Moore and Thompson were ready for anything at the Race For Readiness

On Saturday morning, 1 October 2016, Eric Godin was racing through the streets of the Southwood section of Tallahassee, Florida. It was the Early Learning Coalition's third annual Race For Readiness 5K. Godin was familiar with the course, so he was running with confidence. About 600 meters into the race, though, that confidence was shaken when the leaders--Mickey Moore and Jim Halley--ran through the intersection with Park Crossing Trail.


"We turn here," called out Godin.


Moore and Halley glanced around, saw no course marking indicating that they shouldn't go straight, and continued onward.


"I guess they changed the course," muttered Godin, and followed the leaders.


Intentionally or not, the course had been changed, or at least the route as marked was different from the USATF-certified course that had been announced for the race.


Shrugging off course concerns, master runner Mickey Moore went on to win the race in 18:14. Layla Thompson took the women's title for the second year in a row, placing thirteenth overall in 23:43.

Mickey Moore

Moore, the president of the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Foundation, ran with Jim Halley for the first half of the race. A little past the midpoint of the run, Moore broke away, eventually building up an eight-second lead on the way to his 18:14 win. Halley was second in 18:22. Eric Godin gained on Halley late in the race, but couldn't quite close and finished third in 18:25.


Layla Thompson led the women's field nearly from the start, and her time of 23:43 put her nearly a minute ahead of the next female finisher. Thompson, a sixth-grader, races on the Deerlake Middle School cross-country team.


"I actually really like cross-country," said Thompson. "It's a lot of fun and it helps me with soccer."


The middle school cross-country races, however, are shorter than 5K races like the Race For Readiness.


"I haven't run a 5K in a long time and I've been racing two miles in cross-country," said Thompson. "So it was different and weird to do a 5K again."

Layla Thompson

Tallahassee master runner Krista Killius was second in the women's standings and seventeenth overall in 24:39. Paula O'Neill was the third woman and nineteenth overall in 24:57.


206 athletes finished the 2016 Run For Readiness 5K, the most in the three-year history of the race. An additional 93 athletes finished the associated one-mile fun run.


Top Ten Men, 2016 Race For Readiness 5K

1. 18:14 ~ Mickey Moore
2. 18:22 ~ Jim Halley
3. 18:25 ~ Eric Godin
4. 18:53 ~ Paul Guyas
5. 19:30 ~ Zack Scharlepp
6. 20:06 ~ Duane Evans
7. 20:35 ~ Chuck Lang
8. 22:49 ~ Marcial Lopez
9. 22:56 ~ Scott Davis
10. 23:09 ~ Parker Thompson

Top Ten Women, 2016 Race For Readiness 5K

1. 23:43 ~ Layla Thompson
2. 24:39 ~ Krista Killius
3. 24:57 ~ Paula O'Neill
4. 27:26 ~ Lauralyn Hudgins
5. 27:59 ~ Catherine Jones
6. 28:55 ~ Alissa McShane
7. 28:59 ~ Stacy Forsthoefel
8. 29:06 ~ Theresa Zerkle
9. 29:11 ~ Shelley Roberts
10. 29:23 ~ Tracy Godin

Race For Readiness 5K winners, 2014 - 2016
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
18 October 2014	18:12, Paul Guyas	20:25, Dionis Gauvin	177
31 October 2015	16:30, Joseph Garcia	22:17, Layla Thompson	199
1 October 2016	18:14, Mickey Moore	23:43, Layla Thompson	206
The Race For Readiness 5K was run near Northwood Mall in 2014 and 2015. The race was run in Southwood in 2016.

Links

• Complete results of the 2016 Race For Readiness 5K at gulfwinds.org
  http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2016/Race%204%20Readiness%202016.asp
  
  
• More photos of the 2016 Race For Readiness 5K
  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10108363856556263.1073742236.5215641&l=6d1f62376f
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of the 2016 Race For Readiness 5K
  https://plus.google.com/photos/112560881455823075870/albums/6336618671451096801
  
  
• 2015 story, “Garcia and Thompson were ready to race at the Race For Readiness”
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/11/readiness-2015.html
  
  
• Ready to race? Find your next run on the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1801

Kaus and Thompson triumph at the Deer Run

Racing through the streets of the Tallahassee, Florida community of Killearn Lake, Peter Kaus won the Deer Run 5K on Saturday morning, 7 November 2015. Kaus covered the USATF-certified 3.1-mile course in 18:48, finishing more than 400 meters ahead of the next runner. Ten-year-old Layla Thompson won the women's division of the annual race for the second year in a row, placing tenth overall in 22:59.


