Showing posts with label Saint Marks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saint Marks. Show all posts

Thursday, February 20, 2025

More Flash 12K wins for Hawthorne Hay and Fiona Bayly

Gulf Winds Track Club's Flash 12KGulf Winds Track Club's 38th annual Flash 12K was in Saint Marks, Florida on Saturday morning, 15 February 2025. So how far is twelve kilometers?


Step out onto a high school track. It's probably standard size, 400 meters. So if you go 30 laps, that's 12,000 meters--twelve kilometers. If you're a vintage athlete, you remember when that same track was a little bit longer, a quarter mile around. 30 of those laps would be seven-and-a-half miles.


That's the distance that 22-year-old Hawthorne Hay covered in 43:17 when he won the 2025 Flash 12K, finishing almost 800 meters ahead of the next runner. Master runner Fiona Bayly was the first woman in the race, placing fourth overall in 47:33.


Behind Hay, Mike Tercyak of Crawfordville, Florida was the first master runner in the Flash, coming in second overall in 46:18. Perry, Florida master runner Michael Rhodes took third, running 47:28.


It was Hawthorne Hay's second Flash 12K win; he had also taken first in 2023. For Fiona Bayly, though, it was the third Flash 12K women's title in a row. The New York master runner had also recorded wins in 2023 (46:51) and 2024 (also 46:51). Finishing runner-up to Bayly in the 2025 women's standings was master runner Megan Noonan of Tallahassee. Noonan was eighth overall in 50:31. Another Tallahassee master runner, Signe Ulsamer was the third woman and twelfth overall in 56:55.


53 athletes finished the 2025 Flash 12K.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2025 Flash 12K
  1. 43:17, Hawthorne Hay (M, 22) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 46:18, Mike Tercyak (M, 42) Crawfordville, FL
  3. 47:28, Michael Rhodes (M, 56) Perry, FL
  4. 48:58, Gregory Noonan (M, 42) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 49:40, Hans Hassell (M, 42) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 50:27, Will Hanley (M, 50) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 54:37, William Mrazek (M, 40) Tallahassee, FL
  8. 56:07, Michael Weyant (M, 59) Tallahassee, FL
  9. 56:22, Michael Mecham (M, 22) Crawfordville, FL
  10. 57:09, Ian Fitton (M, 32) Tallahassee, FL

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2025 Flash 12K
  1. 47:33, Fiona Bayly (F, 57) New York, NY
  2. 50:31, Megan Noonan (F, 41) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 56:55, Signe Ulsamer (F, 47) Tallahassee, FL
  4. 62:31, Kelsey Mezzina (F, 30) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 64:23, Nancy Stedman (F, 63) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 65:32, Kim Sims (F, 45) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 66:18, Kirsten Kinsley (F, 53) Tallahassee, FL
  8. 67:57, Alexandra Norman (F, 35) Fleming Island, FL
  9. 72:01, Diane Morris (F, 48) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 74:21, Michelle Comeaux (F, 52) Tallahassee, FL

Since 2009, the Flash 12K has been accompanied by a junior race, the Flash 6K. How far is six kilometers? Half as far as twelve kilometers.


Tallahassee master runner Nate Kaiser took first in the 2025 Flash 6K, the seventeenth running of the event, going the distance in 21:24. Master runner Ryan Kunz of Tallahassee took second, running 22:09. Tallahassee meteorologist Ryan Truchelut placed third in 22:27.


Stephanie Liles-Weyant, a Tallahassee maaster runner and triathlete, was the first woman in the 6K, coming in sixth overall in 23:44. Liles-Weyant was a former Flash 12K women's champion, having won the title in 2008--one of six years that the race was run in Woodville, Florida. Acadia Hassell, a sixth-grader on the Montford Middle School cross-country team, was second in the women's division, placing ninth overall in 24:34. The 2022 Flash 6K women's champ, Charlotte Sikes, was third in the 2025 women's standings, finishing twelfth overall in 25:21. Sikes is an eighth-grader on the Swift Creek Middle School cross-country team.


109 athletes finished Gulf Winds Track Club's 2025 Flash 6K. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed both races.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2025 Flash 6K
  1. 21:24, Nate Kaiser (M, 45) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 22:09, Ryan Kunz (M, 42) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 22:27, Ryan Truchelut (M, 39) Tallahassee, FL
  4. 22:36, Hong-Guo Yu (M, 56) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 22:46, Stephen Andrews (M, 39) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 24:05, Tony Guillen (M, 56) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 24:31, Mike Martinez (M, 59) Tallahassee, FL
  8. 24:38, Fanxiu Zhu (M, 56) Tallahassee, FL
  9. 25:19, Jackson Blay (M, 24) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 25:28, Paul Guyas (M, 47) Tallahassee, FL

