"This is the best day for running we've had in quite a few years," declared Dr. Jim Story before the start of the Rose City 10K.
Dr. Story should know. Including the first race in 1978, there have been 41 annual Rose City Runs in Thomasville, Georgia, and Dr. Story has directed each of them. But if you don't believe Dr. Story, then look at the performances of
Chris Haynes and
Ann Centner. Leading from wire-to-wire, Haynes won the Rose City 10K on Saturday morning, 28 April 2018, running a career best time of 31:43 and repeating as the race's champion. Centner also ran a career best, 38:27, placing second overall and winning the women's title for a second year in a row. Haynes ran over a minute faster than his winning time in 2017; Centner improved more than two minutes on her 2017 showing. You don't see performances like that on a crummy day.
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Chris Haynes and Ann Centner |
It was indeed cool, clear, and bright when the race got started at 8:00 AM. The athletes made their first turn about 600 meters into the run, making a left from Broad Street onto Smith Avenue. At the turn the field had already separated into two different races--
Chris Haynes and everyone else. It was uncharted territory for Haynes; he was running faster than he ever had before in a 10K, even going back to his college running days at the University of North Florida.
"I had never broken 32:00 on the track before, let alone the road," said Haynes.
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Chris Haynes |
But Haynes got into a rhythm, and the distance flowed by.
"I didn't run a mile under 5:00," said Haynes. "But I didn't run a mile over 5:10."
That included the last mile, which featured the notorious Clay Street climb, "Heartbreak Hill."
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Geb Kiros |
"I felt Heartbreak," admitted Haynes.
But there was just over half a mile left to run after cresting that final hill, and Haynes rolled through that remaining distance, crossing the finish line in a winning 31:43. It was the first sub-32:00 performance at Rose City since 2007, when
Alan Black won the race in 31:21. But there's no resting on his laurels for Haynes.
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Philip Sura |
"I've got a lot more work to do," said Haynes. "I'm happy with today's time, though."
Haynes went unchallenged for the entire ten kilometers; his run was virtually a time trial. That wasn't the case at all for
Ann Centner. Haynes had been all but alone going around the first turn on the course, but at that same point Centner was just a few steps ahead of
Sheryl Rosen. Rosen is a three-time Rose City women's champ, with a best time of and she ran 36:51 on the course during her 2012 win. After the turn, Rosen pulled even with Centner.
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Sheryl Rosen and Ann Centner |
"I kept throwing in short surges trying to throw her off," recalled Centner. "But I didn't want to kill the pace because I was already running my fastest 10K time ever. Even at the 5K mark she was right with me."
During the second half of the race, Centner began to pull ahead of Rosen. Rosen wasn't going away, though.
"I could hear people cheer for me, and right after I went by I'd hear them cheer for her. So I knew she was right behind."
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Ann Centner |
At five-and-a-half miles Rosen was only six seconds behind Centner. But Rosen wasn't coming back. Centner widened the gap as the race closed, beating Rosen to the finish line 38:27 to 38:36.
Haynes works at Leon High School in Tallahassee, Florida, while Centner works at the University of Georgia Extension Office in Blakely, Georgia. Both won their second straight Rose City Run title, both ran their best 10K at the 2018 Rose City Run. Haynes ran long distance at North Florida while Centner ran middle distance at Georgia, but they did have one bit of common ground in their college athletic careers.
"We had same college coach, Jeff Pigg," said Haynes. "He left Georgia to come to UNF."
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Sheryl Rosen |
"We talk about that a lot," said Centner.
Florida A & M University professor
Geb Kiros was the first master runner in the race and second in the men's standings, finishing fourth overall in 39:20. Florida State University professor
Philip Sura was the third man in the race and fifth overall in 41:17. Erika Hango of Tallahassee was the third woman and fourteenth overall in the 10K, running 43:46. Leon High frosh cross-country runner Lilly Unger was fourth in the women's standings and seventeenth overall in 44:34. Shelby Augustyniak of Tallahassee was the first woman master and tenth female finisher, 54th overall in 49:58.
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Erika Hango |
310 athletes finished the 2018 Rose City Run 10K, while another 151 finished the kids' mile run. Both races were chip-timed by Gulf Winds Track Club of Tallahassee. And if you're looking for another fast 10K on another perfect day?
"The 42nd Rose City Run will be next year on April 27," said Dr. Story.
