:00 am ET. Killearn Lakes Elementary School, 8037 Deerlake Drive East, Bradfordville, FL. USATF certified courses FL07049EBM (10 mile) and FL07048EBM (5 mile). Event web page. Judy Alexander, 850-383-1361 or jalexander98@comcast.net
  • Christmas Parade 5K. 6:00 pm ET. Douglas, Georgia. Cathy Browning (912-384-1616 or cbrowning@windstream.net) or C.M. Jenkins (912-384-7448 or 912-383-5445 or cimjenkins@windstream.net)
12 December 2009
  • 29th Annual Tallahassee Ultra Distance Classic 50K/50M. 7:00 am ET. Wakulla Springs State Park, 550 Wakulla Park Drive, Wakulla Springs, FL. Event web site. Gary Griffin, runlong@nettally.com
16 January 2010
  • Gulf Winds Track Club 30K / 15K. 7:30 am ET. The Retreat at Bradley's Pond, 9002 Bradley Road, Tallahassee, FL 32309. USATF certified courses FL06013DL (30K) and FL06014DL (15 K). Jerry/Jackie McDaniel (mcdanieljackie@hotmail.com or 850-297-0009)
7 February 2010
  • 36th Annual Tallahassee Marathon and Half-Marathon. 7:30 am ET. Mike Long Track, Florida State University, Chieftan Way at Spirit Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306. Event web site. USATF certified course FL06020DL (Marathon), FL06021DL (half-Marathon). Tallahasseemarathon@gmail.com
10 April 2010
  • 36th Annual Palace Saloon 5 km. 8:00am ET. James Messer Fields Park, Jackson Bluff Road and Dupree Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304. USATF certified course FL99027DL. Online registration at active.com.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Gulf Winds Track Club delivers financial support for cross country in Apalachee Regional Park

At the Leon County Commission meeting on Tuesday, 26 May 2009, the Gulf Winds Track Club presented a check for $10,000 to the Leon County Division of Parks and Recreation, funds to be used toward the creation of a cross-country running course in Apalachee Regional Park. Gulf Winds Track Club was represented by its president, Judy Alexander, and her husband Brian Corbin, while Pat Plocek was at the meeting representing Parks and Recreation. All were introduced by County Commissioner Brian Desloge.

Leon County is partnering with the Gulf Winds Track Club and Florida State University in constructing the new cross-country running course on the county's property at Apalachee Regional Park, located east of Tallahassee on US 27 at 7550 Apalachee Parkway. Brian Corbin and Florida State University track coach Bob Braman laid out the trail, sometimes following fields and old roads, sometimes hacking out a rude trail through the jungle. County workers came later, widening and clearing the route. A volunteer work crew including Gulf Winds Track Club members and runners from the Florida State University cross-country team did additional trail work on 23 May 2009.

Although runners couldn't race there today, the Apalachee Regional Park course should be ready for the Florida State University Invitational Cross-Country Meet on 10 October 2009. Beyond that date, the partners plan to continue to improve the facility until it is one of the best in Florida and the southeast.

Links:

Thursday, May 21, 2009

A dedicated cross-country running facility for Tallahassee

If you've run a number of cross-country races, then you've probably run course in a variety of areas, possibly including parks, golf courses, horse tracks, forests, military bases, farm land, and school campuses. Essentially, you ended up running wherever the race director was able to find enough open area to lay out a course of appropriate length, perhaps also with adequate parking and a sufficient number of restrooms.

One place you probably haven't run, though, is a course solely for cross-country running.

And that's a problem. Whenever you run in an area whose primary use is something other than running, there is going to be tension with the primary users. I've raced on a lot of golf courses, for example, and I can't remember a single golfer who was happy to see us. I can understand that; I'd be somewhat resentful myself if there was a putting contest at the track on a day I wanted to run intervals. There are similar problems with multi-use facilities like parks. Running may indeed be one of the uses the land is set aside for, but non-runners may also be trying to use the same area for horseback riding, dog walking, kite flying, turkey hunting, or some other activity that's allowed on public land.

In many other sports this isn't a problem. Fields are set aside in parks for softball, baseball, soccer, and football. Likewise you can find tennis courts and basketball courts in many parks. There aren't many cross-country running parks, however. One of the few is Kansas University's Rim Rock Farm. Rim Rock was the property of Kansas track coach Bob Timmons, who spent a quarter century developing the land as a venue for cross-country races. It has been the home course of the Kansas Jayhawks' cross-country teams since 1974. In 2005, Timmons and his wife, Pat, donated Rim Rock Farm to the Kansas University Endowment Association, intending for the land to host cross-country races in perpetuity. Rim Rock Farm is reputedly a beautiful place to run cross country, the hills and woodlands being adorned with covered bridges and cast-iron silhouettes of great Kansas distance runners of the past. Because the site is devoted solely to running, signs and course marking can be permanent.

Leon County may be the home of the next cross-country running park. The Leon County Division of Parks and Recreation is partnering with Florida State University and the Gulf Winds Track Club to develop part of Apalachee Regional Park as a dedicated cross-country running course. Apalachee Regional Park is east of Tallahassee on US 27 at 7550 Apalachee Parkway, the location of what was formerly the Leon County landfill. It's an attractive chunk of land, located on the south rim of Lake Lafayette. There are long-term plans to have Apalachee Regional Park connect with Tom Brown Park and the Alford Greenway via the multi-use Lafayette Heritage Trail.

Even given the land, though, there won't be any course without money and sweat. As an early installment on the sweat, Gulf Winds Track Club president Judy Alexander is organizing a work day at the course on Saturday, 23 May 2009 starting at 9:00 am ET. Contact her if you can donate a few hours of your time (850-383-1361, 850-321-6886 (mobile), jalexander98@comcast.net ).

Links:

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

20 May 2009 Tallahassee 100-Mile Race Calendar

This is the Tallahassee vicinity road-race schedule for 20 May 2009. If that's more than a week ago, the latest schedule is always available via this link:


This is a listing of upcoming races within 100 miles of Tallahassee, Florida, roughly the area in the map below. If a race isn't listed, I probably haven't heard of it, so post a comment and let me know about it.

