Scharlepp and Chunka navigate the Meridian Run

Beginning in 1824, all land in the territory (and later the state) of Florida was surveyed from the intersection of the Tallahassee Meridian (84° 16′ 37.59″ W) and the Base Parallel (30° 26′ 04.12″ N). This point didn't seem to have any particular significance; it's actually in a spot that was subject to flooding by a local creek, the Saint Augustine Branch. In 1925 a modest monument was erected on the site, but it was sometimes hidden by the tall grass. When Cascades Park was renovated the monument was replaced with an impressive mosaic showing Florida and the locations of the Base Line and Tallahassee Meridian.


For most people in Tallahassee though, daily contact with the Tallahassee Meridian comes in the form of Meridian Road, which roughly traces that line of longitude through most of city. And at 3000 North Meridian Road you'll find North Florida Christian School, which on Saturday morning, 22 April 2017, hosted the fourth annual Meridian Run 10K and 5K.


Zack Scharlepp won the 10K, covering the 6.2-mile course through Tallahassee's hilly northside in 42:14. Jackson Graham finished runner-up in 43:57, and Mark Tombrink took third in 46:47. Michael Kennett was the fastest master runner in the race, placing fourth overall in 46:54.


A few steps behind Kennett, Kate Chunka was the first woman in the 10K, finishing fifth overall in 46:56. North Florida Christian sophomore Mary Gravius was second in the women's standings and sixth overall in 52:10. Holly Gorham was the first woman master and third female finisher, coming in tenth overall in 68:25.


Top Five Men, 2017 Meridian Run 10K

1. 42:14, Zack Scharlepp (M, 34)
2. 43:57, Jackson Graham (M, 37)
3. 46:47, Mark Tombrink (M, 29)
4. 46:54, Michael Kennett (M, 43)
5. 55:56, Robert Steinmetz (M, 61)

Top Five Women, 2017 Meridian Run 10K

1. 46:56, Kate Chunka (F, 34)
2. 52:10, Mary Gravius (F, 16)
3. 68:25, Holly Gorham (F, 41)
4. 80:34, Emma Harmon (F, 19)
5. 83:22, Chelsea Life (F, 23)

QuanDra Shanks was the overall winner and first woman in the 5K, running 19:02. John Davis was the first man to finish the 3.1-mile race, placing second overall in 19:37.


Alese Autore was second in the 5K women's standings and third overall in 19:46, while Zenia George was the third woman and fourth overall in 19:54. Cricket Wood was the top woman master and fifth female finisher, eighth overall in 24:37.


Preston Reece, a North Florida Christian sophomore, was the second male finisher and sixth overall in 20:21. Darren Seymour was the first master runner in the field and third male finisher, seventh overall in 20:24.


Top Five Women, 2017 Meridian Run 5K

1. 19:02, QuanDra Shanks (F, 21)
2. 19:46, Alese Autore (F, 39)
3. 19:54, Zenia George (F, 28)
4. 20:06, Haleh Rush (F, 13)
5. 24:37, Cricket Wood (F, 48)

Top Five Men, 2017 Meridian Run 5K

1. 19:37, John Davis (M, 34)
2. 20:21, Preston Reece (M, 16)
3. 20:24, Darren Seymour (M, 46)
4. 34:42, David Hicks (M, 26)
5. 42:41, Steve Price (M, 47)

Meridian Run winners, 2014 - 2017
Date	Distance	Men	Women	Finishers
26 April 2014	10K	36:34, Roger Schmidt	45:57, Laura McDermott
	5K	19:56, Aaron Taylor	26:16, Liz Ruba
25 April 2015	10K	45:12, Michael Kennett	52:11, Mona Schortmann	41
	5K	20:14, Duane Evans	22:45, Sherez Mohamed	78
23 April 2016	10K	39:03, Paul Guyas	55:09, Beth Connolly
	5K	18:54, Dan Bauer	28:13, Tiffany Starke
22 April 2017	10K	42:14, Zack Scharlepp	46:56, Kate Chunka	14
	5K	19:37, John Davis	19:02, QuanDra Shanks	25

Links

• Complete results of the 2017 Meridian Run
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19ek8vN62b_ZNqIoH3UKOqoynPLTm-zJuzDsBXJfUcjY/pubhtml
  
  
• Find upcoming races of geographic significance on the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1966

Scharlepp and Johnson Gopher-A-Run in Marianna

Sometimes races are named without regard for how people are going to talk about them or, more importantly to me, write about them. Take the 5K hosted by Golson Elementary School in Marianna, Florida. When the Parent-Teacher Organization decided to hold a race as a fundraiser in 2016, they thought it would be a good idea to use the school's mascot, the gopher, in the name. No problem there; the race would be called the Gopher 5K, right? Well, wrong. Some wag thought it would be clever to use "gopher" in some word play. So we ended up with the Gopher-A-Run 5K. Groan-worthy, and how exactly do you write a name that's really a phrase? It's not particularly specific to the sport either; it could just as easily have been the Gopher-A-Dip Open Water Swim, the I-Could-Gopher-A-Cupcake Bake Sale, or the Gopher-Broke Demolition Derby.


But the name stuck. And the race returned on 25 February 2017, so here I am writing about the second annual Gopher-A-Run 5K.

Zack Scharlepp

The race was held outside Marianna in Florida Caverns State Park, a beautiful venue, however you feel about the name of the event. Tallahassee runner Zack Scharlepp won the 3.1-mile event, running 19:42. Mark McCarra was the top master runner and overall runner-up in 21:54. Ezra Caynor took third in 22:50, and master runner Jimmy Sims was fourth overall in 23:13.


Danielle Johnson of Marianna won the women's title in 27:16, placing eighth overall. Chandra Hanson was the first woman master and second female finisher, ninth overall in 27:46. Master runner Mandy Grover was third in the women's standings and fourteenth overall in 30:47, while Rachel Scharlepp was the fourth woman and fifteenth overall in 30:56.


51 athletes finished Golson Elementary School's 2017 Gopher-A-Run 5K.


Top Ten Men, 2017 Gopher-A-Run 5K

1. 19:42.0, Zack Scharlepp (M, 34)
2. 21:53.8, Mark McCarra (M, 51)
3. 22:49.4, Ezra Caynor (M, 31)
4. 23:12.9, Jimmy Sims (M, 62)
5. 26:14.4, Lance Culbreath (M, 47)
6. 26:51.8, Ricky Leff (M, 46)
7. 27:14.4, Jonathan Farris (M, 39)
8. 28:48.8, Stanley Owens (M, 61)
9. 30:06.8, Ryan Grover (M, 13)
10. 30:15.6, Crushall Swilley (M, 66)

Top Ten Women, 2017 Gopher-A-Run 5K

1. 27:15.9, Danielle Johnson (F, 34)
2. 27:45.7, Chandra Hanson (F, 49)
3. 30:46.8, Mandy Grover (F, 42)
4. 30:55.8, Rachel Scharlepp (F, 34)
5. 31:07.8, Ashley Johnson (F, 34)
6. 31:17.1, Stephanie Culbreath (F, 32)
7. 32:46.2, Rachel Matthews (F, 43)
8. 32:59.4, Amanda Hinson (F, 35)
9. 32:59.4, Eva Marie Stafford (F, 10)
10. 33:07.9, Rebecca Dilmore (F, 32)

Links

• Complete results of Golson Elementary School's 2017 Gopher-A-Run 5K
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12OAC38OMCL-3JIeSP7ujptDLULAEZyzLJRTbjiZ3N2c/pubhtml
  
  
• Find well-named races in the region on the Trouble Afoot! racing calendar
  https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
  
  

#1912