Saturday, January 14, 2012

Johnson and Showman roll through the Red Hills in the GWTC 30K

Charlie JohnsonTallahassee triathlete Charlie Johnson blasted by Vince Molosky during the 20th kilometer of the 14 January 2012 Gulf Winds Track Club 30K, going on to win the 18.6-mile race by nearly 800 meters in 1:51:30. Sean Hudson was the morning's fastest master, finishing fifth overall in 2:05:13. In the women's competition, Katie Showman edged master runner Jane Johnson for the title, 2:17:38 to 2:18:01. 150 athletes finished the race, run mostly off-pavement on an out-and-back course on Old Centerville Road and Sunnyhill Plantation Road.


Charlie Johnson catches Vince MoloskyThe 30K runners were joined on the starting line by nearly 200 athletes entered in the concurrent 15K race, so that at 8:00am over 300 were shivering in the sub-30 °F air outside the Retreat at Bradley's Pond, waiting to run. Once the event was underway the 15K leaders set the pace for the field as the runners headed north on Old Centerville Road, while Vince Molosky headed the 30K entries. The smart money would have been on Molosky--he was the defending champion, had won the last four GWTC 30K races from 2008 to 2011, and his 2011 win had set the course record of 1:51:48. For a while the smart money looked safe; after seven kilometers Molosky was nearly a minute ahead of Charlie Johnson. But during the second ten kilometers of the race, Johnson closed on Molosky. At 19K Molosky was still leading, but just by a few steps. Then Johnson put the hammer down. By 20K he had broken contact with Molosky while continuing to widen the gap, leading by 300 meters at 24K. Johnson motored home to cross the finish line first with a new course record of 1:51:30. Molosky finished runner-up in 1:54:31, his streak of 30K titles ended at four. Grady Smith held off Keith Howell 2:03:57 to 2:04:10 to take third. For most of the race Sean Hudson and Mickey Moore fought a close duel for the master title, but Hudson ran away in the closing stages, placing fifth overall in 2:05:13, while Moore trailed in at 2:05:36 in seventh.


Katie ShowmanIt was a close race for the women's title for most of the 30K. Two runners got well out in front of the rest of the field--Jane Johnson, a seven-time winner at the GWTC 30K and the defending women's master champion, and Katie Showman, seven days after her winning performance at the 2012 Bowlegs 5K. While leaving the rest of the women far behind, Johnson and Showman never got far from one another. Just a few steps separated them most of the way, and with only six kilometers left to run Johnson was in front of Showman, but only by ten meters. With the finish line approaching, Showman took command and ran away from Johnson, taking the women's title in 2:17:38 and placing 19th overall. Still in sight, Johnson was 21st overall in 2:18:01, taking her tenth straight women's master title at the GWTC 30K and finishing as the women's runner-up. Over 800 meters behind Johnson, Micah Adriani (26th, 2:21:46) was the third woman in, while Kristine Cox (31st, 2:23:00) was the fourth female finisher.


Top Ten Men, 2012 GWTC 30K
  1. Vince Molosky1:51:29.97 ~ Charlie Johnson (M, 32) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 1:54:30.12 ~ Vince Molosky (M, 32) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 2:03:56.51 ~ Grady Smith (M, 35) Tallahassee, FL
  4. 2:04:09.77 ~ Keith Howell (M, 29) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 2:05:12.61 ~ Sean Hudson (M, 41) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 2:05:28.15 ~ Andrew Smyth (M, 25) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 2:05:35.16 ~ Mickey Moore (M, 41) Tallahassee, FL
  8. 2:07:10.73 ~ Tony Guillen (M, 43) Tallahassee, FL
  9. 2:08:05.75 ~ Dustin Rhodes (M, 27) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 2:08:55.60 ~ Michael Martinez (M, 46) Tallahassee, FL

