Trouble Afoot!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Runners 7, Rain 0 at the Cody Climb

During a lull between spring showers, Keith Gates clambered up and down the Cody Escarpment on an eight-kilometer course through Tallahassee's Southwood community, winning the inaugural Cody Climb 8K run in 33:36. Almost 700 meters back, Dana Stetson was the runner-up and top master with a time of 36:40, while Jacque Myers finished as top woman and fastest woman master, fourth overall in 49:11.

The race originated from my whining about the lack of eight kilometer events on the Tallahassee road racing schedule. Actually, I'm not so concerned with the dearth of 8K races as I am with the proliferation of 5K events--for example, there were no less than three 5K runs in Tallahassee and the surrounding area the weekend of the Cody Climb. Be a little more creative, folks! Run a tenth of a marathon, or a dolichos, or fifty furlongs.

Or eight kilometers.

When I was told basically to put up or shut up, I decided to put together a minimal eight-kilometer run. There would be a course. It would be accurate. It would be marked. The run would be timed. But there wouldn't be T-shirts, aid stations, a one-mile fun run, bib numbers, or Grand Prix points. There wouldn't be any traffic control, either, so I looked for a course that used one of Tallahassee's paved, multi-use trails. The loop in Southwood seemed to fit the bill. I created an online notice, listed the event on the Gulf Winds Track Club calendar, and planned for, oh, possibly dozens of runners to show up.

At racetime on Sunday morning, attendance was somewhat lower than hoped. However, when the starting gun went off the runners at least outnumbered the race staff (five). Keith Gates went immediately into the lead and stayed there. Chasing Gates, Dana Stetson and Brian Davis reached the first kilometer together, but Stetson moved ahead as the course started ascending the Cody Scarp. Jerry Chesnutt and Jacque Myers likewise reached the one kilometer mark together, with Chris Dirmann not far behind, and Paula Kiger in pursuit.

Post-race comments and observations included:

"Orange Avenue sucks!"
"I've been scarped!" (Jerry Chesnutt)
"This hurt worse than the Springtime 10K course." (Jacque Myers)
"I liked your little miles." (Dana Stetson, on the use of kilometer marks rather than miles)
"Your post-race article has to be better than the pre-race story." (Don't bet on it)

But as difficult as the hilly course may have been, there was a general feeling of exhilaration among the runners at having completed the run. This may be a sign that "Flat and Fast" is not necessarily what runners are looking for in a race course. Or it may just be the same principle behind the old punchline, "...because it feels so good when I stop."

Shortly after the finishers had assembled for a group photo, the rain started, driving everyone to their cars. The 2010 Cody Climb was over. I'm not saying that there will be a 2011 Cody Climb, but I can't guarantee that there won't be. Twelve months may not be enough time for me to come to my senses.

Top Seven Finishers, 2010 Cody Climb 8K

Place Name                        S Age City             St Time    Pace
===== =========================== = === ================ == ======= =====
   1. Keith Gates                 M  28 Tallahassee      FL   33:36  4:12
   2. Dana Stetson                M  53 Tallahassee      FL   36:40  4:35
   3. Brian Davis                 M  32 Tallahassee      FL   38:03  4:45
   4. Jerry Chesnutt              M  59 Tallahassee      FL   47:31  5:56
   5. Jacque Myers                F  53 Tallahassee      FL   49:11  6:09
   6. Chris Dirmann               M  39 Tallahassee      FL   50:52  6:21
   7. Paula Kiger                 F  45 Tallahassee      FL   62:52  7:51

Links:

My Photos of the 2010 Cody Climb 8K
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2822113&id=5215641&l=655c50036e
Cole Tessier's photos of the 2010 Cody Climb 8K
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2821074&id=5217230
A tour of the Cody Climb 8K course
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/03/cody-8k-course.html
Announcement of the 2010 Cody Climb 8K
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/02/2010-cody-climb-8k.html
The sentiments that inspired the Cody Climb 8K
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/01/piece-of-eight.html

Adam Carr wins "Run For The Fallen" 5K

Wakulla High School senior Adam Carr took the lead early and never relinquished it, winning Saturday's "Run For The Fallen" 5K road race by over 300 meters. Carr's time for the 3.1-mile course was 18:04. The race started at 10:00am on Saturday, 20 March 2010 and took the runners on a circuit of the Florida State University campus on a course that has been used for several other campus races (the First Responders 5K, for example).

The "Run For The Fallen" 5K was hosted by the Collegiate Veterans Association at Florida State University. The race honored United States service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Signs along the race course served as memorials to those fallen warriors. The event is part of the national "Run For The Fallen" organization, which seeks through running to honor service members who were killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Links:

Photos of the 2010 Run For The Fallen 5K
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2822050&id=5215641&l=d13e969d86
The Collegiate Veterans Association at Florida State University
http://sga.fsu.edu/organizations/cva/
Run for the Fallen
http://www.runforthefallen.org/

Saturday, March 20, 2010

A tour of the Cody Climb 8K road race course

I put together the Cody Climb 8K after writing an article observing that there wasn't currently an eight-kilometer event on the Tallahassee racing schedule. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

The course is a sort of loop in the Southwood area of Tallahassee. I thought it would be fun to use kilometer marks instead of mile marks. Later on (when it was too late), I realized that this meant more places to locate and mark. I never thought of that advantage to Imperial measurement. Among other streets and trails, the course uses the east end of Orange Avenue, which is an old enough street to be the address for Conley Elementary School, but not an old enough street to be on any of the online map utilities (e.g., Google maps). This makes it hard to post a map of the course. Instead, I'm posting this photographic tour of the course.

