Caleb Pottorff goes 15:30, Katie Sherron 18:34 in Apalachee Regional Park

Sustainable Tallahassee's seventh annual Trash Dash 5K came second on a two-event bill at Tallahassee, Florida's Apalachee Regional Park Championship Cross-Country Course, following the NJCAA Region 8 Cross-Country Championship. In cinema, the second half of a double feature is considered inferior, the lowly "B Movie." At a concert, however, the first performers on stage are a warm-up act; the headliner follows. There isn't such a convention for cross-country runs, and I'm not going to choose which race at ARPXC on Saturday morning, 28 October 2017, was the main event. I'm just going to note that Caleb Pottorff won the Trash Dash in 15:30, and that Katie Sherron took the women's title in 18:34.

Caleb Pottorff

Pottorff, a first-year student at Florida State University, is no stranger to the course at Apalachee Regional Park. As a member of the Lincoln Park Academy cross-country team, Pottorff raced at ARPXC in 2013, 2015, and 2016 in the State Cross-Country Meet. At the 2016 State Meet he won the class 2A title in 15:08.12, the fastest 5K posted in a high school race at ARPXC during that year.


In that 2016 race, Pottorff had been pushed by Bolles School sophomore Charles Hicks, a close second in 15:09.13. No one was challenging Pottorff at the Trash Dash, though. He led from start to finish, the only athlete to run sub-16:00 that morning. There were five other sub-17:00 performances, though. Tyler Dau, another Florida State frosh, took second in 16:03. Tom Hogarty, a Florida State grad student, took third in 16:19. Jacksonville University alum Jeremy McDermet placed fourth in 16:28. Tallahassee triathlete Charlie Johnson, just two weeks after competing in the Ironman World Championships, ran 16:36 for fifth. Matthew Butler was sixth in 16:58. Thirteenth overall in 18:38, Carter Hay was the fastest master runner in the 5K.

Tyler Dau

Women's champ Katie Sherron, a Florida State University economics professor, also considers herself a friend of Apalachee Regional Park.


"It's a nice day at the ARP," said Sherron after her win. "It's always a nice day at the ARP. I like the ARP."

Katie Sherron

She had every reason to like ARPXC that morning. Her winning 18:34 was her fastest time yet on Tallahassee's most famous cross-country course. Behind Sherron, Chiles High sophomore Emily Molen edged Clearwater High Alumnus Mariah Zupan for second in the women's standings, 21:01 to 21:05. Molen and Zupan were 32nd and 33rd overall. Kenya Rich was the first woman master and twelfth female finisher, 54th overall in 22:58.


After 3.1 miles around Apalachee Regional Park, Sherron is looking forward to something a bit longer--about ten miles longer, actually.

Emily Molen

"We've got a half marathon next weekend," said Sherron. "It's in Savannah. I'm hoping for a PR."


171 athletes finished the 2017 Trash Dash 5K, the most ever in the seven-year history of the event. Gulf Winds Track Club chip timed the race.


Top Ten Men, 2017 Trash Dash 5K

1. 15:30, Caleb Pottorff (M, 18)
2. 16:03, Tyler Dau (M, 19)
3. 16:19, Tom Hogarty (M, 22)
4. 16:28, Jeremy McDermet (M, 22)
5. 16:36, Charlie Johnson (M, 37)
6. 16:58, Matthew Butler (M, 21)
7. 17:20, Matt McCurdy (M, 24)
8. 17:28, Tristan Cravello (M, 18)
9. 17:49, Chris O'Kelley (M, 24)
10. 18:27, Joshua Guest (M, 18)

Tom Hogarty

Top Ten Women, 2017 Trash Dash 5K

1. 18:34, Katie Sherron (F, 36)
2. 21:01, Emily Molen (F, 15)
3. 21:05, Zupan Mariah (F, 18)
4. 21:48, Jillian Heddaeus (F, 34)
5. 21:55, Kristi McPherson (F, 19)
6. 22:03, Rebecca Landry (F, 19)
7. 22:19, Dorcas Jepleting (F, 19)
8. 22:20, Ireland MacDonell (F, 20)
9. 22:36, Samantha Reilly (F, 26)
10. 22:38, Jenna Flemons (F, 19)