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2025 Flash 6K
  1. 23:44, Stephanie Liles-Weyant (F, 52) Tallahassee, FL
  2. 24:34, Acadia Hassell (F, 12) Tallahassee, FL
  3. 25:21, Charlotte Sikes (F, 14) Tallahassee, FL
  4. 26:54, Anna Grace Depaolo (F, 26) Tallahassee, FL
  5. 27:25, Vicky Droze (F, 49) Tallahassee, FL
  6. 28:20, Lily Swanbrow Becker (F, 41) Tallahassee, FL
  7. 29:11, Angela Dempsey (F, 56) Tallahassee, FL
  8. 30:38, Patch Nugent (F, 49) Miramar Beach, FL
  9. 30:40, Martha Guyas (F, 40) Tallahassee, FL
  10. 30:44, Kelley Coe El-Urfali (F, 61) Tallahassee, FL

Gulf Winds Track Club Flash 12K Champions, 1989 - 2025
DateDistanceMenWomenFinishers
28 January 198912K39:44, John Devine48:50, Barbara Balzer 155
17 February 199012K44:10, David Rigby54:40, Kathy Weiss 102
26 January 199112K39:36, Jessie Close50:24, Tina Davies163
18 January 199212K39:33, Jessie Close45:24, Paula Johnson132
23 January 199312K42:40, Jonathan Bigg45:43, Linda Nilges134
15 January 199412K38:02, Robin Rogers45:34, Jane Johnson91
21 January 199512K40:49, Gary Droze45:34, Jane Johnson145
27 January 199612K41:10, Gary Droze44:27, Jane Johnson132
11 January 199712K39:25, Brian Erb47:57, Sarah Williams75
7 February 199812K42:57, Clarence Calloway45:12, Sarah Williams164
20 February 199912K44:40, Tim Simpkins46:27, Sarah Williams82
19 February 200012K39:44, Michael Strickland46:06, Sara Docter-Williams107
17 February 200112K43:56, Tim Unger45:38, Sarah Docter-Williams 98
16 February 200212K40:35, Gary Droze47:17, Jane Johnson 148
1 February 200312K42:52, Shawn Patterson52:18, Lisa Whitworth 80
7 February 200412K42:46, Tim Unger52:49, Lisa Whitworth 89
5 February 200512K42:05, Lee Willis45:30, Sarah Docter-Williams 118
4 February 200612K42:49, Vince Molosky50:21, Lisa Johnson89
17 February 200712K44:58, Todd Smoot52:22, Kim Likens74
16 February 200812K43:10, Tripp Southerland50:57, Stephanie Liles131
21 February 200912K42:34, Jay Wallace50:48, Jane Johnson105
6K23:21, Brian Corbin21:36, Jana Stolting30
20 February 201012K41:57, Daniel Lee47:12, Sheryl Rosen176
6K24:43, Ben Kail31:35, Rachel Phipps53
19 February 201112K40:57, Thomas Kunish49:23, Kelly Stevens214
6K23:59, Caleb Harris31:26, Ashton McMurray73
18 February 201212K41:23, Stephen Cox49:52, Katie Showman214
6K24:57, Duane Evans27:39, Nancy Gribble89
16 February 201312K38:41, Kevin Sullivan46:17, Sheryl Rosen268
6K21:54, Michael Martinez25:09, Jessica Gillard70
15 February 201412K39:39, Stanley Linton45:20, Seeley Gutierrez262
6K21:56, Jon Mason28:15, Sarah Taff85
21 February 201512K42:03, Zach Deveau47:33, Sheryl Rosen207
6K23:30, Duane Evans24:20, Katie Gorman98
20 February 201612K40:52, Roger Schmidt50:43, Katie Sherron213
6K23:17, Travis Parks32:26, Leah Kiros87
18 February 201712K43:25, Vince Molosky47:31, Katie Sherron162
6K22:02, Geb Kiros26:02, Katie Sack128
17 February 201812K44:20, Chris O'Kelley48:20, Sheryl Rosen168
6K22:53, Geb Kiros27:05, Christina Linton114
16 February 201912K43:04, Charlie Kline52:08, Amanda Sava181
6K21:04, Gary Droze28:51, Madison Sims111
15 February 202012K42:58, Chris O'Kelley50:50, Jamila Allen124
6K19:42, Trevor Sununu24:41, Katie Sherron177
13 February 202112K43:40, Charlie Johnson54:50, Jillian Heddaeus48
6K23:45, Jonathan Kiros28:57, Madison Sims38
12 February 202212K44:48, Leonardo Canete53:11, Deanna McVay118
6K21:42, Kent Grayson27:20, Savannah Stanley80
11 February 202312K42:39, Hawthorne Hay46:51, Fiona Bayly97
6K23:16, Mike Martinez25:01, Charlotte Sikes35
17 February 202412K43:16, Charlie Johnson46:51, Fiona Bayly42
6K20:53, Leonardo Canete25:26, Alexis Mayfield116
15 February 202512K43:17, Hawthorne Hay47:33, Fiona Bayly53
6K21:24, Nate Kaiser23:44, Stephanie Liles-Weyant109
In 1989-2004 the race started and finished in Chaires. (FL88036BH and FL94001DL)
In 2005-2010 the race started and finished at J. Lewis Hall Park in Woodville. (FL05007DL)
In 2011-2025 the race started and finished at Fort San Marcos de Apalachee in St. Marks.
(FL11133EBM and FL22010JK)


Links
#31
Bookmark and Share
Posted by Herb Wills at 11:39 PM 0 comments
Labels: , , , , , , ,

Saturday, February 15, 2020

Chris O'Kelley and Jamila Allen dazzle the competition at the Flash 12K

Saturday morning, 15 February 2020, was chilly by the standards of Saint Marks, Florida. The manatees had paddled up the Wakulla River, seeking the warmth of Wakulla Springs. Vultures clustered on the metal roof of the Saint Marks Yacht Club, basking in the rising sun. Some 300 athletes, though, beat the chill that morning by racing Gulf Winds Track Club's 12K and 6K on the Saint Marks pavement. Chris O'Kelley was the fastest in the 32nd annual 12K, winning the race by nearly 600 meters in 42:58. Jamila Allen was the first woman in the race, placing sixth overall in 50:50.

