Lake and Sherron speed through the sanctuary at Wakulla

Each year, as winter cold gives way to spring warmth, insects and their cousins come out of dormancy. It's time to wake up and start reproducing. However, some arthropods such as mosquitoes and ticks need a blood meal in order to lay their eggs. In order to make sure the the creepy-crawlies in Wakulla Springs State Park have what they need to raise another generation, each May the park invites hundreds of athletes to run through the park's sanctuary. The runners get to have a race. The flying, biting, and sucking vermin get to have a feast. After that, the park officials close off the sanctuary for the rest of the year so that the bugs can go about their business in peace.


That's just a theory, and you don't have to believe it. But if Wakulla Springs ever hosts an open-water swim, I suggest you make sure the park's alligator population hasn't been suffering from starvation before you dive in.


Whatever the reason, more than 250 athletes were at the park on Saturday morning, 17 May 2014, for the eighth annual Wakulla Springs 5K. After a few children ran through the sanctuary as an appetizer in the one-mile fun run, the main event started. Chris Lake shot out into the lead, leaving his closest rival, Zach DeVeau, far behind. DeVeau in turn was way ahead of the next competitor. Lake and DeVeau were each effectively running alone through the sanctuary. Surrounded by the peaceful forest, there was nothing to hear but their own breathing, their own footfalls, and the calls of birds.


Aside from the drone of the deer flies and the whine of the mosquitoes, that is.


Lake crossed the finish line with a lead of more than 200 meters, winning the race in 16:38 and breaking Stanley Linton's course record of 16:39. DeVeau was runner-up in 17:24. Half a minute later a mob arrived. Master runner Michael Martinez outkicked Peter Kaus and Bryce Cole for third. Martinez and Kaus were both clocked at 18:01 while Cole, a rising sophomore at Wakulla High, posted an 18:02. Not far behind Cole were Martinez's rivals for the top master spot, Carl Nordhielm and Geb Kiros, finishing sixth in 18:06 and seventh in 18:08.


Katie Sherron was back for her second run in the Wakulla Springs 5K after finishing second in the women's standings to course-record holder Seeley Gutierrez in 2011. 2014 was Sherron's year in the sanctuary, though. Placing 25th overall in 20:07, Sherron won the Wakulla Springs 5K women's title. A minute behind her, Renee Cox finished runner-up on the women's side, 34th overall in 21:07. Wakulla High graduating seniors Margaret Wiedeman (47th, 22:04) and Kayla Webbe (50th, 22:20) were third and fourth in the women's division. Mary Vancore (53rd, 22:33) was the fifth woman finisher and first woman master.


252 athletes finished the race, a benefit for the Friends of Wakulla Springs State Park. The sanctuary gates closed again. No runner will hear the hum of the hungry insects there till May of 2015.


[ Photos in this article are by Fred Deckert ]


Top Ten Men, 2014 Wakulla Springs 5K

1. 16:38 ~ Chris Lake (M, 26)
2. 17:24 ~ Zach Deveau (M, 26)
3. 18:01 ~ Michael Martinez (M, 48)
4. 18:01 ~ Peter Kaus (M, 30)
5. 18:02 ~ Bryce Cole (M, 15)
6. 18:06 ~ Carl Nordhielm (M, 51)
7. 18:08 ~ Geb Kiros (M, 47)
8. 18:16 ~ Reikan Lin (M, 24)
9. 18:21 ~ Eric Godin (M, 30)
10. 18:24 ~ Ryan Truchelut (M, 28)

Top Ten Women, 2014 Wakulla Springs 5K

1. 20:07 ~ Katie Sherron (F, 32)
2. 21:07 ~ Renee Cox (F, 26)
3. 22:04 ~ Margaret Wiedeman (F, 18)
4. 22:20 ~ Kayla Webbe (F, 17)
5. 22:33 ~ Mary Vancore (F, 50)
6. 22:48 ~ Connie Lewis (F, 15)
7. 23:24 ~ Kory Skrob (F, 43)
8. 23:27 ~ Nancy Stedman (F, 52)
9. 23:33 ~ Julie Clark (F, 52)
10. 24:00 ~ Jennifer Shafer (F, 46)

Wakulla Springs 5K Champions, 2007-2014
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
19 May 2007	19:09, Miles Gibson	22:16, Olivia Swedberg	204
17 May 2008	17:42, Jay Wallace	23:29, Sydney Nutting	216
16 May 2009	17:20, Tyler Price	21:49, Roxanne Hughes	223
15 May 2010	17:56, Justin Dickieson	20:03, Kati Gosnell	355
21 May 2011	16:59, Vince Molosky	19:29, Seeley Gutierrez	326
19 May 2012	16:49, Vince Molosky	21:53, Angela Wable	256
18 May 2013	16:39, Stanley Linton	20:19, Kate Harrison	199
17 May 2014	16:38, Chris Lake	20:07, Katie Sherron	252

Links

• Complete results of the 2014 Friends of Wakulla Springs 5K at gulfwinds.org
  http://www.gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2014/Friends%20Wakulla%20Springs%202014.asp
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of the 2014 Friends of Wakulla Springs 5K
  https://picasaweb.google.com/Freddecka/Wakulla14
  
  
• 2013 story, "Linton and Molosky renew their duel at Wakulla Springs"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/05/wakulla-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, "Molosky makes it two at the sixth annual Wakulla Springs 5K"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/05/wakulla-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, "Molosky and Gutierrez break records at Wakulla Springs"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/05/wakulla-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, "Sand and 'Skeeters at the Sanctuary of Wakulla Springs"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/05/wakulla-2010.html
  
  
• Find your next race in the Tallahassee region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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