Charlie Kline and Alyssa Terry rise to the Challenge

"It's guaranteed that a Charlie is going to win this race either way," declared Charlie Johnson.


It was Saturday morning, 1 December 2018, and Johnson was not quite halfway through Gulf Winds Track Club's 43rd annual Ten-Mile Challenge, running north of Tallahassee, Florida on the streets of Ox Bottom Manor. He had won the race in 2016 and in 2017, but this time the champion was a different Charlie--Charlie Kline. Finishing nearly 500 meters ahead of the next runner, Kline posted a winning time of 58:42. Alyssa Terry was the first woman in the Challenge, placing sixth overall in 73:43.

Charlie Kline

"It's going to be a wet one," Charlie Johnson observed before the race.


It already was. A gentle rain had fallen overnight, soaking the pavement. It would continue on and off during the race and for the rest of the day. Wet or dry, the race started as scheduled, the runners setting out from Hawks Rise Elementary School just after 8:00 AM. Charlie Kline was in command of the race by the five-mile mark, leading the rest of the field by nearly a hundred meters. Formerly a cross-country runner at Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania and Essex High in Vermont, Kline continued to march away from the competition during the remaining miles, returning to Hawks Rise to cross the finish line first in 58:42. In Tallahassee area races throughout the fall--the Sickle Cell 5K, the Prefontaine 5K, the Boston Mini Marathon--Chris O'Kelley had finished ahead of Kline. On Saturday morning, though, he watched Kline slip out of sight during the second half of the race. Third in the Ten-Mile Challenge in 2017, O'Kelley finished runner-up in 2018, running 60:29. Charlie Johnson, the defending champion, took third in 61:06. Myles Gibson was the top master runner in the race, placing fourth overall in 65:42. Gibson couldn't be fazed by the weather--the eye of Hurricane Michael had passed over his home in Donalsonville, Georgia just six weeks earlier.

Chris O'Kelley

During the 1800s, most of northern Leon County was planted in cotton. Most of the land in Ox Bottom Manor, however, was too hilly for cotton cultivation. The course for the Ten-Mile Challenge is two laps around a five-mile loop, giving the runners a couple of trips up every hill in Ox Bottom Manor. 2018 was Alyssa Terry's second time racing the Challenge.

Alyssa Terry

"I have a love-hate relationship with this course," said Terry.


The Challenge may have risen in her affections after Saturday's win. Near the end of the first lap, Terry was leading the women in the race, a few steps ahead of Amanda Sava. During the second lap Terry lengthened that lead to more than 300 meters. Third in the women's standings in 2017, Terry got the win in the 2018 Challenge with a 73:43 performance. Sava took second in the women's division, placing seventh overall in 75:21. Monica Judd was the first woman master and third female finisher, tenth overall in 77:25.

Amanda Sava

Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Ten-Mile Challenge

1. 58:42, Charlie Kline (M, 26)
2. 60:29, Chris O'Kelley (M, 25)
3. 61:06, Charlie Johnson (M, 39)
4. 65:42, Myles Gibson (M, 52)
5. 67:06, Carter Hay (M, 47)
6. 75:29, Joel Piotrowski (M, 49)
7. 77:03, Philip Sura (M, 48)
8. 79:55, Fanxiu Zhu (M, 49)
9. 80:44, Chuck Lang (M, 53)
10. 82:17, David Yon (M, 63)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Ten-Mile Challenge

1. 73:43, Alyssa Terry (F, 25)
2. 75:21, Amanda Sava (F, 24)
3. 77:25, Monica Judd (F, 44)
4. 78:07, Melissa Thompson (F, 34)
5. 80:14, Jillian Heddaeus (F, 35)
6. 83:46, Nancy Stedman (F, 56)
7. 85:50, Shelby Augustyniak (F, 42)
8. 86:36, Nikki Wheeler (F, 27)
9. 88:32, Birgit Maier-Katkin (F, 56)
10. 92:35, Martha Guyas (F, 34)

Gary Droze

Gary Droze, the Tallahassee Community College cross-country coach, has won the Ten-Mile Challenge four times over the years. His third Challenge win was in 2004, the same year that a five-mile race was added to the event. Droze took advantage of the shorter option in 2018, taking first in the five-mile with a 31:39. Master runner Geb Kiros ran 32:39 for second. Another master runner, Wayne Thumm, was third in 35:31, making it a master runner sweep of the first three places.