Top Ten Women, 2012 GWTC 30K
  1. Jane Johnson2:17:37.57 ~ Katie Showman (F, 30) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 2:18:00.83 ~ Jane Johnson (F, 52) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 2:21:55.40 ~ Micah Adriani (F, 34) Tallahassee, FL
  4. 2:22:59.66 ~ Kristine Cox (F, 34) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 2:28:39.84 ~ Angela Wable (F, 38) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 2:31:30.94 ~ Mary Vancore (F, 48) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 2:32:01.00 ~ Tiffany Roddenberry (F, 27) Tallahassee, FL
  8. 2:32:43.54 ~ Christina Greene (F, 29) Tallahassee, FL
  9. 2:34:45.85 ~ Michelle Burke (F, 42) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 2:35:24.33 ~ Nancy Stedman (F, 50) Tallahassee, FL

Stanley LintonIt was a youth race in the male division of the 15K, with eight of the top ten places going to teenage runners, including eight area high school athletes. Wakulla High distance runner Stanley Linton surged to a narrow lead mid-race. Linton was never able to break contact, but nevertheless ran to a close win over Leon High's Will Henderson, 53:29 to 53:34. Last year's runner-up, Leon's Ben McMahon, was third in 54:11, while recent Leon alumnus Will Stanford was fourth in 54:50. Maclay School coach and master runner Gary Droze broke the youth monopoly on the top ten, claiming fifth in 55:14. Florida State alumna and 2011 Springtime 10K champion Pasca Cheruiyot outran Seeley Gutierrez 60:42 to 61:52 for the women's title in the 15K. Thomasville's Mary Anne Grayson was the fastest female master and third woman finisher in the shorter race, 26th overall in 66:26.


Top Ten Men, 2012 GWTC 15K
  1. Ben McMahon and Will Henderson53:28.79 ~ Stanley Linton (M, 18) Crawfordville, FL
  2. 53:33.88 ~ Will Henderson (M, 17) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 54:10.16 ~ Ben McMahon (M, 17) Tallahassee, FL
  4. 54:49.20 ~ Will Stanford (M, 19) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 55:13.34 ~ Gary Droze (M, 50) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 55:51.76 ~ Zac Buchholz (M, 16) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 58:47.04 ~ Stephen Robbins (M, 15) Cairo, GA
  8. 58:50.40 ~ Sukhi Khosla (M, 15) Tallahassee, FL
  9. 59:03.34 ~ Jarod Hoffman (M, 16) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 59:39.63 ~ Kyle Buchholz (M, 14) Tallahassee, FL

Pasca CheruiyotTop Ten Women, 2012 GWTC 15K
  1. 60:41.52 ~ Pasca Cheruiyot (F, 25) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 61:51.48 ~ Seeley Gutierrez (F, 35) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 66:25.86 ~ Mary Anne Grayson (F, 45) Thomasville, GA
  4. 67:08.07 ~ Cara Lavier (F, 33) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 67:44.48 ~ L. A. Hanlon (F, 33) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 68:29.16 ~ Kate Chunka (F, 28) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 70:40.44 ~ Kelly Stevens (F, 29) Tallahassee, FL
  8. 72:22.96 ~ Lisa Rutledge (F, 50) Tallahassee, FL
  9. 72:27.18 ~ Amanda Hudson (F, 35) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 72:40.02 ~ Ashley Daily (F, 25) Tallahassee, FL


