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Running > Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic Notebook
Long-distance Ultra Challenge a success BY TERRY TOMALIN
Times Outdoors/Fitness Editor
TAMPA — Bryan Hamilton missed watching the sun come up over Bayshore Boulevard at Sunday’s Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic half-marathon, but the U.S. Army major still managed to run a personal record half a world away while “shadow running” around Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. Hamilton, who signed up for the Distance Classic’s Ultra Challenge, ran a 1:36:38, quite a bit faster than his 2015 time of 1:42:39, despite being at an altitude of nearly 5,000 feet. Afterward, he ran an 8K in 38:19, which also was faster than his time last year (40:06). Hamilton, who started his career in the enlisted ranks after graduating from Florida State and later went to office candidate school, was stationed in Germany, Bosnia and Iraq before heading to Afghanistan. He started off the Gasparilla weekend by running a 15K in 1:06:03 followed by a 5K in 20:50. Hamilton’s 2015 times were 1:09:25 and 21:35, respectively. The Ultra Challenge, a multirace event, is limited to the first 1,000 runners who commit to more than 30 miles of running in just two days. Hamilton, a 43-year-old
LOREN ELLIOTT | Times
QUITE THE VIEW: Runners competing in Sunday’s half-marathon hit the Davis Islands portion of the race.
intelligence officer, hopes to be home for good later this spring so he can run all four races of the Ultra Challenge in person next year.
YOUNGEST TO OLDEST: If Sunday’s half-marathon and 8K events are any indication, there is plenty of strength running up and down Tampa Bay’s streets,
whether the runners are 8 or 80 years old. In the half-marathon, for example, there was 8-year-old Xavier Swartz of Thonotosassa,
who finished in 2 hours, 34 minutes, 14 seconds (11:45 a mile), but not too far ahead of the female 10-and-under age-group winner, Ashlen DiCicco of Land O’Lakes, who crossed the line in 2:40:33. Meantime in the 80-84 age group, 80-year-old Dillion Maier of New Port Richey finished in 3:03:53 (14:01 a mile), beating two 81-year-olds, Wayne Hinaman of Cincinnati and Charles Walker of Tampa. Tampa’s Ellen Stichter, 81, won the women’s 80-84 title in 3:37:02 (16:33 a mile). Then again, Stichter was the only woman competing in her age group. In the 8K, 8-year-old Oscar Brown of Land O’Lakes took the 10-and-under title with a 34:57 finish (7:01 a mile). On the girls’ side, 10-year-old Macy Hoeksema of Winter Park led the way in 50:29 (10:09 mile), followed by 7-year-old Finley Hoeksema in 52:43 (10:36 mile). Then came Treasure Island’s Larry and Jackie Yost, who are 86 and 87, respectively, and finished the 8K in 1:06.15 and 1:41.34. PARTICIPATION UP, UP, UP: The Distance Classic weekend broke another participation record this year with 32,165 registered runners, according to race officials,
breaking last year’s mark of 31,009. The most popular race continues to be Saturday’s 5K, which featured 14,067 participants. The 15K, half-marathon and 8K had about 6,000 participants apiece, give or take a few hundred for each. Overall for the 2016 weekend, estimates had female participants outnumbering males about 19,000 to 13,000. ODDS AND ENDS: USF senior Michael Babinec, a Riverview High alumnus who has been the Bulls’ top finisher in each of their past 14 meets, placed fourth in the half-marathon (1:10.29). … Austin (A.J.) Richmond’s half-marathon triumph Sunday marked the fourth consecutive year a resident of obscure Polk County hamlet Babson Park (Richmond or neighbor Jon Mott) has won either the 15K or half-marathon. … A day after finishing second in the women’s 15K (56:55.91), Pasco-Hernando State College cross country coach Jacki Wachtel finished fifth in the women’s half-marathon (1:25.59), marking the second time in four years she has earned top-five finishes in both races. Staff writer Joey Knight and correspondent Scott Purks contributed to this report.
Happy ending to sticky situation Savannah woman gets in final race after weekend of pitfalls. BY SCOTT PURKS
Times Correspondent
TAMPA — The 8K started Sunday right on schedule on Bayshore Boulevard, but scheduled participants Lindsay Norton and Shane Redfield were stuck inside a broken elevator on Harbour Island. It was the latest in a long list of problems for Norton, who signed up in June from her home in Savannah, Ga., to run all four races — the 15K, 5K, halfmarathon and 8K — over the Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic weekend.
