Cole and Killius capture TMH For Life titles

Since it was first run in 2015, the annual TMH For Life Challenge 5K hasn't grown into the largest road race in Tallahassee, Florida. It hasn't produced the fastest times in town, either. But by merit of being held on the first Saturday in January, the Challenge is always the city's first 5K of the year, a kind of season opener. So on Saturday morning, 6 January 2018, opening Tallahassee’s year of 5K road racing, Bryce Cole went 18:01 to win the fourth annual TMH For Life Challenge 5K. Master runner Krista Killius was the women's winner, placing ninth overall in 24:00.

Bryce Cole

The race started on Surgeons Drive, in front of the Ghazvini Center. Bryce Cole took the lead almost immediately. He had close pursuit through two miles, but then a course marshal directed the four runners just behind him off course. Cole himself had passed by the insistent race official.


“I was following the lead bike,” said Cole. “I kept going to the turnaround.”

Duane Evans

After that, Cole had a lonely trek back to the Ghazvini Center and the finish line, where he was first in 18:01--the fastest time ever run at the Challenge. Duane Evans of Crawfordville, Florida was the first master runner in the race, second overall in 20:20. Jackson Rowe, a sixth-grader on the Montford Middle School cross-country team, took third overall in 22:29. Nine-year old Jonathan Kiros was fourth in 22:50.


Krista Killius was setting the pace for the women’s field early in the race, with Myranda Casterline not far behind. Master runner Tsige Tadesse overtook Casterline midway through the race, Tadesse couldn't reel in Killius. Killius took the women's title, while Tadesse was the women's runner-up and tenth overall in 24:07. Casterline placed third in the women's standings and eleventh overall in 25:00.

Krista Killius

Cole is an alumnus of Wakulla High, where he competed for the school’s cross-country squad. Just two months before the TMH For Life Challenge, he finished his first season of racing on the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University cross-country team.


“Right now I’m doing some miles and a little bit of speedwork,” said Cole. “Kind of getting ready for outdoors. We have a home meet coming up at Embry-Riddle.”

Tsige Tadesse

Coming up quite soon, as it turns out. The Embry-Riddle Eagles are hosting their annual Indoor-Outdoor Challenge on 20 January 2018. January is regarded as part of indoor track season, but there are no indoor track facilities in Florida. Hence, the Eagles’ “indoor meet” is on an outdoor track.


The TMH For Life Challenge 5K was quite definitely outdoors, with temperatures in the 30s under clear skies and only the lightest of breezes. 111 athletes finished the race, which was chip-timed by the Gulf Winds Track Club.


Top Ten Men, 2018 TMH For Life Challenge Winter 5K

1. 18:01, Bryce Cole (M, 19)
2. 20:20, Duane Evans (M, 50)
3. 22:29, Jackson Rowe (M, 11)
4. 22:50, Jonathan Kiros (M, 9)
5. 22:51, Geb Kiros (M, 51)
6. 23:07, Jerry McDaniel (M, 64)
7. 23:44, Ryan Coker (M, 27)
8. 23:55, Reinaldo Manzo, Jr (M, 47)
9. 25:01, Arjun Kaji (M, 49)
10. 25:05, Eric West (M, 30)

Top Ten Women, 2018 TMH For Life Challenge Winter 5K

1. 24:00, Krista Killius (F, 54)
2. 24:07, Tsige Tadesse (F, 45)
3. 25:00, Myranda Casterline (F, 28)
4. 26:34, Loranne Ausley (F, 54)
5. 27:14, Kristina Lamb (F, 31)
6. 27:33, Deb Burr (F, 46)
7. 27:55, Connie Clarke (F, 56)
8. 27:58, Briana Yedkois (F, 21)
9. 28:01, Debbie Peters (F, 56)
10. 28:35, Ashley Prosser (F, 33)

TMH For Life Challenge Winter 5K winners, 2015 - 2018
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
3 January 2015	18:40, Ryan Truchelut	19:42, Sheryl Rosen	142
9 January 2016	18:44, Mickey Moore	21:55, Kayla Wilson	182
7 January 2017	18:07, Geb Kiros	19:35, Sheryl Rosen	141
6 January 2018	18:01, Bryce Cole	24:00, Krista Killius	111

Links

• Complete results of the 2018 TMH For Life Challenge Winter 5K at gulfwinds.org
  http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2018/TMHForLife2018.html
  
  
• More photos of the 2018 TMH For Life Challenge Winter 5K
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10111213752107733.1073742331.5215641&type=1&l=26ac95068f
  
  
• 2017 story, “Kiros and Rosen take the TMH For Life Challenge”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/01/tmh-for-life-winter-2017.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Moore and Wilson emerge from Miccosukee Hills as winners”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/01/tmh-for-life-winter-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Truchelut and Rosen hit hard on the TMH hills”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/01/tmh-for-life-2014.html
  
  
• USATF course certification map for the 2017 TMH For Life Challenge Winter 5K
  http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL16081TY
  
  
• Upcoming races with big hills and small in the Tallahassee region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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