Militsa Mircheva cranks a 17:54 Trash Dash 5K at Apalachee Regional Park

On On 26 March 2016 Militsa Mircheva was in Cardiff, Wales competing for her native Bulgaria in the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships. On 14 August 2016 Mircheva was representing Bulgaria on another continent, competing in the women's marathon at the XXXI Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Less than a month later Mircheva signed to compete for Florida State University. She would pass up competing in cross-country for the Lady Seminoles during the fall of 2016, though, waiting till track season during 2017 to start her Florida State athletic career. Which is why on Saturday morning, 29 October 2016, Mircheva was at the Apalachee Regional Park Cross-Country Course in Tallahassee, Florida, racing on yet a third continent. There, Mircheva won the sixth annual Trash Dash 5K, beating all comers, male or female, with a 17:54. Runner-up Thomas Howell was first in the men's standings; the Florida A & M student covered the course in 18:13.

Militsa Mircheva and Thomas Howell

Tallahassee Community College cross-country coach Gary Droze was the top master runner in the race, finishing right behind Howell in 18:19 and placing third overall. Michael Nesius was the third male finisher and fourth overall in 18:52.


Another Lady Seminole, Jessica Lonas, was runner-up on the women's side, placing fifth overall in 19:11. Katherine Patrick made it a Florida State sweep of the first three women's places, coming in fifteenth overall in 21:30. Leon County Circuit Judge Angela Dempsey was the top woman master and ninth female finisher, placing 31st overall in 25:10.


The Trash Dash 5K is an annual event hosted by Sustainable Tallahassee. 84 athletes finished the 2016 race.


Top Ten Women, 2016 Trash Dash 5K

1. 17:53.43, Militsa Mircheva (F, 22)
2. 19:10.28, Jessica Lonas (F, 20)
3. 21:29.22, Katherine Patrick (F, 18)
4. 22:11.80, Connie Lewis (F, 18)
5. 22:27.55, Katarina Jernberg (F, 18)
6. 22:53.26, Emma Spencer (F, 35)
7. 23:36.28, Jamila Allen (F, 27)
8. 23:54.40, Kendall Ward (F, 16)
9. 25:09.15, Angela Dempsey (F, 48)
10. 26:34.19, Sherrie Peavy (F, 48)

Top Ten Men, 2016 Trash Dash 5K

1. 18:12.17, Thomas Howell (M, 20)
2. 18:18.65, Gary Droze (M, 55)
3. 18:51.52, Michael Nesius (M, 31)
4. 19:17.45, Lane Williams (M, 20)
5. 19:24.20, Andrew Treat (M, 29)
6. 19:29.37, Michael Martinez (M, 50)
7. 19:33.86, Matthias Laywell (M, 18)
8. 19:42.44, Jay McDuffie (M, 16)
9. 19:46.98, Brady Irwin (M, 33)
10. 19:47.94, Don Smith (M, 37)

Trash Dash winners, 2011 - 2016
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
19 November 2011	17:53, Brian Corbin	21:28, Sheryl Rosen
10 November 2012	17:52, Roger Schmidt	20:33, Katie Showman	98
16 November 2013	15:54, Stanley Linton	19:06, Emily Ness	136
8 November 2014	17:12, Roger Schmidt	20:07, Katie Sherron	80
14 November 2015	15:10, Ricardo Estremera	19:28, Tara Rooney	99
29 October 2016	18:13, Thomas Howell	17:54, Militsa Mircheva	84

Links

• Complete results of the 2016 Trash Dash 5K at gulfwinds.org
  http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2016/Trash%20Dash%202016.asp
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of the 2016 Trash Dash 5K
  https://plus.google.com/photos/112560881455823075870/albums/6346955821491877313
  
  
• 2015 story, “Estremera goes 15:10 at Apalachee Regional Park in the Trash Dash 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/11/trash-dash-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Schmidt and Sherron take out the Trash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/11/trash-dash-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “No rubbish runs for Linton or Ness at the Trash Dash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/11/trash-dash-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “Schmidt and Showman dump their competition in the Trash Dash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/11/trash-dash-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Corbin and Rosen weren't talking trash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/11/trash-dash-2011.html
  
  
• Find the next trash dash, rubbish run, or garbage gallop on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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