Lincoln High sophomore Franz Roeder finished runner-up in the Deer Run, running 20:31. Deerlake Middle School cross country runner Spencer Amsellem was third in 20:58. Florida State University engineering professor Juan Ordonez was the fastest master runner in the race, placing fourth overall in 21:27.


For Layla Thompson, it was her third women's division win on three consecutive Saturdays. She had also tallied victories at the Race For Readiness 5K on 31 October 2015 and the TMH For Life Challenge 5K on 24 October 2015. Not far behind Thompson, Deerlake Middle School cross country runner Lauren Cook was the second female finisher, eleventh overall in 23:10. Ten-year-old Sophie Harris was third in the women's standings, 14th overall in 24:28. Birgit Maier-Katkin was the top woman master in the race, the fourth female finisher and 20th overall in 25:10.


The 2015 Deer Run was hosted by the Deerlake Middle School Parent-Teacher Organization. 134 athletes finished the 5K.


Top Ten Men, 2015 Deer Run 5K

1. 18:48 ~ Peter Kaus (M, 31)
2. 20:31 ~ Franz Roeder (M, 16)
3. 20:58 ~ Spencer Amsellem (M, 14)
4. 21:27 ~ Juan Ordonez (M, 41)
5. 21:54 ~ Michael Quiggins (M, 43)
6. 21:59 ~ Jackson Sytsma (M, 12)
7. 22:11 ~ Michael La Bossiere (M, 49)
8. 22:21 ~ Davis Johnstone (M, 15)
9. 22:49 ~ Art Johnstone (M, 49)
10. 24:13 ~ Jason Graham (M, 36)

Top Ten Women, 2015 Deer Run 5K

1. 22:59 ~ Layla Thompson (F, 10)
2. 23:10 ~ Lauren Cook (F, 12)
3. 24:28 ~ Sophia Harris (F, 10)
4. 25:10 ~ Birgit Maier-Katkin (F, 53)
5. 25:25 ~ Paula O'Neill (F, 54)
6. 25:44 ~ Jayd Derickson (F, 12)
7. 26:10 ~ Heather Duey (F, 47)
8. 26:29 ~ Patricia Knauf (F, 47)
9. 26:50 ~ Laura Brooks (F, 57)
10. 27:32 ~ Amanda Claire Curcio (F, 31)

Deer Run 5K winners, 2010 - 2015
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
6 November 2010	17:08, Jay Wallace	19:36, Allison Eagen	135
5 November 2011	18:21, Stephen Robbins	20:59, Claire Fruchtnicht	168
3 November 2012	19:00, Luke Parsley	23:36, Ana Wallace	161
9 November 2013	15:52, Stanley Linton	20:12, Micah Adriani	202
1 November 2014	19:05, Rik Pool	22:01, Layla Thompson	91
7 November 2015	18:48, Peter Kaus	22:59, Layla Thompson	134

Links

• Complete results of the 2015 Deer Run 5K at gulfwinds.org
  http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2015/Deer%20Run%202015.asp
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of the 2015 Deer Run 5K
  https://picasaweb.google.com/112560881455823075870/Deerlake_15
  
  
• 2014 story, “Pool and Thompson bag Deer Run titles”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2014/11/deer-run-2014.html
  
  
• 2013 story, “Linton and Adriani run like deer at the Deer Run”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/11/deer-run-2013.html
  
  
• 2011 story, “Robbins outraces Ross at 2011 Deer Run”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/11/deer-run-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, “Wallace and Eagen are champion Deer Runners”
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/11/deer-run-2010.html
  
  
• USATF course certification map #FL13081EBM for the 2015 Deer Run 5K
  http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL13081EBM
  
  
• You can run with deer, swine, 'possums, or other critters in the Tallahassee region
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1538

Garcia and Thompson were ready to race at the Race For Readiness

The last week of October was a busy one for Joseph Garcia. On 24 October 2015 he was in South Carolina, running a personal-best 25:52 8K at the ninth annual Sand Shark Cross Country Invitational. On 29 October 2015 he was in the Southwood section of Tallahassee, Florida, scorching a winning 15:52 in the 15th annual FSECC 5K. And on 31 October 2015, Garcia finished his seven days of speed at Tallahassee's Northwood Center with a 16:30 win in the Early Learning Coalition's second annual Race For Readiness 5K. Garcia finished the race almost half a kilometer ahead of the next runner.


Peter Van Brussel took the runner-up spot in 18:18. Michael Martinez was the top master runner in the race, finishing third overall in 18:35. Wakulla High sophomore cross country runner Scott Lloyd edged Travis Parks for fourth, 20:48 to 20:49.


It was Garcia's first Race For Readiness 5K, but Layla Thompson was already a veteran of the race. In 2014 she has finished second in the women's standings running 22:52. At the 2015 event the ten-year-old athlete improved both her time and her place of finish, winning the women's division in 22:17 and coming in ninth overall. Just seven days earlier Thompson had also won the women's title at the TMH For Life Challenge October 5K.


Just 50 meters behind Thompson, Kate Chunka took second in the women's standings, placing tenth overall in 22:32. Melissa Radey was the third female finisher, 18th overall in 25:00. Loranne Ausley was the first woman master and fourth female finisher, 23rd overall in 25:30.


199 athletes finished the second annual Race For Readiness 5K, with another 90 completing a one-mile fun run.


Top Ten Men, 2015 Race For Readiness 5K

1. 16:30 ~ Joseph Garcia (M, 20)
2. 18:18 ~ Peter Van Brussel (M, 22)
3. 18:35 ~ Michael Martinez (M, 49)
4. 20:48 ~ Scott Lloyd (M, 15)
5. 20:49 ~ Travis Parks (M, 19)
6. 20:58 ~ Colin Briggs (M, 16)
7. 21:33 ~ Michael Cipriano (M, 57)
8. 21:56 ~ Michael Labossiere (M, 49)
9. 22:35 ~ Antonio Clements (M, 37)
10. 22:38 ~ Christian Summers (M, 33)

Top Ten Women, 2015 Race For Readiness 5K

1. 22:17 ~ Layla Thompson (F, 10)
2. 22:32 ~ Kate Chunka (F, 32)
3. 25:00 ~ Melissa Radey (F, 39)
4. 25:30 ~ Loranne Ausley (F, 52)
5. 25:37 ~ Polly Aster (F, 46)
6. 25:57 ~ Chloe McElroy (F, 10)
7. 27:38 ~ Lisa Starling (F, 70)
8. 28:00 ~ Ali Wagnon (F, 37)
9. 28:02 ~ Ericka McKibbin (F, 42)
10. 28:20 ~ Soheyla Mahdavian (F, 31)

Race For Readiness 5K winners, 2014 - 2015
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
18 October 2014	18:12, Paul Guyas	20:25, Dionis Gauvin	177
31 October 2015	16:30, Joseph Garcia	22:17, Layla Thompson	199

Links

• Complete results of the 2015 Race For Readiness 5K at gulfwinds.org
  http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2015/Race%204%20Readiness%202015.asp
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of the 2015 Race For Readiness 5K
  https://picasaweb.google.com/112560881455823075870/ELCrace_15
  
  
• USATF Course Certification map for the 2015 Race For Readiness 5K
  http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL14068EBM
  
  
• Ready to race? Find your next run on the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1536

October's fastest Challengers are Martinez and Thompson

On Saturday morning, 24 October 2015, Michael Martinez notched yet another road race win, this time in his home town of Tallahassee, Florida. The 49-year-old master runner ran 19:04 for 3.1 miles through the streets around Canopy Oaks Elementary School, finishing first in the TMH For Life Challenge October 5K. 10-year-old Layla Thompson was the first female finisher, completing the USATF-certified course in 22:19 and placing eighth overall. 98 athletes finished the 5K.


Behind Martinez, Raa Middle School cross-country runner Nile Bryant outkicked Tim Unger for second place, both runners clocked in 20:09.


Former Niceville High cross country runner Abby McCool was second in the women's standings, placing tenth overall in 22:21. Lisa Unger was the top woman master and third female finisher, coming in 22nd overall in 26:00.


The race was the third 5K this year in the TMH For Life Challenge, a program created by Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare to lead the community to be active, eat healthier, monitor and maintain the body, and be happy. Chip timing was provided by the Gulf Winds Track Club of Tallahassee, Florida.


Top Ten Men, 2015 THM For Life Challenge October 5K

1. 19:04 ~ Michael Martinez (M, 49)
2. 20:09 ~ Nile Bryant (M, 14)
3. 20:09 ~ Tim Unger (M, 56)
4. 21:12 ~ Felton Wright (M, 58)
5. 21:33 ~ Michael Cipriano (M, 57)
6. 21:50 ~ Blake Johnson (M, 13)
7. 22:05 ~ Michael La Bossiere (M, 49)
8. 22:21 ~ J P Talty (M, 19)
9. 23:24 ~ Erik Andersen (M, 32)
10. 23:29 ~ Tyler Carver (M, 11)

Top Ten Women, 2015 THM For Life Challenge October 5K

1. 22:19 ~ Layla Thompson (F, 10)
2. 22:21 ~ Abby McCool (F, 22)
3. 26:00 ~ Lisa Unger (F, 48)
4. 26:36 ~ Lindsay Potvin (F, 31)
5. 26:38 ~ Hallie Kristas (F, 23)
6. 27:39 ~ Lisa Starling (F, 50)
7. 29:14 ~ Eryn Calabro (F, 39)
8. 29:20 ~ Lilli Unger (F, 13)
9. 29:32 ~ Liovani Nazario (F, 42)
10. 30:37 ~ Barbette Pannitteri (F, 49)

Links

• Complete results of the 2015 TMH For Life Challenge October 5K at gulfwinds.org
  http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2015/TMHforLifeChallenge10-2015.asp
  
  
• Fred Deckert's photos of the 2015 TMH For Life Challenge October 5K
  https://picasaweb.google.com/112560881455823075870/TMH_15
  
  
• 2015 TMH For Life Challenge Races
  
  • Jan 3: http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/01/tmh-for-life-2014.html
    
  • May 9: http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/05/tmh-for-life.html
    
  • Oct 24: http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2015/10/tmh-for-life-2015.html
    
  
  
• USATF course certification map FL15105EBM for the TMH For Life Challenge October 5K
  http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL15105EBM
  
  
• Find upcoming races in the region on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1528

Amsellem and Thompson race to beat bullying

To raise awareness of school bullying and to raise funds to combat the problem, Deerlake Middle School eighth-grader Spencer Amsellem and his family organized Spencer's Run Against Bullying, scheduled for 3 October 2015 in Tallahassee, Florida. When that Saturday morning rolled around, Spencer won the 5K race.


Some people just hate to delegate.


A cross-country runner at Deerlake, Amsellem ran the 3.1 miles in 19:08. Carter Mack was second in 19:30. Hawthorne Hay, a Montford Middle School cross-country runner, placed third in 19:44.


10-year-old Layla Thompson was the first female finisher in the race, coming in sixth overall in 21:49. Mary Jane Hayden was second in the women's standings, finishing 13th overall in 23:08.Cobb Middle School cross-country runner Madeline Feiock was the third female finisher, 14th overall in 23:18.


The fastest master runner in the race was Brandon Blanchard; Blanchard covered the course in 22:55, finishing eleventh overall. At 24:57 the first woman master was Lynn Panton, the fifth female finisher and 25th overall.


131 athletes finished the 5K, with another 72 completing a one-mile fun run. A silent auction followed the runs. Proceeds of the event went to support Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Center.


Top Ten Men, Spencer's 2015 Run Against Bullying 5K

1. 19:07.52 ~ Spencer Amsellem (M, 14)
2. 19:29.79 ~ Carter Mack (M, 23)
3. 19:43.01 ~ Hawthorne Hay (M, 13)
4. 20:13.76 ~ Jason Miller (M, 25)
5. 20:28.05 ~ Michael Molen (M, 16)
6. 22:11.61 ~ David Kelly (M, 38)
7. 22:11.81 ~ Steve Anders (M, 27)
8. 22:12.03 ~ Nicholas Samuel (M, 12)
9. 22:53.30 ~ Matt Reynolds (M, 12)
10. 22:54.94 ~ Brandon Blanchard (M, 41)

Top Ten Women, Spencer's 2015 Run Against Bullying 5K

1. 21:48.32 ~ Layla Thompson (F, 10)
2. 23:07.19 ~ Mary Jane Hayden (F, 35)
3. 23:17.19 ~ Madeline Feiock (F, 13)
4. 23:52.73 ~ Chloe McElroy (F, 10)
5. 24:56.19 ~ Lynn Panton (F, 52)
6. 26:29.60 ~ Laura Brooks (F, 57)
7. 27:18.39 ~ Christy Bowman (F, 44)
8. 27:59.55 ~ Georgia Buford (F, 51)
9. 28:05.77 ~ Diana Caldwell (F, 59)
10. 28:07.15 ~ Leigh McElroy (F, 46)