This is a view from the starting line. The course starts on the Capital Circle SE Trail just north of Shumard Oaks Boulevard. The trail is a "wide, meandering sidewalk" that runs for 4.9 miles along Capital Circle SE (US 319). The Cody Climb 8K course uses just over two kilometers of the trail. From the start, you go directly south to Shumard Oaks Boulevard.

Here is where you run into Shumard Oaks Boulevard. Turn left (east) here onto Shumard Oaks.

Head east, staying on the left side of Shumard Oaks. You might feel safer staying in the bicycle lane. I won't tell you not to run on the sidewalk, but the course was measured on the blacktop.

The first kilometer ends at the corner of Shumard Oaks Boulevard and Four Oaks Boulevard. At the corner you turn left, heading north on Shumard Oaks.

Here the course is heading north on Shumard Oaks Boulevard towards the Southwood Town Center. You're starting uphill now, climbing the Cody Escarpment out of the coastal plain.

Here you cross Merchants Way on Four Oaks Boulevard. Do not be hit by a truck while crossing Merchants Way.

The two kilometer mark is on Four Oaks Boulevard at the intersection with Verdura Point Drive.

Four Oaks Boulevard intersects with Blairstone Road at a roundabout. Keep to the left side of the roundabout and stay on Four Oaks Boulevard. Do not be hit by a cement mixer in the roundabout.

Be careful not to wander out of the roundabout and onto Blairstone Road; you want to continue around to the north end of Four Oaks Boulevard. Do not be hit by a runaway Toyota in the roundabout.

The three-kilometer mark is about halfway through the roundabout. Do not be crushed by a Humvee while negotiating the roundabout.

Soon after you leave the roundabout, you'll be able to look ahead and see the end of Four Oaks Boulevard at Orange Avenue. Conley Elementary School is at that intersection.

Here's a view of Conley Elementary School from the last bit of Four Oaks Boulevard.

The end of Four Oaks Boulevard. Go left around the corner and head west on Orange Avenue.

Shortly after you turn onto Orange Avenue you reach the four kilometer mark, the halfway point of the Cody Climb 8K.

Here's a view of a straight and relatively flat stretch of Orange Avenue. For better or worse, though, you haven't seen the last of the uphill yet.

Another view west on Orange Avenue, showing more hills. At the top of the next hill you'll be turning left onto the Capital Circle SE trail.

The five kilometer mark is on Orange Avenue just before the left (south) turn onto the Capital Circle Southeast trail.

After leaving Orange Avenue you'll head south on the Capital Circle Southeast trail. The trail meanders quite a bit, so make sure you cut tangents (that's where the course was measured). There's still a bit of climbing left.

When you finally reach the crest of the course, if the air is clear you'll be able to enjoy views to the south of the coastal plain. Some of the views east into Southwood aren't bad either. Both are preferable to watching the traffic to the right on US 319.

You'll continue south on the trail across Blairstone Road. Do not be struck by a bus crossing Blairstone. The six-kilometer mark is on the trail just past Blairstone Road.

The seven kilometer mark is at the foot of the Cody Scarp, just before the Capital Circle SE trail arrives at Merchants Way. Turn left (east) at Merchants Way.

Head east on Merchants Way to the first right.

The first right off of Merchants Way is nameless road that accesses parking for the offices along Esplanade Way. Head south on this No Name Road.

No Name Road winds around a bit at first.

Then there's a long, straight stretch on No Name Road.

After a little more winding, No Name Road ends at Shumard Oaks Boulevard. Turn right (west) onto Shumard Oaks Boulevard.

Heads west along Shumard Oaks Boulevard.

Turn right off of Shumard Oaks Boulevard onto this concrete driveway. Head between the yellow posts and then make a beeline across the grass to the finish line on the Capital Circle SE trail. The finish line should be familiar; it was also the starting line.

Links:

Pieces of Eight (the article that started this nonsense)
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/01/piece-of-eight.html
2010 Cody Climb 8K announcement
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/02/2010-cody-climb-8k.html
The course tour on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2820704&id=5215641&l=db80bee127

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

17 March 2010 Tallahassee 100-Mile Race Calendar

This is the Tallahassee vicinity road-race schedule for 17 March 2010. If that's more than a week ago, the latest schedule is always available via this link:

http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1

This is a listing of upcoming races within 100 miles of Tallahassee, Florida, roughly the area in the map below. If a race isn't listed, I probably haven't heard of it, so post a comment and let me know about it.

Map

20 MARCH 2010

Ability 1st 5K. 10:00am ET. Myers Park, 913 Myers Park Drive,Tallahassee, Florida. Event web page. Online registration at active.com. Judith Barrett, 850-575-9621
Run For The Fallen 5K. 10:00am ET. Integration Statue, Florida State University, Woodward Avenue, Tallahassee, Florida. Course map. Nick Breeze, nlb09c@fsu.edu
Sneads Project Graduation 5K. 7:00am CT. Sneads Park on Lake Seminole, Sneads, Florida. Online registration at active.com.
Don't Run With Scissors 5K and one-mile fun run. 8:00am ET 5K / 9:00am ET one mile. Sallas Mahone Elementary 3686 Lake Laurie Drive, Valdosta, Georgia. Event web page. Entry form and flyer. Paul Brown, 229-333-8530.
Caring Hands, Caring Heart 5K. 8:00 am CT. Middlebrook Park, Banfill Avenue, Bonifay, FL 32425. Event web page.
Second annual Pilot 5K for Brain-Related Disorders. 7:00am CT. Frank Brown Park, 16200 Panama City Beach Parkway, Panama City Beach, Florida. Online registration at active.com.
St. Patty's Day 5K, 10K, and one-mile fun run. 9:00am CT. Fort Rucker Physical Fitness Center, Building 4605 Andrews Avenue, Fort Rucker, Alabama. 334-255-3794.
Wild Chicken Run 5K and one-mile fun run. 8:00am ET 5K / 8:30am ET one mile. Main St and Magnolia St, Fitzgerald, Georgia 31750. Entry form and flyer. Christine Hayes 229-425-7530 or Steve O’Neal 229-426-2146.
Leprechaun Chase 5K Trail Run. 9:00am CT. Westgate Park, 801 Recreation Road, Dothan, AL 36303. Event web page. Larry Dykes, drcprez@yahoo.com or 334-792-6021.

