Showing posts with label Leonardo Canete. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leonardo Canete. Show all posts

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Another win, another record for Leonardo Canete and Georgina Hernandez at the Chipola Challenge

Chipola Challenge 5K logo The fourth annual Chipola Challenge 5K was the largest yet, with 143 athletes completing the 3.1-mile tour of the Marianna, Florida campus of Chipola College. Up front, it was also the fastest Chipola Challenge yet--Leonardo Canete won the race with a course record time of 17:19. There was a new course record on the women's side as well, where Georgina Hernandez went 21:32 for the win, placing fifth overall.


The record that Leonardo Canete broke was his own; the Tallahassee, Florida master runner had won the Chipola Challenge in 2024, setting a standard of 17:26. Behind Canete, second place came down to a showdown between two high school cross-country runners, Marianna High junior Travis Ephriam and Poplar Springs High junior David Baber. Both Ephriam and Baber were clocked in 18:25, but Ephriam got to the finish line just before his Poplar Springs rival and took second.


Like Canete, Georgina Hernandez had raced the Chipola Challenge in 2024. That year the Quincy, Florida athlete won the women's division with a 23:57. Her winning mark in 2026, 21:32, would have put her 300 meters ahead of an athlete running 23:57.


Alena Brobst, a Chipola College frosh and an athlete on the school's cross-country team, went 24:23 to grab second in the women's standings, coing in twelfth overall., Macy Benton of Dothan, Alabama was the third woman and fifteenth overall in 25:17. Cottondale, Florida's Jody Bontrager was the first woman master and fifteenth female finisher, 48th overall in 32:23.


Watch the February 2027 racing calendar for the fifth annual Chipola Challenge 5K!


Top Ten Men, 2026 Chipola Challenge 5K
  1. 17:19, Leonardo Canete (M, 45-49) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 18:25, Travis Ephriam (M, 15-19) Marianna, FL
  3. 18:25, David Baber (M, 15-19) Graceville, FL
  4. 20:12, Justin Varner (M, 10-14) Headland, AL
  5. 22:21, D J Baggett (M, 15-19) Bonifay, FL
  6. 22:35, Richard Hetmann (M, 25-29) Marianna, FL
  7. 23:23, Ethan Burt (M, 15-19) Marianna, FL
  8. 23:53, Logan Nguyen (M, 15-19) Marianna, FL
  9. 23:58, Gabriel Halderson (M, 15-19) Bonifay, FL
  10. 24:12, Keshawn Daniels (M, 20-24) Campbellton, FL

Top Ten Women, 2026 Chipola Challenge 5K
  1. 21:32, Georgina Hernandez (F, 35-39) Quincy, FL
  2. 24:23, Alena Brobst (F, 15-19) Clarksville, FL
  3. 25:17, Macy Benton (F, 20-24) Dothan, AL
  4. 25:30, Dixie Gilmore (F, 15-19) Clarksville, FL
  5. 26:27, Madison McCloskey (F, 15-19) Graceville, FL
  6. 27:04, Hailey Morrison (F, 10-14) Wewahitchka, FL
  7. 27:17, Cassidy Langland (F, 15-19) Marianna, FL
  8. 27:57, Amy Yates (F, 35-39) Panama City, FL
  9. 28:42, Laura Knowles (F, 35-39) Marianna, FL
  10. 29:50, Eloisa Hernandez (F, 30-34) Quincy, FL

Chipola Challenge 5K winners, 2023 - 2026
DateMenWomenFinishers
11 February 202319:48, Diego Nandho25:59, Kirsten Jones77
3 February 202417:26, Leonardo Canete23:57, Georgina Hernandez144
1 February 202517:48, Orinthal Striggles24:00, Hannah Howell98
7 February 202617:19, Leonardo Canete21:32, Georgina Hernandez143


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Monday, March 10, 2025

Leonardo Canete and Morgan Whiton were the top Swamp Runners at Waycross' 48th annual race

2025 Okefenokee Swamp RunLeonardo Canete--the Tallahassee, Florida master runner--won the 48th annual Swamp Run 10K near Waycross, Georgia on 8 March 2025. To pick up the win, Canete didn't have to run faster than he had in winning the race in 2022 or 2023. Probably any time under 39:00 would have put him first across the finish line. He didn't have to, but he did. Canete posted his fastest time yet at the race in Okefenokee Swamp Park, earning his third Swamp Run win with a 37:33. Morgan Whiton of Salem, Massachusetts was the first woman in the 10K, placing sixth overall in 46:59.


Austin Hunter of San Marcos, California finished runner-up to Canete in 39:10. Brunswick, Georiga athlete Cohen Carpenter was third in 41:36.


Bree Howard of Blackshear, Georgia took second in the women's standings, coming in ninth overall in 52:14--more than two minutes faster than she had run in the 2023 Swamp Run, her last appearance in the race. Another Blackshear athlete, Libby Dodd, was the first woman master in the Swamp Run. Dodd was the third woman and tenth overall in 52:36. It was her third year in a row as the Swamp Run's top woman master.

Libby Dodd
70 athletes finished the 2025 Swamp Run 10K, and another fourteen completed a one-mile fun run. Second Wind Race Timing timed and scored the races.


