Experience didn't hurt Chris O'Kelley or Katie Sherron at the 10-Mile Challenge

There were shadows moving through the fog in Tallahassee, Florida's Oxbottom Manor neighborhood on Saturday morning, 4 December 2021. Those shadows were runners, and they were racing in Gulf Winds Track Club's annual Ten-Mile Challenge. The fastest shadow was Chris O'Kelley, who won the race in 59:44. Master runner Dr. Katie Sherron was the first woman in the race, placing fourth overall in 64:24. It was O'Kelley's fifth Ten-Mile Challenge; over the years he had collected three top-ten finishes before nabbing this win. Sherron was also a veteran of the race; this was her sixth women's title.

Chris O'Kelley

The course was two laps around a circuit through Ox Bottom Manor, a neighborhood on the north side of Tallahassee. The fog was thick when the race started at 8:00 AM, and remained thick for the first lap around the course--thick enough to hide the leader, master runner Leonardo Canete, from the rest of the field. It was Canete's first Ten-Mile Challenge. By the end of the first lap, the fog had thinned enough that O'Kelley, running in second, could see Canete ahead of him. It also helped that O'Kelley had narrowed the gap on Canete.


During the second lap, O'Kelley took over the lead and started to open his own gap. By the time he crossed the finish line with a winning 59:44, he was about 400 meters ahead. Canete took second in 61:15. Dr. Ryan Truchelut was third in 64:19.

Leonardo Canete

Truchelut had to fight for his third-place finish, though. Katie Sherron held that position with 400 meters to go before being overtaken by Truchelut. Sherron may have ended up fourth overall in 64:24, but she was first woman in the race by nearly two kilometers. Sherron had also won the women's division at the Ten-Mile Challenge in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. Her 64:24 was her fastest run yet at the Challenge. To find a faster women's performance in the race, you'd have to go back to 2007, when Sheryl Rosen went 64:04. But the Challenge only moved to the Ox Bottom Manor course in 2010, so Sherron's time stands as the fastest women's mark on the current course, narrowly beating the 64:25 run by Allison Eagen in 2010.

Katie Sherron

Melanie Leitman took second in the women's standings, placing eleventh overall in 72:44. Jillian Heddaeus was the third female finisher, coming in fourteenth overall in 75:20. Heddaeus had been the women's champ of the 2019 Challenge.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2021 Ten-Mile Challenge

1. 59:44, Chris O'Kelley (M, 28)
2. 61:15, Leonardo Canete (M, 43)
3. 64:19, Ryan Truchelut (M, 36)
4. 65:00, Mickey Moore (M, 51)
5. 68:02, Kent Grayson (M, 15)
6. 68:59, Myles Gibson (M, 55)
7. 70:15, Tony Guillen (M, 52)
8. 72:07, Bill McNulty (M, 63)
9. 72:11, Fanxiu Zhu (M, 53)
10. 74:01, Philip Sura (M, 51)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2021 Ten-Mile Challenge

1. 64:24, Katie Sherron (F, 40)
2. 72:44, Melanie Leitman (F, 37)
3. 75:20, Jillian Heddaeus (F, 38)
4. 79:25, Laura Reina (F, 57)
5. 82:06, Jamila Allen (F, 32)
6. 82:54, Gabriella Passidomo (F, 30)
7. 84:16, Ally Zimmerman (F, 35)
8. 85:27, Ruffian Tyner (F, 46)
9. 86:01, Tsige Tadesse-Kiros (F, 54)
10. 86:17, Nancy Stedman (F, 59)

When the fastest runners finished the first loop around Ox Bottom Manor there was still a light fog, and it persisted as the first finishers of the Five-Mile Race arrived. Gregory Noonan won the Challenge's junior race, covering the five miles in 32:19. Zach DeVeau took second in 32:46. Matthew Hauser, an eighth-grader on the Montford Middle School cross-country team, placed third in 35:30. Jay Wallace was the first master runner in the race, placing fourth overall in 35:38.

Gregory Noonan

Master runner Sarah Dugas was the first woman in the five, taking eighth overall in 42:48. Ten-year-old Charlotte Sikes was runner-up on the women's side, placing ninth overall in 43:25. Master runner Samantha Fillmore was third in the women's standings and twelfth overall in 45:07.

Sarah Dugas

48 athletes finished Gulf Winds Track Club's 2021 Ten-Mile Challenge, and another 47 completed the five-mile race. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed both races.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2021 Five-Mile Road Race

1. 32:19, Gregory Noonan (M, 38)
2. 32:46, Zach Deveau (M, 34)
3. 35:30, Matthew Hauser (M, 13)
4. 35:38, Jay Wallace (M, 57)
5. 39:53, Jonathan Kiros (M, 13)
6. 41:57, Ethan Nicholson (M, 11)
7. 42:34, Jake Martin (M, 32)
8. 44:07, Don Moser (M, 46)
9. 44:11, JJ Widener (M, 47)
10. 45:26, David Anderson (M, 71)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2021 Five-Mile Road Race

1. 42:48, Sarah Dugas (F, 43)
2. 43:25, Charlotte Sikes (F, 10)
3. 45:07, Samantha Fillmore (F, 45)
4. 46:29, Stacey Poage (F, 46)
5. 47:22, Laney Grace Blay (F, 13)
6. 47:23, Savannah Stanley (F, 12)
7. 48:01, Calyn Stringer (F, 36)
8. 48:10, Sonya Dudley (F, 53)
9. 48:47, Stephanie Hurt (F, 69)
10. 48:56, Dakota Smith (F, 8)

Champions of Gulf Winds Track Club's Ten-Mile Challenge, 1977 - 2021
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
4 December 2021	10 Miles	59:44, Chris O'Kelley	64:24, Katie Sherron	48
	5 Miles	32:19, Gregory Noonan	42:48, Sarah Dugas	47

Links

• Complete results of Gulf Winds Track Club's 2021 Ten-Mile Challenge
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSqPwu40c8__Y6cbXZ8i4Atg4g78ftnvaOLtMA8z12zNl-wx-50sk9omHD3TGNzDihBiJZJfr_rUmmT/pubhtml
  
  
• More Trouble Afoot! photos of Gulf Winds Track Club's 2021 Ten-Mile Challenge
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10118713661114963
  
  
• 2019 story, “Troy Dunkley and Jillian Heddaeus rise to the Ten-Mile Challenge”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2019/12/ten-mile-challenge-2019.html
  
  
• 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
  
  

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