21 MARCH 2010

Cody Climb 8K. 9:00am ET. Capital Circle SE and Shumard Oaks Boulevard (Southwood area), Tallahassee, Florida. Event web page. Herb Wills, hwills@gmail.com
Third annual A.R. Inspirational 5K. 3:00pm ET. Bainbridge Middle School, 1301 E College Street, Bainbridge, GA 39819. Entry form and flyer. Mandi O'Mara omara@dcboe.com or 229-248-2230.

27 MARCH 2010

35th annual Springtime 10K, Publix 5K & Fun Station 1-Miler. 8:00am ET. Leon County Courthouse, 301 S Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL 32301. Event web site. USATF certified course FL96048DL (10 km). Judy Alexander, jalexander98@comcast.net or 850-383-1361.
Peanut Proud 5K and one-mile fun run. 8:00am ET 5K / 9:00am ET one mile. Court House Square, Blakely, Georgia. Entry form and flyer. Jay Winkler, 229-225-7213.
'Dosta Dash 10K, 5K, and one-mile fun run. 8:00am ET 10K and 5K, 9:30am ET one mile. Toombs Street and Jackson Street, Valdosta, Georgia. Event web page. Get Active, 229-219-0010
Fire Ant Festival 5K. 8:00 am ET. Turner County Special Services School, College Avenue and Gilmore Street, Ashburn, GA 31714. Event web site. Entry form and flyer. Jonathan Perry, 5krun@childabusecouncil.net or 229-567-9320.

3 APRIL 2010

Red Hills Triathlon (1/3-mile swim, 16-mile bike, 3.1-mile run). 7:30am ET. Maclay Gardens State Park, 3540 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32309. Event web site. Online registration at active.com.
Junior Service League of Panama City 5K Rabbit Race and ½-mile Bunny Hop. 8:00am CT. Panama City Marina Civic Center, 8 Harrison Avenue, Panama City, Florida 32401. Event web page. Race flyer. Registration form. Online registration at active.com. jmam33@bellsouth.net
Nancy Parrish Bridges Memorial 10.5K, 5K, and one-mile fun run. 8:00am ET 10.5K and 5K / 10:00am ET one mile. Crisp County Middle School, 1116 E 24th Ave, Cordele, GA 31015. Entry form and flyer. Susannah Herzog, sherzog@crisp.k12.ga.us or 229-322-0914
Valdosta Symphony Orchestra 5K. 8:00am ET. Valdosta State University front lawn, Valdosta, Georgia. Get Active 229-219-0010.

10 APRIL 2010

36th annual Palace Saloon 5 km. 8:00am ET. James Messer Fields Park, Jackson Bluff Road and Dupree Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304. USATF certified course FL99027DL. Entry form and flyer. Online registration at active.com. Herb Wills, hwills@gmail.com
Darton College Go Global 5K and one-mile fun run. 9:00am ET 5K / 8:30am ET one mile. Darton College Tennis Pavilion, Darton College, Albany, Georgia 31707. Entry form and flyer. Online registration at active.com. David Mann, david.mann@darton.edu or 229-317-6588.
"Five-A-Day" 5K Trail Run. 8:00am CT. Westgate Park, 801 Recreation Road, Dothan, AL 36303. Event web page. Beth Battle (334) 794-5000 ext. 7393.
Child Abuse Prevention Family Fun Run. 9:30am CT. Fort Rucker Physical Fitness Center, Building 4605 Andrews Avenue, Fort Rucker, Alabama. Caroline Driscoll, caroline.driscoll@us.army.mil or 334-255-3794.
Third annual Torreya State Park's Draggin' Tail Ultra 25K/50K Trail Challenge. 8:00am ET. Torreya State Park, 2576 NW Torreya Park Road, Bristol, FL 32321. Joe Edgecombe, joeruns@yahoo.com or 850-774-0018.
White Sand Triathlon I (600m swim, 16 mile bike, 5K run). 7:30am CT. Spinnaker Beach Club, 8795 Thomas Drive, Panama City Beach, Florida 32408. Online registration at active.com. Freedom Sports, info@myfreedomsports.com or 850-249-2120.

17 APRIL 2010

Autism 5K and one-mile fun run. 8:30am ET one mile / 9:00am ET 5K. Southwood Town Center, Merchants Row Boulevard and Ivy Green Trail, Tallahassee, Florida 32311. Entry form and flyer. Veronica Jones veronica.jones@med.fsu.edu or 850-488-3514.
Spring Fling 5K and one-mile fun run. 8:00am ET. Bainbridge Country Club, 312 Country Club Road, Bainbridge, Georgia. Entry form and flyer. April Aldridge or Stephanie Poitevint at springflingrun@gmail.com
National Mayhaw Festival 5K and one-mile fun run. 8:30am ET. Colquitt Freewill Baptist Church 319 Grow Street, Colquitt, Georgia. Entry form. Dr. Russ Henley 229-758-8500 or Anthony Cobb 229-758-3316.
Second annual Smiling Pig 5K. 8:00am CT. Citizens Lodge Park, 4577 Lodge Drive, Marianna, Florida. Event web page. Entry form and flyer. Margo Lamb, walkrun@mariannaartsfestival.com or 850-482-7721.
Fifth annual Victory For Victoria 5K / 10K / one mile. 8:00am ET 5K & 10K / 9:30am ET one mile. Valwood School, 1903 Gornto Road, Valdosta, Georgia 31602. Event web page. Event entry form. Event flyer. Becky Wetherington 229-242-8491 or Margaret Anne Newsome 229-300-6102.