Top Ten Men, 2018 Rose City Run 10K
- 31:43, Christopher Haynes (M, 25)
- 39:20, Geb Kiros (M, 51)
- 41:17, Philip Sura (M, 48)
- 42:08, D.L. McArthur (M, 18)
- 42:20, Laryn Flikkema (M, 42)
- 42:48, Michael Sickler (M, 23)
- 42:51, David Knauf (M, 54)
- 42:54, Erik Andersen (M, 35)
- 43:07, Cory Messerschmidt (M, 32)
- 43:11, Tim Unger (M, 58)
Top Ten Women, 2018 Rose City Run 10K
- 38:27, Ann Centner (F, 26)
- 38:36, Sheryl Rosen (F, 33)
- 43:46, Erika Hango (F, 28)
- 44:34, Lilly Unger (F, 15)
- 45:02, Nazarae Holcombe (F, 28)
- 46:42, Cammie Hungerford (F, 25)
- 46:58, Angie Cipriani (F, 19)
- 48:17, Emma Szwarc (F, 15)
- 49:06, Dominique Messerschmidt (F, 27)
- 49:58, Shelby Augustyniak (F, 42)
40 years of Rose City Run 10K champions, 1978 - 2018 |
Date | Men | Women | Finishers |
29 April 1978 | 31:25, Gary Slayton | 36:45, Janice Hochstein | |
28 April 1979 | 31:47, Mike Rasper | 37:49, Janice Hochstein | |
26 April 1980 | 31:18, George West | 38:14, Colleen Joiner | |
25 April 1981 | 30:21, Mabry McCray | 40:26, Nicole Batchelder | |
1982 | 30:33, Ernie McKee | 38:31, Nicole Batchelder | |
1983 | 30:47, Noel Shuman | 34:57, Darien Andreu | |
1984 | 33:05, Gary Slayton | 37:51, Barbara Balzer | |
27 April 1985 | 32:36, Rick Miller | 37:41, Barbara Balzer | |
26 April 1986 | 32:05, Rick Miller | 37:35, Janice Hochstein | |
1987 | 29:57, Herb Wills | 37:39, Karen MacHarg | |
1988 | 31:55, Jessie Close | 37:59, Karen MacHarg | |
1989 | 31:39, Jessie Close | 36:49, Karen MacHarg | |
1990 | 31:56, Jessie Close | 37:04, Karen MacHarg | |
1991 | 31:15, Jessie Close | 38:33, Vikki Saga | |
1992 | 33:04, Trent Smith | 37:48, Vikki Saga | |
24 April 1993 | 31:28, Gary Droze | 38:24, Vikki Saga | |
23 April 1994 | 30:19, Robin Rogers | 37:37, Lisa Herman | |
29 April 1995 | 31:52, Jessie Close | 35:37, Suzanne Rigg | |
27 Aprl 1996 | 32:18, Jessie Close | 39:37, Carrie Weyant | |
26 April 1997 | 32:29, Brian Erb | 36:40, Sarah Docter-Williams | |
25 April 1998 | 31:58, Alan Black | 36:07, Sarah Docter-Williams | |
24 April 1999 | 32:21, Alan Black | 37:14, Sarah Docter-Williams | |
29 April 2000 | 34:15, Sean Daniels | 35:20, Anna Pichrtova | |
28 April 2001 | 32:05, Paul Spangler | 36:22, Sarah Docter-Williams | |
27 April 2002 | 30:53, Alan Black | 39:35, Jane Johnson | |
26 April 2003 | 31:58, Matt Kalinski | 41:53, Julie Carico | |
25 April 2004 | 33:44, Jessie Close | 39:52, Kate Remillard | |
23 April 2005 | 33:44, Jessie Close | 37:08, Sarah Docter-Williams | |
29 April 2006 | 34:32, Jessie Close | 38:38, Barbara Jarnagin | |
28 April 2007 | 31:21, Alan Black | 39:02, Sheryl Rosen | |
26 April 2008 | 33:10, Malcolm Campbell | 37:40, Donna Garcia | |
25 April 2009 | 32:34, Nathaniel Haskins | 41:38, Mary Anne Grayson | |
24 April 2010 | 32:51, Chris Lake | 37:42, Amy Hines | 410 |
23 April 2011 | 32:46, Chris Lake | 38:58, Donna Garcia | 490 |
28 April 2012 | 32:51, Chris Lake | 36:51, Sheryl Rosen | 464 |
27 April 2013 | 32:52, Will Stanford | 37:08, Sheryl Rosen | 417 |
26 April 2014 | 33:21, Chris Lake | 38:58, Amy Hines | 463 |
25 April 2015 | 32:04, Nathan Haskins | 41:32, Beth Sweeny | 428 |
23 April 2016 | 34:37, Roger Schmidt | 38:11, Ani Veltcheva | 358 |
29 April 2017 | 32:57, Christopher Haynes | 40:56, Ann Centner | 392 |
28 April 2018 | 31:43, Christopher Haynes | 38:27, Ann Centner | 310 |
Links
- Complete results of the 2018 Rose City Run 10K
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTBQbe7sYfwfteoZFR1EZ_0lSWDCCgQVasuEzLzYdDEeQm6BXYvuISFVudLcGlIujR_WNsPrpLXwpxZ/pubhtml
- More photos of the 2018 Rose City Run 10K
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10111785332705633.1073742354.5215641&type=1&l=c5399e5dd1
- 2017 story, “Haynes and Centner gather roses in Thomasville”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/04/rose-city-2017.html
- 2016 story, “Schmidt and Veltcheva bloom at the Rose City Run”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/04/rose-city-2016.html
- 2015 story, “Warriors of the Roses, Haskins and Sweeny win the Rose City Run”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/04/rose-city-2015.html
- 2014 story, “Fog and Flowers, Lake and Hines win again at Rose City”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/04/rose-city-2014.html
- 2013 story, “No stopping to smell the roses for Stanford or Rosen”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/04/rose-city-2013.html
- 2012 story, “Lake and Rosen collect more Rose City titles”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/04/rose-city-2012.html
- 2011 story, “Lake and Garcia go for two at Rose City”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/04/rose-city-2011.html
- 2010 story, “Lake and Hines beat the storm at Rose City”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/04/rose-city-2010.html
- USATF course certification map GA12003WC for the 2018 Rose City Run 10K
http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=GA12003WC
- Find the next Rose City Run on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
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