Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Stan Linton's 14:34 and Katie Sherron's 17:08 lead thousands at the Palace Saloon 5K

On Saturday morning, 12 April 2025, right after Gulf Winds Track Club's 50th Palace Saloon 5K, Stan Linton was throwing around the word "perfect" a lot.

Stan Linton
Stan Linton

"It was perfect conditions for the race," declared Linton. "And perfect weather to hang out after the race. You don't often get both of those."


"Record" was also on his lips.


"It was a record today for the most people and the nicest weather," said Linton. "I mean, if you can have a record for weather."

Finish
14:34!

The record foremost on Linton's mind, though, was the Palace Saloon 5K course record. After having that time in his crosshairs each of the seven times he ran the Palace, Linton got that record, winning the 2025 race in 14:34. Katie Sherron was the first woman in the Palace, coming in tenth overall in 17:08.


Before the Palace, Linton was open about his goal of a fast time in the race. Sadio Fenner was among the Palace entries that Linton shared his plans with. A former University of Nebraska distance runner, Fenner was coming off an 8:56.73 steeplechase win at the Florida Relays a week earlier.


"He told me how fast he was going to go out," recalled Fenner. "I wanted no part of that."

Sadio Fenner
Sadio Fenner

So although Linton started the race with over 2,000 other athletes, he was all alone when he hit the mile mark in 4:40. Fenner, running second, was already about 150 meters back. Linton continued his solo pursuit of a record time. Conditions favored him on the second mile.


"There was a great tailwind on Dupree Street," said Linton.


He covered that second mile in 4:42. The third mile, though, opened with the only significant uphill on the course--the Jackson Bluff Road climb to the crest of Michelob Ridge. Once over the ridge, the course descended to the Budweiser Creek bridge, right before the finish line at the Palace Saloon. Linton used the downhill as best he could. His split for the third mile was 4:45, putting him over 14:00 for three miles. He didn't have much time left to cover the final meters.

Ryan Ziskinder
Ryan Ziskinder

"On the final hill, between the downhill and the slight tailwind I almost ran a personal best on the last 800 meters," said Linton.


Charging over the bridge, past the bar, and over the finish line, Linton crossed the timing pad in a winning 14:34. It was the fastest mark on the current course, and fastest on any USATF-certified Palace Saloon 5K course. It was also Linton's fastest 5K road time ever.


"It was almost better than my personal best for 5K on the track," said Linton.

Katie Sherron
Katie Sherron

And it was Linton's sixth Palace win, more than any other athlete. The winningest runner at Palace before Linton was Rick Miller, who amassed five wins from 1982 to 1989.


Sadio Fenner took second in 15:35. Ryan Ziskinder, the 2024 Palace champion, placed third in 16:11. It was Ziskinder's fourth straight year in the top three at Palace. Logan Haley, a frosh on the Suwannee High cross-country team, was fourth in 16:36. Brent Moody the first master runner in the race, coming in seventh overall in 17:05--only just ahead of Christian Minor (8th, 17:06) and master runner Leonardo Canete (9th, 17:08).


Also clocked at 17:08 was the first woman in the race, master runner Katie Sherron.

Erin Phelps
Erin Phelps

"P.R. day!" exclaimed Sherron. "43 years old and my fastest ever 5K!"


Sherron got ahead of the rest of the women's field early and was never challenged for the lead after that, going on to win the women's title by almost 250 meters.


Erin Phelps, the 2025 Springtime 10K women's champ, was the second woman in the race, placing 28th overall in 18:01. Madeline Frank was the third woman and 36th overall in 18:14. Laney Williams, a frosh distance runner on the Florida State University Track Club, was the fourth woman and 48th overall in 18:41. Another FSU Track Club member, Ella Raesly, edged Acadia Hassell for fifth in the women's standings, 19:36 to 19:37. The two were 65th and 67th overall. Hassel is a cross-country runner at Montford Middle School.

Madeline Frank
Madeline Frank

In 2012, shortly after moving to Tallahassee, Sherron discovered the Palace Saloon 5K. That year she ran her first Palace in 19:25, finishing as the fifth woman and 41st overall. She has come back to the race every year since, making thirteen in a row. During that streak she has only gotten swifter, notching three women's titles. What keeps Sherron coming back to the Palace?


"My kids like the race," said Sherron. "There's always bagels and good snacks."


Yes, it is true that a lot of people are drawn to the Palace each year for post-race...bagels.