24 APRIL 2010

33rd Annual Rose City Run 10K and one mile kids' run. 8:00 am ET 10K / 9:30 am ET one mile. North Broad Street and Monroe Street, Thomsaville, GA. USATF certified course GA92011WN (10K). Event web site.
Education For Life 5K. 8:00am ET. Florida State University's Mike Long Track, Chieftain Way and Spirit Way, Tallahassee, Florida. Entry form and flyer. Online registration at active.com.
Brian Dowling Memorial 5K Trail Run. 8:00am CT. Westgate Park, 801 Recreation Road, Dothan, AL 36303. Event web page. Larry Dykes, 334-792-6021.
Run for Autism 5K. 8:00am CT. Pier Park, 600 Pier Park Drive, Panama City Beach, Florida. Online registration at active.com.
Beach Blast Triathlon / Duathlon. 7:00am CT Olympic distances / 7:30am CT sprint distances. St Joe Beach, Florida. Event web site. Online registration at active.com. Director@BeachBlastTriathlon.com

30 APRIL 2010

23rd Annual Gnat Days 5K. 7:00 pm ET. Courthouse Square Park, Camilla, Georgia. 229-336-5255 or gnatdays@camillageorgia.com

1 MAY 2010

Ninth annual Tallahassee Tails & Trails 10K, 5K, and one-mile fun run. 8:30am ET. Tallahassee-Leon County Animal Service Center, 1125 Easterwood Drive, Tallahassee, Florida 32311. Event web site. Online registration at active.com.
Second Annual Moultrie Technical College Classic 10K, 5K, and one-mile fun run. 7:30am ET 5K and 10K / 9:00am ET one mile. Moultrie Technical College, 800 Veterans Parkway North, Moultrie, Georgia 31788. Event web page. Entry form and flyer. Darbie Avera, davera@moultrietech.edu or 229-891-7000.
Olivia's Run 5K and one-mile fun run. 8:00am ET 5K / 9:00am ET one mile. First United Methodist Church, 300 Shotwell Street, Bainbridge, Georgia. Entry form and flyer. Beverly Shirley, beverlyashirley@bellsouth.net or 229-243-6071.
25th annual Race Judicata 5K. 8:00am CT. Bay County Courthouse, 300 E 4th Street, Panama City, Florida. Online registration at active.com.
Downtown Endurance 5K. 8:00 am CT. First Baptist Church Family Life Center, 300 West Main Street, Dothan, AL 36301. 334-792-3217 or bjones@fbcdothan.org

8 MAY 2010

Seventh annual Marzuq Shrine Mothers Day 5K. 8:00 am ET. Maclay Gardens State Park, 3540 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32309. Keiff Lindsey, romanroch@hotmail.com or 850-212-2926.
Dothan Fire Department / Dothan Runners Club “Fit to Fight” 5K / 10K. 8:00 am CT. Dothan Fire Department Station #1, 600 Columbia Highway, Dothan, AL 36301. Event web page. Chief Shan Ash, snash@dothan.org or 334-615-4501.
Colony City Chase 5K and one-mile fun run. 8:00am ET 5K / 8:45am ET one mile. Fitzgerald High School, 601 West Cypress, Fitzgerald, Georgia. Steve Taylor, stevetaylor@windstream.net or 229-423-5048.
28th annual Gulf Coast Triathlon (half ironman). 6:15am CT (first wave). Event web site. gulfcoasttri@yahoo.com or 850-235-0720.

15 MAY 2010

Run for Wakulla Springs 5K Trail Run and 1 Mile Fun Run. 8:00 am ET (one mile), 8:30 am ET (5K). Wakulla Springs State Park, 550 Wakulla Park Drive, Wakulla Springs, FL 32327. Entry form and flyer.
4th annual Missionette 5K / 10K Extraordinary Run. 8:00 am ET. Family Worship Center of Cairo, 1400 South Broad Street, Cairo, GA 39828. USATF certified course GA09001WC (10K) and GA09002WC (5K). Entry form and flyer. Katina Stewart 229-378-0970.
Army 10-Miler. 7:00 am CT. Fort Rucker, Alabama. Caroline Driscoll, caroline.driscoll@us.army.mil or 334-255-3794
Racing with Rotary Charity Run 5K and one-mile fun run. 8:00am ET 5K / 9:00am ET one mile. Allan Dear, dear5@earthlink.net or 229)247-9880

22 MAY 2010

Tulip Trot 5K. 8:00am ET. Pavilion 13, Tom Brown Park, Tallahassee, Florida. Event web page. Entry form and flyer. Olivia Swedberg, tuliptrotforpd@yahoo.com
Barefoot 5K. 8:00am CT. Compass Lake In The Hills, 645 Compass Lake Drive, Alford, Florida 32420. Event web page. Online registration at active.com. mary@runningmoms.org or edna@runningmoms.org
North Florida Olympic Triathlon (1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run). 7:30am ET. Cherry Lake 4H Camp, 3861 NE Cherry Lake Circle, Madison, Florida 32340. Event web site. info@drcsports.com or 352-637-2475.

23 MAY 2010

Red Hills Triathlon for Youth 15 & under (125 yd swim; 3 mile bike; 1 mile run). 8:30am ET. Maclay Gardens State Park, 3540 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32309. Entry form and flyer. Mike Weyant, weyantm@comcast.net or 850-241-6591.