Map

23 MAY 2009
  • Dothan Fire Department / Dothan Runners Club “Fit to Fight” 5K / 10K. 8:00 am CT. Dothan Fire Department Station #1, 600 Columbia Highway, Dothan, AL 36301. Entry form and flyer.
25 MAY 2009
  • 3rd Annual Memorial Day 5K Night Race. 7:00 pm ET. 1500 East Shotwell Street, Bainbridge, GA 39819. Entry form and flyer. Mandi O'Mara 229-400-3750 or omara@dcboe.com
  • Memorial Day 5K. 8:00 am ET. Old S. L. Mason School, Baytree Road and Azalea Drive, Valdosta, Georgia 31602. Get Active Running & More, 229-219-0010
  • Cordele Kiwanis Memorial Day 8K. 7:59 am ET. Crisp County Middle School, 1116 24th Avenue East, Cordele, GA 31015. USATF certified course #GA07012WC. Entry form and flyer.
6 JUNE 2009
  • Run for the Children 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run. 8:00 am ET 5K / 9:00 am ET 1 mile. Children's Advocacy Center of Lowndes County, 200 W Moore St, Valdosta, GA. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Emily Browning ebrowning@valdostacpa.com or 229-245-5369
  • Stroll-N-Roll Duathlon. 8:00 am CT (5K run, 13-mile bike, 1-mile run). Beverlye Middle School. Prevatt Rd and S. Beverlye Rd., Dothan, AL 36301. Event web page. Sherry Creel 334-677-6195 or Bill Davenport 334-798-1192
13 JUNE 2009
  • Potluck Bash 4-Mile Run. 6:00 pm ET. Forestmeadows Athletic Center, 4750 N Meridian Rd, Tallahassee, FL. Entry form and flyer. David Yon, 850-425-6671 or david@radeylaw.com
  • Watermelon Road Race 12K / 5K / 1-Mile Fun Run. 8:00 am ET. Cordele, GA. Event web page. Jamie Fernandez 229-271-1900 or jamiecfernandez@yahoo.com
20 JUNE 2009
  • Big Bend Victim Assistance Coalition “Run for One, Run for All” 5K. 8:00 am ET. Southwood State Office Complex on Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, FL. Erica Higgins, (850) 922-3498 or HigginsE@leoncountyfl.gov
  • Melon Run 5K. Old Jefferson County High School gym, Monticello, FL. USATF certified course #FL06044DL. Online registration at active.com. Entry form and flyer.
  • Sunshine Trail Trot 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run. 8:00 am CT. H.G. Harder's Sports Complex, 8110 John Pitts Road, Panama City, FL. Online registration at active.com.
27 JUNE 2009
  • Hot Trot 5K. 7:30 am CT. Washington-Holmes Technical Center, 757 Hoyt Street, Chipley, FL 32428. Stan Owens 850-547-2244
  • Summer Sizzler 5K / 1 Mile. 7:00 pm ET (1 mile), 7:30 pm ET (5K). St. George Island, FL. USATF certifed course #FL99035DL. Entry form and flyer. Hobson Fulmer, 850-927-2510 or hobson@fairpoint.net
4 July 2009
  • Firecracker 5K. 7:30 am ET. Greensboro, FL. Greensboro Kiwanis, PO Box 97, Greensboro, FL 32330.
  • Valdosta 5K. 7:15 am ET. Valdosta, GA. Five Points, North Ashley Street, Valdosta, Georgia.
  • Freedom Springs Triathlon. 7:00 am CT. Blue Springs Recreation Park, 5461 Blue Springs Road, Marianna, FL. Entry form and flyer. Terry Edwards (850)482-3415 or fst1@earthlink.net
11 July 2009
  • Greeks In The Streets 5K. 8:00 am ET. Langford Green, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL. Online registration at active.com.
18 July 2009
  • Critter Run 5K. 6:00 pm CT. Westgate Park, 801 Recreation Road, Dothan, AL 36303. USATF certified course #AL86003JD. Larry Dykes (334) 792-6021
  • Summer Sprint 5K. 7:30 am CT. Panama City, FL. 850-234-4370
  • Loop the Lake 5K. 7:30 am ET. Lake Blackshear Resort and Golf Club, 2459-H US Highway 280 West, Cordele, GA 31015. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Online registration at active.com.
1 August 2009
  • Possum Trot 5K. 7:30 am CT. Wausua, FL. Frank or Carol Kreis 850-773-2030
8 August 2009
  • Mike Schneider Memorial 5K and 1 mile fun run. 8:00 am ET. Cobb Middle School, 915 Hillcrest Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32308. Tolar Griffin 850-294-6456 or peoples.champ34@yahoo.com
15 August 2009
  • Breakfast On The Track One Mile Run. 7:45 am ET. Maclay School track, 3737 N Meridian Rd, Tallahassee, FL. Bonnie Wright, 850-386-3500 or bwright@electro-net.com
  • Georgia Veterans Duathlon and Triathlon. 8:00 am ET. Georgia Veterans State Park, 2459 U.S. Highway 280 W, Cordele , GA 31015. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Online registration at active.com
29 August 2009
  • Miller Landing Madness 8K/5K/3K. 8:00 am ET. Elinor Klapp Phipps Park, Miller Landing Road, Tallahassee, FL 32312. Mike Sims (850)514-3424 or Tom Perkins (850)894-2019
  • Winnersville Half-Ironman & Sprint Triathlon. 7:30 am ET (Half-Ironman, 1 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13 mile run), 8:00 am ET (Sprint, 45 mile swim, 14 mile bike, 3.6 mile run). Valdosta Lowndes 4-H Facility, 5000 4-H Club Road, Lake Park, GA 31636. Event web site. Online registration at active.com. Registration form.
