Jack McDermott goes a long way to get another Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic title

In Florida, the longest distance contested in high school track and field is the 3200-meter run. Just short of two miles, the 3200 is eight laps around a standard high school track. The longest race at Gulf Winds Track Club's 39th annual Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic was also eight laps. The laps were a bit longer than your typical track, though. The lap at the Ultra was ten kilometers, a bit more than six miles around Wakulla Spring State Park, south of Tallahassee, Florida. The race on Saturday morning, 14 December 2019, was fifty miles, and Tallahassee master runner Jack McDermott won it with a 6:32:27 performance. Rae Ann Darling Reed, a master runner from Bradenton, Florida, was the first woman in the long run, clocking 8:04:03.

Jack McDermott

There's not enough pavement in Wakulla Springs State Park for the whole ten-kilometer loop, so much of it is run on a stretch of Highway 61, Wakulla Springs Road. Hills aren't an issue on the flat loop, but the long, straight stretches on the highway can be mentally taxing.


"I couldn't face another two laps on that course," said one runner, who dropped out after going fifty kilometers.

Rae Ann Darling Reed

McDermott may not find the big laps easy, but he is used to them. He placed second in the 50-mile event at the 2018 Ultra, and won it in 2007. Another Tallahassee athlete, Thomas Parker, also endured the full eight laps, taking second to McDermott in 6:44:28. Gainesville, Florida's Joel Rich, the defending champion in the race, was third in 6:48:19. Mark Tombrink, the 2015 winner, placed fourth in 7:40:36.


Shae Merritt of Ocala, Florida was the second woman in the 50-miler, finishing tenth overall in 9:45:08. Jefferson, Georgia master runner Charity Love was the third female finisher and eleventh overall in 9:54:06.

Kevin Randolph

Other than the 50-mile race, the Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic also included a 50 kilometer and a marathon-length event. Master runner Kevin Randolph of Locust Grove, Georgia, won the 50K in 4:08:30. Emily Collins was less than half a minute behind him in 4:08:57--almost a dead heat in a race of that length. Second overall, Akron, Ohio's Collins was the first woman in the race.


Tallahassee master runner Marci Gray was the second woman in the 50K, placing third overall in 4:23:11. Laura Reina, another Tallahassee master runner, was the third woman and fourth overall in 4:28:31.

Emily Collins

Will Hanley of Tallahassee was runner-up in the men's standings, placing fifth overall in 4:38:58. Jacksonville, Florida's Eric Chiotti was the third male and eleventh overall in 5:16:58.


It's a rare event where the marathon is the shortest race on the program, but that was the case at the Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic. Because of an error on the course, the runners didn't go a regulation 26.2 miles, but they did go a long way. Tallahassee master runner Fanxiu Zhu finished first, running 3:21:37. Florida State University graduate student Alyssa Moore was the first woman in the race, second overall in 3:24:03. Just behind Moore in 3:24:26, Jamila Allen was the second woman and third overall in the marathon.

Fanxiu Zhu

Tallahassee master runner Carter Hay was the second male finisher and fourth overall in 3:27:28. Blountstown, Florida's Thomas Howell placed third in the men's standings and fifth overall in 3:33:43.


Michelle Hadden of Tallahassee was the third woman and seventh overall in 3:44:19. Birgit Maier-Katkin of Tallahassee was the first woman master in the marathon, the fourth female finisher and eleventh overall in 3:59:57.

Alyssa Moore

Twelve athletes finished the 50 miler, 54 the 50K, and 31 the marathon at the 2019 Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed the races.