31 MAY 2010

4th annual Memorial Day 5K Night Race. 7:00 pm ET. Boulevard Park, East Evans Street and South Boulevard Drive, Bainbridge, GA 39819. Entry form and flyer. Mandi O'Mara 229-248-2230 or omara@dcboe.com
Cordele Kiwanis Memorial Day Running Celebration 8K, 5K, 5K, and one-mile fun run. 7:54am ET 8K / 8:01am ET one-mile / 9:09am ET 5K / 9:49am ET 5K. Crisp County Middle School, 1116 24th Avenue East, Cordele, GA 31015. Entry form and flyer. Benny Wade, bennywade@hughes.net or ranreb@planttel.net
Memorial Day 5K. 8:00 am ET. Old S. L. Mason School, Baytree Road and Azalea Drive, Valdosta, Georgia 31602. Get Active Running & More, 229-219-0010.

5 JUNE 2010

Potluck Bash 4-Mile Run. 6:00 pm ET. Forestmeadows Athletic Center, 4750 N Meridian Rd, Tallahassee, FL. David Yon, 850-425-6671 or david@radeylaw.com
Captain Chad Reed Memorial 5K. 9:30am ET. Dixie County High School, 16077 SE Highway 19, Cross City, Florida. Event web site. Online registration at active.com.
Stroll 'N' Roll Duathlon (5K run, 13.1 mile bike, one-mile run). 8:00am ET. Beverlye Middle School, 1025 South Beverlye Road, Dothan, Alabama 36301. Event web page. Sherry Creel 334-677-6195 or Bill Davenport 334-798-1192.

19 JUNE 2010

Melon Run 5K. Old Jefferson County High School gym, Monticello, FL. USATF certified course #FL06044DL. Entry form and flyer.

26 JUNE 2010

Hot Trot 5K. 7:30 am CT. Washington-Holmes Technical Center, 757 Hoyt Street, Chipley, FL 32428. Stan Owens 850-547-2244.
Summer Sizzler 5K / 1 Mile. 7:00 pm ET (1 mile), 7:30 pm ET (5K). St. George Island, FL. USATF certifed course #FL99035DL. Hobson Fulmer, 850-927-2510 or hobson@fairpoint.net
Loop The Lake 5K. 7:30 am ET. Lake Blackshear Resort and Golf Club, 2459-H US Highway 280 West, Cordele, GA 31015. Event web site. Online registration at active.com. info@loop-the-lake.com or 229-446-4550

4 JULY 2010

Valdosta 5K. 7:15 am ET. Valdosta, GA. Five Points, North Ashley Street, Valdosta, Georgia. Get Active Running & More, 229-219-0010.

5 JULY 2010

25th annual Freedom Springs Triathlon (440-yard swim, 10-mile bike, 5K run). 7:00 am CT. Blue Springs Recreation Park, 5461 Blue Springs Road, Marianna, FL. Entry form and flyer. Terry Edwards, fst1@earthlink.net or 850-482-3415.

17 JULY 2010

Barnes 5K. 7:30 am ET. Barnes Drug Store Downtown, 200 South Patterson Street Valdosta, GA 31601. Get Active Running & More, 229-219-0010.

24 JULY 2010

25th annual Critter Run 5K. 6:00 pm CT. Westgate Park, 801 Recreation Road, Dothan, AL 36303. USATF certified course #AL86003JD. Event web page. Event entry form. Larry Dykes, 334-792-6021

14 AUGUST 2010

Breakfast On The Track One Mile Run. 7:45 am ET. Maclay School track, 3737 N Meridian Rd, Tallahassee, FL. Bonnie Wright, 850-386-3500 or bwright@electro-net.com
Georgia Veterans Duathlon and Triathlon (5K run / 13.6 mile bike / 5K run and 400 yard swim / 13.6 mile bike / 5K run). 8:00 am ET. Georgia Veterans State Park, 2459 U.S. Highway 280 W, Cordele , GA 31015. Event web site. Online registration for sprint triathlon at active.com. Online registration for duathlon at active.com. Sprint triathlon entry form and flyer. Duathlon entry form and flyer. Jim Rainey, Georgia Multisports Productions, jim@gamultisports.com or 770-926-2367.

28 AUGUST 2010

Miller Landing Madness 8K/5K/3K. 8:00 am ET. Elinor Klapp Phipps Park, Miller Landing Road, Tallahassee, FL 32312. Mike Sims (850)514-3424 or Tom Perkins (850)894-2019

11 SEPTEMBER 2010

Beach Blast Triathlon / Duathlon II. 7:00am CT Olympic distances / 7:30am CT sprint distances. St Joe Beach, Florida. Event web site. Online registration at active.com. Director@BeachBlastTriathlon.com

18 SEPTEMBER 2010

Tallahassee Women's Distance Festival 5K. 8:00 am ET. Optimist Park, East Indianhead Drive, Tallahassee, FL. USATF certified course #FL00022DL. Lisa Unger, ungertl@juno.com or 850-562-2901.

25 SEPTEMBER 2010

Salute to Prefontaine 5K Cross-Country Run. 9:00 am ET. Silver Lake Recreation Area of the Apalachicola National Forest, Silver Lake Road, Tallahassee, FL. Jeff Nielsen, 850-459-8859 or dobieman@comcast.net
Second annual Quail Trail 5K. 8:00 am ET. Historic Pebble Hill Plantation, US 319, Thomasville, Georgia. USATF certified course GA09026WC. Helen Fennelly, 229-225-2186 or htfenn@hotmail.com

9 OCTOBER 2010

Pine Run at Tall Timbers 20K. 7:30 am ET. Tall Timbers Research Station, 13093 Henry Beadel Drive, Tallahassee, Florida. Gordon Cherr, 850-556-5957 or scam22@aol.com

16 OCTOBER 2010

White Sand Triathlon II (600m swim, 16 mile bike, 5K run). 7:30am CT. Spinnaker Beach Club, 8795 Thomas Drive, Panama City Beach, Florida 32408. Online registration at active.com. Freedom Sports, info@myfreedomsports.com or 850-249-2120.

