No one rains on Bryan Morseman's parade at the Tallahassee marathon

A marathon is a lot like a parade. If you stand along the marathon route, you really don't experience the event as a race or a sporting event, but as a procession--a parade. In order to host a marathon, you even have to get a parade permit. Gulf Winds Track Club's 44th annual Tallahassee Marathon was no less like a parade. There weren't marching bands or floats in the 4 February 2018 event, but there were more than 800 athletes parading through the streets that Sunday morning--700 in the 13.1-mile half marathon, and 153 in the 26.2-mile marathon. There was even a clown, if you count the runner doing the marathon in an off-the-rack three-piece suit.


Spectators didn't line the whole course, but they were out along the route in small groups, enjoying the show. Some of those onlookers, though, may not have recognized that Bryan Morseman was part of the parade. Morseman spent much of the marathon so far ahead of the rest of the field that unless you noticed he was wearing a race bib, you might have thought he was out for a solo run--a very fast solo run. Morseman had a two-mile lead on the next runner when he crossed the finish line in a winning 2:26:56. It was his third Tallahassee Marathon win in the past five years. The women's champ was also a repeat winner. Clermont, Florida master runner Tamara Kozulina took the women's title for a third year in a row, placing sixth overall in 3:03:10.

Bryan Morseman

It was peaceful downtown before the 7:30 AM start of the marathon. Predicted thundershowers hadn't materialized. Humid air muffled most of the morning sounds. A church carillon played. Closer to the starting line in front of the Leon County Courthouse you could hear occasional announcements. After briefly facing the flag atop the State Capitol during a performance of the national anthem, the runners headed north on Monroe Street.


Bryan Morseman took control of the marathon almost immediately. Eight kilometers into the race Morseman was already running 400 meters ahead of the next marathoner, his only company a pair of runners competing in the half-marathon. After the half-marathon and marathon courses separated, Morseman was entirely alone. He was more than a kilometer ahead at the halfway point of the race on the Lake Henrietta Trail.

Charlie Johnson

Peyton Hoyal, a former Berry College athlete and NAIA All-American, held second place at Lake Henrietta. But Tallahassee triathlete Charlie Johnson was on his trail. Five kilometers from the finish line, Johnson over took Hoyal.


"He was cramping quite badly," recalled Johnson. "I was starting to cramp, too, so I had to 'hide' mine when I made the pass. That was one of the most painful finishes to a race I've had."

Tamara Kozulina

Far ahead of the Johnson-Hoyal duel, Morseman took first in 2:26:56. Johnson held on to second, running 2:39:13. Hoyal was third in 2:41:10. Orinthal Striggles was the first master runner in the marathon, finishing fourth overall in 2:46:09.


Tallahassee marathoner Blair Bodenmiller was second in the women's standings and ninth overall in 3:10:25, bettering her 2014 and 2016 marks in the race. Lucy Baird, a member of Florida State University's Seminole Striders running club, was running sixth in the women's field when she reached Lake Henrietta. During the second half of the marathon she overtook Kat Sack, Beth Connolly, and Elizabeth Smith, finishing as the third woman and eighteenth overall in 3:32:54.

Blair Bodenmiller

Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Tallahassee Marathon

1. 2:26:56, Bryan Morseman (M, 32) Bath, NY
2. 2:39:13, Charlie Johnson (M, 38) Tallahassee, FL
3. 2:41:10, Peyton Hoyal (M, 28) Charlottesville, VA
4. 2:46:09, Orinthal Striggles (M, 42) Columbia, SC
5. 2:53:54, Matt Trick (M, 34) Macon, FL
6. 3:06:43, David Graf (M, 41) Tallahassee, FL
7. 3:09:42, Jack McDermott (M, 48) Tallahassee, FL
8. 3:13:24, Chris O'Kelley (M, 24) Tallahassee, FL
9. 3:15:48, Nathan Berry (M, 40) Memphis, TN
10. 3:16:06, Thomas Murphy (M, 48) Tallahassee, FL

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Tallahassee Marathon

1. 3:03:10, Tamara Kozulina (F, 42) Clermont, FL
2. 3:10:25, Blair Bodenmiller (F, 31) Tallahassee, FL
3. 3:32:54, Lucy Baird (F, 18) St Petersburg, FL
4. 3:35:08, Beth Connolly (F, 35) Manchester, NH
5. 3:41:04, Elizabeth Smith (F, 39) Valdosta, GA
6. 3:43:16, Kat Sack (F, 26) Tallahassee, FL
7. 3:47:28, Jenny Early (F, 34) Tallahassee, FL
8. 3:59:49, Kristin Halley (F, 36) Tallahassee, FL
9. 4:02:02, Shanon Barnett (F, 49) Cullman, AL
10. 4:02:09, Marie Dennis (F, 43) Tallahassee, FL

