In Tallahassee, Florida you can depend on thousands of runners showing up in Southwood on Thanksgiving morning. It has been that way since 2002, when Gulf Winds Track Club moved the Tallahassee Turkey Trot to Southwood. Low temperatures or wet weather may cut into the crowd some years, but they still came in their thousands. The weather was bright and cool for the 44th annual Turkey Trot on Thursday morning, 28 November 2019, prompting more than 5,000 athletes to make it to the starting line of one of the four races--mile, 5K, 10K, and the main event 15K. Of that crowd, the first over the finish line in the 15K was
Austin Whitelaw, who won the 9.3-mile race in 49:24.
Sheryl Rosen was the first woman in the 15K, placing seventh overall in 57:33.
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| Austin Whitelaw |
The hundreds of athletes in the “Turkey Gobbler” Mile had already had their turn on the streets of Southwood when the longer races--15K, 10K, and 5K--started at 8:30 AM. By the end of the first mile,
Austin Whitelaw and
Trevor Touchton were leading the 15K field. For the first half of the run, they raced side by side--Whitelaw, an academic advisor with Florida State University Student-Athlete Academic Services, and Touchton, a United States Army Lieutenant stationed at Fort Bragg. Approaching the five-mile mark, Whitelaw broke away.
“It was right at the 10K and 15K split,” said Whitelaw. “After that he was still close.”
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| Trevor Touchton and Austin Whitelaw |
Between the six- and seven-mile marks, the course made a U-turn, allowing Whitelaw to gauge his lead over Touchton.
“I had about 30 seconds on him there,” said Whitelaw. “I told myself that as long as I keep running aggressively, I’ll be all right.”
He did. He was. Whitelaw took first in 49:24, with Touchton second in 50:14.
Caleb Carmichael, the University of West Florida cross-country coach, placed third in 52:22. Tallahassee Community College cross-country coach
Gary Droze was the first master runner in the race and sixth overall in 57:27.
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| Sheryl Rosen |
Whitelaw raced cross-country at Monroe High School and at the University of Tennessee. He also has plans to compete at the USATF National Club Cross Country Championships in December. During that long athletic career, though, Whitelaw never raced 15K, so his time in the race stands as a personal best.
Sheryl Rosen, the Turkey Trot 15K women’s champ, seemed dismissive of her own performance.
“I was a minute off last year’s time,” said Rosen.
Rosen didn’t mention that her 2018 mark, 56:45, is still the second-fastest time logged by a woman on the Southwood course. Rosen wasn’t exactly pushed in the 2019 race, either. When she crossed the finish line in 57:33, she was almost a mile ahead of the next woman in the race. Rosen collected her first Turkey Trot 15K title in 2006. The 2019 win was her ninth. No one has won the race as many times.
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| Rachel Durbin |
Rachel Durbin was the second woman in the race, coming in eighteenth overall in 1:03:31. Alyssa Moore was the third woman and 21st overall in 1:05:39.
L. A. Hanlon was the first woman master and sixth female finisher, 31st overall in 1:07:43.
Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Tallahassee Turkey Trot 15K
- 49:24, Austin Whitelaw (M, 26) Tallahassee, FL
- 50:14, Trevor Touchton (M, 24) Tallahassee, FL
- 52:22, Caleb Carmichael (M, 35) Pensacola, FL
- 52:59, Trevor Sununu (M, 24) Tallahassee, FL
- 56:14, Chris O'Kelley (M, 26) Tallahassee, FL
- 57:27, Gary Droze (M, 58) Tallahassee, FL
- 58:09, Drew Farrington (M, 58:04) Okemos, MI
- 58:28, Mickey Moore (M, 49) Tallahassee, FL
- 58:53, Hong-Guo Yu (M, 51) Tallahassee, FL
- 59:58, Myles Gibson (M, 53) Iron City, GA
Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Tallahassee Turkey Trot 15K
- 57:33, Sheryl Rosen (F, 35) Tallahassee, FL
- 63:31, Rachel Durbin (F, 24) Tallahassee, FL
- 65:39, Alyssa Moore (F, 25) Tallahassee, FL
- 66:01, Kate Harrison (F, 27) Orlando, FL
- 66:02, Lilli Unger (F, 17) Tallahassee, FL
- 67:43, L. A. Hanlon (F, 41) Tallahassee, FL
- 67:52, Katie Sherron (F, 38) Tallahassee, FL
- 70:30, Jillian Heddaeus (F, 36) Tallahassee, FL
- 71:35, Laura Reina (F, 55) Tallahassee, FL
- 72:34, Jane Johnson (F, 60) Tallahassee, FL
Whitelaw and Touchton had each other for company during the first half of the 15K. In the 10K,
Chris Haynes ran alone for nearly the entire 6.2-mile race. That’s not surprising when you consider that Haynes not only went faster than anyone else in the race, he went faster than anyone has ever run the Turkey Trot 10K. His 31:34 winning time took three seconds off the Turkey Trot record. Not that there weren't any obstacles along the way.