5 September 2009
  • 30th annual Midnight Chase 5K Run & 1-Mile Fun Run. 12:00 am CT. Panama City, FL. Nancy Dingus 850-763-6891 or Joe Edgecombe 850-774-0018
7 September 2009
  • 2nd annual Red Cross Hurricane Run 5K. 8:00 am ET. Southwood Office Complex, Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, Florida. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Debara Jump, 878-6080 ext. 106 or debara.jump@tallyredcross.org
12 September 2009
  • Sickle Cell Foundation of the Big Bend 5K. 8:00 am ET. Jake Gaither Park, 801 Tanner Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32305. Velma Penermon Stevens, (850)222-2355
19 September 2009
  • Tallahassee Women's Distance Festival 5K. 8:00 am ET. Optimist Park, East Indianhead Drive, Tallahassee, FL. USATF certified course #FL00022DL. Lisa Unger, 850-562-2901 or ungertl@juno.com
  • Gulf Coast Community College Commodore Sun Run 10K / 5K / Fun Run. 6:30 am CT. Aaron Bessant Park (at Pier Park), 500 West Park Drive, Panama City, FL. Online registration at active.com.
26 September 2009
  • Salute to Prefontaine 5K Cross-Country Run. 9:00 am ET. Silver Lake Recreation Area of the Apalachicola National Forest, Silver Lake Road, Tallahassee, FL. Jeff Nielsen, 850-459-8859 or dobieman@comcast.net
  • Trot with S.W.A.T. 10K. 8:00 am CT. Dothan Civic Center Parking Lot, 126 N. St. Andrews Street, Dothan, Alabama. Brian Goguen 334-794-9029 or cgoguen@sw.rr.com
10 October 2009
  • Pine Run at Tall Timbers 20K. 7:30 am ET. Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Drive, Tallahassee, FL. Gordon Cherr, 850-556-5957 or scam22@aol.com
  • Stepping Out for your Heart 5K. 8:00 am ET. Tift County High School, Northeast Campus, 3021 Fulwood Rd, Tifton, Georgia 31794. Darian Peavy 229-353-7796 or darian.peavy@tiftregional.com, or Ernest Lang 229-383-4264.
  • Oyster Spat Festival 5K. 8:00 am ET. Sugar Hill Beach in St George Island State Park, 1900 E. Gulf Beach Dr., St. George Island, Florida 32328. Event web site. rickplesinger@yahoo.com
24 October 2009
  • Expression 5K. 8:30 am ET. Christian Heritage Church, 2820 Sharer Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32312. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Liz Baker, 850-212-7406 or lizbaker777@aol.com or expressionrun@gmail.com
31 October 2009
  • Boston Mini-Marathon. 8:00 am ET. Commercial Bank, 124 West Jefferson Street, Boston, GA 31626. Entry form and flyer. Brad Johnson, bradjohnson@bankcb.com or 229-498-8500 (day) / 229-226-4679 (evening).
14 November 2009
21 November 2009
  • 15th Annual Draggin' Tail 18-Mile Run & Relay 5K. 8:00 am CT. St Theresa's Catholic Church, 2056 Sunny Hills Boulevard, Sunny Hills, FL. Event web site. Marty Kirkland 850-265-8439 or Joe Edgecombe 850-763-5005, joeruns@yahoo.com
26 November 2009
  • Tallahassee Turkey Trot 15k / 10K / 5K. 8:00 am ET. State Office Satellite Complex at SouthWood, Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, FL. Event web site.
28 November 2009
  • Pilgrim Chase Trail Run 5K. 8:00 am CT. Westgate Park, 801 Recreation Road, Dothan, AL 36303. Larry Dykes 334-792-6021
5 December 2009
  • 2009 Gulf Winds Track Club Ten-Mile Challenge / Five-Mile Run. 8:00 am ET. Killearn Lakes Elementary School, 8037 Deerlake Drive East, Bradfordville, FL. USATF certified courses FL07049EBM (10 mile) and FL07048EBM (5 mile). Event web page. Judy Alexander, 850-383-1361 or jalexander98@comcast.net
  • Christmas Parade 5K. 6:00 pm ET. Douglas, Georgia. Cathy Browning (912-384-1616 or cbrowning@windstream.net) or C.M. Jenkins (912-384-7448 or 912-383-5445 or cimjenkins@windstream.net)
12 December 2009
  • 29th Annual Tallahassee Ultra Distance Classic 50K/50M. 7:00 am ET. Wakulla Springs State Park, 550 Wakulla Park Drive, Wakulla Springs, FL. Event web site. Gary Griffin, runlong@nettally.com
16 January 2010
  • Gulf Winds Track Club 30K / 15K. 7:30 am ET. The Retreat at Bradley's Pond, 9002 Bradley Road, Tallahassee, FL 32309. USATF certified courses FL06013DL (30K) and FL06014DL (15 K). Jerry/Jackie McDaniel (mcdanieljackie@hotmail.com or 850-297-0009)
7 February 2010
  • 36th Annual Tallahassee Marathon and Half-Marathon. 7:30 am ET. Mike Long Track, Florida State University, Chieftan Way at Spirit Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306. Event web site. USATF certified course FL06020DL (Marathon), FL06021DL (half-Marathon). Tallahasseemarathon@gmail.com
10 April 2010
  • 36th Annual Palace Saloon 5 km. 8:00am ET. James Messer Fields Park, Jackson Bluff Road and Dupree Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304. USATF certified course FL99027DL. Online registration at active.com.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Usain Bolt sets record for 101 meters!

