Tallahassee master runner Michael Martinez is accustomed to scouting the field of local road races in the minutes before the event. He reported his findings to me just before the Swine Time 5K on Saturday morning, 28 November 2015, in Climax, Georgia."The Bainbridge High folks say that they've got a sub-16:00 guy who never ran cross country until this year," said Martinez. "He was an 800-meter runner."
He amended his report later. "It just got interesting. Myles Gibson is here."
The Bainbridge High runner, Poncherella Leonard, wasn't present at Swine Time, but Donalsonville, Georgia, master runner Myles Gibson certainly was. And so was two-time Swine Time winner Evan Beauchamp of the Atlanta Track Club Elite Team. It was Beauchamp who beat Martinez to the finish line, 17:50 to 17:53, to win his third straight Swine Time 5K title. Columbus State University distance runner Amber Braswell was the women's champ, placing seventh overall in 20:24. 97 athletes finished the 3.1-mile race.
The athletes were called to the starting line for instructions at 8:15, but their out-and-back journey over the course didn't start till 8:30. Evan Beauchamp, the defending champion, took the lead soon after the runners set out from the Swine Time Fairgrounds. Myles Gibson and Michael Martinez shared the second position back and forth till the second mile, when Martinez took it for himself. Meanwhile, Beauchamp had built up a 70-meter lead.Twelve seconds behind Beauchamp with a mile to go, Martinez started to narrow the gap. Beauchamp was too far ahead, though, and made it home with the win in 17:50. Martinez was second in 17:53. Gibson took third in 18:24, while Bainbridge master runner Greg Waddell was fourth in 1933. Bleckley County High senior cross country runner Clay Blanton finished fifth in 19:41.
"It was fun," said Beauchamp. "Sorta."
"I'm coming off a pretty bad injury," said Beauchamp, referring to a torn tendon. "I was in a boot for four months and I've been running again for two months. I'm just happy to be running again."
The men's race had been close, but Amber Braswell didn't have to look over her shoulder in the women's competition. The Columbus State Cougar finished well over 400 meters ahead of her nearest competitor, winning the women's title in 20:24. Chelsey Beauchamp was the women's runner-up for the second year in a row, improving on her 2014 time by nearly two minutes to finish eleventh overall in 22:47. Mallie McRae was the third female finisher, fifteenth overall in 23:40. Donica Williams was fourth in the women's standings, 21st overall in 25:18. Anda Lucia Ariail was the top woman master and fifth female finisher, 22nd overall in 25:25."This is my second Swine Time Run," said Braswell. "I first ran it a few years back."
Braswell and three-time champion Evan Beauchamp aren't the only ones to return to Swine Time year after year. If you glance back at the results of past Swine Time races, you'll see many of the same names turning up repeatedly. The record, though, has to be held by Bainbridge Post-Searchlight sports editor Joe Crine. Crine may not have run the race even once, but he has been at every Swine Time since the festival was established in 1975. There's something about Climax and its porkers that keeps bringing people back to this corner of Southwest Georgia, at least for one Saturday each November--the Saturday of Swine Time.
Top Ten Men, 2015 Swine Time 5K
- 17:50 ~ Evan Beauchamp (M, 25-29)
- 17:53 ~ Michael Martinez (M, 40-49)
- 18:24 ~ Myles Gibson (M, 40-49)
- 19:33 ~ Greg Waddell (M, 40-49)
- 19:41 ~ Clay Blanton (M, 14-19)
- 20:15 ~ Luke Allegood (M, 14-19)
- 20:28 ~ Joe White (M, 30-39)
- 21:53 ~ Perry Waddell (M, 14-19)
- 22:05 ~ David Allegood (M, 40-49)
- 22:50 ~ Jay Herring (M, 50-59)
Top Ten Women, 2015 Swine Time 5K
- 20:24 ~ Amber Braswell (F, 20-24)
- 22:47 ~ Chelsey Beauchamp (F, 20-29)
- 23:40 ~ Mallie McRae (F, 00-13)
- 25:18 ~ Donica Williams (F, 30-39)
- 25:25 ~ Anda Lucia Ariail (F, 40-49)
- 25:34 ~ Meg Jokmen (F, 30-39)
- 25:44 ~ Suzanne Angell (F, 40-49)
- 25:59 ~ Caitlin Shephard (F, 14-19)
- 26:22 ~ Rachel White (F, 30-39)
- 26:27 ~ Andrea Weckherlin (F, 40-49)
| Recent winners of the Climax, Georgia, Swine Time 5K | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Men | Women |
| 25 November 1978 | 31:17, Bret Watzka (10K) | 42:59, Nancy Smith (10K) |
| 28 November 1981 | (10K) | |
| 29 November 1986 | (10K, rainy) | |
| 28 November 1987 | (10K, cloudy) | |
| 28 November 1992 | (5K) | |
| 25 November 2000 | 17:43, Greg Waddell | 22:55, Judy Alexander |
| 26 November 2005 | ||
| 25 November 2006 | ||
| 24 November 2007 | ||
| 29 November 2008 | 17:27, Caleb Alte | 22:46, Mandi O'Mara |
| 28 November 2009 | 18:11, Isaiah Douglas | McRae Mayfield |
| 27 November 2010 | 19:15, Caleb Alte | 28:26, Annie Beauchamp Gargasz |
| 26 November 2011 | 17:55, Michael Martinez | 24:30, Dana Martin |
| 24 November 2012 | 17:04, Chase Harris | 20:21, Dionis Gauvin |
| 30 November 2013 | 19:54, Evan Beauchamp | 23:36, Julie Genovar |
| 29 November 2014 | 17:40, Evan Beauchamp | 23:48, Julie Genovar |
| 28 November 2015 | 17:50, Evan Beauchamp | 20:24, Amber Braswell |
Links:
- Complete results of the 2015 Swine Time 5K at gulfwinds.org
http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2015/Swine%20Time%202015.asp
- More photos of the 2015 Swine Time 5K
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10106945954677993.1073742155.5215641&type=1&l=b5a95c25df
- 2014 story, “Beauchamp and Genovar repeat at Swine Time”
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/11/swine-time-2014.html
- 2013 story, “No hogwash--Beauchamp and Genovar win at Swine Time”
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/11/swine-time-2013.html
- 2011 story, “Martinez and Martin go whole hog at Swine Time”
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/11/swine-time-2011.html
- Upcoming races in Florida's Big Bend, southwest Georgia, and southeast Alabama
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
No comments:
Post a Comment