2019 Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic 50 Mile

1. 6:32:27, Jack McDermott (M, 50) Tallahassee, FL
2. 6:44:28, Thomas Parker (M, 37) Tallahassee, FL
3. 6:48:19, Joel Rich (M, 50) Gainesville, FL
4. 7:40:36, Mark Tombrink (M, 32) Tallahassee, FL
5. 7:57:12, John Baughman (M, 42) Tallahassee, FL
6. 8:04:03, Rae Ann Darling Reed (F, 46) Bradenton, FL
7. 8:37:39, Tom Duff (M, 31) Ocala, FL
8. 8:49:28, Patrick Traynor (M, 39) Gainesville, FL
9. 9:29:32, Warren Clifton (M, 46) Lynn Haven, FL
10. 9:45:08, Shae Merritt (F, 32) Ocala, FL
11. 9:54:06, Charity Love (F, 42) Jefferson, GA
12. 9:56:47, Christian Marti (M, 67) Zurich, CHE

2019 Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic 50 Km

1. * 4:02:13, Bryan Gensits (M, 25) Fogelsville, PA
2. 4:08:30, Kevin Randolph (M, 43) Locust Grove, GA
3. 4:08:57, Emily Collins (F, 40) Akron, OH
4. 4:23:11, Marci Gray (F, 45) Tallahassee, FL
5. 4:28:31, Laura Reina (F, 55) Tallahassee, FL
6. * 4:36:52, Ettore Aldrovandi (M, 58) Tallahassee, FL
7. 4:38:58, Will Hanley (M, 45) Tallahassee, FL
8. 4:46:37, Lourena Maxwell (F, 45) Tallahassee, FL
9. * 4:53:38, Nancy Stedman (F, 57) Tallahassee, FL
10. 4:54:00, Monica Toth (F, 31) Tallahassee, FL
11. 5:04:05, Annie Randolph (F, 36) Jackson, GA
12. 5:08:08, Cecilia Bouaichi (F, 24) Tallahassee, FL
13. 5:09:52, Sue Cottrill (F, 57) Lynn Haven, FL
14. 5:16:58, Eric Chiotti (M, 22) Jacksonville, FL
15. 5:32:21, Juan Hincapie Castillo (M, 29) Gainesville, FL
16. 5:35:34, Tatiana Orozco (F, 33) Gainesville, FL
17. 5:36:54, Jake Shanahan (M, 36) Tallahassee, FL
18. * 5:40:53, Ralf Luther (M, 51) Saint James, BRB
19. 5:40:56, Heidi Vega (F, 19) Pensacola, FL
20. 5:43:17, Sandee Richards (F, 56) Bolton, MA
21. * 5:47:23, Juan Zepeda (M, 43) Tallahassee, FL
22. 5:49:38, Nicole Benson (F, 41) Tallahassee, FL
23. 5:51:08, Thomas Carney (M, 60) Tallahassee, FL
24. 5:57:22, Carlos Zapata (M, 74) Tallahassee, FL
25. 6:08:37, Jennie Merchant (F, 28) Tallahassee, FL
26. 6:13:11, Terrence Fisher (M, 47) Tallahassee, FL
27. 6:15:02, Bud Fennema (M, 64) Tallahassee, FL
28. 6:17:46, Michael Flanigan (M, 50) Tallahassee, FL
29. 6:19:31, Jairan Duke (F, 44) Gulf Breeze, FL
30. 6:22:12, Betsy Miller (F, 41) Tallahassee, FL
31. 6:24:41, Kyle Steele (M, 29) Tallahassee, FL
32. 6:26:38, Dalton Gray (M, 19) Woodville, FL
33. 6:29:34, Jeff Picker (M, 57) Tallahassee, FL
34. * 6:30:05, Rick Mann (M, 60) Jacksonville Beach, FL
35. * 6:30:13, Theresa Mann (F, 59) Jax Beach, FL
36. * 6:31:10, Terra Turner (F, 45) Rockmart, GA
37. 6:33:57, Mark Hayes (M, 59) Tallahassee, FL
38. 6:37:30, Kimberly Krapcha (F, 37) Pensacola, FL
39. 6:39:06, Ben Hall (M, 43) Blountstown, FL
40. 6:39:06, John Marc Tomlinson (M, 42) Blountstown, FL
41. * 6:43:39, CJ Pisano (F, 32) Palm Beach Gardens, FL
42. 6:50:22, Terri Martin (F, 52) Bradenton, FL
43. 6:54:26, Tim Mullican (M, 59) Mitchell, SD
44. 6:54:44, William Hillison (M, 75) Tallahassee, FL
45. 6:54:45, Matt Minno (M, 60) Tallahassee, FL
46. * 6:58:11, Trixie Smith (M, 40) Crawfordville, FL
47. * 6:58:11, Keith Haskins (M, 37) Tallahassee, FL
48. 7:15:40, Emma Custis (F, 19) Orlando, FL
49. 7:17:10, Keith Berry (M, 63) Tallahassee, FL
50. 7:26:21, Vicki Sue Merry (F, 62) Cantonment, FL
51. 7:58:30, Kathleen Wheeler (F, 58) Tampa, FL
52. 8:10:05, Michelle Regn (F, 57) Honolulu, HI
53. 8:31:17, George Maxwell (M, 69) Indialantic, FL
54. * 8:37:12, Dana Stetson (M, 63) Tallahassee, FL