Before Norton got stuck in the elevator (more than 30 minutes before the 8K start), she had already missed Saturday’s 15K and 5K with a violent stomach bug, then missed Sunday morning’s half-marathon because her alarm didn’t go off. “Then we’re going down on the elevator to at least make the last race and all of a sudden it stops between two floors!” Norton said. “They worked on it for a while but then they had to call out the fire department.” The minutes ticked by and the race started with them in the elevator. A concerned crowd formed outside the elevator, and fortunately one of the onlookers was
Jennifer Sewell, a good friend of race director Susan Harmeling. Sewell called Harmeling. Harmeling called the official race timer. The timer called the race maintenance men and, voila, the timing pad — which normally would get pulled up minutes after the last participant crosses the starting line — was left in place. It would stay there until Norton, 31, and Redfield, 34, were freed from the elevator — to the cheers from dozens who had gathered — and made it to the start. About 20 minutes after everyone else had begun their run — and after more than 40 minutes in the elevator — Norton and Redfield crossed the start-
ing pad. Norton officially crossed the finish line in 38 minutes, 18 seconds, which, because of her severely delayed start, was well ahead of what the finishing clock read (1:03.10). Redfield, who had only planned to run the 8K, finished just ahead of Norton in 37:54. “Wow,” Norton said. “What looked like a complete disaster ended up being a great story. I can’t thank the race officials and all the people that helped us enough. I loved the race. I love Tampa. What a beautiful place. “Next year I’m coming back and I’m running all four races. Nothing is going to stop me next year.”
Sunday’s Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic results HALF MARATHON MALES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
Austin Richmond Brian Atkinson Argeo Cruz Michael Babinec Steven Lawrence Wayne Blas Matthew Smith Haftom Fliegelman Sean Gallagher David Johnson Joshua Rayman Michael Mustaniemi Pedro Meraz Elijah Shekinah Eric Stuber Pedro Gonzalez Tom Russell Chris Yanichko Ken Corigliano Tim Price David Atkinson Mathieu Girard Kyle Larson Joshua Prevatt Matthew Altimari Dany Croteau Justin Neibauer Tim Blakley Jayson Bass Patrick Schroeder Seth Madden Jeffrey Lessie Calvin Drake Graeme Allardice John Dood Christopher Turner Sam Dreilinger Joshua Johnston Jeff Capps Michael Broache Craig Shimkus Tyler Blackburn Mac Greco III Mike Conti Robert Fisher Michael Rivera Kai Kline Eric Oliva Jarod Castaneda Johnathan Neubauer
01:07:33 01:07:39 01:08:43 01:10:30 01:11:09 01:12:22 01:12:51 01:13:55 01:14:02 01:14:37 01:16:33 01:17:34 01:17:42 01:18:34 01:18:53 01:18:58 01:19:16 01:19:30 01:19:55 01:20:19 01:20:32 01:20:41 01:20:41 01:20:43 01:21:53 01:21:56 01:22:15 01:22:49 01:22:52 01:23:13 01:23:15 01:23:25 01:23:55 01:23:58 01:24:00 01:24:01 01:24:05 01:24:15 01:24:29 01:24:34 01:24:45 01:24:45 01:24:51 01:25:15 01:25:16 01:25:35 01:25:45 01:25:52 01:26:26 01:26:33
HALF MARATHON FEMALES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
Kayla Atkinson Rachel Corigliano Terri Rejimbal Michelle Nunez Jacki Wachtel Jenn Walton Janelle Drennan Christina Noordstar Kiera Russo Jessica Kennedy Julie Hannah Penny Primus Jolene Abanses Melanie Hynes Kristie Kennington-Otto Tasha Regan Lauren Gelzinis Kristine Claffie Amanda Slattery Marianne Opsahl Mandi Kowal Donna Silver Rebecca Hattery Lauren Chandler Olivia Stein Caroline Berg Michelle Thames Caroline Helmer Megan Murray Margaret Compton Amy Fuller Yova Borovska Allison Decort Maggie Tulin Jennie Alpert Caitlin Janicki Ann Johnston S. Franzen Carmack Holly Hartman Lisa Dood Bertha Cruz Jen Heagy Mary Finocchi Kelli Marchewka Gisele Shapiro Emily Morris Jessica Murphy Melissa Kostecki Katlyn Eble Heather Galkin Bilotta
01:20:45 01:23:40 01:24:29 01:25:12 01:25:59 01:26:40 01:28:17 01:28:50 01:29:27 01:30:10 01:30:20 01:31:01 01:31:47 01:32:21 01:32:22 01:32:24 01:32:30 01:32:33 01:33:01 01:33:59 01:34:02 01:34:17 01:34:26 01:34:33 01:34:42 01:34:50 01:35:18 01:35:31 01:36:18 01:36:23 01:36:24 01:36:32 01:36:32 01:36:42 01:36:50 01:36:51 01:36:58 01:37:22 01:37:23 01:38:10 01:38:13 01:38:20 01:38:26 01:38:32 01:38:37 01:38:39 01:38:39 01:38:39 01:38:48 01:38:49
8K MALES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