Chris O'Kelley
Chris O'Kelley

For O'Kelley, a Tallahassee, Florida athlete, it was his second win in four years at the race. It was also his fastest time yet in the Flash 12K, even if he wasn't aware of it.


"The time isn't that memorable, because I only run one of these a year," said O'Kelley. "It's not like a 10K or something."

Michael Rhodes
Michael Rhodes

Just shy of 7-1/5 miles, twelve kilometers isn't like a half-marathon, either. Less than two weeks before the Flash, O'Kelley had run the Tallahassee Half Marathon, placing eighth overall in 1:17:01. He had plans to run Boston Marathon in April. Even if twelve kilometers is an unfamiliar distance for O'Kelley, he handled it well enough at the Flash, leading nearly from start to finish.


"I did the first one or two miles at 6:00," said O'Kelley. "Then I dropped down to 5:40 a mile, with a few miles under 5:40."

Jamila Allen
Jamila Allen

His winning time of 42:58 works out to about 5:46 a mile. The first master runner in the race was Michael Rhodes of Perry, Florida, who finished runner-up to O'Kelley in 45:11. It was Rhodes' third straight year as the top master at the Flash. Dr. Philip Sura took third in 49:34 and Dr. Geb Kiros was fourth in 50:27.


Jillian Heddaeus of Tallahassee set the pace for the women's field in the early going of the Flash 12K, but Jamila Allen was never far behind. Four kilometers into the race, Allen taken the lead, 50 meters ahead of Heddaeus. By the end of the race Allen had stretched that margin to almost half a kilometer, winning the women's title with a 50:50. Heddaeus took second in the women's standings, coming in thirteenth overall in 53:01. Grace Kennedy was the third woman and fifteenth overall in 55:01. Kathy Greene was the first woman master and fourth female finisher, nineteenth overall in 56:19.

Jillian Heddaeus
Jillian Heddaeus

Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2020 Flash 12K
  1. 42:58, Chris O'Kelley (M, 26)
  2. 45:11, Michael Rhodes (M, 51)
  3. 49:34, Philip Sura (M, 49)
  4. 50:27, Geb Kiros (M, 53)
  5. 50:46, William Mrazek (M, 35)
  6. 51:10, Jon Nash (M, 40)
  7. 51:44, Kyle Kraeft (M, 30)
  8. 51:53, Nathan Ebersole (M, 37)
  9. 52:26, William Carter (M, 55)
  10. 52:45, Darien Angelier (M, 44)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2020 Flash 12K
  1. 50:50, Jamila Allen (F, 30)
  2. 53:01, Jillian Heddaeus (F, 36)
  3. 55:01, Grace Kennedy (F, 31)
  4. 56:19, Kathy Greene (F, 46)
  5. 58:30, Sarah Dugas (F, 41)
  6. 59:20, Kennedy Hall (F, 21)
  7. 59:23, Nancy Stedman (F, 58)
  8. 60:12, Leah Kiros (F, 14)
  9. 60:43, Greta Mikell (F, 23)
  10. 61:31, Melissa Hooke (F, 41)

Gary Droze set the Flash 6K course record in 2019, running 21:04. The Tallahassee Community College cross-country coach's mark lasted 364 days, till Trevor Sununu blazed a 19:42 in the Flash 6K.

Trevor Sununu
Trevor Sununu

"It was a fun race," said Sununu, a Tallahassee baker. "Faster than I ran at the Bowlegs 5K. My mile splits were 5:20, 5:20, and 5:05."


Dr. Ryan Truchelut, Tallahassee's running meteorologist, took second in 21:49. Chance Logan of Tallahassee placed third in 21:58. Mike Martinez, the 2013 Flash 6K champion, was the top master runner in the 2020 race, coming in fourth overall in 22:05.

Katie Sherron, Brittney Barnes
Katie Sherron & Brittney Barnes

Brittney Barnes led the women's field most of the way, with Dr. Katie Sherron just a step behind. Sherron took over late in the race, winning the women's title in 24:41 and placing eleventh overall. Barnes finished second in the women's standings and twelfth overall in 24:51. In the race for first woman master, Laura McDermott edged Laura Reina 26:08 to 26:14, the third and fourth women in the 6K. McDermott and Reina were 21st and 24th overall.


