Austin Whitelaw and Lourena Maxwell were the new champions on Old Centerville at the GWTC 30K

North of Tallahassee, Florida, Old Centerville Road is, well, old. Old Centerville and its mate, Sunny Hill Road, have been around since at least as early as the 1800s, connecting small farming communities with one another and with their markets in Tallahassee and in Thomasville, Georgia. Still unpaved, the roads haven't changed much since the introduction of the automobile more than a century ago. The land may have nurtured cotton at one time but it's home to game birds and timber now, the sole products of game plantations like Horseshoe, Cherokee, and Foshalee that line the way. Cotton wagons are gone and logging trucks are rare. You're more likely to see a school bus, a car headed to one of the remote country churches, or someone taking the road less traveled between Florida and Georgia.

On Saturday morning, 19 January 2019, though, you would have seen some 250 athletes out for a run. They were competing in either the 42nd annual Gulf Winds Track Club 30K or its junior partner, a 15K. Austin Whitelaw was the fastest in the long race, covering 18.6 hilly miles in 1:46:53. Master runner Lourena Maxwell was the first woman in the 30K, placing eleventh overall in 2:33:55.


The races started at 8:00 AM from the Retreat at Bradley Pond, near a spot labeled on the map as Moccasin Gap. Austin Whitelaw, an intern with Florida State University's Athletic Academic Support program, hit the first mile in 5:27, already nearly 200 meters ahead of everyone else. Whitelaw's pace eased along the way, but he continued to leave the field behind, finishing 30 kilometers in 1:46:53 while the other runners were still making their way to the 28-kilometer mark. Charlie Johnson, a Tallahassee triathlete and two-time winner of the 30K, took second in 1:55:18. The top master runner in the race was Tony Guillen of Tallahassee, third overall in 2:09:36. Another Tallahassee master runner, Hong-Guo Yu, placed fourth in 2:13:08.


While the men had been widely separated, the lead women were much closer. When Lourena Maxwell crossed the finish line back at Bradley Pond, her 2:33:55 put her just 150 meters ahead of the women's runner-up, Nikky Manausa. Manausa was twelfth overall in 2:34:41. Tallahassee master runner Tsige Tadesse was third in the women's standings and fifteenth overall in 2:39:31. Darcy Brinkman of Tallahassee placed fourth on the women's side and seventeenth overall in 2:40:35.


Top Ten Men, 2019 Gulf Winds Track Club 30K

1. 1:46:53, Austin Whitelaw (M, 25) Tallahassee, FL
2. 1:55:18, Charlie Johnson (M, 39) Tallahassee, FL
3. 2:09:36, Tony Guillen (M, 50) Tallahassee, FL
4. 2:13:08, Hong-Guo Yu (M, 50) Tallahassee, FL
5. 2:14:14, Don Smith (M, 39) Tallahassee, FL
6. 2:15:00, Jack McDermott (M, 49) Tallahassee, FL
7. 2:16:30, Elvis Maradzike (M, 32) Tallahassee, FL
8. 2:24:18, Carter Hay (M, 47) Tallahassee, FL
9. 2:29:00, Zachary Grossman (M, 41) Tallahassee, FL
10. 2:29:57, Will Hanley (M, 44) Tallahassee, FL

Top Ten Women, 2019 Gulf Winds Track Club 30K

1. 2:33:55, Lourena Maxwell (F, 44) Tallahassee, FL
2. 2:34:41, Nicole Manausa (F, 37) Tallahassee, FL
3. 2:39:31, Tsige Tadesse (F, 51) Tallahassee, FL
4. 2:40:35, Darcy Brinkmann (F, 38) Tallahassee, FL
5. 2:46:28, Sarah Dugas (F, 40) Tallahassee, FL
6. 2:46:44, Birgit Maier-Katkin (F, 56) Tallahassee, FL
7. 2:50:43, April Bentley (F, 45) Tallahassee, FL
8. 2:55:55, Joi Savery (F, 38) Tallahassee, FL
9. 2:56:20, Shannon McNees (F, 48) Tallahassee, FL
10. 2:57:05, Ludmila De Faria (F, 50) Tallahassee, FL