2019 Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic Marathon

1. 3:21:37, Fanxiu Zhu (M, 51) Tallahassee, FL
2. 3:24:03, Alyssa Moore (F, 25) Tallahassee, FL
3. 3:24:26, Jamila Allen (F, 30) Tallahassee, FL
4. 3:27:28, Carter Hay (M, 48) Tallahassee, FL
5. 3:33:43, Thomas Howell (M, 23) Blountstown, FL
6. 3:38:40, Hal Davis (M, 63) Tallahassee, FL
7. 3:44:19, Michelle Hadden (F, 30) Tallahassee, FL
8. 3:48:21, Sean Landeta (M, 30) Thomasville, GA
9. 3:49:59, Garrett Shost (M, 21) Tallahassee, FL
10. 3:55:36, Jim Dobson (M, 69) Helsinki, FL
11. 3:59:57, Birgit Maier-Katkin (F, 57) Tallahassee, FL
12. 4:08:12, Eric Schulz (M, 27) Tallahassee, FL
13. 4:13:04, Aria Delmar (F, 20) Tallahassee, FL
14. 4:13:44, Brad Layland (M, 47) Saint Augustine, FL
15. 4:20:26, Mary Monesar (F, 24) West Palm Beach, FL
16. 4:38:40, Denise Howard (F, 42) Tallahassee, FL
17. 4:38:47, Donica Williams (F, 40) Cairo, GA
18. 4:45:28, Alan Chen (M, 32) Tallahassee, FL
19. 4:48:29, Kati-Morgan Hathcock (F, 30) Eastpoint, FL
20. 4:52:59, Patrick Bateman (M, 32) Tallahassee, FL
21. 5:00:47, Michelle Butler (F, 36) Tallahassee, FL
22. 5:38:44, Ursula Marti (F, 68) Zurich, CHE
23. 5:44:09, Alex Magnuson (M, 32) Enterprise, AL
24. 5:47:47, Stephen Gensits (M, 64) Tallahassee, FL
25. 6:09:10, Donald Vanoteghem (M, 65) Leesburg, GA
26. 6:35:17, Edward Del Favero (M, 62) Saint Petersburg, FL
27. 6:50:06, Christy Clifton (F, 47) Lynn Haven, FL
28. 7:26:36, James Reeve (M, 77) Celebration, FL
29. 7:33:40, Mellody Hughes (F, 56) Defuniak Springs, FL
30. 7:34:07, Kiersten Smith (F, 31) Tallahassee, FL
31. 9:57:43, Elana Rich (F, 49) Gainesville, FL

Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic winners, 1980 - 2019
Date	Distance	Men	Women	Finishers
13 December 1980	50 Mile	6:27:05, Dave Sheffield	No female finishers	9
9 January 1982	100 km	8:57:57, John Hesselbart	No female finishers	2
	50 Mile	5:39:43, Kenneth Lord	8:15:45, Rosemary Desloge	9
11 December 1982	50 Mile	5:14:40, Frank Bozanich	10:47:54, Lydi Pallares	16
	50 km	2:51:53, Barney Klecker	3:56:13, Kathe Brookover	18
10 December 1983	100 km	7:31:01, Rick Alderfer	10:34:29, Melissa Uchitelle	21
	50 km	2:53:45, Barney Klecker	3:13:51, Janis Klecker	48
15 December 1984	100 km	7:19:53, Steve Warshawer	9:43:03, Vicki Johnson	18
	50 km	3:25:29, John Cantwell	3:53:05, Donna Miller	40
14 December 1985	100 Mile	14:57:26, Ray Krolewicz	15:12:54, Sandra Kiddy	2
	100 km	7:29:05, Richard Westbrook	10:58:31, Joan Baker	16
	50 km	3:21:04, Ron L. Crawford	4:15:13, Mae Cleveland	42
13 December 1986	100 km	7:47:00, Steve Warshawer	No female finishers	12
	50 km	3:09:25, Mark Dorion	4:19:28, Mae Cleveland	54
12 December 1987	100 km	8:19:20, Richard Schick	9:02:52, Sue Ellen Trapp	15
	50 km	3:06:52, John Devine	4:19:23, Mary Hanudel	38
10 December 1988	100 km	7:58:03, Richard Schick	11:55:07, Pam Duke	24
	50 km	3:21:46, Tom Burr	4:06:39, Shelley Tyler	60
9 December 1989	100 km	7:21:20, Rick Clark	No female finishers	13
	50 km	3:24:30, Joe Burgasser	3:44:21 28, Paula Johnson	37
1990	No Race Held
14 December 1991	100 km	9:01:14, Gordy Hawkins	No female finishers	4
	50 km	3:40:25, Thomas Buchanan	3:57:11, Paula Johnson	14
12 December 1992	100 km	9:09:00, Gordy Hawkins	No female finishers	4
	50 km	3:43:38, Bill Hillison	11:27:08, Peggy Lanier	9
11 December 1993	50 Mile	6:22:08, Richard Schick	8:59:19, Peggy Lanier	12
	50 km	3:44:12, Bill Hillison	5:22:17, Delia Brewster	12
10 December 1994	50 Mile	6:55:40, Gordy Hawkins	No female finishers	11
	50 km	2:54:11, John Viltanen	3:50:00, Paula Johnson	31
9 December 1995	50 Mile	7:19:35, Gordy Hawkins	No female finishers	5
	50 km	3:36:48, David Yon	3:57:21, Carrie Weyant	21
14 December 1996	80 km	6:54:01, Ray Krolewicz	No female finishers	8
	50 km	3:42:29, Bill Hillison	4:04:17, Paula Johnson	16
13 December 1997	50 Mile	7:33:37, Gordy Hawkins	9:03:46, Kathleen Wheeler	9
	50 km	3:54:00, Bill Hillison	4:10:55, Kari Larsen	14
12 December 1998	50 Mile	6:28:19, David Allison	9:22:57, Peggy Lanier	13
	50 km	3:44:58, Scott Ludwig	3:46:25, Jane Johnson	36
11 December 1999	50 Mile	5:57:32, Michael Peck	6:38:02, Nancy Drach	20
	50 km	3:49:06, Bill Hillison	4:51:00, Kathleen Daumer	9
9 December 2000	50 Mile	8:06:14, Gary Griffin	7:07:11, Nancy Drach	8
	50 km	3:52:44, Dave Drach	4:29:56, Kristen Hooper	15
8 December 2001	50 Mile	7:35:27, Dana Stetson	7:41:24, Linda Mason	8
	50 km	3:35:11, Tim Lee	3:57:03, Kelly Murzynsky	26
14 December 2002	50 Mile	6:54:21, Pete Hendrickson	No female finishers	8
	50 km	3:51:46, Bill Hillison	4:30:57, Sandy Powell	30
13 December 2003	50 Mile	7:11:53, Fred Johnson	9:56:26, Kathleen Wheeler	15
	50 km	3:51:58, Bill Hillison	7:11:58, Susan Boardman	15
11 December 2004	50 Mile	5:24:45, Chad Ricklefs	8:41:40, Ann Burke	11
	50 km	3:50:10, Bill Hillison	4:03:10, Kelly Murzynsky	21
10 December 2005	50 Mile	7:41:53, Mitsuhito Tsuchida	7:23:14, Linda Mason	9
	50 km	3:55:07, Fred Johnson	4:38:07, Joan Messick	25
9 December 2006	50 Mile	7:17:49, Blaine Broadbridge	7:30:37, Amy Costa	12
	50 km	3:18:55, Colin Deasy	4:43:14, Susan Lance	18
8 December 2007	50 Mile	6:41:23, Jack McDermott	7:21:47, Amy Costa	13