Top Ten Men, 2025 Okefenokee Swamp Run 10K
  1. 37:33, Leonardo Canete (M, 46) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 39:10, Austin Hunter (M, 33) San Marcos, CA
  3. 41:36, Cohen Carpenter (M, 34) Brunswick, GA
  4. 43:34, Cameron Musser (M, 24) Avon, OH
  5. 44:28, Thomas McMillan (M, 28) Savannah, GA
  6. 48:59, Rahn Huffstutler (M, 45) Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
  7. 51:44, Derek Lee (M, 52) Statham, GA
  8. 53:15, Johnathan Smith (M, 18) Blackshear, GA
  9. 53:31, Hilton Boyett (M, 68) Blackshear, GA
  10. 54:37, Ricky McRobert (M, 69) Whitby, ON

Top Ten Women, 2025 Okefenokee Swamp Run 10K
  1. 46:59, Morgan Whiton (F, 27) Salem, MA
  2. 52:14, Bree Howard (F, 21)
  3. 52:36, Libby Dodd (F, 43) Blackshear, GA
  4. 54:16, Victoria Cobb (F, 33) Brunswick, GA
  5. 57:26, Karah Driggers (F, 39) Hortense, GA
  6. 59:23, Brooke Floyd (F, 31) Waycross, GA
  7. 59:50, Katy Jones (F, 60) Chula, GA
  8. 59:52, Karin Walker (F, 61) Baldwin, MD
  9. 62:08, Amanda Pierce (F, 38) Brunswick, GA
  10. 62:09, Jasmine Goodson (F, 27) Oceanside, CA

Okefenokee Swamp Run winners, 1978 - 2025
DateDistanceMenWomenFinishers
197815 Miles1:24:52, Gary Slayton2:08:21, Carol Newby
12 May 197915 Miles1:27:16, Craig Barnes1:54:06, Carol Newby
10 May 198025K1:18:22, Benji Durden1:49:07, Christy Evans
9 May 198125K1:19:11, Mike Wachholz1:49:56, Ann Marie Hanrahan
8 May 198225K1:21:05, Jerry Odlin1:49:28, Becky Motley117
26 March 198325K1:23:44, Craig Barnes1:48:07, Becky Motley
31 March 198425K1:21:27, Craig Holm1:36:26, Kare Cossaboon-Holm
23 March 198525K1:25:56, Craig Barnes1:47:09, Becky Motley70
22 March 198625K1:26:15, Craig Barnes1:51:00, Becky Motley50
28 March 198725K1:31:58, Craig Barnes2:01:14, Mary Woodruff47
26 March 198810K33:14, Frank Reynolds40:56, Diane Skow110
198910K33:40, Lyn Rowland38:01, Jackie Chen
199010K33:40, Craig Barnes, Alvin Nelson36:55, Jackie Chen
199110K33:04, Alvin Nelson39:43, Jackie Chen
199210K33:14, Craig Barnes40:28, Barbara Ebers
199310K32:46, Alvin Nelson41:00, Vickie Black
199410K33:32, Alvin Nelson48:27, Linda Chattaway
199510K32:37, Paul Hough41:48, Barbara Ebers
199610K34:09, Alvin Nelson48:21, Connie Cole
199710K36:08, Alvin Nelson45:34, Bonnie Evans
199810K35:27, Alvin Nelson48:32, Cathy Campbell
199910K34:56, Lee Yaracs38:06, Michelle LeFleur
200010K34:50, Craig Alderman35:12, Michelle LeFleur
200110K32:46, Keith Horton46:40, Cheryl Monroe
200210K34:13, Matt O’Connell39:00, Jessica Collins 
200310K36:39, Claude A. Grenier46:15, Christi Blount
200410K33:57, Roberto Bonilla45:53, Christi Blount
200510K34:49, Mike Raymond46:30, Cindy Tanner
200610K34:30, Mike Raymond42:52, Kristen Ray
200710K41:18, Clinton Phillips42:50, Kristen Ray
22 March 200810K39:06, Matthew Garmon44:27, Tiffany Cochran154
28 March 200910K37:51, Matthew Garmon45:04, Tiffany Cochran127
27 March 201010K37:36, Matthew Garmon46:46, Hosanna Hodges134
26 March 201110K35:44, Daniel Broadhead46:42, Allison Herrin72
24 March 201210K38:48, Nick Hamlin51:04, Jennifer Smith
23 March 201310K37:37, Casey Claborn46:34, Allison Herrin120
22 March 201410K35:26, Casey Claborn43:46, Tiffany Warren90
21 March 201510K39:53, Nathan Skipper46:41, Katelyn Chancey
26 March 201610K40:09, Troy Dunkley44:29, Tiffany Warren123
25 March 201710K38:36, Troy Dunkley49:56, Gina Howell145
24 March 201810KJustin TracyGina Howell
23 March 201910K36:06, Troy Dunkley51:06, Dana Smith116
20 March 202110K41:29, Ryan Kelly45:12, Tiffany Warren110
19 March 202210K38:38, Leonardo Canete41:15, Shanya Washington82
18 March 202310K37:51, Leonardo Canete45:50, Keeli Holloway66
19 October 202410K36:57, Gary Rowan44:59, Samantha Rios55
8 March 202510K37:33, Leonardo Canete46:59, Morgan Whiton70


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Sunday, January 19, 2025

First woman, first master, first overall--Katie Sherron was the First Lady of the GWTC 30K

In the days leading up to Saturday morning, 18 January 2025, Tallahassee, Florida was getting weather forecasts with the apocalyptic tone that meteorologists usually reserve for hurricane season. There would be rain--inches of it. Then the temperatures would plunge to below freezing, frigid for the region. Then the precipitation would return but as snow. Or freezing rain. Or both. There would likely be polar bear attacks.

Katie Sherron
Katie Sherron

When the predicted rain finally did show up on Saturday, it was many hours after the 48th annual Gulf Winds Track Club 30K was complete--fortunate because the antebellum-era dirt roads that the race has been run on for the past two decades are less than perfect during rain. But the running surface was excellent in the morning, and master runner Katie Sherron took advantage of the good roads. She won the race in 1:58:17, the fastest time ever run by a woman on the Old Centerville Road course. Charlie Johnson, Tallahassee master runner and triathlete, was the first male finisher in the 30K, coming in second overall in 1:59:36.


It was cool and cloudy when the race started from the Retreat at Bradley's Pond, just after 8:00 AM. Very early on, Gary Rowan of Adel, Georgia was setting the pace for the 30K field. Rowan was still leading after seven kilometers, not quite halfway to the turnaround of the out-and-back course. Charlie Johnson was not far behind, and Katie Sherron was moving into contention. With ten kilometers to go, Johnson was the leader with Sherron 150 meters back in second.

