Saturday, June 15, 2013

Young runners, old race; Linton and Rosen win in Monticello

2013 Melon Run championsOn Saturday morning, 15 June 2013, Monticello, Florida staged its 35th annual Melon Run 5K. That's not exceptionally old as road races go, but it is old enough that the race is routinely won by athletes who hadn't been born at the time of the first Melon Run. This year was a case in point, with 19-year-old Florida State University student Stanley Linton finishing first in 16:42, and 29-year-old lawyer Sheryl Rosen winning the women's title with a 18:49.


Stanley LintonThe race started just after 8:15 AM, three blocks from the Jefferson County Courthouse on West Washington Street, also known as US 90, the main east-west road through town. After half a kilometer of racing, Stanley Linton was already well out in front. But Linton had been near the lead in the 2012 Melon Run, and after a wrong turn could finish no better than third. This year, though, Linton got only farther ahead as the race continued, so far ahead that by the halfway point he was out of sight. The chase continued. Maybe Linton would make an especially long detour.


Paul GuyasLinton's knowledge of the course might have improved; or the course markings, course marshals, and the lead vehicle might have played a role. Whatever the reason, this time Linton made through the 3.1 miles without going astray, crossing the finish line in 16:42 as the 35th Melon Run champion. After more than two minutes the next male finishers crossed the line, with Paul Guyas beating out Michael Kennett for third place overall, 19:02 to 19:10. Joel Piotrowski was the first male master, placing sixth overall in 19:17.


Sheryl RosenAs with Linton, this was Sheryl Rosen's second Melon Run. Her first time in Monticello, the 2011 event, she had finished second best in the women's standings after a tough race with Katie Showman. Showman wasn't on the starting line this year, but 2010 Melon Run champion Micah Adriani was. 800 meters into the race Rosen was leading the women's field, running in fifth overall. Adriani was only five seconds back, though, and Renee Cox just few more seconds behind. About halfway through the race Rosen broke contact with Adriani, moving into second place overall. She ultimately finished in the that position, running 18:49. Adriani was the second woman in, placing fifth overall in 19:14--a time that would have won four of the previous five Melon Runs. Renee Cox was third in the women's standings, 12th overall in 20:23. In the race for the women's master title, Paula O'Neill passed Nancy Stedman about the halfway mark, then raced home ahead of Stedman 22:23 to 22:52. The two Tallahassee runners were 20th and 22nd overall respectively.


284 runners finished the race. Finish line services and timing were provided by Gulf Winds Track Club.


Top Ten Men, 35th annual Melon Run 5K
    Michael Kennett
  1. 16:42 ~ Stanley Linton (M, 19) Crawfordville, FL
  2. 19:02 ~ Paul Guyas (M, 35) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 19:10 ~ Michael Kennett (M, 39) Tallahassee, FL
  4. 19:17 ~ Joel Piotrowski (M, 43) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 19:18 ~ David Harrell (M, 28) Monticello, FL
  6. 19:22 ~ Bryce Cole (M, 14) Crawfordville, FL
  7. 19:48 ~ Gatlin Nennstiel (M, 14) Monticello, FL
  8. 19:49 ~ James Taylor (M, 49) Perry, FL
  9. 20:20 ~ Michael La Bossiere (M, 47) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 20:45 ~ Gareth Pyle (M, 34) Thomasville, GA

Top Ten Women, 35th annual Melon Run 5K
    Micah Adriani
  1. 18:49 ~ Sheryl Rosen (F, 29) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 19:14 ~ Micah Adriani (F, 35) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 20:23 ~ Renee Cox (F, 26) Tallahassee, FL
  4. 22:11 ~ Andrea Duffy (F, 37) Monticello, FL
  5. 22:23 ~ Paula O' Neill (F, 51) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 22:52 ~ Nancy Stedman (F, 51) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 23:17 ~ Brittney Barnes (F, 25) Tallahassee, FL
  8. 24:14 ~ Emma Travis (F, 15) Tallahassee, FL
  9. 24:16 ~ Layla Thompson (F, 8) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 24:21 ~ Beverly Hamilton (F, 35) Thomasville, GA

Known winners of the Monticello Melon Run 5K, 1979-2013
DateMenWomen
1979

28 June 198015:28, Gary Slayton19:49, Debbie Dickson
1981

19 June 198215:10, Andy Whitener17:38, Laura Ledbetter
1983

23 June 198415:37, Gary Slayton19:45, Cindy Walker
22 June 198516:09, Felton Wright19:12, Barbara Balzer
21 June 198615:55, Bill Crooks18:32, Karen MacHarg
20 June 1987

25 June 198815:47, Bill Crooks18:18, Karen MacHarg
24 June 198915:02, Jeff Pigg19:05, Vikki Saga
23 June 199015:20, Jessie Close18:06, Karen MacHarg
22 June 199115:23, Phillip Rowan19:34, Vikki Saga
20 June 199215:10, Jessie Close18:35, Lynda Nilges
26 June 199316:07, Bill Crooks19:37, Sue Kany
29 June 199416:13, Gary Droze18:49, Sarah Heeb
24 June 199514:57, John Charlton19:54, Sissi Carroll
22 June 1996

28 June 1997

27 June 199816:33, Tommy Kunish17:51, Sarah Docter-Williams
26 June 199916:23, Tommy Kunish21:05, Peggy Simpson
17 June 200017:08, Tim Simpkins18:32, Kim Winn
16 June 200116:29, Ryan Deak17:54, Sarah Docter-Williams
22 June 200217:54, Doug Gorton21:41, Laura Atlee
21 June 2003

19 June 200417:18, Tim Unger20:30, Kate Remillard
18 June 200518:31, Jack McDermott18:07, Sarah Docter-Williams
17 June 200617:36, Nathan Haskins22:35, Loranne Ausley
16 June 200716:28, Nathan Haskins18:50, Sarah Docter-Williams
21 June 200816:08, Nathan Haskins20:16, Deb Jones
20 June 200916:54, Charlie Johnson23:49, Sandy Holt
19 June 201018:07, Gabriel Leitz19:59, Micah Adriani
18 June 201116:38, Sammy Palmer19:28, Katie Showman
16 June 201216:28, Stephen Cox18:59, Seeley Gutierrez
15 June 201316:42, Stanley Linton18:49, Sheryl Rosen


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Posted by Herb Wills at 11:13 PM
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