23 OCTOBER 2010

“Running for the bay!” Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K. 7:00am ET. Apalachicola, Florida. Race web site. Online registration at active.com.

30 OCTOBER 2010

31st annual Boston Mini-Marathon. 8:00 am ET. Commercial Bank, 124 West Jefferson Street, Boston, GA 31626. Entry form and flyer. Brad Johnson, bradjohnson@bankcb.com or 229-498-8500 (day) / 229-226-4679 (evening).

6 NOVEMBER 2010

Ironman Florida (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run...duh!). 6:50am CT first wave. Boardwalk Beach Resort, 9400 South Thomas Drive, Panama City Beach, Florida. Event web site.

25 NOVEMBER 2010

Tallahassee Turkey Trot 15k / 10K / 5K. 8:00 am ET. State Office Satellite Complex at SouthWood, Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, FL. Event web site. David Yon, david@radeylaw.com or 850-425-6671 or 850-668-2236
Valdosta Thanksgiving Day 5K. 8:00am ET 5K. Patterson Street in front of Get Active, 3200-C North Ashley St, Valdosta, GA 31602. Contact Get Active, 229-219-0010.

4 DECEMBER 2010

Gulf Winds Track Club Ten-Mile Challenge / Five-Mile Run. 8:00 am ET. Killearn Lakes Elementary School, 8037 Deerlake Drive East, Bradfordville, FL. USATF certified courses FL07049EBM (10 mile) and FL07048EBM (5 mile). Event web page. Judy Alexander, 850-383-1361 or jalexander98@comcast.net
Run for the Redfish Half-Marathon / 5K / one-mile fun run. 8:00am CT. Pier Park, Margaritaville, 16230 Front Beach Road, Panama City Beach 32413. Event web site. Online registration at active.com.

11 DECEMBER 2010

30th annual Tallahassee Ultra Distance Classic 50K/50M. 7:00 am ET. Wakulla Springs State Park, 550 Wakulla Park Drive, Wakulla Springs, Florida. USATF certified course FL08072EBM. Event web site. Gary Griffin, runlong@nettally.com

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

2010 Jacksonville River Run: Tallahassee runners "travel well"

When the business of college football bowl games is being discussed, you'll hear a lot about whether or not a school's fans "travel well." That is to say, if you invite their team to your bowl game, will their fans show up in consuming hordes, buying up tickets, restaurant meals, hotel rooms, and souvenirs? This is an important consideration, because the business of college football bowl games...is a business.

Well, big-time road racing is a business, too. Let the 2010 River Run 15K serve as a notice to road race directors everywhere: Tallahassee runners travel well. Don't believe it? Well, 115 of them made the 200 mile trip to Jacksonville. Here are their names and times, lifted from the results:

