In Dothan, Alabama, runners get many chances throughout the year to race on the Larry and Rona Dykes Trail in Westgate Park. Among other chances, there is the Mardi Gras 5K Trail Run in the winter, the Bryan Dowling Memorial 5K Run in the spring, the Life Is A Beach 5K Trail Run in the summer, and the Pilgrim Chase 5K Trail Run in the fall. But as the year winds down, the opportunities run out, and in late December only the last chance of all is left--the annual Last Gasp 5K Trail Run.In 2012 the Last Gasp came on Saturday morning, December 29. 65 runners took advantage of Dothan's last racing date of the year. After finishing runner-up to Cairo's Stephen Robbins in the 2011 Last Gasp, Northview High senior Sean Kent was victorious in 2012, finishing over 400 meters ahead of the next runner in 17:59. Midland City master runner Jeff Dasinger ran 19:38 to place second, significantly faster than his seventh-place 20:18 that he ran at the previous year's Last Gasp.
Jeanne Davis was the first woman finisher, placing fifth overall in 22:17. A tight race developed for the women's runner-up spot, with Dothan's Jacqueline Sullins edging out Bonifay master runner Val Lichner
24:48 to 24:50. The two runners finished 12th and 13th overall.
After Dothan's last race in 2012, it's natural to wonder about the city's first race in 2013. That will be the 31st annual Hog Wild Run on Saturday afternoon, 26 January 2013, at 2:00 PM CT. After being contested at five miles from 1983 to 2009, the event is now a 15K and a 5K, both staged from the Depot Off Main near downtown Dothan. The course record in the 15K is 58:41, set in the 2012 Hog Wild by Cedric Gillette.
Top Ten Males
- 17:59 ~ Sean Kent (M, 17)
- 19:38 ~ Jeff Dasinger (M, 40)
- 21:45 ~ Brian Hickey (M, 44)
- 22:00 ~ Dale Thomas (M, 49)
- 22:45 ~ Kurt Sansom (M, 26)
- 22:54 ~ Danner Drake (M, 41)
- 24:04 ~ Randy Jordan (M, 52)
- 24:13 ~ Paul King (M, 39)
- 24:31 ~ Neil Guess (M, 39)
- 24:38 ~ Bobby Jesswein (M, 42)
Top Ten Females
- 22:17 ~ Jeanne Davis (F, 34)
- 24:48 ~ Jacqueline Sullins (F, 25)
- 24:50 ~ Val Lichner (F, 53)
- 26:16 ~ Nancy Hein (F, 56)
- 26:20 ~ April Stewart (F, 41)
- 26:27 ~ Nicki Short (F, 34)
- 27:16 ~ Hope Kirkland (F, 31)
- 27:48 ~ Debbie Geiger (F, 40)
- 28:33 ~ Autumn Dozier (F, 19)
- 29:15 ~ Rebecca Drake (F, 23)
| Some past winners of Dothan's Last Gasp 5K Trail Run | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Men | Women |
| 18 DEC 1999 | 16:23, Matt Tillman | 19:57, Jennifer Hanley |
| 20 DEC 2003 | ||
| 18 DEC 2004 | 19:40, Brian Hickey | 24:13, Nancy Hein |
| 17 DEC 2005 | Gabe Mitchell | Lou Ellen Jayroe |
| 23 DEC 2006 | 17:35, Aubrey Darnell | 22:23, Sara Jackson |
| 22 DEC 2007 | ||
| 27 DEC 2008 | 20:17, Terrion Williams | 23:59, Daphne Cook |
| 26 DEC 2009 | ||
| 11 DEC 2010 | 20:28, Michael Brennan | 24:51, Julie Harris |
| 31 DEC 2011 | 17:40, Stephen Robbins | 20:26, Dana Cody |
| 29 DEC 2012 | 17:59, Sean Kent | 22:17, Jeanne Davis |
Links
- Complete results of Dothan's 2012 Last Gasp 5K Trail Run at dothanrunners.com
http://dothanrunners.com/2012_last_gasp_trail_run_results.htm
- 2011 story, "Robbins and Cody end 2011 with wins at Dothan's Last Gasp 5K"
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/01/last-gasp-2011.html
- 2010 story, "Brennan and Harris find victory at the end of the trail in Dothan"
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/12/last-gasp-2010.html
- Upcoming races in Dothan and other cities in the Trouble Afoot! region
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
YMCA Trick or Trot 5K Night Race and one-mile fun run. 6:00 PM ET one mile / 6:30 PM ET 5K. YMCA at Southwood, 3196 Merchants Row Boulevard suite 200, Tallahassee, Florida. 2012 
19th annual Draggin' Tail 18-Mile Run, Relay, and 5K. 8:00 am CT. St Theresa's Catholic Church, 2056 Sunny Hills Boulevard, Sunny Hills, Florida. 2012 