And 102 meters. And 103 meters. 104 meters. 105....

Not really. And he really didn't set a world record for 150 meters in Manchester on 17 May 2009, but a world best, because the IAAF doesn't recognize records for odd distances like 150 meters. It was a sad day back during my dinosaur-infested youth when the IAAF withdrew recognition for all the non-metric distances except for the mile. With one memo, the records for the 100-yard dash and the two-mile run were gone, as well as records for scores of other events measured in imperial units. A lot of history was trashed, but the value of the remaining records was increased.

Which is the point of my disenchantment with yesterday's 150-meter street dash. Bolt's 19.30 200-meter world record is impressive. His 9.69 100-meter world record is phenomenal. But 14.35 over 150 meters is just a circus stunt. Yes, the previous "record" for that distance had stood since 1983, but how many times has a 150-meter event been run since 1983?

But in spite of my opinion, there is probably a promoter out there dreaming up a "record" run at 125 meters. Hey, it's one-eighth of a kilometer, and the perfect set-up for a one-sixth kilometer sprint (166.667 meters).

Links:

Friday, May 15, 2009

Bandit World Run Day!

Spam has arrived on Twitter, the microblogging site. On some days I get as many as three announcements that I am being followed by someone with a handle like "felecia1985" whose sole post is to inform the world that she has just posted some "NSFW" photos on an internet dating site (the URL follows). I suppose that I will get used to it. I did get used to the e-mail spam from the Nigerian refugees who needed my help transferring a widow's US$40,000,000 into a western bank. I also got used to the myspace.com "friend" requests from libidinous swimsuit models. I've even gotten used to the listings for World Run Day on active.com.

Most runners have a better resource for finding out about local races, but active.com is not a bad resource to fall back on. It's especially useful if you're going to be on the road, looking for an out-of-town race. Granted, not all running events are listed on active.com, but you have to wonder about the competence of a race director who won't avail himself of a free listing on active.com.

But in November, you might be fooled into thinking you've found a race when you see a listing for "World Run Day." Whether you are looking for a race in Bowling Green, Rapid City, or Atlanta, World Run Day will pop up. However, it's not a race. Instead, it's a kind of self-service running event. Go out and run wherever you want for the distance of your choosing, and then make a donation to whatever charity that you want to fund. Oh, but go ahead and register and pay the entry fee, and the "organizers" will send you your "World Run Day" T-shirt.

It's annoying enough to think that you've found a November race only to discover that it's really only "World Run Day," but now it's creeping into the rest of the calendar. Last week, I stumbled onto listings for a "Mother's Day Run" which was actually just another self-service event that offered a "World Run Day" T-shirt. And now there are "Father's Day Run" listings--same deal. There are also World Run Day Prep Runs, just in case you need a tune-up run to get ready to buy another T-shirt. I doubt that active.com is going to put a stop to this, not while they can harp on the slogan "change the world, one step at time" while continuing to pocket their percentage of each registration fee.

So I propose this. 9 November 2009 is the next World Run Day. On that date, go out and run if you feel like it, but as a bandit. Oh, go ahead and donate to the charity of your choice, if you feel so inclined. You can even buy yourself a nice shirt or something at a local running store. But if you hate spam as much as I do, please don't register for this "event."

Thursday, May 14, 2009

2009 Anniston Lions Run For Sight 5K

On Mapa Saturday morning, 9 May 2009, I drove down from Cheaha Mountain into Anniston, Alabama for the Anniston Lions Club's 11th annual Run For Sight 5K. I was spending the weekend in Cheaha State Park, and it seemed like an interesting way of getting in a workout on the road. Certainly, I had heard nothing but positives about the Anniston Runners Club.

The race was on the grounds of Fort McLellan, a former United States army base. McLellan is being converted to civillian use, but most of the military-era structures are still standing. You see mountains no matter which direction you look from McLellan, which might make you uneasy about hills on the course. However, most of the route is nearly flat. The only slope I noticed on the first mile was a downhill around the mile mark, which made me wonder where we had gained the elevation we were losing. There were a couple of gently climbs on the second mile. The third mile featured an actual uphill (preceded by an actual downhill), but the climbing was all over by the last half mile, and the rest of the course was flat or downhill.

StreetThe course is scenic as well. Most of the first mile goes by wooded areas, parts of McLellan that have remained or returned to forest. The second mile swings past the McLellan track and then makes a circuit of Buckner Circle, lined with Mediterranean-style houses that must have been built as officers' quarters. The third mile continues past the Mediterannean architecture of Silver Chapel and the McLellan fire station, passes an attractive footbridge built during World War II by German prisoners of war, then continues through the park-like grounds of McLellan to return to the start and finish area near the Miller Sports Arena. The course was well marked, with arrows on the pavement and signs at each turn, and signs at each of the miles. Each intersection was staffed by a volunteer from the Lions Club, at each mile marker a worker called splits. Last but not least, the course was USATF certified (AL06013JD), so you knew that you were actually running a 5K.

RunnersIn the race, the overall championship went to defending champion and 2008 Pell City High School alumnus Matthew Brick, who broke his own course record with a 16:38.51 performance. Brick was almost two-and-a-half minutes ahead of his nearest challenger, Rick Hester (19:05.98), who finished ten seconds up on third-place runner Jay Lloyd. Top women's honors went to Jo Ann Fort, eleventh overall in 21:37.69 and almost a quarter-mile ahead of the women's runner up, Brooke Nelson (19th overall in 23:02.19). Robyn Talley (31st overall in 24:19.46) completed the women's top three.

So far as amenities, the race T-shirt was an attractive top made of a "moisture management" fabric. There was plenty of fruit, water, and soda in the finish area, as well as McDonald's breakfast bicuits. A live band performed in Miller Gym prior to the start of the awards ceremony, which was under way by about 9:30 AM.

At 137 finishers the Run For Sight is not a large race--certainly it's no Peachtree. But the 2009 race was the eleventh annual, and if the Anniston Lions Club continues to put on a quality event there should be many more annual editions to come.

Links:

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

13 May 2009 Tallahassee 100-Mile Race Calendar

This is the Tallahassee vicinity road-race schedule for 13 May 2009. If that's more than a week ago, the latest schedule is always available via this link:


This is a listing of upcoming races within 100 miles of Tallahassee, Florida, roughly the area in the map below. If a race isn't listed, I probably haven't heard of it, so post a comment and let me know about it.