    86. Stephen Cox              Tallahassee     FL 26 M    0:53:10
   141. Gary Droze               Tallahassee     FL 48 M    0:56:11
   179. Tim Unger                Tallahassee     FL 50 M    0:58:12
   215. Brian Corbin             Tallahassee     FL 42 M    0:59:26
   234. Joel Piotrowski          Tallahassee     FL 40 M    0:59:58
   358. Keith Howell             Tallahassee     FL 27 M    1:03:42
   378. Andrew Roberts           Tallahassee     FL 43 M    1:03:59
   465. Manny Gutierrez          Tallahassee     FL 36 M    1:05:59
   517. Kim Likens               Tallahassee     FL 41 F    1:06:54
   483. Jimmy Mollenhour         Tallahassee     FL 19 M    1:07:18
   557. Cole Tessier             Tallahassee     FL 27 M    1:07:20
   620. Chuck Davis              Tallahassee     FL 49 M    1:08:19
   802. Jerry McDaniel           Tallahassee     FL 56 M    1:10:13
   782. Jamie Joanos             Tallahassee     FL 47 M    1:10:15
   815. Brian Davis              Tallahassee     FL 32 M    1:10:30
   742. Aaron Franz              Tallahassee     FL 34 M    1:11:55
  1127. Patrick Mahoney          Tallahassee     FL 57 M    1:12:56
  1161. Brian Topchik            Tallahassee     FL 34 M    1:13:15
  1328. Judy Alexander           Tallahassee     FL 48 F    1:14:42
  1303. Carla Schell             Tallahassee     FL 28 F    1:15:20
  1449. Curtis Brown             Tallahassee     FL 44 M    1:15:34
  1166. James King               Tallahassee     FL 23 M    1:16:46
  1629. Alfred Bea               Tallahassee     FL 54 M    1:16:53
  1642. Kathy Watkins            Tallahassee     FL 54 F    1:16:54
  1659. Geoff Likens             Tallahassee     FL 44 M    1:17:08
  1957. Jamie McBrearty          Tallahassee     FL 31 M    1:19:16
  2057. Janice Hochstein         Tallahassee     FL 59 F    1:19:48
  2526. Carlos Sepulveda         Tallahassee     FL 24 M    1:22:16
  2766. Matthew Ouellette        Tallahassee     FL 22 M    1:22:22
  2615. Kelly Garland            Tallahassee     FL 38 F    1:22:35
  1677. Micah Brienen            Tallahassee     FL 32 M    1:23:00
  2734. April Williford          Tallahassee     FL 43 F    1:23:56
  3225. Jayme Roper              Tallahassee     FL 33 F    1:24:59
  2354. Chaney Coggins           Tallahassee     FL 27 M    1:25:02
  3561. Lisa Unger               Tallahassee     FL 42 F    1:26:36
  3327. Christopher Ristuccia    Tallahassee     FL 24 M    1:27:40
  3576. Amanda Dossat            Tallahassee     FL 23 F    1:28:37
  3690. Laura Mulford            Tallahassee     FL 50 F    1:28:39
  4187. Melissa Zapata           Tallahassee     FL 30 F    1:29:39
  4319. Christian Summers        Tallahassee     FL 27 M    1:29:54
  2586. Logan Rhodes             Tallahassee     FL 22 M    1:30:22
  4603. Craig McIntyre           Tallahassee     FL 23 M    1:32:28
  5194. Sonya Dudley             Tallahassee     FL 41 F    1:33:15
  5371. Jackie McDaniel          Tallahassee     FL 55 F    1:33:42
  3560. Jonathan Nash            Tallahassee     FL 30 M    1:33:44
  4211. David Goldman            Tallahassee     FL 18 M    1:34:10
  5022. Brian Dunmire            Tallahassee     FL 23 M    1:35:02
  5837. Carlos Zapata            Tallahassee     FL 64 M    1:35:50
  5108. Emily Anthony            Tallahassee     FL 18 F    1:35:54
  5836. Amanda Lawrence          Tallahassee     FL 32 F    1:35:55
  5773. Turkessa Thompson        Tallahassee     FL 32 F    1:36:03
  5113. Emily Joan Dowd          Tallahassee     FL 31 F    1:36:20
  5861. Amy Coltharp             Tallahassee     FL 37 F    1:36:45
  5674. Tommy Hendricks          Tallahassee     FL 39 M    1:36:51
  6160. Allan Leonor             Tallahassee     FL 23 M    1:36:51
  4901. Emily Milton             Tallahassee     FL 30 F    1:37:25
  5766. Ronald Moalli            Tallahassee     FL 52 M    1:37:33
  5727. Alicia Cobb              Tallahassee     FL 23 F    1:37:59
  4965. Bradley Givens           Tallahassee     FL 21 M    1:38:01
  6320. Allison Howell           Tallahassee     FL 26 F    1:38:31
  5343. Amy Carpenter            Tallahassee     FL 31 F    1:38:41
  6541. Todd Veleber             Tallahassee     FL 34 M    1:38:45
  6393. Jana Freedman Davis      Tallahassee     FL 39 F    1:38:47
  6410. Joe Rice                 Tallahassee     FL 24 M    1:39:19
  5608. Lisa Echeverri           Tallahassee     FL 44 F    1:39:26
  6490. Kerrie Stillman          Tallahassee     FL 39 F    1:40:16
  7113. Kate Pingolt             Tallahassee     FL 26 F    1:42:09
  6789. Laura Cilek              Tallahassee     FL 20 F    1:42:47
  6539. Michael Nichols          Tallahassee     FL 27 M    1:44:00
  7701. Travis Tuck              Tallahassee     FL 20 M    1:44:08
  7956. Ashton Henderson         Tallahassee     FL 22 F    1:44:45
  7185. Carol Winger             Tallahassee     FL 61 F    1:45:42
  7170. Mary Alford              Tallahassee     FL 19 F    1:45:52
  7172. John Alford              Tallahassee     FL 52 M    1:45:53
  7981. Gene Stillman            Tallahassee     FL 42 M    1:46:52
  7683. Jackie Brown             Tallahassee     FL 23 F    1:46:59
  7028. Nathan Wright            Tallahassee     FL 27 M    1:47:24
  8341. Meghan Hauptli           Tallahassee     FL 34 F    1:49:28
  8695. Sean Frye                Tallahassee     FL 17 M    1:50:12
  8736. Jacquelyn Rice           Tallahassee     FL 27 F    1:51:47
  8540. Michelle Brooks          Tallahassee     FL 46 F    1:52:16
  9187. David Wells              Tallahassee     FL 52 M    1:52:37
  8669. Wendi Works              Tallahassee     FL 39 F    1:52:53
  9553. Patricia Bruner          Tallahassee     FL 52 F    1:53:40
  8943. Chris Dirmann            Tallahassee     FL 39 M    1:54:30
  9479. Dan Carlton              Tallahassee     FL 34 M    1:54:35
  9289. Leanne Broom             Tallahassee     FL 30 F    1:54:48
  8774. Audra Oven               Tallahassee     FL 36 F    1:55:39
  9845. Robin Hill               Tallahassee     FL 24 F    1:55:48
 10126. Elyse Skislak            Tallahassee     FL 30 F    1:56:07
 10089. Dinah Johnson            Tallahassee     FL 40 F    1:59:28
  9726. Riley Landy              Tallahassee     FL 24 F    1:59:33
  9727. Patrick Landy            Tallahassee     FL 23 M    1:59:33
 10196. Kristin Lothman          Tallahassee     FL 28 F    2:00:11
 10459. Aaron Gavila             Tallahassee     FL 24 M    2:01:01
 10536. Tara Stamm               Tallahassee     FL 32 F    2:02:43
 10542. Stephanie Kennedy        Tallahassee     FL 33 F    2:02:45
 10845. Ashlee Weber             Tallahassee     FL 29 F    2:03:03
 10920. Glynn Neville            Tallahassee     FL 45 M    2:03:23
 10527. Cass Vickers             Tallahassee     FL 61 M    2:03:35
 10528. Lu-Ann Snider            Tallahassee     FL 57 F    2:03:35
 10585. Ryan Lohrengel           Tallahassee     FL 13 M    2:04:19
 11154. Stephen Choate           Tallahassee     FL 20 M    2:04:40
 10516. Jennifer Wittstock       Tallahassee     FL 26 F    2:04:55
 10777. Kourtney Graham          Tallahassee     FL 20 F    2:06:47
 11050. Kate Ray                 Tallahassee     FL 32 F    2:10:42
 11459. Nicholas Stratis         Tallahassee     FL 58 M    2:12:40
 11265. Nikki Schonfeld          Tallahassee     FL 23 F    2:13:31
 12184. Julie Lohrengel          Tallahassee     FL 46 F    2:22:54
 12174. Peter Lohrengel          Tallahassee     FL 47 M    2:22:55
 12703. Patti Harris             Tallahassee     FL 41 F    2:37:10
 12927. Cathryn Gooding          Tallahassee     FL 47 F    2:40:14
 12929. Amy Griffin              Tallahassee     FL 53 F    2:40:14
 13215. Kendra Salvatore         Tallahassee     FL 27 F    2:53:17
 13216. Kari Peebles             Tallahassee     FL 24 F    2:53:17
 13217. Vernon Walker            Tallahassee     FL 21 M    2:53:17

