Peach State runners Gibson and Thompson take the Bainbridge Half

Florida runners had always won the annual Bainbridge, Georgia half marathon. For the first three years of the race, 2012 to 2014, Chris Lake, Stanley Linton, and Kevin Sweeny had each taken the half marathon title home to the Sunshine State. But on Saturday morning, 21 March 2015, Myles Gibson of Donalsonville kept the championship in Georgia by winning the fourth annual Bainbridge Half Marathon in 1:26:20. Thomasville's Melissa Thompson made it a perfect four titles in a row for Peach State women by finishing on top of the women's standings in the 13.1-mile event, placing sixth overall in 1:37:58. Thompson also won the women's division at the first Bainbridge Half in 2012, making her the only athlete to ever win the race twice.


Gibson, who finished well over a kilometer ahead of the next competitor, was also the first master runner in the race. Second place went to Mark Tombrink of Tallahassee, Florida, at 1:31:37. Cairo, Georgia, master runner Nat Higdon took third in 1:31:50, and Tallahassee master runner Philip Sura was fourth in 1:33:34.


Thompson's winning women's time of 1:37:58 was more than three minutes faster than she ran to win the race in 2012. The top woman master and second female finisher was Jennifer Shafer of Tallahassee, 10th overall in 1:51:37. Another Tallahassee master runner, Julia Sura, took third in the women's standings, coming in thirteenth overall in 1:53:46. Bainbridge master runner Darla Castoro was the fourth woman in the race, coming in 19th overall in 1:59:07.


50 athletes finished the fourth annual Bainbridge Half Marathon. Proceeds from the race benefit the Memorial Hospital Foundation of Bainbridge Memorial Hospital and Manor.


Top Ten Men, 2015 Bainbridge (Georgia) Half Marathon

1. 1:26:19.83 ~ Myles Gibson (M, 48) Donalsonville, GA
2. 1:31:36.59 ~ Mark Tombrink (M, 27) Tallahassee, FL
3. 1:31:50.00 ~ Nat Higdon (M, 40) Cairo, GA
4. 1:33:33.85 ~ Philip Sura (M, 44) Tallahassee, FL
5. 1:34:09.30 ~ Pauncho Hufstetler (M, 40) Bainbridge, GA
6. 1:43:10.68 ~ Gary Griffin (M, 65) Tallahassee, FL
7. 1:49:12.35 ~ Marty Hufstetler (M, 58) Bainbridge, GA
8. 1:49:40.60 ~ Joey Harvey (M, 53) Jakin, GA
9. 1:52:30.71 ~ Hal Davis (M, 59) Tallahassee, FL
10. 1:52:58.51 ~ Justin Williams (M, 37) Cairo, GA

Top Ten Women, 2015 Bainbridge (Georgia) Half Marathon

1. 1:37:57.60 ~ Melissa Thompson (F, 30) Thomasville, GA
2. 1:51:36.70 ~ Jennifer Shafer (F, 47) Tallahassee, FL
3. 1:53:45.32 ~ Julia Sura (F, 43) Tallahassee, FL
4. 1:59:06.58 ~ Darla Castoro (F, 51) Bainbridge, GA
5. 2:01:41.72 ~ Cindi Goodson (F, 51) Tallahassee, FL
6. 2:06:58.65 ~ Renee Adams (F, 40) Flowery Branch, GA
7. 2:07:14.99 ~ Rhonda Wells (F, 44) Colquitt, GA
8. 2:09:52.86 ~ Ashley Logue (F, 31) Climax, GA
9. 2:10:41.37 ~ Donica Williams (F, 35) Cairo, GA
10. 2:10:54.37 ~ Kristin Atwell (F, 39) Slocomb, AL

Bainbridge Half Marathon champions, 2012 - 2015
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
14 April 2012	72:43, Chris Lake	1:41:01, Melissa Thompson	193
23 March 2013	77:28, Stanley Linton	93:34, Mary Anne Grayson	147
22 March 2014	79:25, Kevin Sweeny	91:42, Alicia Hudelson	95
21 March 2015	86:20, Myles Gibson	97:58, Melissa Thompson	50

Fastest Men's Performances in the Bainbridge Half Marathon, 2012 - 2015

1. 1:12:43 ~ [2012] Chris Lake (M, 24)
2. 1:17:28 ~ [2013] Stanley Linton (M, 19)
3. 1:19:25 ~ [2014] Kevin Sweeny (M, 44)
4. 1:21:51 ~ [2012] Pauncho Hufstetler (M, 37)
5. 1:22:45 ~ [2013] Jack McDermott (M, 44)
6. 1:23:44 ~ [2013] Pauncho Hufstetler (M, 38)
7. 1:25:44 ~ [2012] Kyle Harris (M, 17)
8. 1:26:20 ~ [2015] Myles Gibson (M, 48)
9. 1:26:37 ~ [2013] Erick Juarez (M, 20)
10. 1:27:25 ~ [2014] Greg Waddell (M, 48)
11. 1:27:53 ~ [2013] Greg Waddell (M, 47)

Fastest Women's Performances in the Bainbridge Half Marathon, 2012 - 2015

1. 1:31:42 ~ [2014] Alicia Hudelson (F, 29)
2. 1:33:34 ~ [2013] Mary Anne Grayson (F, 47)
3. 1:37:58 ~ [2015] Melissa Thompson (F, 30)
4. 1:39:43 ~ [2014] Jill Haglund (F, 28)
5. 1:40:20 ~ [2013] Laura McDermott (F, 33)
6. 1:40:38 ~ [2013] Debbie Wittmer (F, 49)
7. 1:40:57 ~ [2013] Teresa Haltom (F, 26)
8. 1:41:01 ~ [2012] Melissa Thompson (F, 27)
9. 1:41:24 ~ [2012] Deborah Wittmer (F, 48)
10. 1:41:44 ~ [2014] Laura McDermott (F, 34)
11. 1:41:45 ~ [2012] Laura McDermott (F, 32)

Links

• Complete results of the 2015 Bainbridge Half Marathon at gulfwinds.org
  http://www.gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2015/Bainbridge%20Half%202015.asp
  
  
• 2014 story, “Sweeny takes one for Florida and Hudelson one for Georgia at Bainbridge Half”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/03/bainbridge-half-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Linton and Grayson take half marathon honors in Bainbridge”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/03/bainbridge-half-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “Lake and Thompson take firsts at the first Bainbridge Half”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/04/bainbridge-half-2012.html
  
  
• Bainbridge Half Marathon website
  http://www.bainbridgehalfmarathon.com/
  
  
• USATF course certification map, Bainbridge (Georgia) Half-Marathon (GA12032WC) http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=GA12032WC
  
  
• Find your next half marathon in the area by consulting the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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