Charlie Johnson
Charlie Johnson

"I hit the turnaround at about 59:45," recalled Sherron. "Charlie and I had talked about trying to break two hours and we both did it."


But Sherron did it first. After going out in 59:45, she made the return trip over a minute faster, overtaking Johnson on the way. She was nearly 300 meters ahead when she crossed the finish line in a winning 1:58:17. Johnson took second overall in 1:59:35, the first male finisher in the 30K. Rowan was third overall and second in the men's standings at 2:01:31.


Katie Sherron's history at the GWTC 30K, 2011 - 2025
DateTimePlace (OA / F)
2011-01-152:28:5726th / 5th
2012-01-142:17:3819th / 1st
2013-01-122:16:4214th / 1st
2014-01-112:51:2821st / 5th
2015-01-172:22:3219th / 1st
2016-01-162:16:218th / 1st
2017-01-212:15:315th / 1st
2018-01-202:10:137th / 1st
2021-01-162:13:404th / 1st
2022-01-152:05:544th / 1st
2024-01-132:02:132nd / 2nd
2025-01-181:58:171st / 1st


Crawfordville, Florida master runner Mike Tercyak was the third man in the race, taking fourth overall in 2:02:27.


Gabriella Passidomo Smith of Tallahassee was second in the women's division, coming in ninth overall in 2:23:50. Stephanie Liles-Weyant was the third woman, twelfth overall in 2:26:46. Liles-Weyant had been the GWTC 30K women's champ in 2006, the first year the race was run on the Old Centerville Road course.


Top Ten Women, 2025 Gulf Winds Track Club 30K
  1. 1:58:17, Katie Sherron (F, 43) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 2:23:50, Gabriella Passidomo Smith (F, 33) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 2:26:46, Stephanie Liles-Weyant (F, 52) Tallahassee, FL
  4. 2:29:59, Deanna McVay (F, 42) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 2:32:50, Shayna Arrigo (F, 24) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 2:52:07, Signe Ulsamer (F, 47) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 2:56:47, Sara Jordan (F, 44) Fairfax, VA
  8. 2:59:28, Paula Nieto (F, 28) Tallahassee, FL
  9. 3:01:32, Laura McDermott (F, 45) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 3:08:10, Georgina Hernandez (F, 34) Quincy, FL

Top Ten Men, 2025 Gulf Winds Track Club 30K
  1. 1:59:36, Charlie Johnson (M, 45) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 2:01:31, Gary Rowan (M, 36) Adel, GA
  3. 2:02:27, Mike Tercyak (M, 41) Crawfordville, FL
  4. 2:10:32, Ryan Kunz (M, 42) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 2:18:05, Will Hanley (M, 50) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 2:21:58, Camilo Ordonez (M, 46) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 2:23:30, Elijah Oquendo (M, 24) Tallahassee, FL
  8. 2:23:56, John Muir (M, 46) Whitefish, MT
  9. 2:24:30, Jack McDermott (M, 55) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 2:26:58, Micah Andrews (M, 35) Tallahassee, FL


The GWTC 15K started at the same time as the 30K. Leonardo Canete, entered in the 15K, led the athletes in both races almost from the start. The Tallahassee master runner continued to lead the 15K to the turnaround and back, covering the course in a winning 58:32. Second overall in 60:25, Madeline Frank was the first woman in the race, finishing the fifteen kilometers before any other woman had gone thirteen kilometers.

Leonardo Canete
Leonardo Canete

Stephen Andrews made up some ground during the second half of the 15K to take second in the men's standings, coming in third overall in 60:52. Tallahassee master runner Hong-Guo Yu was the third man and fourth overall in 61:25.


Tallaahssee's Jillian Heddaeus was the first woman master in the 15K, placing second in the women's division and twentieth overall in 69:50. Melanie Leitman, another Tallahassee master runner, was the third woman and 21st overall in 71:00. Two years earlier, Leitman had taken first in the GWTC 30K.

Madeline Frank
Madeline Frank

32 athletes finished the 2025 Gulf Winds Track Club 30K, and another 101 completed the 15K event. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed the races.


Top Ten Men, 2025 Gulf Winds Track Club 15K
  1. 58:32, Leonardo Canete (M, 46) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 60:52, Stephen Andrews (M, 39) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 61:25, Hong-Guo Yu (M, 56) Tallahassee, FL
  4. 62:22, Noah Ramby (M, 19) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 63:14, Kenneth Gloeckner (M, 40) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 63:27, Gregory Noonan (M, 42) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 63:30, Don Autore (M, 49) Tallahassee, FL
  8. 63:37, Abel Adams (M, 15) Tallahassee, FL
  9. 63:48, Hans Hassell (M, 42) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 63:58, Timothy Suhr (M, 53) Williamsburg, VA

Top Ten Women, 2025 Gulf Winds Track Club 15K
  1. 60:25, Madeline Frank (F, 28) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 69:50, Jillian Heddaeus (F, 41) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 71:00, Melanie Leitman (F, 40) Tallahassee, FL
  4. 71:46, Nancy Moody (F, 40) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 78:47, Kaley Ford (F, 30) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 79:49, Nancy Proctor (F, 63) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 79:54, Klady Lamb (F, 41) Tallahassee, FL
  8. 80:32, Ruffian Tyner (F, 49) Tallahassee, FL
  9. 83:21, Iasgel Perez B. (F, 20) Mayo, FL
  10. 83:23, Ashlee Blake (F, 39) Tallahassee, FL