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| Chris Haynes |
“I was bobbing and weaving among the 5K runners on the fourth mile and the last kilometer,” said Haynes.
He did enjoy himself along the way, though.
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| Micah Kemp |
“The drums were cool!” said Haynes. “The course was well marked. It was super well marked.”
Micah Kemp, a senior on the University of West Florida cross-country team, was second in 34:33.
Michael Rhodes of Perry, Florida was the top master runner in the race, outkicking Leon High's Joseph Ashebo for third overall. Both runners were clocked in 35:40.
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| Ann Centner |
Ann Centner went 35:41 for the women's title in the 10K, placing fifth overall. It wasn’t a Turkey Trot record, but it was the fastest 10K run by a woman on the Tallahassee roads in the last eight years. It also took more than a minute off Centner’s personal best, a 36:57 she ran at Thomasville’s 2019 Rose City 10K.
Mia DePillo, a senior on the East Tennessee State women's cross-country squad, placed second in the women's standings and tenth overall in 40:01.
Renee Cox, a University of West Florida graduate student in nursing, was the third woman and eleventh overall in 40:10. Cox had won the women's title in the 2018 Turkey Trot 10K. Ali Kelly of Tallahassee was the first woman master and fifth female finisher in the 10K, 34th overall in 43:45.
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| Mia DePillo |
Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Tallahassee Turkey Trot 10K
- 31:34, Chris Haynes (M, 27) Tallahassee, FL
- 34:33, Micah Kemp (M, 22) Pensacola, FL
- 35:40, Michael Rhodes (M, 50) Perry, FL
- 35:40, Joseph Ashebo (M, 18) Tallahassee, FL
- 38:16, Stephen Andrews (M, 33) Tampa, FL
- 39:04, Paul Guyas (M, 42) Tallahassee, FL
- 39:31, Terrance Keenan (M, 55) Tallahassee, FL
- 39:55, Bobby Duggleby (M, 29) Tallahassee, FL
- 40:30, Elvis Maradzike (M, 33) Tallahassee, FL
- 40:46, Paul Kileen (M, 13) Tallahassee, FL
Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Tallahassee Turkey Trot 10K
- 35:51, Ann Centner (F, 28) Tallahassee, FL
- 40:01, Mia Depillo (F, 22) Fort Wayne, IN
- 40:10, Renee Cox (F, 32) Pensacola, FL
- 42:12, Amanda Sava (F, 25) Tallahassee, FL
- 43:45, Ali Kelly (F, 47) Tallahassee, FL
- 43:52, Brittney Barnes (F, 31) Tallahassee, FL
- 44:13, Maria Andrews (F, 29) Tallahassee, FL
- 44:35, Kelley Bahn (F, 27) Pensacola, FL
- 44:41, Lily Moore (F, 15) Tallahassee, FL
- 44:52, Chelsee Cook (F, 20) Blountstown, FL
Ricardo Estremera had won the Turkey Trot 5K in 2015, 2017, and 2018. He returned to the race in 2019 with the specific goal of breaking the race’s 5K record, a 14:46 run by
Matt Mizereck in 2010. Estremera led from the gun, and crossed the finish line far ahead of the rest of the field in 14:46--equalling Mizereck’s mark.
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| Ricardo Estremera |
“I tied it. I’m done,” said Estremera. “I’m going to run 10K or 15K next year.”
Christopher Porter, a first-year runner on Mansfield University cross-country team, placed runner-up in 16:40. Michael Castel of Tallahassee was third in 16:57.
Mike Martinez of Tallahassee was the first master runner in the race, coming in seventh overall in 17:47.
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| Angela Cipriani |
Angela Cipriani of Thomasville, Georgia was the first woman in the 5K, finishing sixteenth overall in 18:44. Cipriani is an undergraduate at Valdosta State University, where she races on the women's cross-country team. Florida State University graduate student
Alyssa Terry was the second woman and 33rd overall in 19:45.
Olivia Miller of Tallahassee was third in the women’s standings and 42nd overall in 20:09. Tallahassee's
Monica Judd was the first woman master and eighth female finisher in the 5K, 58th overall in 20:55.
Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Tallahassee Turkey Trot 5K
- 14:46, Ricardo Estremera (M, 33) Tallahassee, FL
- 16:40, Christopher Porter (M, 18) Tallahassee, FL
- 16:57, Michael Castel (M, 27) Tallahassee, FL
- 17:17, Filippo Aldrovandi-Reina (M, 15) Tallahassee, FL
- 17:27, Charles Hruda (M, 18) Tallahassee, FL
- 17:33, Christian Minor (M, 32) Tallahassee, FL
- 17:47, Mike Martinez (M, 53) Tallahassee, FL
- 17:51, George Escobar (M, 21) Tallahassee, FL
- 17:52, Michael Hall II (M, 23) Tallahassee, FL
- 17:53, Ashton Smith (M, 18) Tallahassee, FL
Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Tallahassee Turkey Trot 5K
- 18:44, Angela Cipriani (F, 20) Thomasville, GA
- 19:45, Alyssa Terry (F, 26) Tallahassee, FL
- 20:09, Olivia Miller (F, 18) Tallahassee, FL
- 20:11, Elyse Carmichael (F, 12) Pensacola, FL
- 20:31, Tate Arrington (F, 15) Charlotte, NC
- 20:33, Keely Bradle (F, 10) Charlotte, NC
- 20:50, Zita Magloire (F, 35) Cairo, GA
- 20:55, Monica Judd (F, 45) Tallahassee, FL
- 20:55, Clifton Lewis (F, 11) Tallahassee, FL
- 21:17, Evelyn Baldwin (F, 16) Van Nuys, CA
| Tallahassee Turkey Trot winners, 1976 - 2019 |
|---|
| Date | Distance | Men | Women | Finishers |
|---|
| November 1976 | 10 Miles | 53:33, Tim Simpkins | 78:10, Betty Ely | |
| November 1977 | 10 Miles | 52:49, Tim Simpkins | 65:30, Rosemary Desloge | |
| November 1978 | 15K | 46:30, Ken Misner | 58:14, Janice Gage | |
| November 1979 | 15K | 49:03, Chuck Jewell | 61:06, Janice Gage | |
| November 1980 | 15K | 48:06, Gary Slayton | 58:16, Laura Ledbetter | |
| November 1981 | 15K | 46:50, Ernie McKee | 58:54, Liz Tromboli | |
| November 1982 | 15K | 47:47, George West | 55:51, Margaret Coomber | |
| November 1983 | 15K | 47:02, Ronnie Treadway | 55:29, Carla Borovicka | |
| November 1984 | 15K | 49:42, Rick Miller | 57:23, Margaret Coomber | |
| November 1985 | 15K | 46:31, Larry Greene | 56:49, Karen MacHarg | |
| November 1986 | 15K | 47:35, Herb Wills | 53:36, Carla Borovicka | |
| 5K | 16:29, Kent Vann | 20:44, Gail Reinertsen | |
| November 1987 | 15K | 46:26, Paul Waldron | 53:49, Carla Borovicka | |
| 5K | 15:46, Rick Miller | 19:52, Anita Cicanese | |
| November 1988 | 15K | 47:18, Herb Wills | 54:08, Carla Borovicka | |
| 5K | 15:36, Rick Miller | 20:21, Yvonne Gsteiger | |
| November 1989 | 15K | 47:05, Jessie Close | 57:25, Janice Hochstein | |
| 5K | 16:02, Gary Droze | 21:45, Kathy Bishop | |
| November 1990 | 15K | 48:37, Jeff Wentworth | 58:34, Paula Johnson | |
| 5K | 15:54, Patrick Calcutt | 22:06, Kathy Scarth | |
| November 1991 | 15K | 48:54, Jessie Close | 60:51, Tina Davies | |
| 5K | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| November 1992 | 15K | 55:35, Douglas Henry | 1:03:17, Sissi Carroll | |
| 10K | 33:52, Bill Crooks | 38:00, Lynda Nilges | |
| 5K | No 5K race | |
| November 1993 | 15K | 55:32, Thomas Holshouser | 1:04:15, Paula Johnson/Linda Nilges | |
| 10K | 32:43, Gary Droze | 38:02, Carrie Weyant | |
| 5K | 17:23, Tony Wade | 17:45, Kirsty Wade | |
| November 1994 | 15K | 55:06, Terry Presnell | 58:50, Carrie Weyant | |
| 10K | 34:56, Jason Gowans | 43:19, Rachel Kosiewski | |
| 5K | 17:48, Bill McGuire | 18:36, Kim Pawelek | |
| November 1995 | 15K | 49:12, Jessie Close | 59:40, Carrie Weyant | |
| 10K | 34:17, Jeff Nielsen | 40:40, Chateau Mangaroo | |
| 5K | 18:14, John Rogers | 22:55, Nicole Hylan | |
