Burch and Keene weren't Draggin' in Sunny Hills

The roads in Sunny Hills, Florida, are quiet, a lot quieter than the real estate developers who founded the community would ever have liked. But on one day each year, runners disturb that quiet, as they did on Saturday morning, 21 November 2015, at the 21st Draggin' Tail 18-Mile Challenge.


Tracey Burch was the fastest of the 18-Mile Challengers as the race started its third decade. Winning by more than a mile-and-a-quarter, Burch covered the out-and-back course in 2:09:11. Mark Tombrink took second in 2:18:40. Crawfordville, Florida, athlete Duane Evans was the fastest master runner in the race, placing third overall in 2:19:09.


Eden Keene took the women's title, finishing ninth overall in 2:36:01. Laura McDermott was second in the women's standings, placing twelfth overall in 2:45:03. Theresa Sullivan was the top woman master and third female finisher, coming in thirteenth overall in 2:47:08.


For the athletes not willing to tackle the entire challenge, there was a 3 x 6-mile relay. For the second year in a row the relay event attracted twelve teams, each just as interested in racing as they were in seeing which team member could be suckered into running the middle leg (the one that includes "Sand Mountain"). The fastest squad was the Tallafasties (Paul Guyas, Jack McDermott, and Paula O'Neill), who finished right behind Tracy Burch in 2:10:31. Tallahassee's Tallafasties were the top mixed squad; the first men's squad was AOC1 (John Johnson, Daniel Kim, and Matt Schnell) who were third in the team standings with a 2:32:03. The top women's team was the Sole Sisters (Daniel Mulick and Norma McPherson), at 2:38:21 the fourth overall team.


In addition to the 33 runners and twelve relay teams who finished the 18-Mile Challenge, another 19 athletes completed the Draggin' Tail 5K. After that, the streets of Sunny Hills were quiet again, the pavement crumbling peacefully for another year.


Top Ten Men, 2015 Draggin' Tail 18-Mile Challenge

1. 2:09:11 ~ Tracey Burch (M)
2. 2:18:40 ~ Mark Tombrink (M, 25-29)
3. 2:19:09 ~ Duane Evans (M)
4. 2:22:23 ~ Charles Abbinanti (M, 30-34)
5. 2:24:06 ~ Michael MacMullin (M)
6. 2:24:51 ~ Corey Gardner (M, 25-29)
7. 2:25:22 ~ Felix Chen (M, 30-34)
8. 2:33:04 ~ Gary Griffin (M, 65-69)
9. 2:37:52 ~ Thomas Newell (M, 25-29)
10. 2:39:55 ~ Buddy Levins (M, 60-64)

Top Ten Women, 2015 Draggin' Tail 18-Mile Challenge

1. 2:36:01 ~ Eden Keene (F)
2. 2:45:03 ~ Laura McDermott (F, 35-39)
3. 2:47:08 ~ Theresa Sullivan (F)
4. 2:47:26 ~ Danielle Zemola (F, 35-39)
5. 2:49:28 ~ Jill Wofsey (F)
6. 2:50:09 ~ Kim Allan (F, 45-49)
7. 2:52:51 ~ Birgit Maier-Katkin (F, 50-54)
8. 3:10:04 ~ Jennifer Rudeseal (F, 30-34)
9. 3:10:53 ~ Trish Sasser (F, 50-54)
10. 3:17:59 ~ Anice Taylor (F, 55-59)

2015 Draggin' Tail 3 x 6-Mile Relay

1. 2:10:31 ~ Tallafasties (Mixed)
2. 2:16:25 ~ Hot Stuff (Mixed)
3. 2:32:03 ~ AOC1 (Men)
4. 2:38:21 ~ Sole Sisters (Women)
5. 2:39:56 ~ Trane (Men)
6. 2:50:23 ~ AOG1 (Mixed)
7. 3:01:38 ~ Mockingjay (Mixed)
8. 3:08:00 ~ RWBPCB (Mixed)
9. 3:16:53 ~ 3 Legged Draggin (Women)
10. 3:17:13 ~ Seasoned Athletes (Mixed)
11. 3:18:47 ~ Winners (Mixed)
12. 3:18:48 ~ Targaryen Horde (Mixed)

Recent Draggin' Tail Challenge winners, 2000 - 2015
Date	Men	Women
21 November 2015	2:09:11, Tracey Burch	2:36:01, Eden Keene
22 November 2014	1:55:23, Vince Molosky	2:35:39, Nancy Stedman
23 November 2013	1:56:52, Vince Molosky	2:20:45, Jacquelyne Blackburn
17 November 2012	1:47:47, Vince Molosky	2:27:38, Amy Mann
19 November 2011	1:48:35, Vince Molosky	2:25:55, Michelle Patterson
18 November 2010	1:52:43, Vince Molosky	2:06:10, Hadley Nyquist
21 November 2009	1:51:31, Vince Molosky	2:07:43, Hadley Nyquist
22 November 2008	1:55:32, Jack McDermott	2:20:45, Dana Black
17 November 2007	2:00:32, Michael Martinez	2:21:27, Dana Black
18 November 2006	1:55:39, Jack McDermott	2:23:50, Melinda Fountain
19 November 2005	1:55:19, Jack McDermott	2:18:19, Lisa Purul
20 November 2004	1:59:57, Nathan Tarver	2:31:57, Gloria Ramirez
22 November 2003	1:50:25, Mike Lilly	2:20:08, Julie Clark
23 November 2002	1:46:42, Jessie Blanton	1:57:44, Valerie Connaghton
17 November 2001	1:56:34, Rick Melendez	2:30:11, Cheryl Lanke
18 November 2000	1:57:43, Alan Swigler	2:14:38, Laurel Slyck
21 November 1998	1:49:22, Terry Williams	2:23:48, Janet Register
1997	Brian Corbin
25 November 1995
If anyone has the missing winners from 1995 to 1999, I would  really,really like to include those names and times here! ~ HW

Links:

• Complete results of the 2015 Draggin' Tail at gulfwinds.org
  http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2015/Draggin%20Tail%202015.asp
  
  
• Joe Edgecombe's Photos of the 2015 Draggin' Tail 18-Mile Challenge
  https://picasaweb.google.com/103932427594658471573/November242015
  
  
• 2014 story, “Molosky still owns the Draggin' Tail Challenge”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/11/draggin-tail-2014.htm
  
  
• 2012 story, “Molosky, Mann triumph over the Draggin' in Smaug-free Sunny Hills”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/11/draggin-tail-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Molosky and Patterson are Draggin' slayers in Sunny Hill”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/11/draggin-tail-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Molosky, Nyquist up to the challenge at Draggin' Tail”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/11/draggin-tail-2010.html
  
  
• Draggin' Tail Runners on Facebook
  https://www.facebook.com/DragginTailRunners
  
  
• Find upcoming long runs in the region with and without mythical beasts
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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