Saturday, December 26, 2020

Tallahassee's top 15K road times in 2020

Good! You made it to the end of 2020! I'm happy to see you here. I'm happy to be here to see you.


Almost without exception the fastest road 15K times in Tallahassee, Florida are run in November at Gulf Winds Track Club's Tallahassee Turkey Trot. There are always a few good performances at the Gulf Winds Track Club 15K in January, but the best are typically in November.


2020 started out typically. The Gulf Winds Track Club 15K was run on 18 January 2020. News stories about a new virus spreading in China has just started to show up. By March, COVID-19 was in the United States. The lockdown started. Road races were canceled. Racing still hadn't returned in November, and there was no Tallahassee Turkey Trot.

Caleb Carmichael
Caleb Carmichael

So the Gulf Winds Track Club 15K was the only race of that distance in the Tallahassee area during 2020. Thus, Caleb Carmichael's winning time of 51:21 stands as Tallahassee's fastest 15K performance of the year. The fastest 15K by a master runner was Tony Guillen's 60:01 in the same race, good for seventh in the men's ranking.


Laura DiBella won the women's title at the GWTC 15K with a 63:08, which stands as not only as 2024's fastest road 15K in Tallahassee by a woman, but also the top time by a woman master.

Laura DiBella
Laura DiBella

Here are Tallahassee's top overall road 15K times for each year from 2015 to 2020:


YearMenWomen
TimeAthleteDateRaceTimeAthleteDateRace
201550:11Sukhi Khosla17 JanGWTC 15K57:41Katie Sherron26 NovTurkey Trot
201647:44Stan Linton24 NovTurkey Trot59:42Sheryl Rosen24 NovTurkey Trot
201751:49Anthony Malatesta23 NovTurkey Trot56:36Katie Sherron23 NovTurkey Trot
201848:28Stan Linton22 NovTurkey Trot56:45Sheryl Rosen22 NovTurkey Trot
201949:24Austin Whitelaw28 NovTurkey Trot57:33Sheryl Rosen28 NovTurkey Trot
202051:21Caleb Carmichael18 JanGWTC 15K63:08Laura DiBella18 JanGWTC 15K


With vaccines on the way, it looks like road racing may return to Tallahassee in 2021, including 15K road races. The Gulf Winds Track Club 15K is already scheduled for 16 January 2021. Gulf Winds Track Club's next Tallahassee Turkey Trot 15K, should it happen, will be on 25 November 2021. Results from those races would be included in any 2021 rankings, as well as those from any other 15K meeting these criteria:
  • The race has to be in Tallahassee (anywhere in Leon County is fine)
  • The race has to be run on a USATF certified course
  • The race has to have published results
  • I have to see the results
Here are Tallahassee's 2020 lists for the road 15K, each going 25 deep.


Top Tallahassee 15K Performances by Men on Certified Road Courses in 2020
RankTimeAthleteAgeDateRacePlaceCourse Number
1. 51:21Caleb Carmichael352020-01-18GWTC 15K1FL16080TY
2. 54:47Jackson Yarbrough162020-01-18GWTC 15K2FL16080TY
3. 55:20Jake Rogers142020-01-18GWTC 15K3FL16080TY
4. 55:51Leo Kelly162020-01-18GWTC 15K4FL16080TY
5. 55:53Joseph Ashebo182020-01-18GWTC 15K5FL16080TY
6. 58:00Bryson Gonzalez182020-01-18GWTC 15K6FL16080TY
7. 1:00:01Tony Guillen512020-01-18GWTC 15K7FL16080TY
8. 1:01:16Matthew Mizereck282020-01-18GWTC 15K8FL16080TY
9. 1:01:21Tristan Lanasa262020-01-18GWTC 15K9FL16080TY
10. 1:04:16Chris Robinson452020-01-18GWTC 15K10FL16080TY
11. 1:05:54Camilo Ordonez412020-01-18GWTC 15K11FL16080TY
12. 1:06:09Matthias Laywell212020-01-18GWTC 15K12FL16080TY
13. 1:06:29Jon Nash402020-01-18GWTC 15K13FL16080TY
14. 1:07:05Wilson Roberts162020-01-18GWTC 15K14FL16080TY
15. 1:07:19Joel Piotrowski502020-01-18GWTC 15K15FL16080TY
16. 1:07:34Tad David512020-01-18GWTC 15K16FL16080TY
17. 1:07:34William Oates452020-01-18GWTC 15K17FL16080TY
18. 1:08:30Juan Ordonez462020-01-18GWTC 15K18FL16080TY
19. 1:08:53Clayton Knox142020-01-18GWTC 15K19FL16080TY
20. 1:09:39Evans Bishop162020-01-18GWTC 15K20FL16080TY
21. 1:09:45Travis Dorian352020-01-18GWTC 15K21FL16080TY
22. 1:10:00William Mrazek352020-01-18GWTC 15K22FL16080TY
23. 1:10:12Tim Unger602020-01-18GWTC 15K23FL16080TY
24. 1:10:16Peter Rosenberg302020-01-18GWTC 15K24FL16080TY
25. 1:10:36Michael Weyant542020-01-18GWTC 15K25FL16080TY
Includes performances from the Gulf Winds Track Club 15K (18 Jan 2020).