Racing down Franklin Boulevard during the eighth kilometer of the Tallahassee Marathon, Bryan Morseman had company from Johnny Crain and Justin Garrard, the leaders of the half marathon. Crain, a ZAP Fitness runner in Tallahassee for winter training, left Garrard behind to win the half marathon in 1:10:35. Garrard, a two-time winner of the Tallahassee Turkey Trot 10K, was second in 1:14:05. Andy Unsicker of Panama City Beach, Florida was the top master runner in the shorter race, placing third overall in 1:18:30.

Justin Garrard and Johnny Crain

Marina Khelevskaya, a member of Uzbekistan's 2016 Olympic marathon team, won the women's title in the half marathon, placing fourth overall in 1:21:23. Master runner Jennifer Bayliss of Danville, California was the second woman and ninth overall in 1:26:33. Moultrie, Georgia's Elizabeth Funderburk, the 2017 Georgia High School Girls' Cross-Country champion, was third in the women's standings and twelfth overall in 1:28:56.

Marina Khelevskaya

Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Tallahassee Half-Marathon

1. 1:10:35, Johnny Crain (M, 25) Blowing Rock, NC
2. 1:14:05, Justin Garrard (M, 30) Tallahassee, FL
3. 1:18:30, Andy Unsicker (M, 41) Panama City Beach, FL
4. 1:21:30, Ryan Bausback (M, 19) Sarasota, FL
5. 1:24:13, Ryan Barrow (M, 30) Thibodaux, FL
6. 1:25:16, Bobby Duggleby (M, 27) Tallahassee, FL
7. 1:25:50, Scott Sigrist (M, 18) Lake Placid, FL
8. 1:27:31, Mickey Moore (M, 47) Tallahassee, FL
9. 1:28:26, Andrew Kropf (M, 29) Atlanta, GA
10. 1:29:29, Travis Parks (M, 21) Crawfordville, FL

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Tallahassee Half-Marathon

1. 1:21:23, Marina Khelevskaya (F, 27) Gainesville, FL
2. 1:26:33, Jennifer Bayliss (F, 47) Danville, CA
3. 1:28:56, Elizabeth Funderburk (F, 18) Moultrie, GA
4. 1:35:37, Elisha Boggs (F, 41) Tallahassee, FL
5. 1:35:52, Miranda Beal (F, 24) Milton, FL
6. 1:37:45, Jillian Heddaeus (F, 34) Tallahassee, FL
7. 1:37:53, Lauren Luscuskie (F, 23) Orlando, FL
8. 1:39:55, Alyssa Terry (F, 24) Tallahassee, FL
9. 1:40:09, Laura McDermott (F, 38) Tallahassee, FL
10. 1:40:56, Cassandra Palmer (F, 35) Atlanta, GA