Gulf Winds Track Club 30K champions, 1978 - 2025
DatesRaceMenWomenFinishers
13 January 202530K1:59:36, Charlie Johnson1:58:17, Katie Sherron32
15K58:32, Leonardo Canete60:25, Madeline Frank101
13 January 202430K2:03:50, Michael Tercyak 1:59:49, Ann Centner25
15K47:55, Patrick Koon64:19, Megan Noonan141
14 January 202330K2:00:29, Leonardo Canete2:32:52, Melanie Leitman38
15K47:59, Christopher Haynes65:02, Elyse Gallegos114
15 January 202230K1:53:03, Chris O'Kelley2:05:54, Katie Sherron35
15K48:42, Patrick Koon63:14, Lillee Tang117
16 January 202130K2:03:29, Michael Nesius2:13:40, Katie Sherron40
15K51:15, Jake Rogers61:53, Laura Dibella86
18 January 202030K1:56:45, Chris O'Kelley2:28:05, Jamila Allen66
15K51:21, Caleb Carmichael63:08, Laura Dibella140
19 January 201930K1:46:53, Austin Whitelaw2:33:55, Lourena Maxwell59
15K56:27, Jackson Yarbrough60:09, Ann Centner191
20 January 201830K1:43:01, Christopher Haynes2:10:13, Katie Sherron81
15K57:39, Tate Wallenfelsz66:08, Megan Churchill185
14 January 201730K1:46:13, Stan Linton2:15:31, Katie Sherron56
15K54:46, Matthew Cashin65:27, Sheryl Rosen219
16 January 201630K1:54:12, Charlie Johnson2:16:21, Katie Sherron73
15K52:17, Matt Mizereck60:54, Adriana Piekarewicz192
17 January 201530K1:53:19, Nate Kaiser2:22:32, Katie Sherron107
15K50:11, Sukhi Khosla58:37, Sheryl Rosen165
11 January 201430K1:57:29, Vince Molosky2:34:23, Laura McDermott55
15K51:06, Sukhi Khosla61:27, Seeley Gutierrez169
12 January 201330K1:48:22, Stanley Linton2:16:41, Katie Showman150
15K52:57, Sukhi Khosla64:19, Kristin Sweeney200
14 January 201230K1:51:30, Charlie Johnson2:17:38, Katie Showman150
15K53:29, Stanley Linton60:42, Pasca Cheruiyot176
15 January 201130K1:51:48, Vince Molosky2:17:15, Heather Griffis103
15K53:03, Stephen Cox59:55, Lisa Johnson169
16 January 201030K1:56:14, Vince Molosky2:14:22, Sheryl Rosen90
15K51:50, Matt Mizereck63:45, Lisa Johnson101
17 January 200930K1:54:06, Vince Molosky2:11:41, Sheryl Rosen87
15K51:05, Will Stanford61:49, Lisa Johnson96
12 January 200830K2:00:29, Vince Molosky2:17:24, Sheryl Rosen77
15K54:23, Matt Mizereck63:13, Lisa Johnson126
13 January 200730K2:01:23, Justin Dickieson2:04:21, Sheryl Rosen70
15K58:18, Matthew Mizereck73:40, Anna Busby50
21 January 200630K2:03:36, Michael Douma2:09:27, Stephanie Liles65
15K58:51, Chris Holland60:30, Sarah Docter-Williams59
22 January 200530K1:56:18, Art Remillard2:13:50, Jane Johnson38
16 January 200430K1:56:00, Timothy Bolton2:09:27, Jane Johnson69
18 January 200330K2:02:28, Larry Mengelkoch2:07:46, Jane Johnson59
15 December 200130K2:09:43, Tom Ratliffe2:22:56, Carrie Weyant31
3 February 200130K2:00:29, Kevin Porter2:02:27, Jane Johnson43
5 February 200030K1:57:47, Garth Grumme1:53:04, Anne Van Schuppen77
6 February 199930K1:58:17, Doug Gorton2:11:20, Jane Johnson87
10 January 199830K1:57:45, Clarence Calloway2:04:34, Jane Johnson79
7 January 199730K1:54:26, Tracy Burch2:00:28, Jane Johnson
13 January 199630K1:46:14, John Viitanen2:12:30, Eileen Telford50
14 January 199530K1:49:45, Herb Wills2:22:18, Nancy Stuparich50
22 January 199430K1:43:50, Herb Wills2:07:27, Lisa Herman51
16 January 199330K1:43:54, Herb Wills2:12:42, Carrie Hunnicutt60
4 January 199230K1:46:36, Jessie Close2:13:46, Lynda Nilges79
12 January 199130K1:37:31, David Keen2:06:03, Paula Johnson92
13 January 199030K1:43:57, Herb Wills2:12:00, Paula Johnson87
14 January 198930K1:45:31, Jessie Close2:22:07, Mary Jean Yon98
16 January 198830K1:45:24, Tom Burr2:10:04, Mae Cleveland102
10 January 198730K1:44:45, Larry Greene2:11:59, Karen Macharg82
18 January 198630K1:38:54, Herb Wills2:10:48, Missy James92
14 January 198530K1:45:10, Herb Wills2:17:56, Mae Cleveland94
14 January 198430K1:43:32, Noel Shumann2:04:20, Barbara Balzer99
15 January 198330K1:48:18, Andrew Wills2:18:18, Christy Orthman100
16 January 198230K1:44:41, Rick Miller1:56:57, Laura Ledbetter74
198130K

12 January 198030K1:51:19, Steve Ray2:48:31, Robyn Anderson70
3 February 197930K1:42:13, Ken Misner2:12:44, Lynda Heimann124
11 March 197830K1:46:19, Tim Simpkins2:22:31, Donna Glotzbach25
  • In 1978 the race was run on Apalachicola National Forest roads, starting and finishing near
    Hilliardville.
  • From 1979 to 1981 the race was run on Natural Bridge Road.
  • From 1982 to February 2001 the race was run in the Saint Marks National Wildlife Refuge.
  • From December 2001 to 2005 the race was run at Natural Bridge.
  • From 2006 to 2025 the GWTC 30K was run on Old Centerville Road and Sunny Hill Road,
    starting and finishing at     Bradley's Retreat in Felkel.


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Thursday, January 16, 2025

The World Cross-Country Countdown started with wins by Leonardo Canete and Rebekah Mills

364...363...362...361...