Map



14 MAY 2009
  • Women's Health Week 5K. 6:00 pm CT. Middlebrooks Park, Bonifay, FL 32425. Entry form and flyer. Traci Corbin 547-8500 ext. 249
16 MAY 2009
  • Run for Wakulla Springs 5K Trail Run and 1 Mile Fun Run. 8:00 am ET (one mile), 8:30 am ET (5K). Wakulla Springs State Park, 550 Wakulla Park Drive, Wakulla Springs, FL 32327. Entry form and flyer.
  • Florida A & M Developmental Research School 5K. 8:30 am ET. FAMU DRS, 400 Orange Avenue, Tallahassee, Florida 32307. Entry form and flyer. Natalie Jackson (850)412‐5921
  • 3rd Annual Missionette 5K / 10K Extraordinary Run. 8:00 am ET. Family Worship Center of Cairo, 1400 South Broad Street, Cairo, GA 39828. USATF certified course GA09001WC (10K) and GA09002WC (5K). Entry form and flyer. Katina Stewart 229-378-0970.
  • Army 10-Miler. 7:00 am CT. Fort Rucker, Alabama. Event web page. Entry form and flyer. 334-255-3794
  • Bay County Association of Realtors 5K Fun Run/Walk. 8:30 am CT. Front Beach Road & Back Beach Road, Panama City Beach, FL. Nancy Palmer 850-625-7433
  • Sunrise Rotary 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run. 8:00 am ET 5K / 9:00 am ET 1-mile. Valdosta State University Student Recreation Center, 1300 Sustella Ave, Valdosta, GA 31698. (229) 247-9880
23 MAY 2009
  • Dothan Fire Department / Dothan Runners Club “Fit to Fight” 5K / 10K. 8:00 am CT. Dothan Fire Department Station #1, 600 Columbia Highway, Dothan, AL 36301. Entry form and flyer.
25 MAY 2009
  • 3rd Annual Memorial Day 5K Night Race. 7:00 pm ET. 1500 East Shotwell Street, Bainbridge, GA 39819. Entry form and flyer. Mandi O'Mara 229-400-3750 or omara@dcboe.com
  • Memorial Day 5K. 8:00 am ET. Old S. L. Mason School, Baytree Road and Azalea Drive, Valdosta, Georgia 31602. Get Active Running & More, 229-219-0010
  • Cordele Kiwanis Memorial Day 8K. 7:59 am ET. Crisp County Middle School, 1116 24th Avenue East, Cordele, GA 31015. USATF certified course #GA07012WC. Entry form and flyer.
6 JUNE 2009
  • Run for the Children 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run. 8:00 am ET 5K / 9:00 am ET 1 mile. Children's Advocacy Center of Lowndes County, 200 W Moore St, Valdosta, GA. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Emily Browning ebrowning@valdostacpa.com or 229-245-5369
  • Stroll-N-Roll Duathlon. 8:00 am CT (5K run, 13-mile bike, 1-mile run). Beverlye Middle School. Prevatt Rd and S. Beverlye Rd., Dothan, AL 36301. Event web page. Sherry Creel 334-677-6195 or Bill Davenport 334-798-1192
13 JUNE 2009
  • Potluck Bash 4-Mile Run. 6:00 pm ET. Forestmeadows Athletic Center, 4750 N Meridian Rd, Tallahassee, FL. David Yon, 850-425-6671 or david@radeylaw.com
  • Watermelon Road Race 12K / 5K / 1-Mile Fun Run. 8:00 am ET. Cordele, GA. Event web page. Jamie Fernandez 229-271-1900 or jamiecfernandez@yahoo.com
20 JUNE 2009
  • Big Bend Victim Assistance Coalition “Run for One, Run for All” 5K. 8:00 am ET. Southwood State Office Complex on Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, FL. Erica Higgins, (850) 922-3498 or HigginsE@leoncountyfl.gov
  • Melon Run 5K. Old Jefferson County High School gym, Monticello, FL. USATF certified course #FL06044DL. Online registration at active.com.
  • Sunshine Trail Trot 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run. 8:00 am CT. H.G. Harder's Sports Complex, 8110 John Pitts Road, Panama City, FL. Online registration at active.com.
27 JUNE 2009
  • Hot Trot 5K. 7:30 am CT. Washington-Holmes Technical Center, 757 Hoyt Street, Chipley, FL 32428. Stan Owens 850-547-2244
  • Summer Sizzler 5K / 1 Mile. 7:00 pm ET (1 mile), 7:30 pm ET (5K). St. George Island, FL. USATF certifed course #FL99035DL. Entry form and flyer. Hobson Fulmer, 850-927-2510 or hobson@fairpoint.net
4 July 2009
  • Firecracker 5K. 7:30 am ET. Greensboro, FL. Greensboro Kiwanis, PO Box 97, Greensboro, FL 32330.
  • Valdosta 5K. 7:15 am ET. Valdosta, GA. Five Points, North Ashley Street, Valdosta, Georgia.
  • Freedom Springs Triathlon. 7:00 am CT. Blue Springs Recreation Park, 5461 Blue Springs Road, Marianna, FL. Entry form and flyer. Terry Edwards (850)482-3415 or fst1@earthlink.net
11 July 2009
  • Greeks In The Streets 5K. 8:00 am ET. Langford Green, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL. Online registration at active.com.
18 July 2009
  • Critter Run 5K. 6:00 pm CT. Westgate Park, 801 Recreation Road, Dothan, AL 36303. USATF certified course #AL86003JD. Larry Dykes (334) 792-6021
  • Summer Sprint 5K. 7:30 am CT. Panama City, FL. 850-234-4370
  • Loop the Lake 5K. 7:30 am ET. Lake Blackshear Resort and Golf Club, 2459-H US Highway 280 West, Cordele, GA 31015. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Online registration at active.com.
1 August 2009
  • Possum Trot 5K. 7:30 am CT. Wausua, FL. Frank or Carol Kreis 850-773-2030
15 August 2009
  • Breakfast On The Track One Mile Run. 7:45 am ET. Maclay School track, 3737 N Meridian Rd, Tallahassee, FL. Bonnie Wright, 850-386-3500 or bwright@electro-net.com
