Troy Dunkley and Jillian Heddaeus rise to the Ten-Mile Challenge

Back in 2010, Reid Vannoy designed a five-mile loop around Ox Bottom Manor, north of Tallahassee, for Gulf Winds Track Club's Ten-Mile Challenge. If you run the loop twice, you've gone ten miles. Troy Dunkley ran two loops in 55:12 on Saturday morning, 7 December 2019, winning the 44th annual Ten-Mile Challenge. Jillian Heddaeus was the first woman in the race, placing twelfth overall in 76:54.

Troy Dunkley

Similar to the 2018 Challenge, it was cool and cloudy when the 2019 race started from Hawks Rise Elementary School at 8:00 AM. Unlike 2018, there was no rain. The streets were dry when Troy Dunkley and Trevor Sununu led the field away from the school, heading east on Meadow Ridge Drive. The course was hilly, and Dunkley opened a gap on Sununu while climbing a hill during the third mile. Sununu came back, though.


"I caught up to him on that long downhill around the fourth mile," said Sununu. "But after that he got away again on the uphill."

Trevor Sununu

That was the race. Dunkley spent the second half of the run widening his lead. He crossed the finish line back at the school first in 55:12. Sununu was second in 56:16. Chris O'Kelley, runner-up in the 2018 Challenge, placed third in 61:51. Another veteran of the 2018 race, Myles Gibson, was the top master runner in the Challenge, placing fifth overall in 65:07. Gibson noted that he had run better than half a minute faster than he had the previous year.


"Whenever I can do that, I'm happy," said Gibson.

Jillian Heddaeus and Melanie Leitman

Just a mile into the Ten-Mile Challenge, Jillian Heddaeus was well ahead of the rest of the women's field. Halfway through the race, she was nearly a quarter mile ahead of the next woman. During the second half, though, Melanie Leitman erased that lead. During the final mile, Heddaeus and Leitman were just a few seconds apart. Heddaeus held on to those few seconds, though, holding off Leitman's charge to take the women's title in 76:54. Leitman was a close runner-up in 76:59, placing thirteenth overall. Ruffian Tyner was the first woman master and third female finisher, fifteenth overall in 80:04.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Ten-Mile Challenge

1. 55:12, Troy Dunkley (M, 33)
2. 56:16, Trevor Sununu (M, 24)
3. 61:51, Chis O'Kelly (M, 26)
4. 64:05, Bryan Gensits (M, 25)
5. 65:07, Myles Gibson (M, 53)
6. 69:46, Paul Guyas (M, 42)
7. 71:31, Andrew Wilber (M, 29)
8. 71:58, Joel Piotrowski (M, 50)
9. 73:15, Philip Sura (M, 49)
10. 75:50, Cory Logan (M, 32)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Ten-Mile Challenge

1. 76:54, Jillian Heddaeus (F, 36)
2. 76:59, Melanie Leitman (F, 35)
3. 80:04, Ruffian Tyner (F, 44)
4. 82:58, Bridget Cobb (F, 48)
5. 86:26, April Bentley (F, 46)
6. 87:20, Krista Killius (F, 56)
7. 89:59, Monica Toth (F, 30)
8. 90:19, Calyn Stringer (F, 34)
9. 91:14, Shelby Augustyniale (F, 43)
10. 92:53, Karima Anderson (F, 33)

For those eschewing the Challenge of a ten-mile run there was a five-mile race, one time around the Ox Bottom Manor loop. Gary Droze won the shorter race for the second year in a row; the master runner and Tallahassee Community College cross-country coach covered the course in 29:50. Ryan Truchelut was second in 30:40.

Mike Martinez and Gary Droze

Ann Centner was the first woman in the race and third overall in 30:40. Centner was the overall leader in the five mile nearly from the start. Just over a hundred yards from the finish, on pace to break 29:00, she missed the turn into the school. Centner eventually realized that she was headed around the loop a second time and turned back, but the extra running cost her almost two minutes. In spite of the detour, Centner's time was still a women's event record, bettering the 30:46 run by Amy Paine in 2006.


Behind Centner, master runner Mike Martinez was the third male finisher and fourth overall in 31:06.

Ann Centner

Katie Sherron, a five-time women's champ of the Ten-Mile Challenge, opted for the shorter race in 2019. Sherron was the women's runner-up and ninth overall in 34:45. Alyssa Moore placed third in the women's standings and eleventh overall in 34:48. Tanya Evers was the first woman master and fifth female finisher in the five mile, twentieth overall in 37:50.


59 athletes finished the 2019 Ten-Mile Challenge, and another 120 completed the five-mile run. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed both races.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Five-Mile Road Race

1. 29:50, Gary Droze (M, 58)
2. 30:40, Ryan Truchelut (M, 34)
3. 31:06, Mike Martinez (M, 53)
4. 32:05, Tristan Lanasa (M, 26)
5. 33:24, Geb Kiros (M, 53)
6. 33:35, Duane Evans (M, 52)
7. 34:30, Colby Redfield (M, 34)
8. 34:41, Camillo Ordonez (M, 40)
9. 35:44, Esteban Parra Rodriguez (M, 28)
10. 36:34, Patrick Ernst (M, 31)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Five-Mile Road Race

1. 30:40, Ann Centner (F, 28)
2. 34:35, Katie Sherron (F, 38)
3. 34:48, Alyssa Moore (F, 25)
4. 35:47, Brittney Barnes (F, 31)
5. 37:50, Tanya Evers (F, 42)
6. 38:31, Lou Maxwell (F, 45)
7. 39:22, Nikky Manausa (F, 38)
8. 39:26, Angela Dempsey (F, 51)
9. 39:33, Nancy Stedman (F, 57)
10. 39:54, Sarah Dugas (F, 41)

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
7 December 2019	10 Miles	55:12, Troy Dunkley	76:54, Jillian Heddaeus	59
	5 Miles	29:50, Gary Droze	30:40, Ann Centner	120

Links

• Complete results of the 2019 GWTC Ten-Mile Challenge
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTgBq3aluckzaG8aVZtg_hNV8Cnwuuw2soe2Yb3C0vM_MKcgY2eL_rB4UvPqxku41WahLFDQ3ejrjQP/pubhtml
  
  
• More Trouble Afoot! photos of the 2019 Gulf Winds Track Club Ten-Mile Challenge
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10114755048406563
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Ten-Mile Challenge
  https://photos.app.goo.gl/hT9yJMgqvn665vw67
  
  
• 2018 story, “Charlie Kline and Alyssa Terry rise to the Challenge”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/12/ten-mile-challenge-2018.html
  
  
• 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 2019 Ten-Mile Challenge
  https://certifiedroadraces.com/certificate?type=l&id=FL10078EBM
  
  
• USATF Course Certification map (FL10077EBM) for Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 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
  
  

#2655