Tallahassee Marathon winners, 1975 - 2018
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
8 March 1975	3:00:07, John Hargreaves		2
25 April 1976	2:58:00, John Hargreaves		7
1977	2:35:59, Tim Simpkins	3:38:59, Betty Ely	22
1978	2:39:00, Tim Simpkins	3:45:00, Donna Glotzbach	19
24 February 1979	2:45:37, Steve Figard	3:03:16, Shirley Silsby	54
2 February 1980	2:35:32, Steve Figard	3:30:33, Victoria Myers	71
7 February 1981	2:37:39, Jim Dickson	3:49:48, Linda Abele	41
13 February 1982	2:28:11, Chris Lingle	3:14:31, Marianne Crawford	95
12 February 1983	2:23:55, Mike Patterson	3:15:06, Christy Orthmann	81
11 February 1984	2:35:00, Rick Miller	3:11:34, Donna Glotzbach	49
9 February 1985	2:41:50, Felton Wright	3:17:09, Debbie Moore	44
23 February 1986	2:40:57, Felton Wright	3:37:35, Joyce Hodges	44
1987	2:40:09, Scott Hinkle	3:14:57, Laura Meighan	72
1988	2:31:39, Tom Swiersz	3:19:54, Lana Hayden	49
1989	2:38:28, TC Carroll	3:07:13, Paula Johnson	93
1990	2:28:43, Jessie Close	3:02:18, Claudia Kasen	107
1991	2:44:41, Steve Carney	2:56:10, Paula Johnson	118
1992	2:28:41, Jessie Close	3:04:52, Paula Johnson	115
1993	2:27:20, Louis Floyd	2:56:22, Fran Fidler	83
1994	2:32:27, Louis Floyd	3:22:21, Lori Karison	133
1995	2:43:45, Paul Hough	3:10:56, Paula Johnson	124
1996	2:43:24, William Flynn	3:29:44, Krista Prentice	70
1997	2:50:45, Daniel Widener	3:33:22, Dee Farnell	111
18 January 1998	2:29:02, Bryon Law	3:09:08, Carrie Weyant	73
17 January 1999	2:56:17, Tom Minor	3:13:51, Martha Vidal	80
16 January 2000	2:46:53, Michael Peck	3:16:13, Melissa Knechtel	51
17 January 2001	2:57:24, David Yon	3:36:01, Carrie Weyant	86
20 January 2002	3:02:32, Ronnie Godwin & Felton Wright	3:21:17, Carrie Weyant
14 December 2003	2:50:32, Michael Western	3:34:48, Kathy Pike	38
15 February 2004	2:55:19, Jack McDermott	3:18:18, Kim Bruce	75
20 February 2005	2:43:38, Jeff Dobias	3:24:24, Lisa Purul	129
19 February 2006	2:51:58, Michael Douma	3:32:11, Teresa Lafleur	79
4 February 2007	2:28:15, Judson Cake	2:46:09, Valerie Gortmaker	168
3 February 2008	2:24:01, Scot Mullins	3:03:38, Tamara Kozulina	209
1 February 2009	2:20:29, George Towett	2:45:05, Nina Kraft	203
7 February 2010	2:26:49, James Kiptoo	3:16:05, Beth Moras	233
6 February 2011	2:28:38, Esteban Vanegas	2:43:32, Karen Harvey	234
5 February 2012	2:27:23, Solomon Kandie	2:40:06, Leah Thorvilson	270
3 February 2013	2:23:26, Chris Zablocki	2:52:49, Nina Kraft	307
2 February 2014	2:24:29, Bryan Morseman	2:46:29, Esther Erb	361
8 February 2015	2:19:12, Mark Chepses	2:46:59, Sarah Crouch	335
7 February 2016	2:31:34, Kennedy Kemei	3:03:20, Tamara Kozulina	224
5 February 2017	2:27:12, Bryan Morseman	3:09:25, Tamara Kozulina	180
4 February 2018	2:26:56, Bryan Morseman	3:03:10, Tamara Kozulina	153

Links

• Complete results of the 2018 Tallahassee Marathon and Half Marathon at gulfwinds.org
  
  • Marathon:http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2018/Marathon2018.html
    
  • Half: http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2018/HalfMarathon2018.html
    
  
  
• More photos of Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Tallahassee Marathon and Half Marathon
  
  • Part 1: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10111354690516033.1073742335.5215641&type=1&l=0381bea869
    
  • Part 2: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10111355688795473.1073742336.5215641&type=1&l=6d4d0caab5
    
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Tallahassee Marathon and Half Marathon
  https://photos.app.goo.gl/WCn1ADhhpqFnwwX43
  
  
• 2015 story, “Strong finishes and Tallahassee Marathon titles for Chepses and Crouch”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/02/tallahassee-marathon-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Morseman and Erb champions at the largest Tallahassee Marathon yet”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/02/tallahassee-marathon-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Tallahassee Marathon comes down to the final sprint for Zablocki”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/02/tallahassee-marathon-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 Story, “Tallahassee Marathon 2012”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/02/tallahassee-marathon-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Vanegas wins and Harvey sets record at Tallahassee Marathon XXXVII”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/02/tallahassee-marathon-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Big wins for Cheruiyot and Moras at the 36th annual Tallahassee Marathon”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/02/tallahassee-marathon.html
  
  
• Website for Gulf Winds Track Club's Tallahassee Marathon
  http://www.tallahasseemarathon.com/
  
  
• USATF course certification map FL17089TY for the 2018 Tallahassee Marathon
  http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL17089TY
  
  
• USATF course certification map FL17066TY for the 2018 Tallahassee Half Marathon
  http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL17066TY
  
  
• Longer than a marathon or shorter, you'll find your next Tallahassee region race here:
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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