Master runner Alison Thumm was the first woman in the five-mile, finishing fourth overall in 35:58. Monica Toth was the second woman and seventh overall in 39:55. In a close race for third, Tsige Tadesse ran 40:28 to finish just ahead of Angela Dempsey's 40:33 and the 40:36 posted by Ruffian Tyner. The three master runners were ninth, tenth, and eleventh overall.

Alison Thumm

98 athletes competed in the 2018 Challenge, 39 in the ten mile and 59 in the five mile. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed the race.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Five-Mile Road Race

1. 31:39, Gary Droze (M, 57)
2. 32:39, Geb Kiros (M, 52)
3. 35:31, Wayne Thumm (M, 46)
4. 36:30, Michael Weyant (M, 53)
5. 37:43, Lucas Mauch (M, 14)
6. 40:19, Patrick Bateman (M, 31)
7. 40:46, David Anderson (M, 68)
8. 41:04, Stephen Gensits (M, 63)
9. 42:40, Jim Tully (M, 72)
10. 42:51, Joe Vega (M, 65)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Five-Mile Road Race

1. 35:58, Alison Thumm (F, 41)
2. 39:55, Monica Toth (F, 29)
3. 40:28, Tsige Tadesse (F, 51)
4. 40:33, Angela Dempsey (F, 50)
5. 40:36, Ruffian Tyner (F, 43)
6. 41:00, Nancy Proctor (F, 57)
7. 43:52, Debby Tipton (F, 45)
8. 46:26, Stephanie Hurt (F, 66)
9. 47:41, Gail Skofron Jackson (F, 55)
10. 47:54, Michelle Comeaux (F, 45)

Champions of Gulf Winds Track Club's Ten-Mile Challenge, 1977 - 2018
Date	Distance	Men	Women	Finishers
29 January 1977	20 Km	67:06, Herb Wills	89:20, Rosemary Desloge
28 January 1978	20 Km	65:18, Joe Germano		85
13 January 1979	20 Km	67:33, Jim Eastman	85:31, Rosemary Desloge	66
15 December 1979	20 Km	66:23, George West	89:51, Rosemary Desloge
20 December 1980	20 Km	Mike Bordel	Laura Ledbetter
19 December 1981	20 Km	67:42, Rick Miller	90:12, Chris Levi
18 December 1982	20 Km	63:14, Noel Shumann	80:28, Donna Miller
3 December 1983	20 Km	68:20, Noel Shumann	79:25, Margaret Coomber
1 December 1984	20 Km	70:13, Steve Meade	76:24, Barbara Matthews	154
7 December 1985	20 Km	69:40, Felton Wright	80:00, Karen McHarg	158
6 December 1986	20 Km	67:29, Tim Simpkins	81:18, Karen McHarg	157
5 December 1987	20 Km	65:04, Jessie Close	79:42, Karen MacHarg	157
3 December 1988	10 Miles	51:05, David Keen	65:19, Janice Hochstein	165
2 December 1989	10 Miles	52:05, Jessie Close	64:09, Paula Johnson	163
1 December 1990	10 Miles	51:39, David Keen	62:53, Paula Johnson	181
7 December 1991	10 Miles	54:20, Jessie Close	63:40, Paula Johnson	151
5 December 1992	10 Miles	54:32, Jessie Close	63:09, Paula Johnson	159
4 December 1993	10 Miles	55:30, Steve Wilcox	61:53, Paula Johnson	148
3 December 1994	10 Miles	54:16, Herb Wills	61:43, Jane Johnson	164
2 December 1995	10 Miles	55:30, Gary Droze	65:55, Carrie Weyant	120
7 December 1996	10 Miles	56:27, Brian Erb	66:21, Carrie Weyant	113
6 December 1997	10 Miles	55:06, Lee Willis	62:38, Sarah Docter-Williams	133
5 December 1998	10 Miles	58:45, Robert Pautienus	62:27, Breeda Willis	127
4 December 1999	10 Miles	56:24, Gary Droze	69:44, Carrie Weyant	188
2 December 2000	10 Miles	56:29, Zachery Heissner	66:07, Laurel Slyck	146
1 December 2001	10 Miles	60:11, Tim Unger	64:40, Sarah Docter-Williams	169
7 December 2002	10 Miles	54:30, Lee Willis	63:54, Sarah Docter-Williams	111
6 December 2003	10 Miles	61:33, Bill McCord	63:20, Sarah Docter-Williams	158
4 December 2004	10 Miles	55:29, Gary Droze	61:41, Sarah Docter-Williams	142
	5 Miles	26:45, Chris Nickinson	38:32, Kara Taylor	26
3 December 2005	10 Miles	56:46, Gary Droze	66:43, Kara Newell	167
	5 Miles	32:24, Conor Sweeney	39:14, Vicky Droze	37
2 December 2006	10 Miles	59:13, Jay Wallace	62:27, Sheryl Rosen	126
	5 Miles	28:53, Gary Droze	30:46, Amy Paine	84
1 December 2007	10 Miles	58:47, Tripp Southerland	64:04, Sheryl Rosen	150
	5 Miles	31:19, Tim Unger	38:11, Janice Hochstein	53
6 December 2008	10 Miles	55:56, Chris Lake	65:30, Sheryl Rosen	177
	5 Miles	32:59, Gennaro Scibelli	32:51, Amy Paine	80
5 December 2009	10 Miles	57:59, Vince Molosky	65:47, Sheryl Rosen	117
	5 Miles	30:15, John Robida	38:27, Claire Fruchtnicht	49
4 December 2010	10 Miles	57:19, Vince Molosky	64:25, Allison Eagen	180
	5 Miles	31:54, Chase Harris	31:37, Lisa Johnson	90
3 December 2011	10 Miles	56:13, Stephen Cox	68:15, Katie Showman	169
	5 Miles	30:16, Brian Manry	36:11, Kate Chunka	89
1 December 2012	10 Miles	56:18, Stanley Linton	68:05, Micah Adriani	183
	5 Miles	29:19, Zac Buchholz	38:24, Moriah Campbell	119
7 December 2013	10 Miles	55:30, Stanley Linton	73:42, Micah Adriani	151
	5 Miles	30:51, Tony Guillen	35:38, Vicky Droze	87
6 December 2014	10 Miles	56:37, Stephen Cox	72:48, Katie Sherron	109
	5 Miles	31:54, Gary Galvez	37:24, Paula O'Neill	82
5 December 2015	10 Miles	59:14, Zach DeVeau	65:19, Katie Sherron	89
	5 Miles	27:29, Joseph Garcia	33:58, Amy Hines	88
3 December 2016	10 Miles	59:10, Charlie Johnson	74:31, Katie Sherron	92
	5 Miles	29:30, Zach DeVeau	33:00, Brittney Barnes	132
2 December 2017	10 Miles	56:26, Charlie Johnson	64:26, Katie Sherron	133
	5 Miles	29:44, Tristan Cravello	32:36, Katerina Caltova	82
1 December 2018	10 Miles	58:42, Charlie Kline	73:43, Alyssa Terry	39
	5 Miles	31:39, Gary Droze	35:58, Alison Thumm	59

