Tom Krick and Mitzi Woods take firsts at Tallahassee's Meridian Run

In 1821 the Spanish Empire ceded Florida to the United States. By 1824 the site of a new territorial capital, Tallahassee, had been selected, and the young nation began to survey its new possessions. The Initial Point of the survey was a swampy spot east of town, 30° 26′ 04.12″ N, 84° 16′ 37.59″ W. This was first marked by a wooden stake driven into the ground. Later, a one-ton limestone boulder was placed on the spot. The stake and the boulder eventually gave way to a concrete monument covered with metal plaques. That monument has recently been retired to the garden of the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society, and the Initial Point is the focus of a mosaic on the grounds of Cascades Park.


But if you walk north from the Initial Point following 84° 16′ 37.59″ W, you'll find yourself on Meridian Street. Wander farther north and you'll find Meridian Road a bit west of the true Tallahassee Meridian. Not quite four miles from the Initial Point, you'll find North Florida Christian School--home of the Meridian Run.


Since the inauguration of the Meridian Run in 2014, the race has included a 10K and a 5K. On Saturday morning, 16 February 2019, master runner Tom Krick won the longer race at the sixth annual Meridian Run, covering the 6.2 miles in 54:06. Mitzi Woods was the first woman and overall runner-up in the 10K, edging Ami Wheeler 54:26 to 54:27.


Top Five Men, 2019 Meridian Run 10K

1. 54:05.80, Tom Krick (M, 56)
2. 55:41.60, Brian Telesz (M, 33)
3. 56:13.40, Robert Wigen (M, 53)
4. 56:57.20, Darren Robinette (M, 50)
5. 68:54.00, Matt Ayer (M, 46)

Top Five Women, 2019 Meridian Run 10K

1. 54:25.90, Mitzi Woods (F, 42)
2. 54:26.20, Ami Wheeler (F, 45)
3. 55:41.50, Bethanie Telesz (F, 32)
4. 56:00.40, Corrie Melton (F, 52)
5. 56:19.70, Gingy Sampson (F, 54)

David Andrew Keen, a junior-year cross-country athlete on the high school cross-country team at North Florida Christian School, won the 5K race at the Meridian Run, going the distance in 18:34. Michael Niezgoda took second in 19:21, and Joe Carter was third in 22:55.


Cricket Wood was the first woman in the 5K as well as the top master runner, placing sixth overall in 26:44. It was Wood's second year in a row as the Meridian Run 5K women's champ. In tight competition for the runner-up spot in the women's standings, Tara Bragg edged Holly Gorham, both runners clocked in 34:06. Bragg and Gorham were tenth and eleventh overall.


Miles and Minutes, LLC, of Tallahassee timed both the 10K and the 5K at the 2019 Meridian Run.


Top Ten Men, 2019 Meridian Run 5K

1. 18:33.10, David Keen (M, 17)
2. 19:20.30, Michael Niezgoda (M, 30)
3. 22:54.80, Joe Carter (M, 30)
4. 23:34.50, Marco Rosa (M, 31)
5. 25:50.40, Carson Hayes (M, 26)
6. 27:14.40, Ryan Fitzgerald (M, 39)
7. 27:23.10, David Royal (M, 25)
8. 29:29.80, Kellen Hartsfield (M, 15)
9. 34:19.40, Conner Holmes (M, 8)
10. 36:44.10, Landon Hartsfield (M, 13)

Top Ten Women, 2019 Meridian Run 5K

1. 26:44.00, Cricket Wood (F, 50)
2. 34:05.70, Tara Bragg (F, 39)
3. 34:05.80, Holly Gorham (F, 43)
4. 34:19.60, Kate Holmes (F, 30)
5. 34:33.80, Carmen Shui (F, 32)
6. 34:44.00, Chelsea Royal (F, 26)
7. 37:28.70, Lisa Trone (F, 45)
8. 38:55.70, Patricia Scarboro (F, 35)
9. 61:50.10, Helena Mavridoglou (F, 15)
10. 61:55.20, April Mavridojlou (F, 43)

Meridian Run winners, 2014 - 2019
Date	Distance	Men	Women	Finishers
26 April 2014	10K	36:34, Roger Schmidt	45:57, Laura McDermott
	5K	19:56, Aaron Taylor	26:16, Liz Ruba
25 April 2015	10K	45:12, Michael Kennett	52:11, Mona Schortmann	41
	5K	20:14, Duane Evans	22:45, Sherez Mohamed	78
23 April 2016	10K	39:03, Paul Guyas	55:09, Beth Connolly
	5K	18:54, Dan Bauer	28:13, Tiffany Starke
22 April 2017	10K	42:14, Zack Scharlepp	46:56, Kate Chunka	14
	5K	19:37, John Davis	19:02, QuanDra Shanks	25
22 April 2017	10K	42:43, Zachary Grossman	52:46, Sarah Beasley	22
	5K	18:40, Michael Niezgoda	27:54, Cricket Wood	19
16 February 2019	10K	54:06, Tom Krick	54:26, Mitzi Woods	10
	5K	18:33, David Keen	26:44, Cricket Wood	28

Links

• Complete results of the 2019 Meridian Run
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSltUqtOtKO3kOuTS1VLIylM8GHNbH16zOJQI0VAKqK-klbMw1ZvTIsZZKvFIvem2nC75WNdy_-Vfif/pubhtml
  
  
• 2017 story, “Scharlepp and Chunka navigate the Meridian Run”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/04/meridian-2017.html
  
  
• Find upcoming races of geographic significance on the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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