Sunday, June 10, 2018

Stan Linton returns to the Tallahassee trails at Potluck

Just a few years ago, Stan Linton was winning just about every local road race in Tallahassee, racking up victories at fixtures like the Palace Saloon 5K and the Tallahassee Turkey Trot 15K. He ran so well that he earned a varsity spot at Florida State, so it was farewell to the roads while Linton competed in cross-country and track for the Seminoles. But on 24 May 2018, Linton finished his collegiate athletic career at the NCAA East Region Track and Field Championships, running a 30:38.44 10K. After that he was free to race in community events again, and he did just that on Saturday evening, 9 June 2018, winning Gulf Winds Track Club’s 21st annual Potluck Four-Mile Cross-Country Race. Linton finished nearly 400 meters ahead of the next athlete, running 23:10. The women’s competition was closer, with Sheryl Rosen finishing a few hairs ahead of Katie Sherron, so close that both runners were clocked in 28:47.

Stan Linton
Stan Linton

The sky seemed to be promising a thunderstorm that evening, but the race got under way before any rain fell. Linton took the lead immediately, crossing the Meridian Park athletic fields and the Meadows Soccer Complex ahead of the rest of the runners. After less than a half mile he passed under a banner reading “Welcome to the Hoover Trail,” and entered the trail system of Phipps Park. On those narrow, winding paths he was soon out of sight of the runners behind him.


“It was very hot and humid,” said Linton. “But the sun wasn’t out and the course was in good shape.”

Chris O'Kelley
Chris O'Kelley

The conditions were good enough that Linton was able to push himself to a 23:10. It was his second Potluck win; he also finished first in the race in 2016. Tallahassee trail runner Chris O'Kelley took second behind Linton in 24:35. Charlie Johnson, a Tallahassee triathlete, was third in 25:02. Jay Wallace was the first master runner in the race, placing eighth overall in 27:19.


Emily Molen, a rising junior on the Chiles High cross-country team, led the women's field going into the trails. Katie Sherron was still in striking distance, though, and Sheryl Rosen was just a few more steps back. Sherron and Rosen overtook Molen on the paths, then settled into a dispute over the first women’s spot. With less than a quarter mile to go, crossing the Meadows for the second and final time, Rosen and Sherron were side by side. Rosen clawed ahead at the finish line, grabbing the women’s title.

Sheryl Rosen, Katie Sherron
Sheryl Rosen & Katie Sherron

“I got whooped,” said Sherron. “Sheryl whooped me.”


Rosen was seventeenth overall and Sherron eighteenth, both runners finishing in 28:47. Kat Sack took third in the women's standings and 30th overall in 31:56, while Emily Molen was the fourth woman and 31st overall in 32:15. Angela Dempsey was the top woman master and eighth female finisher, 43rd overall in 33:03.

Kat Sack
Kat Sack

Over half the runners were through with the race when top finishers Stan Linton, Chris O'Kelley, and Vince Molosky headed back out to the trails for a few post-race miles. That’s when the storm arrived, dumping over an inch of rain. Guaranteeing that this Potluck will be remembered as “the year it rained,” dozens of runners were soaked on their way to the finish line. So were Linton, O’Kelley, and Molosky as they continued their run.


“You have to do your cool down,” explained Linton.


155 athletes finished the 2018 Potluck Four-Mile. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed the event.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Potluck Four Mile
  1. 23:10, Stan Linton (M, 24)
  2. 24:35, Chris O'Kelley (M, 25)
  3. 25:02, Charlie Johnson (M, 38)
  4. 26:22, Brad Busboom (M, 30)
  5. 26:36, Vince Molosky (M, 38)
  6. 26:45, Hawthorne Hay (M, 16)
  7. 27:02, Ryan Truchelut (M, 32)
  8. 27:19, Jay Wallace (M, 53)
  9. 27:34, Christopher Porter (M, 17)
  10. 28:03, Hong-Guo Yu (M, 49)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Potluck Four Mile
  1. 28:47, Sheryl Rosen (F, 34)
  2. 28:47, Katie Sherron (F, 36)
  3. 31:56, Kat Sack (F, 26)
  4. 32:15, Emily Molen (F, 16)
  5. 32:44, Lilli Unger (F, 15)
  6. 32:51, Emma Tucker (F, 20)
  7. 32:57, Alyssa Terry (F, 24)
  8. 33:03, Angela Dempsey (F, 49)
  9. 33:41, Clifton Lewis (F, 10)
  10. 33:53, Jillian Heddaeus (F, 35)

Potluck champions, 1998 - 2018
DateMenWomenFinishers
20 June 1998
5 June 199929:29, Zack Heissner32:26, Sarah Docter-Williams58
3 June 200024:42 Paul Hoover25:59, Kim Wynn
2 June 200124:59, Reid Vannoy25:33, Sarah Docter-Williams53
8 June 200222:47, Ryan Deak26:04, Sarah Docter-Williams132
7 June 200325:17, Tim Unger25:36, Sarah Docter-Williams91
5 June 200423:05, Caleb Carmichael25:59, Kara Newell136
4 June 200523:22, Caleb Carmichael27:21, Kara Newell110
3 June 200623:06, Jared Black25:58, Sheryl Rosen155
2 June 200724:26, Tony Guillen27:36, Jane Johnson115
7 June 200823:00, John Robida25:09, Sarah Docter-Williams144
13 June 200922:40, Jay Wallace27:05, Micah Adriani177
5 June 201022:14, Matt Mizereck27:39, Micah Adriani173
4 June 201122:57, Vince Molosky26:33, Summer Calder196
2 June 201222:33, Vince Molosky27:18, Katie Showman232
1 June 201321:17, Kevin Sullivan26:24, Micah Adriani237
31 May 201423:34, Kevin Sullivan32:17, Katie Sherron165
6 June 201525:45, Vince Molosky30:35, Carrie Seiberlich179
11 June 201622:52, Stanley Linton30:02, Ann Centner160
3 June 201732:22, Scott Lloyd35:53, Jillian Heddaeus107
9 June 201823:10, Stan Linton28:47, Sheryl Rosen155
The race was five miles in 1998 and 1999, and four miles thereafter.


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Posted by Herb Wills at 5:25 PM
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