124 athletes finished the Flash 12K, with another 177 completing the 6K. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed both races.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2020 Flash 6K
  1. 19:42, Trevor Sununu (M, 24)
  2. 21:49, Ryan Truchelut (M, 34)
  3. 21:58, Chance Logan (M, 23)
  4. 22:05, Mike Martinez (M, 54)
  5. 22:13, Tony Guillen (M, 51)
  6. 22:53, Tristan Lanasa (M, 27)
  7. 23:17, Paul Guyas (M, 42)
  8. 23:34, David Knauf (M, 55)
  9. 23:36, Jonathan Kiros (M, 11)
  10. 23:52, Fanxiu Zhu (M, 51)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2020 Flash 6K
  1. 24:41, Katie Sherron (F, 38)
  2. 24:51, Brittney Barnes (F, 32)
  3. 26:08, Laura McDermott (F, 40)
  4. 26:14, Laura Reina (F, 55)
  5. 26:57, Sophie Smith (F, 36)
  6. 27:35, Ruffian Tyner (F, 44)
  7. 27:46, Kory Skrob (F, 49)
  8. 28:02, Cecilia Bouaichi (F, 24)
  9. 28:03, Tsige Tadesse-Kiros (F, 52)
  10. 28:27, Nancy Procter (F, 59)

Gulf Winds Track Club Flash 12K Champions, 1989 - 2020
DateDistanceMenWomenFinishers
28 January 198912K39:44, John Devine48:50, Barbara Balzer 155
17 February 199012K44:10, David Rigby54:40, Kathy Weiss 102
26 January 199112K39:36, Jessie Close50:24, Tina Davies163
18 January 199212K39:33, Jessie Close45:24, Paula Johnson132
23 January 199312K42:40, Jonathan Bigg45:43, Linda Nilges134
15 January 199412K38:02, Robin Rogers45:34, Jane Johnson91
21 January 199512K40:49, Gary Droze45:34, Jane Johnson145
27 January 199612K41:10, Gary Droze44:27, Jane Johnson132
11 January 199712K39:25, Brian Erb47:57, Sarah Williams75
7 February 199812K42:57, Clarence Calloway45:12, Sarah Williams164
20 February 199912K44:40, Tim Simpkins46:27, Sarah Williams82
19 February 200012K39:44, Michael Strickland46:06, Sara Docter-Williams107
17 February 200112K43:56, Tim Unger45:38, Sarah Docter-Williams 98
16 February 200212K40:35, Gary Droze47:17, Jane Johnson 148
1 February 200312K42:52, Shawn Patterson52:18, Lisa Whitworth 80
7 February 200412K42:46, Tim Unger52:49, Lisa Whitworth 89
5 February 200512K42:05, Lee Willis45:30, Sarah Docter-Williams 118
4 February 200612K42:49, Vince Molosky50:21, Lisa Johnson89
17 February 200712K44:58, Todd Smoot52:22, Kim Likens74
16 February 200812K43:10, Tripp Southerland50:57, Stephanie Liles131
21 February 200912K42:34, Jay Wallace50:48, Jane Johnson105
6K23:21, Brian Corbin21:36, Jana Stolting30
20 February 201012K41:57, Daniel Lee47:12, Sheryl Rosen176
6K24:43, Ben Kail31:35, Rachel Phipps53
19 February 201112K40:57, Thomas Kunish49:23, Kelly Stevens214
6K23:59, Caleb Harris31:26, Ashton McMurray73
18 February 201212K41:23, Stephen Cox49:52, Katie Showman214
6K24:57, Duane Evans27:39, Nancy Gribble89
16 February 201312K38:41, Kevin Sullivan46:17, Sheryl Rosen268
6K21:54, Michael Martinez25:09, Jessica Gillard70
15 February 201412K39:39, Stanley Linton45:20, Seeley Gutierrez262
6K21:56, Jon Mason28:15, Sarah Taff85
21 February 201512K42:03, Zach Deveau47:33, Sheryl Rosen207
6K23:30, Duane Evans24:20, Katie Gorman98
20 February 201612K40:52, Roger Schmidt50:43, Katie Sherron213
6K23:17, Travis Parks32:26, Leah Kiros87
18 February 201712K43:25, Vince Molosky47:31, Katie Sherron162
6K22:02, Geb Kiros26:02, Katie Sack128
17 February 201812K44:20, Chris O'Kelley48:20, Sheryl Rosen168
6K22:53, Geb Kiros27:05, Christina Linton114
16 February 201912K43:04, Charlie Kline52:08, Amanda Sava181
6K21:04, Gary Droze28:51, Madison Sims111
15 February 202012K42:58, Chris O'Kelley50:50, Jamila Allen124
6K19:42, Trevor Sununu24:41, Katie Sherron177
In 1989-2004 the race started and finished in Chaires. (FL88036BH and FL94001DL)
In 2005-2010 the race started and finished at J. Lewis Hall Park in Woodville. (FL05007DL)
In 2011-2020 the race started and finished at Fort San Marcos de Apalachee in St. Marks.
(FL11133EBM)


Links
#2694
Bookmark and Share
Posted by Herb Wills at 5:31 PM 0 comments
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Saturday, February 16, 2019

Charlie Kline and Amanda Sava finish a dozen kilometers in a Flash

On the outskirts of Saint Marks, Florida less than fifteen seconds separated four runners racing south on the Saint Marks Trail. It was Saturday morning, 16 February 2019, and Charlie Johnson, Charlie Kline, Michael Rhodes, and Chris O'Kelley were leading Gulf Winds Track Club's 31st annual Flash 12K, just 2500 meters from the finish line at Fort San Marcos de Apalachee State Park. Minutes later it was Charlie Kline who crossed that finish line first, passing Charlie Johnson late in the race to win the 12K in 43:04. Amanda Sava was the first woman, placing twelfth overall in 52:08.

Chris O'Kelley, Charlie Kline, Charlie Johnson
Chris O'Kelley, Charlie Kline, and Charlie Johnson

The race also started from the park, with the runners heading six kilometers north on the Saint Marks Rail Trail before turning around to retrace their route for the second half of the race. Three minutes after the 8:30 AM command to start, Michael Rhodes was leading the 12K field. The Perry, Florida master runner had also led the Flash in 2018. That year he had eventually been overtaken by Chris O'Kelley, who went on to win in 44:20 while Rhodes took second in 45:39. This year O'Kelley was in a group of three runners chasing Rhodes, including Charlie Johnson and Charlie Kline. At two kilometers Rhodes was 80 meters ahead, but the pursuit was closing.

Michael Rhodes
Michael Rhodes

"They passed me right at the water table at the turnaround," said Rhodes.


Johnson led on the return trip, followed by Kline and O'Kelley, then Rhodes. Defending champ O'Kelley fell back, and he and Rhodes began racing for third place. But Kline kept in contact with Johnson.

Charlie Johnson
Charlie Johnson

"Charlie had the lead coming off the bike path," said Kline. "He was still five seconds up on me and I didn't think I could close. But he started waving to me and saying, 'Come on, Charlie!' I passed him with 600 meters to go. I thought he would come back, but he didn't."


No, he didn't. Kline made it back to the Fort first in 43:04, with Johnson second in 43:11. O'Kelley passed Rhodes on the final stretch to take third in 43:23. Close behind in 43:27, Rhodes was the first master runner in the race and fourth overall.

Charlie Kline
Charlie Kline

Twelve kilometers is an unusual distance in the world of road racing, which is dominated by five kilometer races with a sprinkling of ten kilometer events, half marathons, and full marathons. 12K was not a familiar distance for Amanda Sava.


"I hadn't run 12K before," said Sava. "But I ran several 6K races back in college. I ran for FIT in Melbourne."

Amanda Sava
Amanda Sava

Six kilometers is the championship distance for women's cross-country in the NCAA, so she had raced 6K more than once while competing for the Florida Tech Panthers cross-country team. Now studying for a master's degree in meteorology at Florida State, Sava was doubling that distance at the Flash 12K. She trailed Brittney Barnes in the early going, but by the two-kilometer mark Sava was setting the pace for the women's field.


"The course was flat and fast and the weather was great," said Sava. "It was hard after the turnaround, though. There wasn't anyone to run with."

Stephanie Liles-Weyant
Stephanie Liles-Weyant

The long, straight stretches of the Saint Marks Trail may not be physically difficult, but they are psychologically taxing. Sava toughed it out, though, finishing with a 300 meter lead over the next woman in the race in a winning 52:08. About two miles from the finish, Stephanie Liles-Weyant overtook Barnes. Liles-Weyant, the first woman in the 2008 Flash 12K, went on to finish runner-up in the women's standings and fifteenth overall in 53:23. Running 54:31, Barnes was the third woman and 22nd overall.

Brittney Barnes
Brittney Barnes

Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Flash 12K
  1. 43:04, Charlie Kline (M, 26)
  2. 43:11, Charlie Johnson (M, 39)
  3. 43:23, Chris O'Kelley (M, 25)
  4. 43:27, Michael Rhodes (M, 50)
  5. 46:34, Ryan Truchelut (M, 33)
  6. 48:06, Myles Gibson (M, 52)
  7. 48:54, Don Smith (M, 39)
  8. 49:25, Thomas Murphy (M, 49)
  9. 49:45, David Knauf (M, 54)
  10. 50:07, Bill McNulty (M, 60)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Flash 12K
  1. 52:08, Amanda Sava (F, 24)
  2. 53:23, Stephanie Liles-Weyant (F, 46)
  3. 54:31, Brittney Barnes (F, 31)
  4. 55:31, Lourena Maxwell (F, 44)
  5. 56:22, Sherri Wise (F, 37)
  6. 56:37, Laura McDermott (F, 39)
  7. 56:59, Jillian Heddaeus (F, 35)
  8. 57:55, Laura Sellati (F, 39)
  9. 58:03, Monica Toth (F, 30)
  10. 58:12, Ruffian Tyner (F, 43)

Since 2009, the Flash has included a 6K race, run concurrently with the 12K. Jana Stolting, at the time a Maclay School cross-country runner, won that inaugural 6K, running 21:36. No one had run a faster Flash 6K since.

Gary Droze
Gary Droze

Not until 2019, anyway. Master runner Gary Droze, who had been Stolting's coach at Maclay, hammered the 2019 Flash 6K, leading from start to finish and winning by more than 900 meters in new event record of 21:04. Master runner Michael Martinez, himself the 2013 winner of the Flash 6K, took second in 24:56. Joshua Liles placed third in 25:34.


Eleven-year-old Madison Sims, a sixth-grader on the Fort Braden Middle School cross-country team, took first in the women's standings, placing seventh overall in 28:51. Georgina Hernandez was the women's runner-up and eighth overall in 29:04. Paula O'Neill was the first woman master and third female finisher, eleventh overall in 30:56.

Madison Sims
Madison Sims

181 athletes finished the 2019 Flash 12K, and another 111 completed the 6K. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed both races.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Flash 6K
  1. 21:04, Gary Droze (M, 57)
  2. 24:56, Michael Martinez (M, 53)
  3. 25:34, Joshua Liles (M, 19)
  4. 26:22, Kevin Lane (M, 29)
  5. 27:35, William Carter (M, 54)
  6. 28:10, Nathan Rhodes (M, 40)
  7. 29:46, Stephen Gensits (M, 63)
  8. 30:30, Kyle Sill (M, 35)
  9. 31:13, Erik Davis (M, 37)
  10. 31:35, Jonathan Jackson (M, 39)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2019 Flash 6K
  1. 28:51, Madison Sims (F, 11)
  2. 29:04, Georgina Hernandez (F, 28)
  3. 30:56, Paula Oneill (F, 57)
  4. 31:13, Kristina Lamb (F, 32)
  5. 31:16, Mercedes Puig (F, 34)
  6. 31:19, Kaitlyn Lane (F, 26)
  7. 32:12, Holly Otoole (F, 42)
  8. 32:37, Kara Barrentine (F, 37)
  9. 32:37, Andria Achong (F, 34)
  10. 32:41, Kasey Gordon (F, 28)

Gulf Winds Track Club Flash 12K Champions, 1989 - 2019
DateDistanceMenWomenFinishers
28 January 198912K39:44, John Devine48:50, Barbara Balzer 155
17 February 199012K44:10, David Rigby54:40, Kathy Weiss 102
26 January 199112K39:36, Jessie Close50:24, Tina Davies163
18 January 199212K39:33, Jessie Close45:24, Paula Johnson132
23 January 199312K42:40, Jonathan Bigg45:43, Linda Nilges134
15 January 199412K38:02, Robin Rogers45:34, Jane Johnson91
21 January 199512K40:49, Gary Droze45:34, Jane Johnson145
27 January 199612K41:10, Gary Droze44:27, Jane Johnson132
11 January 199712K39:25, Brian Erb47:57, Sarah Williams75
7 February 199812K42:57, Clarence Calloway45:12, Sarah Williams164
20 February 199912K44:40, Tim Simpkins46:27, Sarah Williams82
19 February 200012K39:44, Michael Strickland46:06, Sara Docter-Williams107
17 February 200112K43:56, Tim Unger45:38, Sarah Docter-Williams 98
16 February 200212K40:35, Gary Droze47:17, Jane Johnson 148
1 February 200312K42:52, Shawn Patterson52:18, Lisa Whitworth 80
7 February 200412K42:46, Tim Unger52:49, Lisa Whitworth 89
5 February 200512K42:05, Lee Willis45:30, Sarah Docter-Williams 118
4 February 200612K42:49, Vince Molosky50:21, Lisa Johnson89
17 February 200712K44:58, Todd Smoot52:22, Kim Likens74
16 February 200812K43:10, Tripp Southerland50:57, Stephanie Liles131
21 February 200912K42:34, Jay Wallace50:48, Jane Johnson105
6K23:21, Brian Corbin21:36, Jana Stolting30
20 February 201012K41:57, Daniel Lee47:12, Sheryl Rosen176
6K24:43, Ben Kail31:35, Rachel Phipps53
19 February 201112K40:57, Thomas Kunish49:23, Kelly Stevens214
6K23:59, Caleb Harris31:26, Ashton McMurray73
18 February 201212K41:23, Stephen Cox49:52, Katie Showman214
6K24:57, Duane Evans27:39, Nancy Gribble89
16 February 201312K38:41, Kevin Sullivan46:17, Sheryl Rosen268
6K21:54, Michael Martinez25:09, Jessica Gillard70
15 February 201412K39:39, Stanley Linton45:20, Seeley Gutierrez262
6K21:56, Jon Mason28:15, Sarah Taff85
21 February 201512K42:03, Zach Deveau47:33, Sheryl Rosen207
6K23:30, Duane Evans24:20, Katie Gorman98
20 February 201612K40:52, Roger Schmidt50:43, Katie Sherron213
6K23:17, Travis Parks32:26, Leah Kiros87
18 February 201712K43:25, Vince Molosky47:31, Katie Sherron162
6K22:02, Geb Kiros26:02, Katie Sack128
17 February 201812K44:20, Chris O'Kelley48:20, Sheryl Rosen168
6K22:53, Geb Kiros27:05, Christina Linton114
16 February 201912K43:04, Charlie Kline52:08, Amanda Sava181
6K21:04, Gary Droze28:51, Madison Sims111
In 1989-2004 the race started and finished in Chaires. (FL88036BH and FL94001DL)
In 2005-2010 the race started and finished at J. Lewis Hall Park in Woodville. (FL05007DL)
In 2011-2019 the race started and finished at Fort San Marcos de Apalachee in St. Marks.
(FL11133EBM)


Links
#2429
Bookmark and Share
Posted by Herb Wills at 6:32 PM 4 comments
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Monday, February 19, 2018

O'Kelley, Rosen make a little Flash 12K history in Saint Marks

“How far back is he?” called out Chris O’Kelley.


O’Kelley was headed south on the Saint Marks Trail, leading Gulf Winds Track Club’s Flash 12K. The next runner, Michael Rhodes, was far back indeed, about 200 meters behind with less than three kilometers left in the race. On the way to the finish line at San Marcos de Apalache State Park, O’Kelley widened that gap to nearly 400 meters, winning the race in 44:20.

Chris O'Kelley
Chris O'Kelley

It was the 30th annual Flash 12K that Saturday morning, 17 February 2018, in Saint Marks, Florida. In a town like Saint Marks, with history going back to the days of Spanish Florida, you’d expect the race to be much older. It would be satisfying, for instance, to learn that the race started in 1718, when the Spanish military commandant stationed at San Marcos de Apalache ordered his men to race tres legua as a display of their fitness for combat. Or perhaps the Flash 12K could trace its lineage to 1818, when Andrew Jackson celebrated his occupation of Saint Marks with a 60-furlong footrace and the execution by hanging of two British citizens, with maybe a few public floggings thrown in. Or maybe the race began in 1838 as recreation for workers on the Saint Marks Railroad, or in 1863 to settle a bet among troops stationed at Fort Ward.

Michael Rhodes
Michael Rhodes

None of those is true. The first Flash 12K wasn’t even in Saint Marks. Joe Dexter began the event in Chaires, Florida in 1989. By 2005 the traffic around Chaires had increased enough that Dexter moved the race to Woodville and the Saint Marks Trail. In 2011 construction on the Saint Marks Trail near Woodville made the course unuseable. Mark Priddy, having taken over as race director from Dexter, moved the Flash 12K to Saint Marks. The Flash was in Saint Marks for the eighth time in 2018 when a new race director, Keith Rowe, gave the runners the command to start just after 8:30 AM.

Travis Parks, Mickey Moore
Travis Parks and Mickey Moore

Michael Rhodes, a master runner from Perry, Florida, took the lead in the 12K near the end of the first kilometer. Chris O’Kelley of Tallahassee, Florida moved into second. Rhodes opened a gap initially, but O’Kelley overtook him before the four-kilometer mark. It was Kelley’s race after that, and he ran home in a winning 44:20. Rhodes took second in 45:39. Behind the first two finishers, Travis Parks and Mickey Moore had been battling for third for almost the entire race. Parks, a Tallahassee Community College cross-country runner, pulled away with a final effort, taking third in 46:58. Moore, a Tallahassee master runner, was fourth in 47:05.

Sheryl Rosen
Sheryl Rosen

It was O’Kelley’s first Flash 12K win. On the women’s side, though, Tallahassee lawyer Sheryl Rosen grabbed her fourth title, placing fifth overall in 48:20. Rosen had been the women’s champion of the Flash 12K for the first time in in 2010, back on the Woodville course. Her next three wins--2013, 2015, and 2018--had come in Saint Marks. Tsige Tadesse was the first woman master in the Flash 12K and second to Rosen in the women's standings, twentieth overall in 56:14. Nazarae Holcombe was the third woman and 25th overall in 57:49.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Flash 12K
  1. 44:20, Chris O'Kelley (M, 24)
  2. 45:39, Michael Rhodes (M, 49)
  3. 46:58, Travis Parks (M, 21)
  4. 47:05, Mickey Moore (M, 47)
  5. 48:48, Paul Guyas (M, 40)
  6. 48:58, Myles Gibson (M, 51)
  7. 49:17, Steven Wilson (M, 36)
  8. 50:09, Matthew Rowan (M, 49)
  9. 51:10, Tad David (M, 49)
  10. 52:04, Philip Sura (M, 47)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Flash 12K
  1. 48:20, Sheryl Rosen (F, 33)
  2. 56:14, Tsige Tadesse (F, 50)
  3. 57:49, Nazarae Holcombe (F, 27)
  4. 58:32, Abby Ross (F, 36)
  5. 58:50, Sherri Wise (F, 36)
  6. 59:23, Danielle De Greef (F, 22)
  7. 59:56, Ruffian Tyner (F, 42)
  8. 60:33, Kory Skrob (F, 47)
  9. 60:55, Nancy Johnson (F, 44)
  10. 61:33, Ludmila De Faria (F, 49)

Since 2009, a 6K has been run concurrently with the Flash 12K. In 2018, the shorter race was the tenth Flash 6K. Eric Houge led early, setting the pace for 12K runners and 6K runners alike. Houge was still ahead at the 3K mark, the turnaround on the out-and-back course, ten seconds up on on the next runner, 2017 Flash 6K champion Geb Kiros. On the return trip, Kiros made up that ten seconds and then some, passing Houge and winning the race in 22:53. Houge was second in 22:57. Michael Martinez, the 2013 Flash 6K champion, was third in 24:34.

Christina Linton
Christina Linton

Christina Linton was the first woman in the 6K, placing eighth overall in 27:05. Paula O'Neill was the first woman master and second female finisher, twelfth overall in 28:41. Master runner Madeleine Ely was third in the women's standings and fourteenth overall in 29:13.


168 athletes finished the Flash 12K and another 114 completed the Flash 6K. Gulf Winds Track Club chip-timed both races.


Top Ten Men, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Flash 6K
  1. 22:53, Geb Kiros (M, 51)
  2. 22:57, Eric Houge (M, 37)
  3. 24:34, Michael Martinez (M, 52)
  4. 25:55, Clint Beam (M, 32)
  5. 26:36, Jonathan Kiros (M, 9)
  6. 26:49, William Pafford (M, 32)
  7. 26:58, Jack Schwenkler (M, 10)
  8. 27:29, Erik Andersen (M, 35)
  9. 28:17, Jon Roddenberry (M, 44)
  10. 28:34, Brennan Abramowitz (M, 21)

Top Ten Women, Gulf Winds Track Club's 2018 Flash 6K
  1. 27:05, Christina Linton (F, 37)
  2. 28:41, Paula O'Neill (F, 56)
  3. 29:13, Madeleine Ely (F, 44)
  4. 29:56, Lynn Masimore (F, 39)
  5. 30:35, Kennedy Hall (F, 19)
  6. 31:48, Shelby Varner (F, 23)
  7. 32:01, Leah Kiros (F, 12)
  8. 32:05, Heather Malloy (F, 49)
  9. 32:35, Catherin Jones (F, 58)
  10. 33:50, Cheryl Moore (F, 50)

Gulf Winds Track Club Flash 12K Champions, 1989 - 2018
DateDistanceMenWomenFinishers
28 January 198912K39:44, John Devine48:50, Barbara Balzer 155
17 February 199012K44:10, David Rigby54:40, Kathy Weiss 102
26 January 199112K39:36, Jessie Close50:24, Tina Davies163
18 January 199212K39:33, Jessie Close45:24, Paula Johnson132
23 January 199312K42:40, Jonathan Bigg45:43, Linda Nilges134
15 January 199412K38:02, Robin Rogers45:34, Jane Johnson91
21 January 199512K40:49, Gary Droze45:34, Jane Johnson145
27 January 199612K41:10, Gary Droze44:27, Jane Johnson132
11 January 199712K39:25, Brian Erb47:57, Sarah Williams75
7 February 199812K42:57, Clarence Calloway45:12, Sarah Williams164
20 February 199912K44:40, Tim Simpkins46:27, Sarah Williams82
19 February 200012K39:44, Michael Strickland46:06, Sara Docter-Williams107
17 February 200112K43:56, Tim Unger45:38, Sarah Docter-Williams 98
16 February 200212K40:35, Gary Droze47:17, Jane Johnson 148
1 February 200312K42:52, Shawn Patterson52:18, Lisa Whitworth 80
7 February 200412K42:46, Tim Unger52:49, Lisa Whitworth 89
5 February 200512K42:05, Lee Willis45:30, Sarah Docter-Williams 118
4 February 200612K42:49, Vince Molosky50:21, Lisa Johnson89
17 February 200712K44:58, Todd Smoot52:22, Kim Likens74
16 February 200812K43:10, Tripp Southerland50:57, Stephanie Liles131
21 February 200912K42:34, Jay Wallace50:48, Jane Johnson105
6K23:21, Brian Corbin21:36, Jana Stolting30
20 February 201012K41:57, Daniel Lee47:12, Sheryl Rosen176
6K24:43, Ben Kail31:35, Rachel Phipps53
19 February 201112K40:57, Thomas Kunish49:23, Kelly Stevens214
6K23:59, Caleb Harris31:26, Ashton McMurray73
18 February 201212K41:23, Stephen Cox49:52, Katie Showman214
6K24:57, Duane Evans27:39, Nancy Gribble89
16 February 201312K38:41, Kevin Sullivan46:17, Sheryl Rosen268
6K21:54, Michael Martinez25:09, Jessica Gillard70
15 February 201412K39:39, Stanley Linton45:20, Seeley Gutierrez262
6K21:56, Jon Mason28:15, Sarah Taff85
21 February 201512K42:03, Zach Deveau47:33, Sheryl Rosen207
6K23:30, Duane Evans24:20, Katie Gorman98
20 February 201612K40:52, Roger Schmidt50:43, Katie Sherron213
6K23:17, Travis Parks32:26, Leah Kiros87
18 February 201712K43:25, Vince Molosky47:31, Katie Sherron162
6K22:02, Geb Kiros26:02, Katie Sack128
17 February 201812K44:20, Chris O'Kelley48:20, Sheryl Rosen168
6K22:53, Geb Kiros27:05, Christina Linton114
In 1989-2004 the race started and finished in Chaires. (FL88036BH and FL94001DL)
In 2005-2010 the race started and finished at J. Lewis Hall Park in Woodville. (FL05007DL)
In 2011-2017 the race started and finished at Fort San Marcos de Apalachee in St. Marks.
(FL11133EBM)


Links
#2196
Bookmark and Share
Posted by Herb Wills at 2:55 PM 0 comments
Labels: , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)