Links

• Complete results of the 2018 GWTC Ten-Mile Challenge
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQlfocxzR5pv6In1Uuc-yCnjxCLcch9bSEPI9TzjicmW4Hh8pXI66diaKvFtVtlR25ivASSi5qyP3pi/pubhtml
  
  
• More photos of the 2018 GWTC Ten-Mile Challenge
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10112805138122403&type=1&l=8525a0f50c
  
  
• 2017 story, “Charlie Johnson and Katie Sherron each repeat as Ten-Mile Challenge champions”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/12/ten-mile-challenge-2017.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Johnson and Sherron top the Ten-Mile Challenge”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/12/ten-mile-challenge-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “DeVeau starts winning and Sherron keeps winning at the Ten-Mile Challenge”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/12/ten-mile-challenge-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “For Cox and Sherron it's 2011 all over again at the Ten-Mile Challenge”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/12/ten-mile-challenge-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Linton and Adriani make it two at the Ten”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/12/ten-mile-challenge-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “Linton and Adriani take Ten”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/12/ten-mile-challenge-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Cox and Showman take on all Ten-Mile Challengers”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/12/ten-mile-challenge-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Molosky and Eagen take Ten-Mile Challenge”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/12/ten-mile-challenge-2010.html
  
  
• USATF course certification map (FL10078EBM) for Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Ten-Mile Challenge
  https://certifiedroadraces.com/certificate?type=l&id=FL10078EBM
  
  
• USATF Course Certification map (FL10077EBM) for Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Five-Mile Road Race
  https://certifiedroadraces.com/certificate?type=l&id=FL10077EBM
  
  
• Find upcoming challenges in the region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar of road races
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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