| November 1996 | 15K | 54:55, Clarence Calloway | 59:51, Carrie Weyant | |
| 10K | 31:37, Gary Droze | 40:34, Susan Bergh | |
| 5K | 18:37, Dana Carpenter | 17:23, Kim Pawelek | |
| November 1997 | 15K | 52:57, Jeff Nielsen | 59:40, Carrie Weyant | |
| 10K | 32:37, Lee Willis | 37:35, Sarah Docter-Williams | |
| 5K | 17:01, Corey Cherr | 21:40, Jordann Baker | |
| November 1998 | 15K | 52:47, Robert Pautienus | 58:20, Jane Johnson | |
| 10K | 32:38, Lee Willis | 37:37, Sarah Docter-Williams | |
| 5K | 16:33, Michael Joanos | 21:56, Anne Johanson | |
| November 1999 | 15K | 53:52, Tim Unger | 58:38, Jane Johnson | |
| 10K | 33:35, Gary Droze | 38:02, Sarah Docter-Williams | |
| 5K | 15:45, Lee Willis | 20:15, Julie Carico | |
| November 2000 | 15K | 54:30, Gary Droze/Art Remillard | 58:39, Jane Johnson | |
| 10K | 33:02, Lee Willis | 40:02, Allison Eagen | |
| 5K | 17:55, Jason Stegall | 16:56, Breeda Dennehy-Willis | |
| November 2001 | 15K | 55:43, Slade Ward | 64:01, Cynthia Lyons | |
| 10K | 35:11, Matt Katz | 38:19, Kate Remillard | |
| 5K | 17:32, Hunter Cook | 21:21, Julia Bryant | |
| November 2002 | 15K | 53:30, Jessie Close | 63:26, Carrie Weyant | |
| 10K | 34:55, Gary Droze | 41:08, Jane Johnson | |
| 5K | 16:47, Shawn Patterson | 19:42, Karol Withrow | |
| November 2003 | 15K | 51:54, Jessie Close | 59:54, Luanne Coulter | |
| 10K | 34:15, Phillip Rowan | 37:42, Sarah Docter-Williams | |
| 5K | 17:18, Corey Preugschat | 20:47, Karla Savery | |
| November 2004 | 15K | 50:42, Matthew Dobson | 59:54, Jane Johnson | |
| 10K | 36:38, Charlie Johnson | 37:08, Sarah Docter-Williams | |
| 5K | 16:34, Caleb Carmichael | 19:23, Karol Withrow | |
| 24 November 2005 | 15K | 52:34, Jessie Close | 57:59, Luanne Coulter | 211 |
| 10K | 34:56, Gary Droze | 37:35, Sarah Docter-Williams | 274 |
| 5K | 16:34, Alex Miletich | 20:03, Jennifer Emo | 992 |
| 23 November 2006 | 15K | 50:24, Matthew Dobson | 58:24, Sheryl Rosen | 207 |
| 10K | 32:52, Alex Brickler | 35:20, Breeda Dennehy-Willis | 295 |
| 5K | 16:40, Calvin Vannoy | 18:16, Sarah Docter-Williams | 1232 |
| 22 November 2007 | 15K | 54:37, Jay Wallace | 59:52, Sheryl Rosen | 208 |
| 10K | 32:56, Alex Brickler | 41:52, Michelle Sikes | 210 |
| 5K | 15:37, Stephan Smith | 18:39, Micah Adriani | 686 |
| 27 November 2008 | 15K | 50:10, Chris Lake | 59:56, Sheryl Rosen | 341 |
| 10K | 34:07, Tyler Price | 44:33, Kristin Sweeney | 389 |
| 5K | 16:11, Stan Reecy | 18:29, Lisa Johnson | 1714 |
| 26 November 2009 | 15K | 51:19, Chris Lake | 57:49, Amy Hines | 346 |
| 10K | 32:15, Tyler Price | 39:45, Kristin Findley | 502 |
| 5K | 14:52, Nick Stenuf | 17:38, Karen Harvey | 2075 |
| 25 November 2010 | 15K | 50:48, Chris Lake | 61:46, Allison Eagen | 464 |
| 10K | 35:23, Josh Brown | 36:47, Karen Harvey | 587 |
| 5K | 14:46, Matt Mizereck | 18:30, Lisa Johnson | 2858 |
| 24 November 2011 | 15K | 50:39, Chris Lake | 57:36, Pasca Cheruiyot | 428 |
| 10K | 33:15, Richard Smith | 45:41, L.A. Hanlon | 643 |
| 5K | 16:35, Sean Mendes | 19:02, Lisa Johnson | 3035 |
| 22 November 2012 | 15K | 49:53, Chris Lake | 57:27, Sheryl Rosen | 432 |
| 10K | 33:15, Stanley Linton | 36:05, Stephanie Slekis | 766 |
| 5K | 16:02, Ryan Barrow | 16:26, Violah Lagat | 3682 |
| 28 November 2013 | 15K | 49:59, Joshua Seitz | 57:11, Sheryl Rosen | 395 |
| 10K | 32:38, Stanley Linton | 38:00, Seeley Gutierrez | 774 |
| 5K | 15:28, Kevin Sullivan | 18:36, Emily Ness | 2980 |
