Monday, September 19, 2016

Adriana Piekarewicz wins a duel in Indianhead

Adriana Piekarewicz is training for a marathon. So is Allison Eagen.


"I'm aiming for the Philadelphia Marathon on November 20," said Piekarewicz.


"Jacksonville, in December," said Eagen.

Allison Eagen, Adriana Piekarewicz
Allison Eagen & Adriana Piekarewicz

On Saturday morning, 17 September 2016, though, the two marathoners looked more like middle distance runners as they raced the Tallahassee, Florida streets of Indianhead Acres at the front of Gulf Winds Track Club's 35th annual Tallahassee Women's Distance Festival 5K. When the 3.1-mile race was over, Piekarewicz had pulled away during the second half to win in 18:38.


The 5K started at 8:00 AM near Optimist Park, heading north on Indianhead Drive. That is, the women started at 8:00 AM. Although men do compete at the Women's Distance Festival, the women start first in their own wave while the men wait for the second wave at 8:05 AM. Brittney Barnes, women's champ at the Sickle Cell 5K a week earlier, dashed out to an early lead. Neither Allison Eagen nor Adriana Piekarewicz were letting Barnes get away though.

Brittney Barnes
Brittney Barnes

"We passed her at about half a mile," said Eagen. "We were by ourselves after that."


Eagen set the pace till the halfway point, then Piekarewicz took over. By the end of the second mile she had broken contact and was able to race home unchallenged.


"It was good!" said Piekarewicz, an alumna of the distance running programs at Maclay School and Florida State University. "The first part Allison was out fast. It was nice to have her to pace off of early. I'm in marathon shape now so I didn't know that I could keep up in a 5K."

Sheryl Rosen
Sheryl Rosen

Piekarewicz handled the shorter race just fine, returning to Optimist Park and the finish line first in 18:38. Eagen was second in 19:13. Sheryl Rosen, the Tallahassee women's Distance Festival champion in 2006 and 2007, was third in 19:37, while early leader Barnes was fourth in 19:49. Laura Reina edged Krista Killius for the top woman master runner spot, 23:29 to 23:30. Reina and Killius were thirteenth and fourteenth overall in the women's standings.


Katie SackTop Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2016 Women's Distance Festival
  1. 18:38 ~ Adriana Piekarewicz (F, 28)
  2. 19:13 ~ Allison Eagen (F, 37)
  3. 19:37 ~ Sheryl Rosen (F, 32)
  4. 19:49 ~ Brittney Barnes (F, 28)
  5. 21:21 ~ Katie Sack (F, 24)
  6. 21:30 ~ Jillian Heddaeus (F, 33)
  7. 22:49 ~ Mia Wiederkehr (F, 18)
  8. 22:53 ~ Nikky Manausa (F, 35)
  9. 23:10 ~ Christine Plutschack (F, 27)
  10. 23:13 ~ Alyssa Terry (F, 23)

Five minutes after the women left, the men got their turn on the street. If anyone looked determined to catch the ladies, it was Stan Linton. A United States Navy Ensign and a former Florida State University distance runner, Linton was out fast. Trevor Sununu was closest to Linton.


"I didn't ever really run with Stan," said Sununu. "I was close for about a quarter mile. After a mile he was out of sight."

Stan Linton
Stan Linton

No one in the men's field saw Linton again till after the race, which he won in 15:29. It was the fastest time at the Women's Distance Festival in five years, including 2013 when Linton won in 15:58. Behind Linton, though, a race was brewing. While Sununu was struggling to catch a glimpse of the leader, Jay Wallace had moved up to challenge Sununu for second.


"He caught up to me the last mile and made me work for it," said Sununu. "I'm not much of a sprinter so I had to really work to stay ahead of him."


Sununu had just enough speed to stay a few steps ahead of Wallace, taking second 18:04 to 18:05. Finishing third, Wallace was the first master runner in the race. Jim Halley was not far back in fourth, running 18:11.

Jay Wallace, Trevor Sununu
Jay Wallace, Trevor Sununu

Linton may not be headed to the Philadelphia Marathon, but he has plans for long-distance racing in the fall.


"I'm training for the Boston Mini," said Linton, referring to the 13.1-mile race in Boston, Georgia on 28 October 2016. "And I'm running the Pine Run 20K. That will be the next hard effort."


Jim Halley, Eric GodinTop Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2016 Women's Distance Festival
  1. 15:29 ~ Stan Linton (M, 22)
  2. 18:04 ~ Trevor Sununu (M, 20)
  3. 18:05 ~ Jay Wallace (M, 52)
  4. 18:11 ~ Jim Halley (M, 37)
  5. 18:19 ~ Eric Godin (M, 32)
  6. 18:35 ~ Paul Guyas (M, 38)
  7. 18:52 ~ Zack Scharlepp (M, 33)
  8. 19:11 ~ Mike Peymann (M, 54)
  9. 19:53 ~ Philip Sura (M, 46)
  10. 20:05 ~ Joel Piotrowski (M, 47)

Tallahassee Women's Distance Festival 5K Champions, 1982 - 2016
DateWomenMen
24 July 198220:14, Cheryl JenningsNo Boys Allowed
23 July 198318:33, Barbara BalzerNo Boys Allowed
21 July 198418:11, Barbara BalzerNo Boys Allowed
20 July 198519:11, Barbara Balzer15:24, Herb Wills
19 July 198618:20, Janice Hochstein16:32, Rick Miller
18 July 198718:54, Janice Hochstein15:47, Rick Miller
16 July 198817:58, Michele Farrell15:09, Jessie Close
15 July 198917:20, Sue Addison15:09, Jessie Close
14 July 199018:50, Janice Hochstein15:38, Gary Droze
13 July 199118:51, Angie Crook15:18, Gary Droze
11 July 199217:36, Paula Johnson15:09, Gary Droze
17 July 199318:00, Lynda Nilges15:45, Steve Wilcox
1 October 199418:06, Jane Johnson15:46, Andy Palmer
7 October 199517:47, Jane Johnson15:40, Gary Droze
5 October 199618:41, Tracy Pepoon16:34, Tim Simpkins
4 October 199717:13, Sarah Docter-Williams16:20, Tim Simpkins
3 October 199818:02, Sarah Docter-Williams16:36, Tim Simpkins
2 October 199917:31, Sarah Docter-Williams15:37, Lee Willis
7 October 200019:18, Kingsley Broughton16:26, Art Remillard
6 October 200119:13, Kate Remillard18:06, Reid Vannoy
2 November 200220:27, Mari Leitner16:33, Nate Timm
1 November 200318:52, Kara Newell17:39, Justin Dickieson
6 November 200418:09, Sarah Docter-Williams17:24, Art Remillard
5 November 200521:38, Lydia Veal18:16, Jimmy Graham
7 October 200618:36, Sheryl Rosen17:55, Tim Unger
15 September 200719:02, Sheryl Rosen17:04, Jay Wallace
20 September 200818:52, Lisa Johnson17:29, David Altmaier
19 September 200919:00, Kelsey Scheitlin16:34, John Robida
18 September 201018:39, Lisa Johnson16:34, Vince Molosky
17 September 201117:11, Jackie Drouin15:00, Kevin Sullivan
15 September 201217:06, Georgia Peel16:03, Chris Rego
14 September 201316:51, Kayleigh Tyerman15:58, Stanley Linton
20 September 201420:45, Anna Busby16:45, Roger Schmidt
19 September 201518:53, Katie Sherron17:08, Zach DeVeau
17 September 201618:38, Adriana Piekarewicz15:29, Stan Linton


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Posted by Herb Wills at 3:02 PM
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