Gulf Winds Track Club 30K Champions, 1978-2011
Dates
Men
Women
14 January 2012
Charlie Johnson (1:51:30)
Katie Showman (2:17:38)
15 January 2011
Vince Molosky (1:51:48)
Heather Griffis (2:17:15)
16 January 2010
Vince Molosky (1:56:14)
Sheryl Rosen (2:14:22)
17 January 2009
Vince Molosky (1:54:06)
Sheryl Rosen (2:11:41)
12 January 2008
Vince Molosky (2:00:29)
Sheryl Rosen (2:17:24)
13 January 2007
Justin Dickieson (2:01:23)
Sheryl Rosen (2:04:21)
21 January 2006
Michael Douma (2:03:36)
Stephanie Liles (2:09:27)
22 January 2005
Art Remillard (1:56:18)
Jane Johnson (2:13:50)
16 January 2004
Timothy Bolton (1:56:00)
Jane Johnson (2:09:27)
18 January 2003
Larry Mengelkoch (2:02:28)
Jane Johnson (2:07:46)
15 December 2001
Tom Ratliffe (2:09:43)
Carrie Weyant (2:22:56)
3 February 2001
Kevin Porter (2:00:29)
Jane Johnson (2:02:27)
5 February 2000
Garth Grumme (1:57:47)
Anne Van Schuppen (1:53:04)
6 February 1999
Doug Gorton (1:58:17)
Jane Johnson (2:11:20)
10 January 1998
Clarence Calloway (1:57:45)
Jane Johnson (2:04:34)
7 January 1997
Tracy Burch (1:54:26)
Jane Johnson (2:00:28)
13 January 1996
John Viitanen (1:46:14)
Eileen Telford (2:12:30)
14 January 1995
Herb Wills (1:49:45)
Nancy Stuparich (2:22:18)
22 January 1994
Herb Wills (1:43:50)
Lisa Herman (2:07:27)
16 January 1993
Herb Wills (1:43:54)
Carrie Hunnicutt (2:12:42)
4 January 1992
Jessie Close (1:46:36)
Lynda Nilges(2:13:46)
12 January 1991
David Keen (1:37:31)
Paula Johnson (2:06:03)
13 January 1990
Herb Wills (1:43:57)
Paula Johnson (2:12:00)
14 January 1989
Jessie Close (1:45:31)
Mary Jean Yon (2:22:07)
16 January 1988
Tom Burr (1:45:24)
Mae Cleveland (2:10:04)
10 January 1987
Larry Greene (1:44:45)
Karen Macharg (2:11:59)
18 January 1986
Herb Wills (1:38:54)
Missy James (2:10:48)
14 January 1985
Herb Wills (1:45:10)
Mae Cleveland (2:17:56)
14 January 1984Noel Shumann (1:43:32)
Barbara Balzer (2:04:20)
15 January 1983
Andrew Wills (1:48:18)
Christy Orthman (2:18:18)
16 January 1982
Rick Miller (1:44:41)
Laura Ledbetter (1:56:57)
1981


12 January 1980
Steve Ray (1:51:19)
Robyn Anderson (2:48:31)
3 February 1979
Ken Misner (1:42:13)
Lynda Heimann (2:12:44)
11 March 1978
Tim Simpkins (1:46:19)
Donna Glotzbach (2:22:31)


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4 comments:

  1. JudyJanuary 16, 2012 at 4:28 PM

    Excellent write-up, Herb! Looking forward to your pics. Thanks for braving the sub-freezing temps!
    judy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dismal TriathleteJanuary 16, 2012 at 5:51 PM

    Herb, I assume the course changed in 1997. Where was the old one? I expect it had fewer moguls or some other reason for the faster times. Or maybe the home made shoes were better ;). Well done as always. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Herb WillsJanuary 16, 2012 at 7:19 PM

    Let's see. Without getting into a complete history of the race, the 30K was run out at Natural Bridge when the roads were sand so soft that snowshoes seemed a good option, then at least once in the Apalachicola National Forest just south of the Bloxham Cut-Off, then (through most of the 1980s and 1990s) on the [paved] main road through the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, then back at Natural Bridge (this time with pavement) in late 2001. The race finally moved to its current home in 2006, so any "course record" is just the best time in the last seven years.

    Until Old Centerville Road, the course was always flat. Even so, some of those fast times in the 1980s and 1990s were run by NCAA All-Americans (e.g., Ken Misner), former FSU varsity athletes (e.g., David Keen), and world-class distance runners (e.g., Larry Greene). Those guys could (and in training, did) run fast out on Old Centerville Road. No one had to leave town to get their butt kicked in those days.

    Herb.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dismal TriathleteJanuary 16, 2012 at 9:51 PM

      Well those days are these days for me. Thank you again sir.

      Delete