Chad Zagacki Jeremy Richardson ROB PULSIFER John Robida Pedro Meraz Brendon Reedy Dominick Delevg Elijah Shekinah Tommy Brown Kyle Larson matthew farrell Tim Price Donald Swartz Casey Pleune Rick Brown Steven Bothe Mike Williams Steven Capitano Mathieu Girard Christian Tucker Greg Carro walter watts Todd Stratton Anthony D’Amato Joe Courchane Dror Vaknin Maxwell Forsyth Mark Hawkins Alexander Lee Shane Streufert Tim Gregory Casey Chandler Greg Short Andrew Tucker John Chiaretta Gary Romesser Gary Romesser John Coultas RON TENCZA Bob Giambalvo Rory Mcdonald Nick Fusco Daniel Koenig Jr Allan Mestichelli Jeff Capps Steve King Mike Hawkins Danaan Nixon Tyler Blackburn Kyle Beckett
00:27:48 00:28:01 00:28:38 00:28:46 00:29:16 00:29:19 00:29:20 00:29:21 00:29:26 00:29:28 00:29:33 00:29:53 00:29:55 00:30:11 00:30:13 00:30:13 00:30:25 00:30:33 00:31:02 00:31:03 00:31:04 00:31:07 00:31:30 00:31:37 00:31:53 00:31:57 00:32:07 00:32:12 00:32:18 00:32:18 00:32:22 00:32:28 00:32:34 00:32:37 00:32:55 00:32:56 00:32:56 00:33:16 00:33:27 00:33:29 00:33:47 00:33:49 00:33:51 00:33:52 00:33:53 00:33:57 00:34:12 00:34:20 00:34:21 00:34:38
8K FEMALES 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
Stephanie Pezzullo Erica Weitz Amy Ertel Ellie Pleune Prudence Vanpoulle Jodi Leung Sheila Natho Jaime Duran Rae Ann Darling Reed Jackie Shepard Kristine Claffie JOLENE ABANSES Tasha Regan ALY NUSSEAR Arlie Rubin Selena Meltsakos Holly Bly Isabella Brown Rebecca Schermbeck Christina Matassini vanessa parnell Jennie Alpert Mary Beth Layfield Kirsten Hite Emily Morris Heather Hale Amanda O’Keefe Valerie Blasewitz Jessica Swere Rikke Starskov Lauren Lumley Jean Schalk Angela Sabo Michelle Dunbar Amy Yanni Colleen Hilander JOANNA ZAMMITO Jessica Mattox Renee loosvelt Tiffany Herren LISA ROOSA Lindsay Norton Tanya Evers Stephanie Kuczynski Mary Malone Heather Hepp Nicole Geller Vanessa York Abigail Ruscetta Erica Silbiger
00:29:07 00:30:34 00:31:55 00:32:52 00:33:09 00:33:19 00:33:54 00:34:03 00:34:26 00:34:53 00:34:55 00:35:10 00:35:15 00:35:36 00:35:37 00:35:55 00:36:04 00:36:11 00:36:15 00:36:19 00:36:24 00:36:37 00:36:39 00:36:43 00:36:48 00:36:51 00:36:57 00:37:03 00:37:05 00:37:10 00:37:10 00:37:24 00:37:25 00:37:27 00:37:30 00:37:40 00:37:45 00:37:49 00:37:52 00:37:59 00:38:17 00:38:19 00:38:28 00:38:29 00:38:37 00:38:40 00:38:42 00:38:46 00:38:50 00:38:51
ZACK WITTMAN | Times
Ocala’s Stephanie Pezzullo might be getting back into racing form, but she still pulls off the title win on Sunday.
8K champions find extra gear Zagacki, Pezzullo eventually shake off low-energy starts. BY SCOTT PURKS
Times Correspondent
TAMPA — The top male and female finishers of Sunday’s Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic 8K — St. Petersburg’s Chad Zagacki and Ocala’s Stephanie Pezzullo — both said they were not feeling great standing on the starting line before the race. Zagacki, 21, was a bit fatigued because on Saturday he worked 10 hours of heavy labor for his father’s business, pulling windshields from cars in a junkyard, then installing them in other cars. After that, Zagacki — in the midst of running an average of 45 to 50 miles a week — ran 3 miles to “try and loosen up.” Pezzullo, meantime, is still working out the kinks following a year lay-off of training for personal reasons. Pezzullo, 33, has qualified for two Olympic trial marathons (2012, 2016) and once made her living running professionally, but she’s nowhere near full strength. Nonetheless, Zagacki and
Pezzullo were plenty strong enough to beat the 5,000 8K runners lined up behind them — particularly Pezzullo, who finished in 29 minutes, seven seconds, more than a minute ahead of the female runnerup. Pezzullo, in fact, finished fifth overall. Zagacki didn’t have as easy of a time, dueling most of the way with Palm Harbor’s Jeremy Richardson. In the end, Zagacki had more kick, finishing in 27:48, 13 seconds ahead of Richardson, a triathlete who said he also was feeling “tired and heavy” on the starting line. Like Zagacki and Pezzullo, Richardson did not rest on Saturday, biking 56 miles and swimming 2,000 yards. “I thought about not even running the race and sleeping in,” Richardson said. “But now I’m glad I did (run).” Through the first 4 miles or so, Richardson and Zagacki said they felt surprisingly good, then it started to get tough down the final stretch. “But it was all good in the end,” Zagacki said. “Beautiful day.”
LOREN ELLIOTT | Times
St. Petersburg’s Chad Zagacki is no stranger to running long distances, putting in an average of 45 to 50 miles a week.