This is just runners specifically listed as coming from Tallahassee, and doesn't include a dozen or so other runners from Monticello, Quincy, Bainbridge, Thomasville, or the other towns less than an hours drive away from city hall. It's particularly impressive when you consider that 700 runners stayed in Tallahassee that day and ran either the five-kilometer race or the one-mile fun run at the Shamrock Scurry.

So what does this mean?

If you're a race director in the Tallahassee area, it means that if your race draws less than 115 runners then you are doing something terribly wrong. Consider that if only 87 runners will cross town to Southwood for the "Race for Autistic Kittens" 5K, but 115 will make a round trip of hundreds of miles for the River Run, then the "Race for Autistic Kittens" has a problem. Maybe the director didn't get the word out. Maybe it was held on a bad day on the calendar. Maybe the T-shirt was ugly. Maybe it's just a lousy event.

If you're a race director outside of the immediate Tallahassee area but still no more than a few hundred miles away, then you should be coveting all those runners in Tallahassee that "travel well." In addition to putting on the best event that you possibly can, you should also be making sure that Tallahassee runners know about it. Certainly, you should make sure that it's listed on the Gulf Winds Track Club race calendar, the Trouble Afoot! calendar, and any other place where Tallahassee runners look for races. You might even consider buying advertising in the Gulf Winds Track Club newsletter, the Fleet Foot.

But that's just crazy talk.

Links:

The source for 2010 Jacksonville River Run 15K results
http://runningjacksonville.com/search.php?action=search&city=Tallahassee&raceid=16&year=2010
One of those Tallahassee road racing calendars
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/search/label/calendar?max-results=1
Another one of those Tallahassee road racing calendars
http://www.gulfwinds.org/Calendar/2010%20Calendar/Calendar%202010.htm
A Tallahassee race with no ambition of drawing 115 runners
http://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/2010/02/2010-cody-climb-8k.html
A race that loves its Tallahassee runners
http://tinyurl.com/2010PalaceOnline

Monday, March 15, 2010

Wallace and Busby Scurry to Wins

Jay Wallace broke away from Tony Guillen at the halfway point of the Shamrock Scurry 5K, going on to win in 17:25, while Guillen finished runner-up at 17:54. Master runners ruled the day--Wallace and Guillen were both masters, and in fact all but one of the top seven runners fell into that 40-and-over category. Youth still held the advantage in the women's competition though, as Anna Busby edged out Thomasville master Mary Anne Grayson for the win, 21:03 to 21:09. Nearly 500 runners completed the 13 March 2010 run through the streets of Tallahassee's Killearn Estates.

Starting slightly later than the scheduled 8:30am race time, the runners headed north from Killearn United Methodist Church, down Shamrock Street. "Down" is actually quite descriptive, as the runners descended a hundred feet before turning off of Shamrock onto Edenderry Drive. That turn was not quite halfway through the race, and from there the runners had to climb back up to the church. Guillen and Wallace reached the turn running side by side, well ahead of the rest of the field. Then the uphills started and Wallace began to pull away. By three kilometers Wallace had a lead on Guillen, a lead he continued to increase, crossing the line over 130 meters ahead of Guillen. The rest of the field was another half a kilometer behind, led by Steve Barraco in third at 19:54. Former Leon High School (c/o 2008) distance runner Anna Busby didn't enjoy quite as large a margin in the women's race, but still finished about 20 meters ahead of Mary Anne Grayson.

The 2010 race marked the return of the Shamrock Scurry to the Tallahassee racing schedule after a two-year hiatus. In fact, this is at least the second time that the race has returned from the dead. This time, though, the Scurry returned to its original starting location near Killearn United Methodist Church, and a version of its original course. KUMC hosted the race and did an excellent job of getting the word out, as evidenced by the 700 runners who showed up to finish either the five-kilometer race or the one-mile fun run. Volunteers were at each intersection on the course, their safety efforts supplemented by traffic barricades. And there was a pancake breakfast afterwards. I suppose that you could complain about the weather, but you'd have to find someone else who doesn't care for cool air and clear skies to listen to you.

Links:

Complete results of the 2010 Shamrock Scurry 5K at gulfwinds.org
http://www.gulfwinds.org/raceresults/2010/Shamrock%20Scurry%202010.htm
My photos of the 2010 Shamrock Scurry 5K
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2816934&id=5215641&l=006cda0984
Fred Deckert's photos of the 2010 Shamrock Scurry
http://picasaweb.google.com/Freddecka/Scurry10
USATF course certification map of the Shamrock Scurry 5K (FL10021EBM)
http://www.usatf.org/events/courses/maps/showMap.asp?courseID=FL10021EBM

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

10 March 2010 Tallahassee 100-Mile Race Calendar

This is the Tallahassee vicinity road-race schedule for 10 March 2010. If that's more than a week ago, the latest schedule is always available via this link: