Schmidt and Skalski top Miller Landing Madness

On Saturday morning, 22 August 2015, Roger Schmidt of Capital City Runners won Gulf Winds Track Club's Miller Landing Madness 8K. His five-mile run through Tallahassee's Phipps Park wasn't without incident though.


"I got a sweet gum tree ball stuck to my spikes," said Schmidt.


Schmidt weathered that and the other perils of cross country running to finish the race in 28:45, almost half a kilometer ahead of the next runner. Maclay School cross country coach Gary Droze was the top master runner in the race, coming in second overall in 30:31. Jane Skalski won the women's title, placing 21st overall in 38:07. Deborah Congdon was the first woman master and fifth female finisher, 40th overall in 42:40. 126 athletes finished the race.


The 8K started just after 8:00 AM, with runners in the Miller Landing Madness 5K sharing the first mile or so of the course--or all the running up to the first time through the water hazard. Roger Schmidt was content to follow the front runners in the 5K for that early part of the run. After all, the athletes in the shorter race would be running faster, right?


"I ran 29:03 last year. That's about a 5:50 per mile average," said Schmidt. "I thought those guys would pull me through pretty fast, but we ended up going through the mile in 6:05."


After the 5K runners turned off to do their shorter loop, Schmidt picked up the pace, running faster than the 5K field, running faster than anyone in the park that morning.


"I didn't hear any pitter patter of footsteps behind me or anything," said Schmidt. "It got lonely on the back part of the course."


Schmidt endured the solitude on his way to posting a winning time of 28:45. Behind him, master runner Gary Droze pulled away from fellow master Bryan Koon to take second in 30:31. Koon was third in 31:00.


The woman to reach the water was Victoria Richmond. At that point, a mile into the race, Jane Skalski was over half a minute behind Richmond and fifth in the women's standings. But Skalski was moving up. With a mile to go, Skalski was leading the women, ten seconds ahead of Richmond and pulling away. At the finish line Skalski was the first woman across, running 38:07. Richmond was the women's runner-up, finishing 27th overall in 39:22. Emma Spencer was third for the ladies, 28th overall in 40:00.


Top Ten Men, 2015 Miller Landing Madness 8K

1. 28:45 ~ Roger Schmidt (M,24)
2. 30:31 ~ Gary Droze (M,54)
3. 31:00 ~ Bryan Koon (M,43)
4. 32:07 ~ Peter Kaus (M,31)
5. 31:57 ~ Tony Guillen (M,43)
6. 32:30 ~ Geb Kiros (M,48)
7. 32:38 ~ Paul Guyas (M,37)
8. 32:49 ~ Terance Keenan (M,50)
9. 33:02 ~ Colin Abbey (M,20)
10. 33:18 ~ Joel Piotrowski (M,45)

Top Ten Women, 2015 Miller Landing Madness 8K

1. 38:07 ~ Jane Skalski (F,30)
2. 39:22 ~ Victoria Richmond (F,25)
3. 40:00 ~ Emma Spencer (F,34)
4. 42:16 ~ Beverly Hamilton (F,37)
5. 42:40 ~ Deborah Congdon (F,45)
6. 42:44 ~ Sarah Craig (F,20)
7. 43:02 ~ Kelly Garland (F,44)
8. 43:12 ~ Sarah Monbarren (F,29)
9. 43:51 ~ Nancy Moody (F,31)
10. 44:07 ~ Martha Bademan (F,31)

In the period leading up to the Miller Landing Madness, Roger Schmidt was preparing for the Berlin Marathon later in the fall.


"The volume of training for the marathon is crazy," said Schmidt.


The mileage did nothing to hurt Schmidt's race. In the 5K, James McClure also had a twist to his training. The Maclay sophomore is taking weight training as his P.E. class. However that may affect his running during cross country season this fall, it didn't harm his performance in the Miller Landing Madness. McClure won the race in 18:16, running five seconds faster than in the 2014 Miller Landing Madness 5K. To get the win, McClure had to outkick another Maclay cross country runner, junior Jake Mazziotta. Mazziotta was second in 18:17. Maclay frosh Clay Milford placed third in 18:24. The top master runner in the 5K was Michael Martinez, 11th overall in 19:26.


Maclay junior Caroline Willis also improved on her 2014 Miller Landing Madness performance. Taking the women's title for the second year in a row, Willis finished 20th overall in 20:33, 40 seconds faster than her previous year's time. Maclay junior cross country runner Molly McCann was the second female finisher in the 5K, coming in 52nd overall in 22:40. Taylor County High senior Meagan Giddens (57th, 23:07) edged Wakulla junior Haleigh Martin (58th, 23:09) for the third female spot.


207 athletes finished the 5K.


Top Ten Men, 2015 Miller Landing Madness 5K

1. 18:16 ~ James McClure (M, 16)
2. 18:17 ~ Jake Mazziotta (M, 17)
3. 18:24 ~ Clay Milford (M, 15)
4. 18:33 ~ Bryce Cole (M, 17)
5. 18:42 ~ George Gwynn (M, 17)
6. 19:15 ~ Clayton Carlson (M, 15)
7. 19:17 ~ Joshua Liles (M, 16)
8. 19:21 ~ Moritz Busch (M, 16)
9. 19:25 ~ Alex Smythe (M, 16)
10. 19:26 ~ Dylan Peebles (M, 15)

Top Ten Women, 2015 Miller Landing Madness 5K

1. 20:33 ~ Caroline Willis (F,16)
2. 22:40 ~ Molly McCann (F,16)
3. 23:07 ~ Meagan Giddens (F,17)
4. 23:09 ~ Haleigh Martin (F,16)
5. 23:25 ~ Rachel Rumana (F,16)
6. 23:39 ~ Connie Lewis (F,17)
7. 23:53 ~ Jainey Coates (F,14)
8. 24:03 ~ Kate Chunka (F,32)
9. 25:00 ~ Blessing Nkembo (F,16)
10. 25:18 ~ Summer Hill (F,16)

Joseph Ashebo of Holy Comforter Episcopal was an early leader in the Miller Landing Madness 3K, with Swift Creek Middle School eighth-grader Alyson Churchill pushing him. Maclay School eighth-grader Johnny McClure overtook both of them, then went on to win the race in 11:14. Florida State University School seventh grader Jahaz Morgan took second in 11:25. Alyson Churchill was the first female finisher, placing third in 11:34--the fastest girls' time ever in the Miller Landing Madness 3K. Swift Creek eighth-grader Megan Churchill was the second girl across the finish line, coming in ninth overall in 11:52.