Trash Dash winners, 2011 - 2017
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
19 November 2011	17:53, Brian Corbin	21:28, Sheryl Rosen
10 November 2012	17:52, Roger Schmidt	20:33, Katie Showman	98
16 November 2013	15:54, Stanley Linton	19:06, Emily Ness	136
8 November 2014	17:12, Roger Schmidt	20:07, Katie Sherron	80
14 November 2015	15:10, Ricardo Estremera	19:28, Tara Rooney	99
29 October 2016	18:13, Thomas Howell	17:54, Militsa Mircheva	84
28 October 2017	15:30, Caleb Pottorff	18:34, Katie Sherron	171

Links

• Complete results of the 2017 Trash Dash 5K at gulfwinds.org
  http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2017/TrashDash2017.html
  
  
• More photos of the 2017 Trash Dash 5K
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10110784194699223.1073742326.5215641&type=1&l=f52b3c20dc
  
  
• 2016 story, “Militsa Mircheva cranks a 17:54 Trash Dash 5K at Apalachee Regional Park”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2016/10/trash-dash-2016.html
  
  
• 2015 story, “Estremera goes 15:10 at Apalachee Regional Park in the Trash Dash 5K”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/11/trash-dash-2015.html
  
  
• 2014 story, “Schmidt and Sherron take out the Trash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/11/trash-dash-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “No rubbish runs for Linton or Ness at the Trash Dash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/11/trash-dash-2013.html
  
  
• 2012 story, “Schmidt and Showman dump their competition in the Trash Dash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2012/11/trash-dash-2012.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Corbin and Rosen weren't talking trash”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/11/trash-dash-2011.html
  
  
• Find the next trash dash, rubbish run, or garbage gallop on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#2116

Pottorff turns a US #4 9:03.44 and Churchill a US #1 10:23.81 at the FSU Relays

Making eight swift circuits of the Mike Long Track on the Tallahassee campus of Florida State University, Caleb Pottorff blasted a 9:03.44 to win the high school boys' 3200 at the Florida State University Relays--a US#4 time for the Lincoln Park senior. Then, while lane one was still smoking from Pottorff's performance, Lincoln frosh Alyson Churchill scorched the track with a US#1 10:23.81 in the high school girls' 3200. The two 24 March 2017 races accented the Relays' reputation for fast 3200 competition on Friday evenings.


There were three sections of the boys' 3200. Seeding had relegated the 2016 state cross-country champions in class 1A and class 4A, Mount Dora Christian sophomore Gabriel Curtis and Winter Springs senior Matt Doyle, to section two. Two other 2016 cross-country champs, Pottorff of class 2A and Chiles junior Michael Phillips of class 3A, were in section three with the top seeds. It didn't necessarily look like the fast section during the first half of the race. The pace started out ambitiously enough, with the leaders running the first 400 in under 67 seconds. The next three laps, though, averaged a sluggish 70 seconds each, bringing the field through 1600 around 4:37.


Then they started racing. The pace picked up during the fifth lap as Pottorff dashed out into the lead. Pottorff continued to push through laps six and seven, while the rest of the field backed off, seeming to be gathering strength for the final 400 meters. But when the bell lap opened, Pottorff was more than 30 meters ahead.


Phillips of Chiles kicked hard, trying to chase down Pottorff. Creekside senior Matthew Clark followed in Phillips' wake. Neither, though, could make up the ground they'd given up to Pottorff after the 1600 mark, and Pottorff hung on to win in 9:03.44. Phillips was second in 9:05.22 and Clark third in 9:07.36.


The three section of the high school girls' 3200 followed. Seeding isn't perfect. No one would argue that Winter Park junior Rafaella Gibbons, the two-time defending champion in the event, didn't belong in section three. It was also clear that two-time state cross-country champion Tsion Yared deserved a spot in the third section. Colquitt County junior Elizabeth Funderburk, though, ended up seeded in section two.


Funderburk followed North Fort Myers senior Kayla Easterly through the first 1600, then took over when Easterly started to fade. Finishing strong, Funderburk posted a 10:42.16, a time fast enough to win the girls' 3200 at the Relays in six of the last twelve years. Any athlete in section three was going to have to beat Funderburk's time in order to win.


