Michael Niezgoda |
It was the 37th annual Firecracker 5K. For thirty years, from 1983 to 2012, the Greensboro, Florida Kiwanis Club hosted the Firecracker 5K in Gadsden County on a course that ran from Sycamore to Greensboro. After inheriting the race in 2013, the Capital City Kiwanis Club staged the race in Phipps Park for a year before moving downtown to Cascades Park. That was where the 2019 Firecracker started at 8:00 AM. Trevor Sununu set the early pace for the field, but he didn't have much time to enjoy the lead before Niezgoda took over.
"It was right in front of the Edison, about three-fourths of a mile," said Niezgoda. "Trevor kept surging during the first mile, trying to keep ahead of me. But I could tell the pace was slowing. So I had to get by him."
Trevor Sununu |
Once past Sununu, Niezgoda pulled steadily away, opening a gap of 70 meters during the second mile. During the third mile Zach DeVeau overtook Sununu and began to narrow Niezgoda's lead. But Niezgoda was still more than 50 meters ahead when he crossed the finish line in a winning 17:43. DeVeau took second in 17:54, and Sununu was third in 17:58. Tallahassee Community College cross-country coach Gary Droze was the first master runner in the race, finishing fifth overall in 18:25. Master runner Michael Martinez was able to keep Coach Droze in sight throughout the race, but only to see the Coach pull farther ahead. Martinez was the second master and sixth overall in 18:38.
"I live right here in Tallahassee, but I don't run many local races," said Niezgoda. "This was a sign-up-the-day-before type of thing."
Zach DeVeau |
If you don't see Niezgoda at many 5K races, it's because he's getting ready for something longer.
"I'm training to do the Chicago Marathon," said Niezgoda.
Gary Droze |
On any Fourth of July morning in Florida you can expect high temperatures, and after the race there were more than a few complaints about the heat. None of those complaints, though, came from women's champ Ann Centner.
"I wasn't really that hot out there," said Centner. "5K, I don't really feel the heat. 10K, I would."
Ann Centner |
Centner's 18:04 was the fastest women's time at the Firecracker 5K since the race moved to Tallahassee. It was a speedy run from the outset, but Alyson Churchill was right with Centner. A rising senior on the Chiles High cross-country team and the 2016 Florida high school cross-country champion, Churchill had won the Firecracker 5K women's title in 2015.
"I think she went out pretty fast, because my first mile was pretty fast, too. 5:35 or 5:38," said Centner. "I was probably out faster than usual but I've been doing shorter workouts, training for the mile."
Alyson Churchill & Ann Centner |
After that 5:35 (or 5:38) opening mile, Churchill took over the lead.
"I was behind Ann for a mile," said Churchill. "I passed her right at the mile, and then she passed me at the turnaround."
"At the turnaround I put in a surge and she didn't go with me," said Centner.
Alyson Churchill |
Nor did anyone else. Center went 18:04, taking first in the women's standings. Alyson Churchill ran 18:55, placing runner-up for the women and tenth overall in 18:55.
"That was exciting!" said Churchill. "I enjoyed doing a community race."
Mo Palmer |
Churchill doesn't get to compete in many community events, being busy racing for the Chiles High Timberwolves--for instance, at the 2018 High School State Championships, where the Chiles girls won the team title. One of the athletes she raced that morning was Palmetto High senior Morgan "Mo" Palmer. Palmer, now headed to Florida State University, was the third woman and nineteenth overall in the Firecracker 5K, running 19:45.
Davidson University distance runner Caroline Willis outkicked Florida Tech alum Amanda Sava for the fourth spot in the women's standings, 20:20 to 20:24. Willis and Sava were 21st and 22nd overall. Stacy Biggart of Tallahassee was the first woman master and eleventh female finisher, 44th overall in 23:17.
Caroline Willis & Amanda Sava |
521 athletes finished the Capital City Kiwanis' 2019 Firecracker 5K. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed the race.
Top Ten Men, 2019 Capital City Kiwanis Firecracker 5K
- 17:43, Michael Niezgoda (M, 30)
- 17:54, Zach Deveau (M, 31)
- 17:58, Trevor Sununu (M, 23)
- 18:25, Gary Droze (M, 58)
- 18:38, Michael Martinez (M, 53)
- 18:41, Hawthorne Hay (M, 17)
- 18:45, Michael Rhodes (M, 50)
- 18:48, Khalil Randell (M, 22)
- 18:59, Mickey Moore (M, 49)
- 19:04, Myles Gibson (M, 53)
Top Ten Women, 2019 Capital City Kiwanis Firecracker 5K
- 18:03, Ann Centner (F, 27)
- 18:55, Alyson Churchill (F, 17)
- 19:45, Mo Palmer (F, 18)
- 20:20, Caroline Willis (F, 20)
- 20:24, Amanda Sava (F, 24)
- 20:50, Brittney Barnes (F, 31)
- 20:54, Megan Churchill (F, 17)
- 21:45, Mia Wiederkehr (F, 21)
- 22:18, Kirsten Tucker (F, 23)
- 22:49, Laura McDermott (F, 39)
Recent winners of the Firecracker 5000m | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date | Men | Women | Finishers |
4 July 2019 | 17:43, Michael Niezgoda | 18:03, Ann Centner | 521 |
4 July 2018 | 15:34, Ricardo Estremera | 19:12, Katie Sherron | 479 |
4 July 2017 | 16:48, Charlie Johnson | 19:42, Katie Sherron | 520 |
4 July 2016 | 16:06, Stanley Linton | 20:35, Brittney Barnes | 399 |
4 July 2015 | 17:00, Michael Potter | 19:23, Alyson Churchill | 370 |
4 July 2014 | 17:06, Joseph Garcia | 18:58, Katie Slater | 431 |
4 July 2013 | 18:22, Roger Schmidt | 20:53, Katie Showman | 180 |
4 July 2012 | 16:14, Stanley Linton | 22:36, Nancy Stedman | 128 |
4 July 2011 | 17:20, Joel Piotrowski | 21:35, Stephanie Stout | 73 |
3 July 2010 | 18:45, Cliff Skelton | 22:29, Nancy Stedman | 87 |
4 July 2009 | 16:46, Daniel Lee | 19:26, Emily Ness | 78 |
4 July 2008 | |||
4 July 2007 | 18:05, Tony Guillen | 21:51, Julie Clark | 88 |
4 July 2006 | 17:40, James Cook | 20:03, Julia Vola | 76 |
4 July 2005 | 16:44, Jeff Dubias | 20:30, Heather Bailey | 56 |
3 July 2004 | 15:48, Caleb Carmichael | 18:39, Kara Newell | 127 |
4 July 2003 | |||
4 July 2002 | 16:57, Jason Fulghum | 22:07, Janice Hochstein | 80 |
4 July 2001 | 17:22, Paul Hoover | 17:53, Sarah Docter-Williams | 94 |
4 July 2000 | 15:57, Gary Droze | 18:10, Sarah Docter-Williams | 155 |
4 July 1999 | 16:37, Tim Simpkins | 17:56, Sarah Docter-Williams | |
4 July 1998 | 16:05, Damian Wilson | 17:35, Sarah Docter-Williams | |
4 July 1997 | |||
4 July 1996 | 15:45, Gary Droze | 19:13, Carrie Weyant | |
4 July 1994 | 16:07, Gary Droze | 18:19, Lisa Herman | |
4 July 1990 | 16:55, Bill Crooks | 19:10, Vikki Saga | |
4 July 1989 | 16:47, Paul Hoover | 20:27, Mae Cleveland | |
4 July 1988 | 17:02, Paul Hoover | ||
From 1983 to 2012 the Firecracker 5000 was run in Gadsden County from Sycamore to Greensboro. In 2013 the Firecracker 5000 was run in Tallahassee on trails in Phipps Park. In 2014 the Firecracker 5000 was run in Tallahassee from Cascades Park on USATF Certified Course FL14067EBM. In 2015 the Firecracker 5000 was run in Tallahassee from Cascades Park on USATF Certified Course FL15071EBM. In 2016 the Firecracker 5000 was run in Tallahassee from Cascades Park on USATF Certified Course FL14149EBM. |
Links:
- Complete results of the 2019 Capital City Kiwanis Firecracker 5K
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vS_dTjP3-lymdDhZy_j7MazKGfqaqIEi2W5n6-GUDzojoCrvR4qWOclb3gB_T6ffsHJw9qBegu_edD8/pubhtml
- More photos of the 2019 Capital City Kiwanis Firecracker 5K
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10113911960910663
- Fred Deckert's photos of the 2019 Capital City Kiwanis Firecracker 5K
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ozBM4AV7HVMcUEnk9
- Independence Day 2019 racing coverage on Trouble Afoot!
- Gainesville FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/07/ftc-melon-2019.html
- Jay FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/07/jay-freedom-2019.html
- Saint George Island FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/07/spritzer-2019.html
- Tallahassee FL: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/07/firecracker-2019.html
- Valdosta GA: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/07/valdosta-independence-2019.html
- 2017 story, “Johnson and Sherron were the bomb at the Firecracker 5K”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/07/firecracker-2017.html
- 2016 story, “Linton and Barnes win a steamy Firecracker 5K”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/07/firecracker-2016.html
- 2015 story, “Potter and Churchill have a blast at the Firecracker 5K”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/07/firecracker-2015.html
- 2014 story, “Firecracker victories for Garcia and Slater”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/07/firecracker-2014.html
- 2013 story, “Capital City Kiwanis brings the Firecracker 5000 to Tallahassee”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/07/firecracker-2013.html
- 2012 story, “Out with a bang, the final Firecracker 5K”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/07/firecracker-2012.html
- 2011 story, “Banging good runs for Piotrowski and Stout at Firecracker 5000”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/07/firecracker-2011.html
- 2010 story, “Skelton and Stedman win at Greensboro”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/07/firecracker-2010.html
- USATF course certification map for the 2016 Capital City Kiwanis Firecracker 5K
http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL14149EBM
- Find more classic races in the region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
Speaking of fireworks in Tom Brown Park, the Florida Archives contains a photo of an Independence Day road race in Tom Brown Park back in the 1980s. Does anyone out there remember such a race?
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