| 27 November 2014 | 15K | 49:37, Chris Lake | 60:19, Sheryl Rosen | 465 |
| 10K | 34:49, David Thornton | 40:50, Marci Gray | 667 |
| 5K | 15:52, Joshua Seitz | 20:59, Alyson Churchill | 3864 |
| 26 November 2015 | 15K | 52:41, Nate Kaiser | 57:41, Katie Sherron | 306 |
| 10K | 35:01, Daniel Hamilton | 38:40, Katie Gorman | 679 |
| 5K | 14:53, Ricardo Estremera | 18:33, Emma Reed | 3890 |
| 24 November 2016 | 15K | 47:44, Stan Linton | 59:42, Sheryl Rosen | 354 |
| 10K | 32:01, Justin Garrard | 41:40, Renee Cox | 682 |
| 5K | 16:02, Trevor Touchton | 19:48, Katie Sack | 4274 |
| 23 November 2017 | 15K | 51:49, Anthony Malatesta | 56:36, Katie Sherron | 292 |
| 10K | 32:42, Justin Garrard | 38:03, Adriana Piekarewicz | 507 |
| 5K | 15:11, Ricardo Estremera | 20:07, Kat Sack | 3060 |
| 22 November 2018 | 15K | 48:28, Stan Linton | 56:45, Sheryl Rosen | 237 |
| 10K | 33:13, Micah Kemp | 38:59, Renee Cox | 542 |
| 5K | 14:47, Ricardo Estremera | 19:43, Caroline Willis | 3811 |
| 28 November 2019 | 15K | 49:24, Austin Whitelaw | 57:33, Sheryl Rosen | 227 |
| 10K | 31:34, Chris Haynes | 35:51, Ann Centner | 567 |
| 5K | 14:46, Ricardo Estremera | 18:44, Angela Cipriani | 3507 |
Links
- Complete results of Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Turkey Trot
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQS0f7f3YtWAjkJkeqbH_WCy5ssnJTfJJSoh0a2XJIWNt08VdBuE8w696bsUS2zor4oYx03aB2kOtzc/pubhtml
- More Trouble Afoot! photos of Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Tallahassee Turkey Trot
- 2016 story, “Stan Linton trots 47:44 for 15K at the Tallahassee Turkey Trot”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/11/turkey-trot-2016.html
- 2015 story, “5,645 enjoy Turkey Trot; Kaiser and Sherron enjoy it quickly”
https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/11/turkey-trot-2015.html
- 2014 story, “Lake and Rosen back on top at Turkey Trot”
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/11/turkey-trot-2014.html
- 2013 story, “Seitz and Rosen speed through Southwood to Turkey Trot 15K titles”
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/11/turkey-trot-2013.html
- 2012 story, “Lake and Rosen take titles as 6,000 runners take in Turkey Trot”
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/11/turkey-trot-2012.html
- 2011 story, “Lake and 5,100 runners decide Turkey Trot is 'just right'”
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/11/turkey-trot-2011.html
- 2010 story, “Nearly 5,000 runners devour four races at 2010 Tallahassee Turkey Trot”
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/11/turkey-trot-2010.html
- 2009 story, “No Turkeys Were Harmed in the Trotting of this Race”
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2009/11/no-turkeys-were-harmed-in-trotting-of.html
- Gulf Winds Track Club's Tallahassee Turkey Trot
http://tallyturkeytrot.com/
- Find upcoming races, poultry and non-poultry alike, on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
#2469
After Valdosta State University's 2021 cross-country season, Brishen House was awarded as Most Valuable Athlete on the men's team, and Angie Cipriani as the same on the women's squad. A few months later, on 12 February 2022, the duo led a VSU sweep of the sixth annual Blazin' Love 5K. House took first overall, running 15:50 for 3.1 miles on the streets of Valdosta, Georgia. Cipriani topped the women's field with an 18:11.