The Leon High School cross-country team often trains on Old Centerville Road, so it was just another Saturday long run when many of them entered the Gulf Winds Track Club 15K. It was a bit faster than the usual training run, though, as they hit the first mile in 6:05 as a group with only Austin Whitelaw ahead of them. The group started to fall apart a mile later, and Leon frosh Jackson Yarbrough went on to win the 9.3-mile race in 56:27. Jackson Roberts, a Leon High junior, was second in 56:42, close enough to see Yarbrough finish. Chris O'Kelley of Tallahassee took third in 57:02, while Leon junior Joseph Ashebo was fourth in 57:48.


The Leon athletes were familiar with Old Centerville Road and its hills, but Ann Centner was seeing it for the first time.


"I never ran out on Old Centerville Road and Sunny Hill Road," stated Centner, a doctoral studen at Florida State University. "Back in college at the University of Georgia we used to drive out twenty minutes and run a paved road that turned to packed clay and gravel with rolling hills. But that's been a while! I liked the course today, though, I will probably go out and run it again to get in a long run."


What wasn't to like? Centner won the women's competition by about a mile, finishing fifth overall in 60:09. Alyssa Terry of Tallahassee was the women's runner-up, placing fourteenth overall in 66:52. Tallahassee schoolteacher Laura McDermott was third in the women's standings and eighteenth overall in 69:09. Leon High sophomore Lilli Unger was the fourth woman and 23rd overall with a 70:38.


Don Autore of Tallahassee was the first master runner in the race and the seventh male finisher, eighth overall in 62:12. Dana Black of Port Saint Joe, Florida was the first woman master and fifth in the women's standings, 28th overall in 71:43.


59 athletes finished the 2019 Gulf Winds Track Club 30K, with another 191 completing the 15K. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed both races.


Top Ten Men, 2019 Gulf Winds Track Club 15K

1. 56:27, Jackson Yarbrough (M, 15) Tallahassee, FL
2. 56:42, Jackson Roberts (M, 17) Tallahassee, FL
3. 57:02, Chris O'Kelley (M, 25) Tallahassee, FL
4. 57:48, Joseph Ashebo (M, 17) Tallahassee, FL
5. 60:54, Leo Kelly (M, 15) Tallahassee, FL
6. 61:34, Bryson Gonzalez (M, 17) Tallahassee, FL
7. 62:12, Don Autore (M, 43) Tallahassee, FL
8. 64:13, Chris Robinson (M, 44) Tallahassee, FL
9. 64:48, David Knauf (M, 54) Tallahassee, FL
10. 65:29, Aaron Guyer (M, 43) Tallahassee, FL

Top Ten Women, 2019 Gulf Winds Track Club 15K

1. 60:09, Ann Centner (F, 27) Tallahassee, FL
2. 66:52, Alyssa Terry (F, 25) Tallahassee, FL
3. 69:09, Laura McDermott (F, 39) Tallahassee, FL
4. 70:38, Lilli Unger (F, 16) Tallahassee, FL
5. 71:43, Dana Black (F, 53) Port Saint Joe, FL
6. 74:42, Ali Kelly (F, 46) Tallahassee, FL
7. 75:38, Monica Toth (F, 30) Tallahassee, FL
8. 76:30, Ruffian Tyner (F, 43) Tallahassee, FL
9. 77:14, Sherri Wise (F, 37) Tallahassee, FL
10. 77:17, Nancy Proctor (F, 57) Tallahassee, FL