After Gulf Winds Track Club's 2025 Palace Saloon 5K
Happy Palace Saloon 5K finishers

2,150 athletes finished the 2025 Palace Saloon 5K, the most ever. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed the race.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2025 Palace Saloon 5K
  1. 14:34, Stan Linton (M, 31) Crawfordville, FL
  2. 15:35, Sadio Fenner (M, 24) Colorado Springs, CO
  3. 16:11, Ryan Ziskinder (M, 22) Palm City, FL
  4. 16:36, Logan Haley (M, 15) Live Oak, FL
  5. 16:59, Kyle Kraeft (M, 35) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 17:01, Abel Adams (M, 15) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 17:05, Brent Moody (M, 40) Tallahassee, FL
  8. 17:06, Christian Minor (M, 38) Tallahassee, FL
  9. 17:08, Leonardo Canete (M, 46) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 17:12, Michael Avola (M, 20) Tallahassee, FL

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2025 Palace Saloon 5K
  1. 17:08, Katie Sherron (F, 43) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 18:01, Erin Phelps (F, 25) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 18:14, Madeline Frank (F, 28) Tallahassee, FL
  4. 18:41, Laney Williams (F, 18) Boca Raton, FL
  5. 19:36, Ella Raesly (F, 18) Orlando, FL
  6. 19:37, A. Hassell (F, 12) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 19:41, Maggie Whisler (F, 19) Gainesville, FL
  8. 19:46, Megan Noonan (F, 41) Tallahassee, FL
  9. 19:57, Samantha Fish (F, 21) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 20:11, Janellys Santana (F, 22) Tallahassee, FL

Palace Saloon 5K Champions, 1975 - 2025
DateMenWomenFinishers
12 April 202514:34, Stan Linton17:08, Katie Sherron2150
20 April 202415:27, Ryan Ziskinder17:18, Ann Centner1254
15 April 202314:54, Stanley Linton17:08, Jennifer Lima878
23 April 202214:49, Stanley Linton17:39, Katie Sherron468
9 October 202114:45, Stanley Linton17:40, Katie Sherron284
13 April 201914:39, David Barney17:38, Ann Centner864
21 April 201815:15, Justin Garrard18:05, Ani Veltcheva815
15 April 201715:16, Stanley Linton17:58, Ani Veltcheva1043
16 April 201615:53, Nick Merrett18:13, Ani Veltcheva1048
11 April 201515:29, Tyler Udland17:54, Lauren Poulos1314
12 April 201415:52, Chris Lake17:45, Amy Hines1303
20 April 201315:46, Stanley Linton17:49, Sheryl Rosen1389
14 April 201216:07, Josh Myers17:20, Lindsay Zeiler1190
16 April 201115:48, Chris Lake 18:24, Lindsay Zeiler 1064
10 April 201015:45, Chris Lake 17:42, Christina Woytalewicz 1214
11 April 200916:21, John Robida 18:11, Lisa Johnson 1022
12 April 200815:25, Nick Sunseri 18:46, Lisa Johnson 782
14 April 200716:12, J. P. Cook 17:14, Breeda Willis 537
15 April 200616:04, Justin Cross 18:33, Stephanie Liles 456
16 April 200516:06, Lee Willis 16:31, Breeda Willis 318
10 April 200416:39, Shawn Patterson 18:29, Breeda Willis 299
12 April 200316:26, Martin Littlefield 19:21, Tricia Snyder 257
13 April 200217:22, Chris Stanley 21:03, Allison Eagen 189
14 April 200116:51, Art Remillard 19:05, Kate Wallace 219
15 April 200015:39, Paul Spangler 17:19, Anna Pichrtova 217
17 April 199915:45, Robert Pautienus 17:22, Sarah Docter-Williams 261
18 April 199816:18, Jason Carter 17:29, Sarah Docter-Williams 238
19 April 199715:53, Gary Droze 17:37, Sarah Docter-Williams 169
6 April 199615:55, Gary Droze 17:59, Jane Johnson 134
8 April 199516:01, Tim Simpkins 17:48, Jane Johnson 188
2 April 199414:56, Robin Rogers 17:51, Lisa Herman 252
3 April 199315:30, Andy Palmer 19:37, Carrie Hunnicutt 270
11 April 199215:48, Gary Droze 17:45, Paula Johnson ?
13 April 199115:10, Gary Droze 18:20, Vikki Saga 371
14 April 199014:57, David Keen 18:38, Vikki Saga
15 April 198915:23, Rick Miller 19:05, Yvonne Gsteiger
9 April 198815:30, Rick Miller 17:55, Karen MacHarg
11 April 198715:03, Jacob Hoesly 17:33, Karen MacHarg
12 April 198614:36, Paul Waldron 18:44, Paige Dempsey
9 March 198515:39, Rick Miller 17:52, Margaret Coomber
18 February 198415:32, Greg Doss 16:34, Kristy McDermott
16 April 198314:52, Rick Miller 16:38, Darien Andreu
20 March 198214:48, Rick Miller?????
21 March 198115:02, Dennis Lunne 18:16, Janice Gage
8 March 198014:59, George West 19:37, Marty Graham
10 March 197914:55, Tom Herron 17:37, Kathy Moore
25 February 197814:30, George West 17:45, Laura Ledbetter
15 January 1977George West?????
14 August 197614:37, George West 18:05, Janice Gage
15 November 197518:17, David Price 19:56, Janice Gage
Multiple wins by men: Stan Linton (6), Rick Miller (5), George West (4), Gary Droze (4),
      Chris Lake (3)
Multiple wins by women: Janice Gage (3), Sarah Docter-Williams (3), Breeda Willis (3),
      Ani Veltcheva (3), Katie Sherron (3), Karen MacHarg (2), Vikki Saga (2),
      Jane Johnson (2), Lisa Johnson (2), Lindsay Zeiler (2), Ann Centner (2)


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Posted by Herb Wills at 5:20 PM
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