Top Tallahassee 15K Performances by Women on Certified Road Courses in 2020
RankTimeAthleteAgeDateRacePlaceCourse Number
1. 1:03:08Laura Dibella412020-01-18GWTC 15K1FL16080TY
2. 1:04:37Avery Calabro162020-01-18GWTC 15K2FL16080TY
3. 1:04:40Lilli Unger172020-01-18GWTC 15K3FL16080TY
4. 1:04:49Alyssa Terry262020-01-18GWTC 15K4FL16080TY
5. 1:06:53Zita Magloire352020-01-18GWTC 15K5FL16080TY
6. 1:09:00Ali Kelly472020-01-18GWTC 15K6FL16080TY
7. 1:10:36Megan Churchill172020-01-18GWTC 15K7FL16080TY
8. 1:13:54Lily Moore152020-01-18GWTC 15K8FL16080TY
9. 1:14:22Ruffian Tyner442020-01-18GWTC 15K9FL16080TY
10. 1:14:44Stella Lewis152020-01-18GWTC 15K10FL16080TY
11. 1:14:49Mallory Robinson142020-01-18GWTC 15K11FL16080TY
12. 1:15:37Nikky Manausa382020-01-18GWTC 15K12FL16080TY
13. 1:16:31Sarah Dugas412020-01-18GWTC 15K13FL16080TY
14. 1:16:52Leah Kiros142020-01-18GWTC 15K14FL16080TY
15. 1:18:04Holly Newell422020-01-18GWTC 15K15FL16080TY
16. 1:18:34Nancy Stedman582020-01-18GWTC 15K16FL16080TY
17. 1:19:06Betsy Miller422020-01-18GWTC 15K17FL16080TY
18. 1:19:43Birgit Maier-Katkin572020-01-18GWTC 15K18FL16080TY
19. 1:20:43Kelly Garland482020-01-18GWTC 15K19FL16080TY
20. 1:20:48Nancy Proctor582020-01-18GWTC 15K20FL16080TY
21. 1:21:00Katie Bertoldi352020-01-18GWTC 15K21FL16080TY
22. 1:21:11Becky Leckinger562020-01-18GWTC 15K22FL16080TY
23. 1:22:12Ashley Moses212020-01-18GWTC 15K23FL16080TY
24. 1:22:26Karima Anderson332020-01-18GWTC 15K24FL16080TY
25. 1:24:07Belinda Wharton592020-01-18GWTC 15K25FL16080TY
Includes performances from the Gulf Winds Track Club 15K (18 Jan 2020).


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Friday, December 4, 2020

Apalachee Regional Park is ready to greet AAU Cross-Country National Championship Meet

Friday, 4 December 2020, was the day before the AAU Cross-Country National Championship Meet in Tallahassee, Florida, so it was a day for course tours at Apalachee Regional Park Championship Cross-Country Course. In high school cross-country, seniors are in charge of lies and general misinformation. In youth cross-country, that role has to be taken up by the coaches.


"Oh, yeah, there are alligators in there," commented one coach as his team jogged by the water in The Moat. "Three years ago, two kids were eaten by gators here."

The Moat

It is true that you can occasionally spot alligators in the moat, and whereas AAU Nationals were contested at Apalachee Regional Park four years ago, the USATF Junior Olympic Cross-Country Nationals were at ARPXC three years ago. As for the rest of it, you'll have to decide. The athletes weren't buying it, no matter how many times their coach repeated it.


Most coaches, though, were talking about pacing, or running tangents, or how to attack the hills on the course.

Smooth trails in Field #3

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, cross-country season in 2020 was, shall we say, different. Most post-season competition was canceled entirely--Foot Locker Nationals, Nike Cross Nationals, and USATF Junior Olympics were all scrubbed. AAU Cross-Country Nationals remained on the schedule, however.


"There are a lot more athletes here than the last time we hosted," said Amanda Heidecker of Visit Tallahassee.


The surge in entries was enough that the schedule had to be expanded to include four five-kilometer races instead of the original two. Athlete from 15 to 18 years old race the 5K distance in the first races on the schedule. After that the distances count down--boys and girls 13-14 race 4K, athletes 11-12 and 9-10 run 3K, athletes 7-8 run 2K, and those six-years-old and under go 1K.


"My kid is finally going to be racing," said Heidecker, who has an entry in the 1K race.

Field #2 of Apalachee Regional Park

With races at five different distances, athletes will be taking five different routes around the park on the day of the Championship. The five-kilometer course at ARPXC is well established from the many high school races that have been run there. Likewise, the three-kilometer course sees a lot of use during middle school competition. 1K is only run at Apalachee Regional Park during AAU meets, and the 2K and the 4K not much more often.


"The 4K map is wrong," grumbled Bill Lott, as he directed people touring the course to make the correct left turn for the four-kilometer course. "I put up a sign, but people keep moving it because of the map."


Signs, course monitors, and lead vehicles should be able to keep all the athletes on track on race day, Saturday, 5 December 2020. Here's the schedule:

  • 8:40 AM 15-18 Girls' 5K (Section 1)
  • 9:00 AM 15-18 Girls' 5K (Section 2)
  • 9:30 AM 15-18 Boys' 5K (Section 1)
  • 9:50 AM 15-18 Boys' 5K (Section 2)
  • 10:20 AM 13-14 Girls' 4K
  • 10:50 AM 13-14 Boys' 4K
  • 11:20 AM 11-12 Girls' 3K
  • 11:50 AM 11-12 Boys' 3K
  • 12:20 PM 9-10 Girls' 3K
  • 12:50 PM 9-10 Boys' 3K
  • 1:20 PM 7-8 Girls' 2K
  • 1:40 PM 7-8 Boys' 2K
  • 2:00 PM 6 and Under Boys' and Girls' 1K
  • 2:15 PM 3K for Parents and Coaches
  • 2:30 PM 5K Open and Masters

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