  • Georgia Veterans Duathlon and Triathlon. 8:00 am ET. Georgia Veterans State Park, 2459 U.S. Highway 280 W, Cordele , GA 31015. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Online registration at active.com
29 August 2009
  • Miller Landing Madness 8K/5K/3K. 8:00 am ET. Elinor Klapp Phipps Park, Miller Landing Road, Tallahassee, FL 32312. Mike Sims (850)514-3424 or Tom Perkins (850)894-2019
  • Winnersville Half-Ironman & Sprint Triathlon. 7:30 am ET (Half-Ironman, 1 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13 mile run), 8:00 am ET (Sprint, 45 mile swim, 14 mile bike, 3.6 mile run). Valdosta Lowndes 4-H Facility, 5000 4-H Club Road, Lake Park, GA 31636. Event web site. Online registration at active.com. Registration form.
12 September 2009
  • Sickle Cell Foundation of the Big Bend 5K. 8:00 am ET. Jake Gaither Park, 801 Tanner Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32305. Velma Penermon Stevens, (850)222-2355
19 September 2009
  • Tallahassee Women's Distance Festival 5K. 8:00 am ET. Optimist Park, East Indianhead Drive, Tallahassee, FL. USATF certified course #FL00022DL. Lisa Unger, 850-562-2901 or ungertl@juno.com
  • Gulf Coast Community College Commodore Sun Run 10K / 5K / Fun Run. 6:30 am CT. Aaron Bessant Park (at Pier Park), 500 West Park Drive, Panama City, FL. Online registration at active.com.
26 September 2009
  • Salute to Prefontaine 5K Cross-Country Run. 9:00 am ET. Silver Lake Recreation Area of the Apalachicola National Forest, Silver Lake Road, Tallahassee, FL. Jeff Nielsen, 850-459-8859 or dobieman@comcast.net
  • Trot with S.W.A.T. 10K. 8:00 am CT. Dothan Civic Center Parking Lot, 126 N. St. Andrews Street, Dothan, Alabama. Brian Goguen 334-794-9029 or cgoguen@sw.rr.com
10 October 2009
  • Pine Run at Tall Timbers 20K. 7:30 am ET. Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Drive, Tallahassee, FL. Gordon Cherr, 850-556-5957 or scam22@aol.com
  • Stepping Out for your Heart 5K. 8:00 am ET. Tift County High School, Northeast Campus, 3021 Fulwood Rd, Tifton, Georgia 31794. Darian Peavy 229-353-7796 or darian.peavy@tiftregional.com, or Ernest Lang 229-383-4264.
  • Oyster Spat Festival 5K. 8:00 am ET. Sugar Hill Beach in St George Island State Park, 1900 E. Gulf Beach Dr., St. George Island, Florida 32328. Event web site. rickplesinger@yahoo.com
24 October 2009
  • Expression 5K. 8:30 am ET. Christian Heritage Church, 2820 Sharer Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32312. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Liz Baker, 850-212-7406 or lizbaker777@aol.com or expressionrun@gmail.com
31 October 2009
  • Boston Mini-Marathon. 8:00 am ET. Commercial Bank, 124 West Jefferson Street, Boston, GA 31626. Entry form and flyer. Brad Johnson, bradjohnson@bankcb.com or 229-498-8500 (day) / 229-226-4679 (evening).
14 November 2009
21 November 2009
  • 15th Annual Draggin' Tail 18-Mile Run & Relay 5K. 8:00 am CT. St Theresa's Catholic Church, 2056 Sunny Hills Boulevard, Sunny Hills, FL. Event web site. Marty Kirkland 850-265-8439 or Joe Edgecombe 850-763-5005, joeruns@yahoo.com
26 November 2009
  • Tallahassee Turkey Trot 15k / 10K / 5K. 8:00 am ET. State Office Satellite Complex at SouthWood, Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, FL. Event web site.
28 November 2009
  • Pilgrim Chase Trail Run 5K. 8:00 am CT. Westgate Park, 801 Recreation Road, Dothan, AL 36303. Larry Dykes 334-792-6021
5 December 2009
  • 2009 Gulf Winds Track Club Ten-Mile Challenge / Five-Mile Run. 8:00 am ET. Killearn Lakes Elementary School, 8037 Deerlake Drive East, Bradfordville, FL. USATF certified courses FL07049EBM (10 mile) and FL07048EBM (5 mile). Event web page. Judy Alexander, 850-383-1361 or jalexander98@comcast.net
  • Christmas Parade 5K. 6:00 pm ET. Douglas, Georgia. Cathy Browning (912-384-1616 or cbrowning@windstream.net) or C.M. Jenkins (912-384-7448 or 912-383-5445 or cimjenkins@windstream.net)
12 December 2009
  • 29th Annual Tallahassee Ultra Distance Classic 50K/50M. 7:00 am ET. Wakulla Springs State Park, 550 Wakulla Park Drive, Wakulla Springs, FL. Event web site. Gary Griffin, runlong@nettally.com
16 January 2010
  • Gulf Winds Track Club 30K / 15K. 7:30 am ET. The Retreat at Bradley's Pond, 9002 Bradley Road, Tallahassee, FL 32309. USATF certified courses FL06013DL (30K) and FL06014DL (15 K). Jerry/Jackie McDaniel (mcdanieljackie@hotmail.com or 850-297-0009)
7 February 2010
  • 36th Annual Tallahassee Marathon and Half-Marathon. 7:30 am ET. Mike Long Track, Florida State University, Chieftan Way at Spirit Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306. Event web site. USATF certified course FL06020DL (Marathon), FL06021DL (half-Marathon). Tallahasseemarathon@gmail.com
10 April 2010
  • 36th Annual Palace Saloon 5 km. 8:00am ET. James Messer Fields Park, Jackson Bluff Road and Dupree Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304. USATF certified course FL99027DL. Online registration at active.com.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Women in the Passing Lane

