Bulecza and Gerbers respond well to competition at FRU 5K

On Florida State University's Tallahassee campus, Matt Bulecza got away from a field of nearly 60, running 17:47 to win the second annual FSU First Responders Unit 5K on Saturday morning, 29 January 2011. Bulecza's time was just off Raley Beggs' 2010 event record of 17:40. Bulecza was followed across the finish line by Robert DeSanti (2nd, 18:12) and Drew Fulcher (3rd, 19:59). Volodymyr Zharkov, the top master in the race, placed fourth overall in 20:17. In a dramatic race for the women's title, Kellie Gerbers nipped top woman master Nancy Stedman right at the finish line, winning 21:54 to 21:55.


Bulecza moved to front early, leading the race by the end of the first kilometer. He only widened the gap after that, ultimately finishing over 100 meters ahead of runner-up DeSanti and half-a-kilometer ahead of Fulcher. Zharkov likewise led the masters early, already ahead of Dr. Mike LaBossiere during the first kilometer. Over the next four kilometers Zharkov up from seventh to fourth, picking off one by one runners who had pursued Bulecza a bit too optimistically early in the race.


One kilometer into the women's race, Kellie Gerbers had a slight lead on Nancy Stedman. The next kilometer, though included the climb up Gallows Hill, from Call Street to College Avenue on Copeland Street. Nancy Stedman moved ahead and built up a lead. With half a kilometer left Stedman seemed to far ahead to catch, but then Gerbers began a charge for the finish. Gerbers made up the ground on Stedman and the two crossed the finish line nearly in a dead heat, with Gerbers getting the decision. Paula O'Neill picked up a few places during the race to finish as the third woman and second woman master, 18th overall in 23:05.


The 2010 race had been preceded by a night of rain, but in spite of the drier weather this year's second annual First Responders 5K had slightly fewer runners than the inaugural race. Hopefully, for the third annual race in 2012, the event organization will do a better job of getting the word out. More people need to see that hill on Copeland!


Results of the second annual FSU First Responders' Unit 5K

1. Matt Bulecza (M, 29) 17:47
2. Robert DeSanti (M, 22) 18:12
3. Drew Fulcher (M, 18) 19:59
4. Dr. Volodymyr Zharkov (M, 47) 20:17
   
5. Max Disser (M, 20) 20:33
   
6. Steven Sullivan (M, 19) 20:43
   
7. Dr. Mike LaBossiere (M, 44) 21:08
   
8. Jay Silvanima (M, 54) 21:50
   
9. Yusi Liu (M, 24) 21:54
   
10. Kellie Gerbers (F, 25) 21:54
    
11. Nancy Stedman (F, 49) 21:55
    
12. Michael Hooten (M, 23) 22:01
13. Duane Evans (M, 43) 22:19
    
14. Chris Ayeni (M, 19) 22:23
    
15. Brien DeSanti II (M, 25) 22:24
    
16. Doug Stout (M, 21) 22:25
    
17. David Savary (M, 45) 23:00
    
18. Paula O'Neill (F, 49) 23:05
19. John Chung (M, 19) 23:16
    
20. Robert Nimsger (M, 21) 23:21
    
21. David Darst (M, 67) 23:30
    
22. Marcus Summa (M, 24) 23:37
    
23. Jae Yun Jun (M, 35) 24:09
    
24. Abby Spangler (F, 20) 24:19
    
25. Mary Jane Tucker (F, 22) 24:48
    
26. Aguang Dai (M, 26) 24:55
    
27. Jorge Gallo (F, 22) 26:25
    
28. Yan Zhou (M, 25) 26:26
    
29. Alexa Keno (F, 19) 26:53
    
30. Mark O'Neill (M, 49) 26:56
    
31. Jimmy Lee (M, 41) 27:10
    
32. Amy Ng (F, 18) 27:22
    
33. Zhan Wang (M, 30) 27:27
    
34. David Paradice (M, 54) 28:00
    
35. Jillian Heddaeus (F, 27) 28:29
    
36. Melissa Land (F, 21) 28:43
    
37. Elizabeth Watts (F, 26) 28:59
    
38. Alexis Sowell (F, 38) 29:23
    
39. Ashley Rutherford (F, 21) 29:24
    
40. Linda Levins (F, 57) 30:30
    
41. Lesa Evans (F, 43) 30:30
    
42. ?
43. John Nicholson (M, 55) 32:23
    
44. Melissa Kuhling (F, 22) 34:32
    
45. Crystal Thullen (F, 26) 35:26
    
46. Alexander Grant (M, ?) 35:54
    
47. Sara Williams (F, 19) 35:54
    
48. Philip Bujalski (M, 19) 37:07
    
49. Michelle Santana (F, 20) 37:07
    
50. Brandi Helms (F, 32) 38:51
    
51. Annette Sowell (F, 45) 39:50
    
52. Teresa Rutherford (F, 49) 39:50
    
53. Andrea Reese (F, 31) 41:28
    
54. Susan Tobin (F, 53) 41:29
55. Sondra Lee (F, 42) 42:39
    
56. Lane Curington (F, 57) 45:15
    
57. Jerry Curington (M, 60) 45:21
58. JoAnne McNamara (F, 58) 56:14
    

Links:

• More photos of the 2011 FSU First Responders' Unit 5K
  http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3075960&id=5215641&l=87c4513d17
  
  
• And what happened earlier that morning in Tallahassee?
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/01/red-fox-trot-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 FRU 5K story: "Victory for Beggs, McMeekin at First Responders 5K"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/01/during-floridas-territorial-period-last.html
  
  
• Find your next race on the FSU campus or anywhere else within 100 miles of Tallahassee
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1