205 athletes finished the 3K.


Top Ten Males, 2015 Miller Landing Madness 3K

1. 11:14 ~ Jonathan McClure (M,13)
2. 11:25 ~ Jahaz Morgan (M,12)
3. 11:39 ~ Morgan Castano (M,13)
4. 11:43 ~ Hunt Deison (M,13)
5. 11:50 ~ Trey Jackson (M,14)
6. 11:51 ~ Joseph Ashebo (M,13)
7. 11:51 ~ Jackson Roberts (M,13)
8. 11:59 ~ Weston Blake (M,12)
9. 11:59 ~ Brecht Heuchan (M,13)
10. 12:00 ~ Spencer Amsellem (M,14)

Top Ten Females, 2015 Miller Landing Madness 3K

1. 11:34 ~ Alyson Churchill (F,13)
2. 11:52 ~ Megan Churchill (F,13)
3. 12:01 ~ Emily Molen (F,13)
4. 12:30 ~ Lindsay James (F,12)
5. 12:46 ~ Tonie Morgan (F,11)
6. 12:54 ~ Avery Smith (F,13)
7. 13:04 ~ Elizabeth Calabro (F,13)
8. 13:05 ~ Caitlin Wilkey (F,13)
9. 13:16 ~ Maia Mast (F,13)
10. 13:42 ~ Olivia Dean (F,12)

Miller Landing Madness Winners, 2008 - 2015
Date	Race	Men	Women	Finishers
30 August 2008	8K	28:57, David Altmaier	32:49, Sheryl Rosen	76
	5K	17:12, Austin Stevens	18:46, Jana Stolting	110
	3K	11:21, Will Henderson	13:14, Autumn Wable	73
29 August 2009	8K	28:05, Chris Lake	33:03, Sarah Docter-Williams	151
	5K	18:17, Austin Stevens	18:17, Jana Stolting	243
	3K	11:26, Chase Harris	12:04, Cecelia Williams	136
28 August 2010	8K	26:28, Kevin Cook	33:29, Sheryl Rosen	168
	5K	17:15, Patrick Swain	19:22, Stefanie Kurgatt	160
	3K	11:14, Wil Luca	13:30, Madeline Horgan	110
27 August 2011	8K	25:54, Kevin Sullivan	32:17, Sheryl Rosen	236
	5K	16:59, Jacob Slupecki	20:14, Stefanie Kurgatt	212
	3K	11:08, Evan Francis	12:59, Cheyenne Hildinger	157
25 August 2012	8K	27:50, Vince Molosky	36:36, Jane Johnson	190
	5K	16:32, Joseph Garcia	19:12, Stefanie Kurgatt	258
	3K	10:57, Jake Mazziotta	12:16, Adrianna Dugan	148
24 August 2013	8K	26:29, Will Stanford	35:11, Katie Showman	150
	5K	16:55, Joseph Garcia	19:20, Emily Ness	237
	3K	10:48, James McClure	12:20, Chase Merrick	135
23 August 2014	8K	28:26, Chris Lake	35:26, Brittney Barnes	154
	5K	17:09, Joe Garcia	21:13, Caroline Willis	172
	3K	11:33, Jonathan McClure	12:34, Alyson Churchill	173
22 August 2015	8K	28:45, Roger Schmidt	38:07, Jane Skalski	126
	5K	18:16,James McClure	20:33, Caroline Willis	207
	3K	11:14, Jonathan McClure	11:34, Alyson Churchill	205
The Miller Landing Madness was preceded in history by the Miccosukee Madness (2004-2007) and the Tom Brown Bash (1977-2003) races.

Links

• Complete results of the 2015 Miller Landing Madness at gulfwinds.org
  http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2015/MLM%202015.asp
  
  
• More photos of the 2015 Miller Landing Madness
  
  • 8K and 5K, Part 1: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10106596379728993.1073742114.5215641&l=712dcf1a89
  • 8K and 5K, Part 2: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10106597191078043.1073742115.5215641&l=e0f9fc1633
  • 3K: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10106597514814273.1073742116.5215641&l=861b10c6ec
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of the 2015 Miller Landing Madness
  
  • Part A: https://picasaweb.google.com/112560881455823075870/MLM_15a
  • Part B: https://picasaweb.google.com/112560881455823075870/MLM_15
  
  
• 2014 story, “Lake and Barnes take Miller Landing Madness 8K”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/08/madness-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Stanford and Showman go crazy on the competition”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/08/madness-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “Isaac a no-show at Madness, Molosky and Johnson dominate”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/08/madness-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Sullivan and Rosen run like mad in Miller Landing 8K”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/08/madness-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Cook and Rosen lead the Madness”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/08/madness-2010.html
  
  
• 2009 story, “Chris Lake wins Miller Landing Madness 2009”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2009/08/chris-lake-wins-miller-landing-madness.html
  
  
• Lots of upcoming races, some more mad than others
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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