A piece in the Okefenokee Track Club blog about the Shrimp Festival 5K in Fernandina Beach caught my eye, probably because it had some numbers in it. Specifically: "There were 516 total finishers, 276 of the runners being women." In other words, a majority of the finishers were women.

This is interesting to anyone who was running back in the bad old days, when there were very few women running in road races. Even farther back, women were actively discouraged from running. Katherine Switzer's run at the 1967 Boston Marathon wasn't that long ago.

Even though women make up a bit more than half the population, women were still over-represented at the Shrimp Festival 5K. Is this an anomaly? Are women still a minority in road racing? Or are women becoming represented in road races in proportion to their numbers in the overall population? Or is road racing becoming a women's sport, with men about to slip into the minority?

These aren't questions to answer in an evening, but I'd thought I'd look at the numbers for my favorite road race, the Palace Saloon 5K. When we were looking at the results this year, we noticed that nearly half of the finishers were women. Women actually made up a significant majority of the pre-registered runners, which speaks well for women's intelligence, commitment, and ability to plan for the future. But back to finishers. How has the proportion of women finishers at the Palace Saloon 5K changed over the years? Unfortunately, even though the race has been around for 35 years, I only have good numbers for the years that I've been working with the Palace 5K. Here they are on a chart:
The trend does seem to be toward a greater proportion of women participants. Of course, this is just one race. If someone looking for a doctorate in Recreation and Leisure Studies needed a research topic, they could see if this was a general trend in road racing. Or if it was dependent on the length of races. Or some sort of geographic variable.

Or maybe all that research has already been done, and I'm behind the curve. Again.

Links:

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

6 May 2009 Tallahassee 100-Mile Race Calendar

This is the Tallahassee vicinity road-race schedule for 6 May 2009. If that's more than a week ago, the latest schedule is always available via this link:


This is a listing of upcoming races within 100 miles of Tallahassee, Florida, roughly the area in the map below. If a race isn't listed, I probably haven't heard of it, so post a comment and let me know about it.