Gulf Winds Track Club 30K champions, 1978 - 2019
Dates	Race	Men	Women	Finishers
19 January 2019	30K	1:46:53, Austin Whitelaw	2:33:55, Lourena Maxwell	59
	15K	56:27, Jackson Yarbrough	60:09, Ann Centner	191
20 January 2018	30K	1:43:01, Christopher Haynes	2:10:13, Katie Sherron	81
	15K	57:39, Tate Wallenfelsz	66:08, Megan Churchill	185
14 January 2017	30K	1:46:13, Stan Linton	2:15:31, Katie Sherron	56
	15K	54:46, Matthew Cashin	65:27, Sheryl Rosen	219
16 January 2016	30K	1:54:12, Charlie Johnson	2:16:21, Katie Sherron	73
	15K	52:17, Matt Mizereck	60:54, Adriana Piekarewicz	192
17 January 2015	30K	1:53:19, Nate Kaiser	2:22:32, Katie Sherron	107
	15K	50:11, Sukhi Khosla	58:37, Sheryl Rosen	165
11 January 2014	30K	1:57:29, Vince Molosky	2:34:23, Laura McDermott	55
	15K	51:06, Sukhi Khosla	61:27, Seeley Gutierrez	169
12 January 2013	30K	1:48:22, Stanley Linton	2:16:41, Katie Showman	150
	15K	52:57, Sukhi Khosla	64:19, Kristin Sweeney	200
14 January 2012	30K	1:51:30, Charlie Johnson	2:17:38, Katie Showman	150
	15K	53:29, Stanley Linton	60:42, Pasca Cheruiyot	176
15 January 2011	30K	1:51:48, Vince Molosky	2:17:15, Heather Griffis	103
	15K	53:03, Stephen Cox	59:55, Lisa Johnson	169
16 January 2010	30K	1:56:14, Vince Molosky	2:14:22, Sheryl Rosen	90
	15K	51:50, Matt Mizereck	63:45, Lisa Johnson	101
17 January 2009	30K	1:54:06, Vince Molosky	2:11:41, Sheryl Rosen	87
	15K	51:05, Will Stanford	61:49, Lisa Johnson	96
12 January 2008	30K	2:00:29, Vince Molosky	2:17:24, Sheryl Rosen	77
	15K	54:23, Matt Mizereck	63:13, Lisa Johnson	126
13 January 2007	30K	2:01:23, Justin Dickieson	2:04:21, Sheryl Rosen	70
	15K	58:18, Matthew Mizereck	73:40, Anna Busby	50
21 January 2006	30K	2:03:36, Michael Douma	2:09:27, Stephanie Liles	65
	15K	58:51, Chris Holland	60:30, Sarah Docter-Williams	59
22 January 2005	30K	1:56:18, Art Remillard	2:13:50, Jane Johnson	38
16 January 2004	30K	1:56:00, Timothy Bolton	2:09:27, Jane Johnson	69
18 January 2003	30K	2:02:28, Larry Mengelkoch	2:07:46, Jane Johnson	59
15 December 2001	30K	2:09:43, Tom Ratliffe	2:22:56, Carrie Weyant	31
3 February 2001	30K	2:00:29, Kevin Porter	2:02:27, Jane Johnson	43
5 February 2000	30K	1:57:47, Garth Grumme	1:53:04, Anne Van Schuppen	77
6 February 1999	30K	1:58:17, Doug Gorton	2:11:20, Jane Johnson	87
10 January 1998	30K	1:57:45, Clarence Calloway	2:04:34, Jane Johnson	79
7 January 1997	30K	1:54:26, Tracy Burch	2:00:28, Jane Johnson
13 January 1996	30K	1:46:14, John Viitanen	2:12:30, Eileen Telford	50
14 January 1995	30K	1:49:45, Herb Wills	2:22:18, Nancy Stuparich	50
22 January 1994	30K	1:43:50, Herb Wills	2:07:27, Lisa Herman	51
16 January 1993	30K	1:43:54, Herb Wills	2:12:42, Carrie Hunnicutt	60
4 January 1992	30K	1:46:36, Jessie Close	2:13:46, Lynda Nilges	79
12 January 1991	30K	1:37:31, David Keen	2:06:03, Paula Johnson	92
13 January 1990	30K	1:43:57, Herb Wills	2:12:00, Paula Johnson	87
14 January 1989	30K	1:45:31, Jessie Close	2:22:07, Mary Jean Yon	98
16 January 1988	30K	1:45:24, Tom Burr	2:10:04, Mae Cleveland	102
10 January 1987	30K	1:44:45, Larry Greene	2:11:59, Karen Macharg	82
18 January 1986	30K	1:38:54, Herb Wills	2:10:48, Missy James	92
14 January 1985	30K	1:45:10, Herb Wills	2:17:56, Mae Cleveland	94
14 January 1984	30K	1:43:32, Noel Shumann	2:04:20, Barbara Balzer	99
15 January 1983	30K	1:48:18, Andrew Wills	2:18:18, Christy Orthman	100
16 January 1982	30K	1:44:41, Rick Miller	1:56:57, Laura Ledbetter	74
1981	30K
12 January 1980	30K	1:51:19, Steve Ray	2:48:31, Robyn Anderson	70
3 February 1979	30K	1:42:13, Ken Misner	2:12:44, Lynda Heimann	124
11 March 1978	30K	1:46:19, Tim Simpkins	2:22:31, Donna Glotzbach	25
In 1978 the race was run on Apalachicola National Forest roads, starting and finishing near Hilliardville. From 1979 to 1981 the race was run on Natural Bridge Road. From 1982 to February 2001 the race was run in the Saint Marks National Wildlife Refuge. From December 2001 to 2005 the race was run at Natural Bridge. From 2006 to 2019 the GWTC 30K was run on Old Centerville Road and Sunny Hill Road, starting and finishing at Bradley's Retreat in Felkel.

