Shearon and Kennedy romp at Red Pepper Run

In running after you turn 40 you're referred to as a master. Sometimes master runner means old dude, and sometimes it means master runner. The old dudes certainly exhibited mastery in their running at the 2011 Red Pepper Run on St. George Island, taking most of the top ten places and all but one of the first seven spots in the 5K race. Master runner David Shearon of Panama City successfully defended his 2010 Red Pepper Run title, racing to a time of 18:00. Tallahassee master runner Joel Piotrowski was next across the line at 18:16, followed by another Tallahassee master, Andy Roberts (3rd, 19:44). Florida Sate University undergraduate Tyler Muntean (4th, 21:10) was the first non-master, followed by 2009 Red Pepper Run champion, Eastpoint veterinarian Hobson Fulmer (5th, 21:56).


Youth fared better in the women's division, where Meghan Kennedy (7th, 22:27) outran Shelby Burgess (11th, 23:40) for the title. The top woman master was Alane Kadel (31st, 27:53), the tenth woman across the finish line.


The race was run on an out-and-back course on St. George Island--a barrier island off the coast of the Florida panhandle that is so narrow that the only real alternative to an out-and-back course is a point-to-point course. At the 2010 race, Shearon had spotted the field 35 seconds by being sequestered in a portable toilet when the starting gun went off. This year he went right into the lead, building up a gap on the trip out that he maintained on the way back. Runner-up Piotrowski recalled, "I tried to reel him in but the guy is strong like a mule." The runners were also faced with a stiff headwind during the second half of the race, an invisible hill that they had to climb on the return trip.


The 5K Red Pepper Run is part of St. George Island's Chili Cook-Off, an annual charity event which was held for the 29th time this year. The Chili Cook-Off and the Red Pepper Run should be back on Saturday, 4 March 2012.


Top Ten Men

1. David Shearon (M, 41) 18:00
2. Joel Piotrowski (M, 41) 18:16
3. Andy Roberts (M, 44) 19:44
4. Tyler Muntean (M, 21) 21:10
5. Hobson Fulmer (M, 55) 21:56
6. Calvin Hartness (M, 57) 22:16
7. David Savory (M, 45) 22:55
8. Daniel Martin (M, 24) 23:12
9. Gareth Unknown (M, 32) 23:18
10. Dylan Mahoney (M, 24) 24:02

Top Ten Women

1. Meghan Kennedy (F, 30) 22:27
2. Shelby Burgess (F, 19) 23:40
3. Melissa Zapata (F, 31) 25:42
4. Kayce Costin (F, 32) 26:24
5. Elizabeth Bartkowiak (F, 31) 26:35
6. Brianna Muntean (F, 19) 26:36
7. Kristin Mejia (F, 33) 26:55
8. Maggie Crotty (F, 27) 27:23
9. Meghan Burkett (F, 37) 27:41
10. Alane Kadel (F, 41) 27:53

Links:

• Complete results of the 2011 5K Red Pepper Run at gulfwinds.org
  http://www.gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2011/red_pepper_run_2011.htm
  
  
• "Shearon and Jeroski win the Summer Sprint"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/07/summer-sprint-5k-2010.html
  
  
• Find more races within 100 miles of Tallahassee, both onshore and offshore
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1