Map


8 MAY 2009
  • River Town Days 5K. 8:00 am ET. Earle May Boat Basin, Bainbridge, GA 39819. Info at active.com. Blaine Palmer 229-400-3674
9 MAY 2009
  • 6th Annual Marzuq Shrine Mothers Day 5K. 8:00 am ET. Maclay Gardens State Park, 3540 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32309. Entry form and flyer. Keiff Lindsey, (850) 212-2926 or romanroch@hotmail.com
  • Colony City Chase 5K. 8:00 am ET. Fitzgerald High School, 601 West Cypress Street, Fitzgerald, GA 31750. Online registration at active.com. 229-423-5048
16 MAY 2009
  • Run for Wakulla Springs 5K Trail Run and 1 Mile Fun Run. 8:00 am ET (one mile), 8:30 am ET (5K). Wakulla Springs State Park, 550 Wakulla Park Drive, Wakulla Springs, FL 32327. Entry form and flyer.
  • Florida A & M Developmental Research School 5K. 8:30 am ET. FAMU DRS, 400 Orange Avenue, Tallahassee, Florida 32307. Entry form and flyer. Natalie Jackson (850)412‐5921
  • 3rd Annual Missionette 5K / 10K Extraordinary Run. 8:00 am ET. Family Worship Center of Cairo, 1400 South Broad Street, Cairo, GA 39828. USATF certified course GA09001WC (10K) and GA09002WC (5K). Entry form and flyer. Katina Stewart 229-378-0970.
  • Army 10-Miler. 7:00 am CT. Fort Rucker, Alabama. Event web page. 334-255-3794
  • Bay County Association of Realtors 5K Fun Run/Walk. 8:30 am CT. Front Beach Road & Back Beach Road, Panama City Beach, FL. Nancy Palmer 850-625-7433
23 MAY 2009
  • Dothan Fire Department / Dothan Runners Club “Fit to Fight” 5K / 10K. 8:00 am CT. Dothan Fire Department Station #1, 600 Columbia Highway, Dothan, AL 36301. Entry form and flyer.
25 MAY 2009
  • 3rd Annual Memorial Day 5K Night Race. 7:00 pm ET. 1500 East Shotwell Street, Bainbridge, GA 39819. Entry form and flyer. Mandi O'Mara 229-400-3750 or omara@dcboe.com
  • Memorial Day 5K. 8:00 am ET. Old S. L. Mason School, Baytree Road and Azalea Drive, Valdosta, Georgia 31602. Get Active Running & More, 229-219-0010
  • Cordele Kiwanis Memorial Day 8K. 7:59 am ET. Crisp County Middle School, 1116 24th Avenue East, Cordele, GA 31015. USATF certified course #GA07012WC. Entry form and flyer.
13 JUNE 2009
  • Potluck Bash 4-Mile Run. 6:00 pm ET. Forestmeadows Athletic Center, 4750 N Meridian Rd, Tallahassee, FL. David Yon, 850-425-6671 or david@radeylaw.com
20 JUNE 2009
  • Big Bend Victim Assistance Coalition “Run for One, Run for All” 5K. 8:00 am ET. Southwood State Office Complex on Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, FL. Erica Higgins, (850) 922-3498 or HigginsE@leoncountyfl.gov
  • Melon Run 5K. Old Jefferson County High School gym, Monticello, FL. USATF certified course #FL06044DL. Online registration at active.com.
27 JUNE 2009
  • Hot Trot 5K. 7:30 am CT. Washington-Holmes Technical Center, 757 Hoyt Street, Chipley, FL 32428. Stan Owens 850-547-2244
  • Summer Sizzler 5K / 1 Mile. 7:00 pm ET (1 mile), 7:30 pm ET (5K). St. George Island, FL. USATF certifed course #FL99035DL. Entry form and flyer. Hobson Fulmer, 850-927-2510 or hobson@fairpoint.net
4 July 2009
  • Firecracker 5K. 7:30 am ET. Greensboro, FL. Greensboro Kiwanis, PO Box 97, Greensboro, FL 32330.
  • Valdosta 5K. 7:15 am ET. Valdosta, GA. Five Points, North Ashley Street, Valdosta, Georgia.
  • Freedom Springs Triathlon. 7:00 am CT. Blue Springs Recreation Park, 5461 Blue Springs Road, Marianna, FL. Entry form and flyer. Terry Edwards (850)482-3415 or fst1@earthlink.net
18 July 2009
  • Critter Run 5K. 6:00 pm CT. Westgate Park, 801 Recreation Road, Dothan, AL 36303. USATF certified course #AL86003JD. Larry Dykes (334) 792-6021
  • Summer Sprint 5K. 7:30 am CT. Panama City, FL. 850-234-4370
  • Loop the Lake 5K. 7:30 am ET. Lake Blackshear Resort and Golf Club, 2459-H US Highway 280 West, Cordele, GA 31015. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Online registration at active.com.
1 August 2009
  • Possum Trot 5K. 7:30 am CT. Wausua, FL. Frank or Carol Kreis 850-773-2030
15 August 2009
  • Breakfast On The Track One Mile Run. 7:45 am ET. Maclay School track, 3737 N Meridian Rd, Tallahassee, FL. Bonnie Wright, 850-386-3500 or bwright@electro-net.com
  • Georgia Veterans Duathlon and Triathlon. 8:00 am ET. Georgia Veterans State Park, 2459 U.S. Highway 280 W, Cordele , GA 31015. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Online registration at active.com
29 August 2009
  • Miller Landing Madness 8K/5K/3K. 8:00 am ET. Elinor Klapp Phipps Park, Miller Landing Road, Tallahassee, FL 32312. Mike Sims (850)514-3424 or Tom Perkins (850)894-2019
  • Winnersville Half-Ironman & Sprint Triathlon. 7:30 am ET (Half-Ironman, 1 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13 mile run), 8:00 am ET (Sprint, 45 mile swim, 14 mile bike, 3.6 mile run). Valdosta Lowndes 4-H Facility, 5000 4-H Club Road, Lake Park, GA 31636. Event web site. Online registration at active.com. Registration form.
12 September 2009
  • Sickle Cell Foundation of the Big Bend 5K. 8:00 am ET. Jake Gaither Park, 801 Tanner Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32305. Velma Penermon Stevens, (850)222-2355
19 September 2009
  • Tallahassee Women's Distance Festival 5K. 8:00 am ET. Optimist Park, East Indianhead Drive, Tallahassee, FL. USATF certified course #FL00022DL. Lisa Unger, 850-562-2901 or ungertl@juno.com
26 September 2009
  • Salute to Prefontaine 5K Cross-Country Run. 9:00 am ET. Silver Lake Recreation Area of the Apalachicola National Forest, Silver Lake Road, Tallahassee, FL. Jeff Nielsen, 850-459-8859 or dobieman@comcast.net
  • Trot with S.W.A.T. 10K. 8:00 am CT. Dothan Civic Center Parking Lot, 126 N. St. Andrews Street, Dothan, Alabama. Brian Goguen 334-794-9029 or cgoguen@sw.rr.com
10 October 2009
  • Pine Run at Tall Timbers 20K. 7:30 am ET. Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Drive, Tallahassee, FL. Gordon Cherr, 850-556-5957 or scam22@aol.com
  • Stepping Out for your Heart 5K. 8:00 am ET. Tift County High School, Northeast Campus, 3021 Fulwood Rd, Tifton, Georgia 31794. Darian Peavy 229-353-7796 or darian.peavy@tiftregional.com, or Ernest Lang 229-383-4264.
24 October 2009
  • Expression 5K. 8:30 am ET. Christian Heritage Church, 2820 Sharer Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32312. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Liz Baker, 850-212-7406 or lizbaker777@aol.com or expressionrun@gmail.com
31 October 2009
  • Boston Mini-Marathon. 8:00 am ET. Commercial Bank, 124 West Jefferson Street, Boston, GA 31626. Entry form and flyer. Brad Johnson, bradjohnson@bankcb.com or 229-498-8500 (day) / 229-226-4679 (evening).
14 November 2009
21 November 2009
  • 15th Annual Draggin' Tail 18-Mile Run & Relay 5K. 8:00 am CT. St Theresa's Catholic Church, 2056 Sunny Hills Boulevard, Sunny Hills, FL. Event web site. Marty Kirkland 850-265-8439 or Joe Edgecombe 850-763-5005, joeruns@yahoo.com
26 November 2009
  • Tallahassee Turkey Trot 15k / 10K / 5K. 8:00 am ET. State Office Satellite Complex at SouthWood, Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, FL. Event web site.
28 November 2009
  • Pilgrim Chase Trail Run 5K. 8:00 am CT. Westgate Park, 801 Recreation Road, Dothan, AL 36303. Larry Dykes 334-792-6021
5 December 2009
  • 2009 Gulf Winds Track Club Ten-Mile Challenge / Five-Mile Run. 8:00 am ET. Killearn Lakes Elementary School, 8037 Deerlake Drive East, Bradfordville, FL. USATF certified courses FL07049EBM (10 mile) and FL07048EBM (5 mile). Event web page. Judy Alexander, 850-383-1361 or jalexander98@comcast.net
  • Christmas Parade 5K. 6:00 pm ET. Douglas, Georgia. Cathy Browning (912-384-1616 or cbrowning@windstream.net) or C.M. Jenkins (912-384-7448 or 912-383-5445 or cimjenkins@windstream.net)
12 December 2009
  • 29th Annual Tallahassee Ultra Distance Classic 50K/50M. 7:00 am ET. Wakulla Springs State Park, 550 Wakulla Park Drive, Wakulla Springs, FL. Event web site. Gary Griffin, runlong@nettally.com
16 January 2010
  • Gulf Winds Track Club 30K / 15K. 7:30 am ET. The Retreat at Bradley's Pond, 9002 Bradley Road, Tallahassee, FL 32309. USATF certified courses FL06013DL (30K) and FL06014DL (15 K). Jerry/Jackie McDaniel (mcdanieljackie@hotmail.com or 850-297-0009)
7 February 2010
  • 36th Annual Tallahassee Marathon and Half-Marathon. 7:30 am ET. Mike Long Track, Florida State University, Chieftan Way at Spirit Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306. Event web site. USATF certified course FL06020DL (Marathon), FL06021DL (half-Marathon). Tallahasseemarathon@gmail.com
10 April 2010
  • 36th Annual Palace Saloon 5 km. 8:00am ET. James Messer Fields Park, Jackson Bluff Road and Dupree Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304. USATF certified course FL99027DL. Online registration at active.com.