Stan Linton reclaims the record at the Wakulla Springs 5K

Stan Linton

Over the ten year-history of the race, course records just don't have a very long lifespan at the annual Wakulla Springs 5K. Since 2007, no record has ever stood more than two years. At the 2013 Wakulla Springs race, for instance, Stan Linton ran 16:39, slicing ten seconds off of the standard set by Vince Molosky the previous year. In 2014 Chris Lake ran 16:38, erasing Linton's name from the books. Lake's time stood for two years, but on Saturday morning, 21 May 2016, Linton returned for the tenth annual Wakulla Springs 5K, and scorched a winning 16:34, a new course record.


"The rain helped a lot in packing down the loose sand," said Linton.


It's true that an overnight rain helped to settle the deep sand that characterizes almost all of the 3.1-mile course. However, it did nothing about the roots and limestone boulders that punctuate the sand, nor did it alleviate the ravenous clouds of mosquitos. Always positive, Linton also failed to mention that whatever the overnight rain had done to the sand, it had also increased the relative humidity almost enough that an aqualung would have been a useful addition to your running outfit. Whatever the conditions, Linton still ran the fastest race in Wakulla Springs 5K history, and runner-up Joseph Garcia's 16:58 was the fifth fastest time ever run on the course. It's hard for the rest of us to make excuses when those guys are running so fast.

Top ten men's times, Wakulla Springs 5K  Time Athlete Year 16:34 Stan Linton 2016 16:38 Chris Lake 2014 16:39 Stan Linton 2013 16:49 Vince Molosky 2012 16:58 Joseph Garcia 2016 16:59 Vince Molosky 2011 17:04 Stan Linton 2012 17:06 Stephen Cox 2011 17:15 Dan Clark 2011 17:18 Vince Molosky 2013

Top ten women's times, Wakulla Springs 5K Time Athlete Year 18:46 Katie Slater 2015 19:29 Seeley Gutierrez 2011 19:42 Katie Sherron 2011 19:46 Kelly Stevens 2011 19:59 Summer Calder 2011 20:03 Kati Gosnell 2010 20:07 Katie Sherron 2014 20:19 Kate Harrison 2013 20:54 Micah Adriani 2010 20:56 Haleigh Martin 2015

Behind Linton and Garcia, Bryce Cole, a rising senior on the Wakulla High cross country team, was third in 17:47. Cole had won the Wakulla Springs 5K in 2015. Ryan Slyter was fourth in 17:52, and Evan Guarino was fifth in 18:41. Philip Sura was the fastest master runner in the race, placing sixth overall in 20:04.


Haleigh Martin won the women's title by over 300 meters, running 21:35. A rising senior on the Wakulla High cross country team, Martin had finished runner-up in the women's division in the previous year's Wakulla Springs 5K. Chiles High rising junior Cynthia Paterson was the second female finisher and seventeenth overall in 23:00. Kayla Wilson (19th, 23:26) took third in the women's standings and Emily Smith (24th, 24:00) fourth. Marien Dimacali was the top woman master in the race and fifth female finisher, placing 33rd overall in 25:06.


167 athletes finished the 2016 Wakulla Springs 5K. The race is hosted by the Friends of Wakulla Springs, with proceeds going to support Wakulla Springs State Park. Gulf Winds Track Club of Tallahassee, Florida chip timed the race.


Top Ten Men, 2016 Wakulla Springs 5K

1. 16:34 ~ Stan Linton (M, 22)
2. 16:58 ~ Joseph Garcia (M, 20)
3. 17:47 ~ Bryce Cole (M, 17)
4. 17:52 ~ Ryan Slyter (M, 26)
5. 18:41 ~ Evan Guarino (M, 17)
6. 20:04 ~ Philip Sura (M, 46)
7. 20:15 ~ Duane Evans (M, 48)
8. 20:26 ~ Tim Unger (M, 56)
9. 20:37 ~ David Harrell (M, 31)
10. 21:03 ~ Travis Parks (M, 20)

Top Ten Women, 2016 Wakulla Springs 5K

1. 21:35 ~ Haleigh Martin (F, 16)
2. 23:00 ~ Cynthia Paterson (F, 16)
3. 23:26 ~ Kayla Wilson (F, 19)
4. 24:00 ~ Emily Smith (F, 31)
5. 25:06 ~ Marien Dimacali (F, 54)
6. 26:37 ~ Julia Sura (F, 44)
7. 27:08 ~ Sandra Canada (F, 53)
8. 27:11 ~ Emma Hughes (F, 16)
9. 28:08 ~ Jackie Adams (F, 49)
10. 28:15 ~ Virginia Fourqurean (F, 20)

Wakulla Springs 5K Champions, 2007 - 2016
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
19 May 2007	19:09, Myles 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
16 May 2015	18:12, Bryce Cole	18:46, Katie Slater	171
21 May 2016	16:34, Stan Linton	21:35, Haleigh Martin	167

Links

• Complete results of the 2016 Friends of Wakulla Springs 5K at gulfwinds.org
  http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2016/Friends%20Wakulla%20Springs%202016.asp
  
  
• 2015 story, “Cole wins and Slater shatters record at Wakulla Springs 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/05/wakulla-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Lake and Sherron speed through the sanctuary at Wakulla”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/05/wakulla-2014.html
  
  
• 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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