The next World Athletics Cross-Country Championship is slated for Tallahassee, Florida's Apalachee Regional Park Cross-Country Course on 10 January 2026. So on Saturday morning, 11 January 2025, 364 days before the big event, Visit Tallahassee hosted a Countdown to the World Championship at ARPXC. Heading the schedule at the Countdown was a three-kilometer cross-country run on the course. Tallahassee master runner Leonardo Canete was the first to finish the 3,000 meters, running 10:53. The first woman was Rebekah Mills, who toured the course in 13:34.

Leonardo Canete
Leonardo Canete

It was Canete's second win of 2025; just seven days earlier he had won the half-marathon at Gulf Winds Track Club's Swamp Forest Trail Race, another cross-country event. Both Canete and Mills had raced at Apalachee Regional Park three weeks before the Countdown in the Tannenbaum Trail 6K on 21 December 2024. Based on that schedule, you'd have to think that the two athletes have some love for the sport. You wouldn't be wrong.


"It's wonderful that there's so much excitement for cross-country here," said Mills, Caesar Rodney High's four-time medalist at the Delaware Cross-Country Championships. "It's the best sport."

Rebekah Mills
Rebekah Mills

Excitement is warranted. You'll see different figures for the number of national teams that will compete in the World Championship (dozens and dozens) and for the number of athletes (hundreds and hundreds). The exact numbers aren't important, though. What is important is that these will be the best cross-country runners in the world. This is, after all, the World Championship, and these harriers will be competing in Florida, in Tallahassee, at Apalachee Regional Park.


There will be five races. Senior men, senior women, junior men, junior women, and a mixed relay. "Senior" means any age; the senior athletes race ten kilometers. "Junior" is under 20, the junior men race eight kilometers and the junior women six kilometers. The relay is 4 x 2 kilometers in the order man, woman, man, woman.

Tallahassee 26
The Tallahassee 26 logo unveiled

No one in any of the five races will have to race up Apalachee Regional Park's notorious incline, the Wall. The races will each feature multiple laps around a new two-kilometer loop at ARPXC, a loops that will feature a sand element (symbolizing Florida's beaches), a mud element (symbolizing the Everglades), a roller-coaster element (sharp up-and-downs symbolizing Florida's theme parks), and a water element (symbolizing Florida's water recreation). Thankfully, there will be no 'gator attack element (symbolizing Florida's wildlife) or lighting-oneself-on-fire element (symbolizing Florida man).


The World Championship has never before been in Florida. It has seldom been in the United States; of 46 World Championship meets Tallahassee 26 will be only the third in North America.


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Monday, November 11, 2024

No one could catch Leonardo Canete or Stephanie Liles-Weyant at the Catfish Crawl

2024 Catfish Crawl 5KExperience must count for something.


It certainly did at the twelfth annual Catfish Crawl 5K in Blountstown, Florida on Saturday morning, 9 November 2024. The first five finishers were all master runners, as were six of the top eight men, eight of the top nine women, and both the overall male and overall female winners. Leading this charge was Leonardo Canete. That Tallahassee, Florida master runner won the annual race for the third year in a row, this time with a winning mark of 17:42. Another Tallahassee master runner, Stephanie Liles-Weyant, won her second straight Catfish Crawl women's title, placing seventh overall in 19:40.


Ryan Kunz, a master runner from Tallahassee, came in runner-up to Canete in 18:43. And Tallahassee master runner Hong-Guo Yu took third in 18:59.


Canete finished with a lead of nearly 300 meters, but the women's race was closer. Just 30 meters behind the winner, Stephanie Liles-Weyant, was Blountstown's Chelsee Carley. Formerly a cross-country runner at Blountstown High and Chipola College, Carley was eighth overall in 19:47. It wasn't Carley's first Catfish Crawl, but it was her fastest. As Chelsee Cook, she had won the 2016 Catfish Crawl women's title in 21:37, and in 2017 she had finished runner-up in 20:01.


Behind Carley, Tallahassee master runner Melanie Leitman was the third woman and seventeenth overall in 21:33.


144 athletes finished the 2024 Catfish Crawl. International Running Company, LLC, chip-timed the race. Look for the thirteenth annual Catfish Crawl in Blountstown on 8 November 2025.


Top Ten Men, 2024 Catfish Crawl 5K
  1. 17:42, Leonardo Canete (M, 46)
  2. 18:43, Ryan Kunz (M, 42)
  3. 18:59, Hong-Guo Yu (M, 56)
  4. 19:20, Camilo Ordonez (M, 45)
  5. 19:27, Jack McDermott (M, 55)
  6. 19:37, Jason Tomlinson (M, 16)
  7. 19:48, Alexander Nandho (M, 18)
  8. 19:57, Fanxiu Zhu (M, 55)
  9. 20:03, Malach Ebersole (M, 12)
  10. 20:26, Chase Sims (M, 12)

Top Ten Women, 2024 Catfish Crawl 5K
  1. 19:40, Stephanie Liles-Weyant (F, 52)
  2. 19:47, Chelsee Carley (F, 25)
  3. 21:33, Melanie Leitman (F, 40)
  4. 23:01, Laura McDermott (F, 45)
  5. 23:25, Sarah Lester (F, 48)
  6. 23:26, Hillary Powell (F, 40)
  7. 23:38, Nancy Proctor (F, 63)
  8. 23:54, Angela Dempsey (F, 56)
  9. 24:28, Melissa Martin (F, 50)
  10. 24:39, Laura Dennis (F, 38)

Blountstown Fire Department Catfish Crawl 5K champions, 2012 - 2024
DateMenWomenFinishers
19 May 201217:45, Billy Naylor21:41, Hannah Plazarin96
18 May 201316:38, Billy Naylor23:45, Hannah Plazarin128
17 May 201417:23, Thomas Howell25:05, Lydia Miles117
16 May 201517:47, Michael Martinez22:41, Kristi Johnson135
21 May 201618:08, Geb Kiros21:37, Chelsee Cook132
20 May 201717:23, Matthew McCurdy19:47, Kat Sack212
19 May 201819:07, Chance Logan20:59, Kat Sack133
18 May 201917:35, Charlie Kline18:08, Ann Centner266
14 November 2020Race Canceled
13 November 202116:26, Micah Kemp19:13, Sheryl Rosen119
12 November 202217:17, Leonardo Canete24:27, Alena Brobst102
11 November 202317:27, Leonardo Canete20:47, Stephanie Liles-Weyant143
9 November 202417:42, Leonardo Canete19:40, Stephanie Liles-Weyant144



 Top ten men's times, Catfish Crawl 5K 
TimeAthleteYear
16:26Micah Kemp2021
16:38Billy Naylor2013
16:59Travis Boltjes2021
17:17Leonardo Canete2022
17:23Thomas Howell2014
17:23Matthew McCurdy2017
17:27Leonardo Canete2023
17:31Chris O'Kelley2017
17:32Leonardo Canete2021
17:35Charlie Kline2019
      
Top ten women's times, Catfish Crawl 5K
TimeAthleteYear
18:08Ann Centner2019
19:13Sheryl Rosen2021
19:40Stephanie Liles-Weyant2024
19:47Kat Sack2017
19:47Chelsee Carley2024
20:01Chelsee Cook2017
20:24Brittney Barnes2019
20:47Stephanie Liles-Weyant2023
20:47Alexis Mayfield2023
20:50Stephanie Liles-Weyant2019


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Veterans Day victories in Tallahassee for Leonardo Canete and Elisa Williamson

2024 Memorial-to-Memorial Veterans Day 5KOn "the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918, an armistice was signed with Germany, ending major hostilities in World War I. The date was celebrated annually as Armistice Day, and, in the United States after 1954, as Veterans Day.


In Tallahassee, Florida, it was the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 2024, but closer to 8:00 AM ET than to the eleventh hour, that the tenth annual Memorial-to-Memorial Veterans Day 5K started. It still wasn't the eleventh hour when Tallahassee master runner Leonardo Canete finished the race, placing first in 17:48. Elisa Williamson was the women's winner, coming in thirteenth overall in 22:39. Williamson was formerly a cross-country runner at Gulf Breeze High (c/o 2022).


The win was the second in two days for Canete. 48 hours earlier he had turned a 17:42 5K in Blountstown, Florida, winning the twelfth annual Catfish Crawl. It was also his second straight win at the Veterans Day 5K.


Abel Adams, a frosh member of the Leon High cross-country team, finished second to Canete in 18:23. Tallahassee master runner Ryan Kunz took third in 19:03.


Hannah Dushane was the women's runner-up, placing eighteenth overall in 22:54. A few steps behind Dushane, Cathy Bond was the first woman master and third female finisher, nineteenth overall in 22:57.


229 athletes finished the 2024 Memoria-to-Memorial Veterans Day 5K. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed the race.


Top Ten Men, 2024 Tallahassee VetFest 5K
  1. 17:48, Leonardo Canete (M, 46)
  2. 18:23, Abel Adams (M, 14)
  3. 19:03, Ryan Kunz (M, 42)
  4. 19:15, Bryce Widner (M, 17)
  5. 20:07, Nikolas Mora (M, 21)
  6. 20:41, Hunter Phillips (M, 30)
  7. 21:01, Charles Moore (M, 24)
  8. 21:09, Nathan Kollett (M, 38)
  9. 21:37, Peter Curet (M, 12)
  10. 21:43, Lucas Puig (M, 16)

Top Ten Women, 2024 Tallahassee VetFest 5K
  1. 22:39, Elisa Williamson (F, 20)
  2. 22:54, Hannah Dushane (F, 31)
  3. 22:57, Cathy Bond (F, 44)
  4. 23:18, Jenny Early (F, 41)
  5. 24:56, Kendall Helms (F, 22)
  6. 25:32, Taylor Yanchuk (F, 23)
  7. 26:09, Kim Sims (F, 45)
  8. 26:17, Courtney Starling (F, 37)
  9. 27:20, Liliana Jones (F, 19)
  10. 27:29, Bridgette Anthony (F, 21)

Tallahassee VetFest 5K winners, 2011 - 2024
DateMenWomenFinishers
14 November 201116:20, Alex Smyth22:50, Sandy Holt169
12 November 201219:12, James Taylor21:34, Kelly Brennan112
11 November 201315:57, Chris Rego20:01, Renee Cox147
11 November 201417:45, Adam Greenstein19:06, Katie Sherron191
11 November 201517:02, Gary Droze18:24, Katie Sherron255
11 November 201616:41, Matt McCurdy18:00, Alyson Churchill191
11 November 201716:25, Charlie Johnson18:10, Katie Sherron211
12 November 2016Canceled
11 November 2019Canceled
11 November 2020COVID-19, virtual race only
11 November 2021Canceled
11 November 202217:27, Leonardo Canete17:21 Amanda Beach111
10 November 202317:56, Leonardo Canete22:39, Amelie Olsen Galvan176
11 November 202417:48, Leonardo Canete22:39, Elisa Williamson229


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Saturday, October 19, 2024

Leonardo Canete and Rachel NeSmith find victory on the Quail Trail

Quail Trail 5KPick any Saturday in autumn, and all over the United States you'll find a multiplicity of five-kilometer cross-country races--in parks, forests, fields, and country clubs. It's just one beautiful place to run after another. Of course, all those races are for high school cross-country teams.


There are a few such races for the rest of us, though. For instance, there was the ninth annual Quail Trail 5K, contested south of Thomasville, Georgia on the grounds of scenic Pebble Hill Plantation on Saturday morning, 19 October 2024. Making his first visit to Pebble Hill, Tallahassee, Florida master runner Leonardo Canete won the race in 17:48. Rachel NeSmith of Thomasville was the first woman in the 5K, placing sixth overall in 21:10.


Charlie Johnson, another Tallahassee master runner, finished runner-up to Canete in 18:14. Thomasville master runner Kevin Ethridge took third in 20:35.


Thomasville athlete Rebekah Campiglia was the second woman and seventh overall in 22:08. Kenley Reneau, an eighth-grader on the cross-country team at Thomas County Middle School, placed third in the women's standings and eleventh overall in 25:22.


139 athletes finished the 2024 Quail Trail 5K. Miles and Minutes, LLC, of Tallahassee, Florida timed and scored the race.


Top Ten Men, 2024 Quail Trail 5K
  1. 17:47.6, Leonardo Canete (M, 46) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 18:13.3, Charlie Johnson (M, 44) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 20:34.5, Kevin Ethridge (M, 47) Thomasville, GA
  4. 20:52.0, Nathan Smith (M, 22) Thomasville, GA
  5. 21:01.4, Joel Reneau (M, 38) Thomasville, GA
  6. 22:19.6, Braden Baker (M, 24) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 24:56.4, David Mayfield (M, 47) Tallahassee, FL
  8. 25:20.6, David Griner (M, 55) Moultrie, GA
  9. 25:49.0, Michael Kennett (M, 51) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 26:02.4, Cole McCollough (M, 13) Crawfordville, FL

Top Ten Women, 2024 Quail Trail 5K
  1. 21:09.7, Rachel NeSmith (F, 28) Thomasville, GA
  2. 22:07.2, Rebekah Campiglia (F, 26) Thomasville, GA
  3. 25:21.8, Kenley Reneau (F, 13) Thomasville, GA
  4. 26:13.2, Lydia Kennett (F, 13) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 26:15.5, Catherine McSwigan (F, 28) Albany, GA
  6. 26:33.1, Kelsey Mezzina (F, 30) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 27:04.8, Lillie Moore (F, 15) High Point, NC
  8. 27:18.9, C D (F, 44) Tallahassee, FL
  9. 27:19.0, Kelly Kundinger (F, 31) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 27:40.0, Nicole Balmer (F, 48) Tallahassee, FL

Quail Trail 5K winners, 2009 - 2024
DateMenWomenFinishers
26 September 200922:01, Steven Cox24:38, Nancy Stedman155
25 September 201015:41, Kevin Cook18:40, Kara Taylor236
24 September 201117:30, Giovanni Sanchez23:54, Kimberlee Lawson118
29 September 201218:38, Ryan Kelly24:29, Melanie Jackson157
28 September 201316:59, Chance Roe19:47, Jacki Pinkerton92
27 September 201417:40, Ryan Kelly24:03, Nancy Elam101
19 September 201518:41, Ryan Kelly20:10, Melissa Thompson99
21 October 202316:25, Matthew Mizereck20:20, Alison Wells170
19 October 202417:48, Leonardo Canete21:09.7, Rachel NeSmith139
The Quail Trail 5K was run on USATF certified course GA09026WC from 2010 to 2015
and on USATF certified course GA23040WC from 2023 to 2024.


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Monday, August 26, 2024

Leonardo Canete, Megan Noonan were winners in the Trail Series finale at Maclay Gardens

In baseball, "Wait till next year!" was the unofficial slogan of the Brooklyn Dodgers. It still is for the Chicago Cubs. Really, for any fan at the end of the season, it's a mantra of hope.


In the world of trail running, it could also have been on the lips of afficianados of Gulf Winds Track Club's Summer Trail Series after Saturday morning, 24 August 2024. That was the morning of the fourth and final race of the year on Tallahassee, Florida's Summer Trail circuit, the Maclay Gardens 9K. Leonardo Canete took first in the race on the Lake Overstreet trails, winning by 400 meters in 37:31. Master runner Megan Noonan was the women's champ, placing seventh overall in 42:12.

Leonardo Canete
Leonardo Canete

Leonardo Canete had company on the starting line, but none after that. Taking the lead almost immediately, he was soon out of sight of the rest of the field. He finished his lonely tour of the Overstreet trails in 37:31, almost two minutes before the next runner crossed the line. It was Canete's third win of the 2024 Series, and his eleventh Series win since 2021, his first year on the circuit. Only Zach DeVeau, with six victories, had even half as many first-place showings in the Summer Trail Series.

Kyle Kraeft
Kyle Kraeft

Kyle Kraeft placed runner-up to Canete in 39:12. Master runner Michael Tercyak took third, running 39:38.


2024 was the eleventh year of the trail series, and the sixth time that a Series race had been on the Overstreet trails. Series director Bobby York measured the course each time, coming up with six different figures. It's safe to say that the race is in the neighborhood of nine kilometers, as long as you understand that it's a largish neighborhood.

Megan Noonan
Megan Noonan

Megan Noonan finished those nine kilometers before any other woman in the field had finished the first eight. Her 42:12 earned Noonan a third win in three appearances during the 2024 Series


Michelle Rind took the second spot in the women's standings, placing sixteenth overall in 47:37. Averi Lewis was the third woman and nineteenth overall in 48:43. Lewis had been the top woman in the third Summer Trail Series race of 2024, the Swamp Forest Trail 7K.

Michelle Rind
Michelle Rind

With Gulf Winds Track Club's 2024 Summer Trail Series over, what would Tallahassee's trail runners do while waiting for next year? Race director Bobby York had an answer.


"I hope to see everyone at the Swamp Forest Trail Marathon on January 4," said York.


99 athletes finished the 2024 Maclay Gardens 9K Trail Race. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed the event.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2024 Maclay Gardens 9K Trail Race
  1. 37:31, Leonardo Canete (M, 45)
  2. 39:12, Kyle Kraeft (M, 35)
  3. 39:38, Michael Tercyak (M, 41)
  4. 41:22, Daniel Korecky (M, 39)
  5. 41:50, Gregory Noonan (M, 41)
  6. 42:00, Mickey Moore (M, 54)
  7. 43:46, Melvin Jones (M, 44)
  8. 44:29, Camilo Ordonez (M, 45)
  9. 45:07, Kenneth Gloeckner (M, 40)
  10. 45:19, Jeremy Floyd (M, 47)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2024 Maclay Gardens 9K Trail Race
  1. 42:12, Megan Noonan (F, 40)
  2. 47:37, Michelle Rind (F, 29)
  3. 48:43, Averi Lewis (F, 27)
  4. 50:44, Signe Ulsamer (F, 46)
  5. 51:10, Olivia Willoughby (F, 27)
  6. 53:42, Kendall Meikenhous (F, 36)
  7. 54:07, Emma Huggins (F, 33)
  8. 54:12, Nancy Proctor (F, 63)
  9. 57:54, Kelsey Mezzina (F, 29)
  10. 59:31, Nicole Balmer (F, 48)

Gulf Winds Track Club's Summer Trail Series race winners, 2013 - 2024
YearDateRaceTop MaleTop FemaleFinishers
2013June 22Cadillac Trail 5½M37:38, Kevin Sullivan45:07, Stephanie Liles-Weyant121
July 13Swamp Forest Trail 4½M30:19, Kevin Sullivan34:12, Micah Adriani124
July 27Magnolia Trail 3½M21:44, Kevin Sullivan24:45, Stephanie Liles-Weyant114
August 3Red Bug Trail 4½M33:31, Bryce Van Dam43:46, Stephanie Liles-Weyant92
2014June 21Red Bug Trail 4½M38:30, Charn McAllister42:02, Brook Pace114
July 12Swamp Forest Trail 4½M29:06, Charn McAllister33:13, Brook Pace109
July 26Magnolia Trail 3½M26:03, Charn McAllister30:16, Emily Molen108
August 2Cadillac Trail 5½M41:38, Brian Molen48:25, Emily Molen88
2015May 30Cadillac Trail 5½M39:15, Zach Deveau42:51, Alyson Churchill158
June 13Oak Hammock Trail 5M32:59, Zach Deveau35:10, Alyson Churchill129
July 18Coon Bottom Trail 4M28:42, Zach Deveau29:14, Alyson Churchill112
August 1Red Bug Trail 4½M35:14, Greg Bargo35:24, Alyson Churchill112
2016May 21Magnolia Trail 3½M25:18, Dan Baur27:05, Katie Gorman133
June 4Oak Hammock Trail 5½M42:53, Eric Godin45:24, Katie Gorman123
July 9Red Bug Trail 4½M33:14, Dan Baur35:04, Katie Gorman130
July 30Cadillac Trail 5½M43:06, Paul Guyas42:29, Alyson Churchill95
2017June 10Munson Hills 6M36:45, Chris O'Kelley46:34, Emily Molen87
July 1Red Bug Trail 4½M37:34, Chris O'Kelley48:24, Emily Molen90
July 15Oak Hammock/Swamp Forest 5M33:35, Charles Biberg39:36, Kat Sack89
August 5Tom Brown Park 4½M32:40, Chris O'Kelley36:36, Jennifer Bayliss71
2018June 23Munson Hills 6M38:02, Vince Molosky45:10, Emily Molen124
July 7Phipps Park 4M30:49, Jim Schafer33:39, Kat Sack127
July 21Maclay Gardens 5M38:26, Brad Busboom44:39, Kat Sack110
August 4Tom Brown Park 4½M28:39, Brad Busboom32:29, Kat Sack109
2019June 22Red Bug Trail 4½M35:27, Zach DeVeau38:53, Rachel Durbin125
July 6Munson Hills 6M38:24, Zach DeVeau43:56, Rachel Durbin86
July 27Tom Brown Park 5M37:13, Bryan Gensits44:47, Rachel Durbin108
August 24Maclay Gardens 4½M39:00, Zach DeVeau43:00, Rachel Durbin91
2021June 12Cadillac Trail 5½M40:26, Daniel Wurgler46:21, Clifton Lewis107
July 10Swamp Forest Trail 5M29:07, Leonardo Canete34:24, Amelia Bryant104
July 24Maclay Gardens 5M37:48, Jonathan Stern44:06, Clifton Lewis111
August 28Red Bug Trail 4½M34:23, Leonardo Canete38:10, Clifton Lewis72
2022May 28Swamp Forest Trail 4½M28:08, Jonathan Stern38:29, Andi Vilardo141
June 19Red Bug Trail 4½M32:19, Jonathan Stern44:01, Andi Vilardo111
July 16Maclay Gardens 5½M38:28, Leonardo Canete52:14, Andi Vilardo120
August 20Cadillac Trail 5½M37:18, Leonardo Canete48:39, Alyssa Terry98
2023May 20Red Bug Trail 4½M33:26, Leonardo Canete40:05, Averi Lewis124
June 19Maclay Gardens 5½M38:39, Leonardo Canete47:18, Averi Lewis126
July 16Swamp Forest Trail 4½M29:39, Leonardo Canete36:27, Averi Lewis106
August 19Cadillac Trail 5½M38:27, Leonardo Canete48:20, Acadia Hassell108
2024May 25Cadillac Trail 5½M37:39, Leonardo Canete44:18, Megan Noonan117
June 29Red Bug Trail 4½M32:44, Jonathan Stern38:32, Megan Noonan128
July 20Swamp Forest Trail 4½M29:15, Leonardo Canete37:17, Averi Lewis89
August 24Maclay Gardens 5½M37:31, Leonardo Canete42:12, Megan Noonan 99
Multiple wins by men: Leonardo Canete (11), Zach DeVeau (6), Jonathan Stern (4), Kevin Sullivan (3),
      Charn McAllister (3), Chris O'Kelley (3), Dan Baur (2), Brad Busboom (2)
Multiple wins by women: Alyson Churchill (5), Emily Molen (5), Kat Sack (4), Rachel Durbin (4), Averi Lewis (4),
      Stephanie Liles-Weyant (3), Katie Gorman (3), Clifton Lewis (3), Andi Vilardo (3), Megan Noonan (3),
      Brook Pace (2)


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