Links

• Complete results of the 2019 Gulf Winds Track Club 30K and 15K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTorttmuY0uGI--00aPYE86NcEuXvbCk2Rbg--8MB01hR9WzSYZf3JBKs3F2R2Q_zyXxYgKFtpN4rkN/pubhtml
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of the 2019 Gulf Winds Track Club 30K and 15K
  https://photos.app.goo.gl/aGxHqPjaoWebzJ2NA
  
  
• 2018 story, “Chris Haynes runs a CR 1:43:01 in the Gulf Winds Track Club 30K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/01/gwtc-30k-2018.html
  
  
• 2017 story, “Fast times on a sloppy road for Linton and Sherron at the GWTC 30K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/01/gwtc-30k-2017.html
  
  
• 2016 story, “Charlie Johnson outlasts Roger Schmidt in the long run at the GWTC 30K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/01/gwtc-30k-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Kaiser wins the GWTC 30K while Khosla and Rosen tumble records in the 15K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/01/gwtc-30k-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Tough mudders Molosky and McDermott win a messy GWTC 30K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/01/gwtc-30k-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “A no-excuse 30K for Linton and Showman”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/01/gwtc-30k-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “Johnson and Showman roll through the Red Hills in the GWTC 30K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/01/gwtc-30k-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Molosky and Griffis run top 30K times on timeless Old Centerville Road”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/01/gwtc-30k-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Molosky and Rosen defend titles at a muddy 30K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/01/molosky-and-rosen-defend-titles-at.html
  
  
• 2009 story, “2009 Gulf Winds Track Club 30K / 15K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2009/01/2009-gulf-winds-track-club-30k-15k.html
  
  
• 2008 story, “2008 Gulf Winds Track Club 30K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2008/01/2008-gulf-winds-track-club-30k.html
  
  
• USATF course certification map FL16079TY for the Gulf Winds Track Club 30K
  http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL16079TY
  
  
• USATF course certification map FL16080TY for the Gulf Winds Track Club 15K
  http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL16080TY
  
  
• Find upcoming races, long and short, in the Tallahassee region
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2412