Sunday, March 5, 2023

Triumphs for Truchelut and Terry at the Shamrock Scurry

In Tallahassee, Florida, the azaleas, dogwoods, and wisteria aren't always blooming on the day of the annual Shamrock Scurry 5K. For instance, because of the "Storm of the Century" in 1993, the race had to be delayed till May, long after the flowers were gone. But in more than 30 outings, the race has visited the streets of Killearn Estates on a Saturday in March--such as Saturday, 4 March 2023, when blossoms lined the course. That day, Ryan Truchelut won the Shamrock Scurry by over a minute, covering the hilly 3.1-mile course in 18:43. The women's competition was closer, with Ph.D. student Alyssa Terry going 21:25 to outkick Charlotte Sikes and Savannah Stanley.

Ryan Truchelut
Ryan Truchelut

The first Shamrock Scurry was in 1979, starting and finishing at Killearn United Methodist Church. The course was much the same in 2023, also starting and finishing at the church.


"It's easy to go out too fast in this race because most of the first half is downhill," noted Truchelut.


Unfortunately, that means to get back to the church, there's a lot of uphill during the second half of the race.

Trent Parsons
Early leaders of the 2023 Shamrock Scurry 5K

Trent Parsons, a cross-country runner at Montford Middle School, set the early pace for the field. Truchelut followed, hitting the first mile in 5:58 before taking charge.


"It was just after the first mile," recalled Trucheulut. "I had a good lead on him before the uphills started."


Up and down, Truchelut left the field far behind on his way back to the church, where he arrived in a winning 18:43. Tallahassee master runner Mike Martinez overtook Parsons late in the race to place second in 19:46. Parson was third in 19:54.

Mike Martinez, Trent Parsons
Trent Parsons and Mike Martinez

400 meters into the Shamrock Scurry, a pair of middle school athletes led the women's field--Swift Creek sixth-grader Charlotte Sikes and Montford eighth-grader Savannah Stanley. 40 meters behind the two harriers, Jillian Heddaeus and Alyssa Terry shared the third position. Sikes and Stanley were still leading the women with a kilometer to go. Heddaeus hd fallen back. Terry, the 2019 Shamrock Scurry women's champ, continued to trail by 40 meters as the athletes headed toward Pancake Hill, the final climb on the course.

Alyssa Terry
Alyssa Terry

"I didn't think I could catch them," said Terry. "But I finally did on the last tenth of a mile. They had slowed down, but they sped up when I caught up."


Terry sped up as well, and was a step ahead at the finish line where she arrived ninth overall in 21:25--one second faster than she had gone four years earlier when she won her first Shamrock Scurry title. Sikes was also clocked in 21:25, the women's runner-up and tenth overall. Stanley placed third in the women's standings and eleventh overall in 21:28. Heddaeus, once a contender for third, was the fourth women and fourteenth overall in 22:38. Ali Kelly was the first woman master and seventh female finisher, 32nd overall in 24:47.

Charlotte Sikes, Savannah Stanley
Charlotte Sikes and Savannah Stanley

As in years past, a pancake and sausage breakfast at the church followed the race--more appetizing than a finisher medal. 308 athletes finished the 2023 Shamrock Scurry 5K, and another 141 completed the one-mile fun run. Gulf Winds Track Club of Tallahassee, Florida chip-timed the races.


Top Ten Men, 2023 Shamrock Scurry 5K
  1. 18:43, Ryan Truchelut (M, 37)
  2. 19:46, Mike Martinez (M, 57)
  3. 19:54, Trent Parsons (M, 14)
  4. 20:24, Zach Deveau (M, 35)
  5. 20:41, Richard Fernandez (M, 45)
  6. 20:45, Levon Hoomes (M, 33)
  7. 20:56, Duane Evans (M, 55)
  8. 21:06, Dan Manausa (M, 53)
  9. 21:55, Cory Gerbrandt (M, 46)
  10. 22:08, Jerome Roberts (M, 38)

Top Ten Women, 2023 Shamrock Scurry 5K
  1. 21:25, Alyssa Terry (F, 29)
  2. 21:25, Charlotte Sikes (F, 12)
  3. 21:28, Savannah Stanley (F, 14)
  4. 22:38, Jillian Heddaeus (F, 39)
  5. 23:44, Melissa Sullivan (F, 32)
  6. 24:33, Kelly Davis (F, 19)
  7. 24:47, Ali Kelly (F, 50)
  8. 25:02, Nicole Balmer (F, 47)
  9. 25:08, Nancy Stedman (F, 61)
  10. 25:26, Meredith Strange (F, 43)

Known Shamrock Scurry 5K winners, 1979 - 2023
DateMenWomen
17 March 197915:47, John Morrissey18:18, Sherry Henry
1980
1981
13 March 198217:05, Paul Hodge21:22, Cathy Shuler
12 March 198315:35, Adam Pinkston19:21, Cheryl Jennings
17 March 198416:19, Bobby Shackleford17:42, Nellie Orr
16 March 198514:35, Jeff Wentworth19:20, Angie Crook
15 March 198615:33, David Keen18:42, Janice Hochstein
7 March 198715:21, Richard Corbett18:15, Janice Hochstein
12 March 198816:01, Bill Crooks19:59, Robin Tanner
11 March 198915:57, Bill Crooks19:32, Yvonne Gsteiger
17 March 199015:39, John Charlton20:07 Jane Henderson
16 March 199115:32, Gary Droze19:15, Vikki Saga
14 March 199215:53, Jessie Close17:50, Paula Johnson
8 May 199317:04, John Leslie 19:39, Carrie Hunnicut
19 March 199415:17, Robin Rogers18:38, Jane Johnson
18 March 199515:26, John Charlton 19:10, Carrie Weyant
1996

   
13 March 200416:02, Ryder Leary16:44, Sinead Evans
5 March 200516:29, Matthew Dobson19:21, Breeda Willis
18 March 200618:21, Michael Martinez20:10, Jennifer Emo
17 March 200715:43, Joey Zins21:55, Jun Inoue
15 March 200814:47, Mark Carroll16:55, Barbara Parker
   
13 March 201017:25, Jay Wallace21:03, Anna Busby
12 March 201118:14, Peter Kaus19:35, Sheryl Rosen
10 March 201216:27, Stephen Cox19:43, Carrie Seiberlich
9 March 201316:13, Stanley Linton20:38, Mary Anne Grayson
8 March 201415:44, Stanley Linton19:48, Katie Sherron
14 March 201516:30, Chris Lake20:45, Emily Molen
12 March 201619:51, Duane Evans22:47, Emma Spencer
4 March 201716:38, Matthew McCurdy19:09, Katie Sherron
3 March 201817:22, Vince Molosky18:40, Katie Sherron
2 March 201918:13, Charlie Johnson21:26, Alyssa Terry
7 March 202017:32, Trevor Sununu19:33, Erika Huerta
5 March 202218:01, Wyatt Stafford18:36, Alison Wells
4 March 202318:43, Ryan Truchelut21:25, Alyssa Terry
Originally scheduled for March 13, the 1993 race had to be
postponed because of a severe winter storm.
The Shamrock Scurry was held from Killearn UMC from 1979
to 1996.
The Shamrock Scurry was not held from 1997 to 2003.
From 2004 to 2008 the Shamrock Scurry was held from
Celebration Baptist Church.
The Shamrock Scurry was not held in 2009.
From 2010 to 2023 the Shamrock Scurry was held from Killearn UMC.


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1 comment:

  1. AnonymousMarch 5, 2023 at 7:45 PM

    It’s great to have you back! I’ve really been missing this content.

    ReplyDelete