	50 km	3:30:25, Thierry Asselin	4:44:39, Olivia Swedberg	29
13 December 2008	50 Mile	6:48:14, Dann Fisher	8:50:31, Ann Burke	17
	50 km	3:36:01, Jack McDermott	4:52:44, Kirsten Baggett	33
12 December 2009	50 Mile	6:48:43, Dann Fisher	7:58:10, Susan Lance	7
	50 km	3:43:22, Jon Williams	4:05:40, Jane Johnson	53
11 December 2010	50 Mile	6:26:07, Dann Fisher	7:33:52, Amy Costa	15
	50 km	3:28:17, Cameron Wheeler	3:39:53, Allison Eagen	48
10 December 2011	50 Mile	6:18:45, Sung Ho Choi	7:39:09, Amy Costa	17
	50 km	3:39:47, Pete Kaplan	4:14:19, Kristien Cox	66
8 December 2012	50 Mile	6:34:53, Ferit Toska	8:16:09, Chrissy Coutts	18
	50 km	3:44:50, John Robida	4:09:08, Ruth Levy	66
14 December 2013	50 Mile	6:45:12, Ferit Toska	7:03:01, Madeleine Zolfo	14
	50 km	3:41:28, Daniel Nix	4:19:43, Katie Sherron	66
13 December 2014	50 Mile	6:52:08, Ferit Toska	7:17:59, Madeleine Zolfo	11
	50 km	3:52:56, Jack McDermott	4:45:54, Jennifer Shafer	59
12 December 2015	50 Mile	6:50:50, Mark Tombrink	8:29:05, Holly Bohensky	12
	50 km	3:25:21, Charlie Johnson	4:28:51, Laura McDermott	70
10 December 2016	50 Mile	5:52:57, Gary Gellin	7:38:20, Sheryl Rosen	9
	50 km	3:50:17, Dan Nix	4:39:55, Emma Spencer	41
9 December 2017	50 Mile	7:28:37, Peter Strickland	8:01:14, Jamie Cooper	12
	50 km	3:38:23, Thomas Dever	4:15:24, Kat Sack	45
8 December 2018	50 Mile	6:37:22, Joel Rich	7:32:59, Shana Ryberg Pearsons	15
	50 km	3:39:50, Thomas Dever	4:59:58, Darcy Brinkmann	54
	Marathon	3:14:23, Elvis Maradzike	3:35:18, Laura Reina	20
14 December 2019	50 Mile	6:32:27, Jack McDermott	8:04:03, Rae Ann Darling Reed	12
	50 km	4:08:30, Kevin Randolph	4:08:57, Emily Collins	54
	Marathon	3:21:37, Fanxiu Zhu	3:24:03, Alyssa Moore	31

Links

• Complete results of the 2019 Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSwGapvFcooltow6z8jQMvL0IgLmQAjsqmpyOl-MM1WFIr1zSvqe96DUkKzA9c_6IipNYgU4-xJgMg_/pubhtml
  
  
• More Trouble Afoot! photos of the 2019 Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10114792661933753
  
  
• 2018 story, “Joel Rich and Shana Ryberg Pearsons take the Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic 50 Mile”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2018/12/tudc-2018.html
  
  
• 2017 story, “They keep going and going and going at the Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2017/12/tudc-2017.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Mark Tombrink wins the Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic 50 mile”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/12/tudc-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Ferit Toska makes it three in the 50 at the Tallahassee Ultradistance Classic”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/12/tudc-2014.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “A nifty fifty for Toska and Coutts at the Tallahassee Ultra”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/12/tudc-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Testing limits at the 2011 Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/12/tudc-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “The tradition of the long run goes on at the Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/12/tudc-2010.html
  
  
• Tallahassee Ultra-Distance Classic
  http://www.tallahasseeultra.com/
  
  
• Find upcoming races at more civilized distances in the Tallahassee region
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

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