Alyson Churchill started section three at a pace fast enough to put her well under Funderburk's 10:42.16. Actually, Churchill started off fast enough for a runner headed out to break 10:00. Only East Lake senior Jennifer Lima dared to try to stick with Churchill. But while the Lincoln frosh had slowed by midway through the race, passing the 1600 in 5:03.73, Lima was out of contact and Churchill was still moving faster than the rest of the field. Churchill struggled on the last lap, but the race was over. She crossed the finish line in 10:23.81, the 2017 FSU Relays champion in the 3200 for high school girls. Rafella Gibbons made up some ground on Churchill during the final lap, but not enough to challenge the Lincoln frosh nor enough to better Funderburk's time. Gibbons was third in 10:45.20. Tsion Yared was third in 10:45.48, Jupiter frosh Alexanra Del Re was fourth in 10:46.25, and Jennifer Lima fifth in 10:48.46.


2017 Florida State University Relays high school boys' 3200, top ten

1. 9:03.44, Caleb Pottorff (Lincoln Park) 12
2. 9:05.22, Michael Phillips (Chiles) 11
3. 9:07.36, Matthew Clark (Creekside) 12
4. 9:12.31, Nicholas Deal (Creekside) 12
5. 9:13.66, Matthew Newland (Chiles) 11
6. 9:14.12, Trenton Mandato (Trinity) 12
7. 9:14.88, Joshua Collins (Belen Jesuit) 11
8. 9:17.02, Tanner Chada (Hinckley-Big Rock) 12
9. 9:19.02, Skylar Stidam (Christian Academy of Indiana) 11
10. 9:21.85, John Cacciatore (Satellite) 12

2017 Florida State University Relays high school girls' 3200, top ten

1. 10:23.81, Alyson Churchill (Lincoln) 9
2. 10:42.16, Elizabeth Funderburk (Colquitt County) 11
3. 10:45.20, Rafaella Gibbons (Winter Park) 11
4. 10:45.48, Tsion Yared (Pine Crest) 9
5. 10:46.25, Alexandra Del Re (Jupiter) 9
6. 10:48.46, Jennifer Lima (East Lake) 12
7. 10:48.54, Hannah Schneidewind (Niceville) 11
8. 10:50.86, Amanda Beach (Melbourne Central Catholic) 12
9. 10:53.85, Kaylee DuPont (South Forsyth) 11
10. 10:54.14, Ana Wallace (Chiles) 11

High School 3200-meter winners, Florida State University Relays, 2006 - 2017
Date	Men	Women
24 March 2006	9:38.76, Daniel Roberts (Crested Butte) 12	11:20.32, Alison Babb (Oak Hall) 12
30 March 2007	9:29.73, Joseph Franklin (Godby) 11	11:34.31, Katy Swain (Maclay) 11
28 March 2008	9:15.18, Joseph Franklin (Godby) 12	10:42.71, Kayla Hale (Holy Trinity) 11
27 March 2009	9:06.78, Derek Wehunt (Sickles) 11	11:02.90, Jana Stolting (Maclay) 11
26 March 2010	9:02.87, Matt Mizereck (Leon) 12	10:41.54, Jana Stolting (Maclay) 12
25 March 2011	9:12.16, Kikanae Punyua (Glenelg) 12	10:34.90, Kacy Smith (Estero) 10
23 March 2012	9:10.37, Andres Arroyo (Colonial) 11	10:30.53, Lily Williams (Chiles) 12
22 March 2013	9:07.38, Mac Macoy (Vestavia Hills) 11	10:15.70, Carmen Carlos (McGill-Toole) 12
21 March 2014	8:59.50, Sukhi Khosla (Leon) 11	10:50.94, Emily Edwards (Fort Myers) 12
27 March 2015	9:03.57, Sukhi Khosla (Leon) 12	10:42.20, Rafaella Gibbons (Winter Park) 9
25 March 2016	9:08.54, Noah Perkins (Seffner Christian) 12	10:35.64, Rafaella Gibbons (Winter Park) 10
24 March 2017	9:03.44, Caleb Pottorff (Lincoln Park) 12	10:23.81, Alyson Churchill (Lincoln) 9

Links

• Complete results of the 2017 Florida State University Relays at pttiming.com
  http://live.pttiming.com/?mid=1167
  
  
• 2010 story, “Friday Night Lights: 3200m Invitational at FSU Relays”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/03/fsu-relays-3200m.html
  
  
• Find upcoming races, fast and scary fast, on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1923