Links

• Complete results of Spencer's 2015 Run Against Bullying 5K at gulfwinds.org
  http://gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2015/Spencers%20Run%20Against%20Bullying%202015.asp
  
  
• Spencer's Run Against Bullying
  http://www.spencersrunagainstbullying.com/
  
  
• Find your next race on the Trouble Afoot! calendar
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1511

Pool and Thompson bag Deer Run titles

North of Tallahassee, Florida, Killearn Lakes doesn't actually feature much in the way of lakes. There are a few ponds, and some of the houses are situated on a body of water large enough to be called a lake, Lake Iamonia. There isn't much open water in Lake Iamonia, though; it's so filled with weeds that if you flew overhead you'd think you were looking at a large prairie. During dry periods, the lake is a prairie. Real estate marketing being what it is, though, the community is still called "Killearn Lakes" and the major road is called "Deer Lake Road." There isn't a Deer Lake in the area, but there are plenty of white-tailed deer, enough deer that Deer Lake Road and Deerlake Middle School have names that are halfway appropriate. And enough deer that Deerlake Middle School's annual Deer Run 5K has an entirely appropriate name.


Rik Pool, a recent alumnus of the Bishop Moore High cross-country team, won the 2014 Deer Run 5K on Saturday morning, November 1, covering the 3.1-mile course in 19:05. At 20:04 Duane Evans of Crawfordville, Florida, was the runner-up and first master runner. 14-year-old Tallahassee runner Logan Venclauskas was third in 20:40.


Nine-year-old Layla Thompson was the top runner in the women's standings, placing eighth overall in 22:01. Tallahassee master runner Paula O'Neill was the second female finisher, coming in ninth overall in 22:14. Deerlake Middle School cross-country runner Emily Molen was third on the women's side, finishing 10th overall in 23:20.


91 athletes finished Deerlake Middle School's 2014 Deer Run 5K, while another 69 ran a one-mile fun run.


Top Ten Men, 2014 Deer Run 5K

1. 19:05 ~ Rik Pool (M, 19) Winter Park, FL
2. 20:04 ~ Duane Evans (M, 47)
3. 20:40 ~ Logan Venclauskas (M, 14)
4. 20:50 ~ Mike Burns (M, 49)
5. 20:54 ~ Michael Quiggins (M, 42)
6. 21:41 ~ Sam Mountin (M, 14)
7. 21:57 ~ Eric Mountin (M, 51)
8. 24:02 ~ Caleb Thompson (M, 16)
9. 24:03 ~ Davis Johnstone (M, 14)
10. 24:04 ~ Clark Tyrrell (M, 15)

Top Ten Women, 2014 Deer Run 5K

1. 22:01 ~ Layla Thompson (F, 9)
2. 22:14 ~ Paula O' Neill (F, 53)
3. 23:20 ~ Emily Molen (F, 12)
4. 23:43 ~ Allison Carter (F, 37)
5. 25:30 ~ Jane Jhanji (F, 45)
6. 25:51 ~ Alva Striplin (F, 44)
7. 26:06 ~ Cindi Goodson (F, 50)
8. 26:26 ~ Ami Wheeler (F, 41)
9. 26:54 ~ Lauren Cook (F, 11)
10. 26:55 ~ Emma Rebman (F, 12)

Deer Run 5K winners, 2010 - 2014
Date	Men	Women	Finishers
6 November 2010	17:08, Jay Wallace	19:36, Allison Eagen	135
5 November 2011	18:21, Stephen Robbins	20:59 ~ Claire Fruchtnicht	168
3 November 2012	19:00, Luke Parsley	23:36, Ana Wallace	161
9 November 2013	15:52, Stanley Linton	20:12, Micah Adriani	202
1 November 2014	19:05, Rik Pool	22:01, Layla Thompson	91

Links

• Complete results of the 2014 Deer Run 5K at gulfwinds.org
  http://www.gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2014/Deer%20Run%202014.asp
  
  
• 2013 story, "Linton and Adriani run like deer at the Deer Run"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2013/11/deer-run-2013.html
  
  
• 2011 story, "Robbins outraces Ross at 2011 Deer Run"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2011/11/deer-run-2011.html
  
  
• 2010 story, "Wallace and Eagen are champion Deer Runners"
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/11/deer-run-2010.html
  
  
• USATF course certification map #FL13081EBM for the 2014 Deer Run 5K
  http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL13081EBM
  
  
• You can run with deer, swine, 'possums, or other critters in the Tallahassee region
  http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1263