January 4, 2009 13.1 Miles - 187 finishers
It was choice day in Mr. B’s gym class. You could either run a 5K (3.1 miles), or a 5K + 10 (half marathon). The vote was pretty much split down the middle, which made for an interesting first mile and a half. Of course, the big question on everyone‘s mind was “Who’s running which one?” Because all runners look pretty much the same from the rear, it wasn’t until the 5K turnaround that the front runners were able to determine which race they were actually winning.
The Half Marathon
With a whole slew of spring marathons on the horizon, and Florida’s wonderful winter running weather, it ‘twas the season to run a half marathon for a tad over half the entrants. They came from as close as around the block to as far as Africa.
That African would be Japheth Keoch, originally from Kapsabet, Kenya, but presently a PhD candidate at UCF. When not working on his doctorate in instructional technology, he’s piling up the mileage training for the March 15th Little Rock Marathon.
He went through the first mile in 5:30, along with the two leaders in the 5K, and Ravenna, Ohio, native Jake Dialesandro.
“I think both of us was expecting the other to turn around at the 5K (turnaround),” explained Dialesandro.
“But he kept going straight,” interjected Keoch. “He was pushing me the whole way. We probably would have run a lot slower without each other.”
“With a mile to go, we both said ‘Go on ahead,’” added Dialesandro.
The latter, a sophomore majoring in mathematics and statistics at Youngstown State (Ohio), was on his Christmas break and accompanying his father on a cross country road trip when he decided to “drop in” on the race.
“My Dad plays Caribbean music and he has a gig down here. We’re going to Miami, and then Homestead. We stayed in Daytona Beach last night, but after the race we’re going on to Miami to stay with a friend.”
Keoch and Dialesandro crossed the finish line together, and it took a timer to separate them. Keoch was awarded first (1:15:21) and Dialesandro second (1:15:22).
In third was 15 year old Warner Christian freshman Billy Young. His time of 1:23:26 worked out to a 6:23 pace, not all that far off his 5K pace from this past cross country season.
“I just wanted to try it (a half marathon),” he said afterwards. “I’ve been doing a lot of long runs and wanted to try it. It was a good experience.”
And perhaps a new distance to focus on?
At the other end of the age spectrum was George Altieri of Clermont, who ran a great race, finishing just shy of his seeded number, 2. His age (51) belied both his place (fourth overall) and time (1:23:53).
Although she didn’t have quite as far to travel as the male winners to get to the starting line, Heather Moore nonetheless ran just as far--and nearly as fast--after having done so.
“I love doing these halves,” she said. “I’ve done marathons, but I like this distance as far as training, because I have three kids.”
Watching Heather (10), Ashlyn (7) and Carson (3) while she trains is her husband,
Wayne.
“She does all of her workouts before I go to work. She does cross training too; cycling, floor exercises…anything she can do for exercise. She loves spinning. But she rarely does a half marathon in training. The furthest she runs is 10 ½ miles.”
Although she didn’t start running until after Ashlyn was born, she has remained loyal to her routines, and it was that diligence that made the difference.
“I thought I was second or third, but I had the leader (41 year old Bea Marie Altieri, of Clermont; second in 1:27:52) in my sights the whole way. I thought I’d better hold back a little. At the turn around I realized I was second. She was tough, but at ten she started to slow down.”
Passing Altieri (George’s wife, and wearing race number 1) in the tenth mile, she never looked back.
“I was focusing on the finish,” and got there first in 1:26:26.
The third female finisher was 34 year old Heather Schulz of Orlando (1:28:55). So we had a Bea between two Heathers, eighth, ninth and eleventh place overall.
The 5K
“I’m down here looking for grad schools--I’m going to visit UCF and UF--and my (Lockhaven, Pa.) coach wanted me to run some sort of workout. So I decided to hop in here and have someone to work out with,” explained soon-to-be 22 year old Brandon Pomerantz, of Holland, Pennsylvania.
Until the mile, at least, that was 16 year old Andrew Epifanio, last year’s winner in 18:33. Pomerantz went through the first mile in 5:30, and just kept going at that same pace. Unlike Epifanio, who slowed somewhat (5:43 per mile) to finish second overall in 17:43, Pomerantz averaged a second slower than his first mile. So he’s not perfect. However, he does have a 14:51 (track) PR, and definite plans.
“I am a senior, academically, but a junior athletically. I have a year of eligibility left. I’m going to stay at Lockhaven and pick up some more credit, then maybe move down here the summer of 2010. I have a big interest in triathlons, but you can’t cycle in 20 degree weather. I’m scouting out the area. It’s a much better training environment, with the beach, the sun….”
So if any of our readers is an employer searching for an athletic recreational manager (specializing in fitness), with a minor in sports medicine and psychology, seek no more.
Perhaps Brandon can be convinced to wear your company’s logo on his race attire.
Alexa Gemma, a fixture on the local road racing scene--and also at their post-race awards ceremonies--finished tenth overall to claim female honors (20:19). In hot pursuit was 48 year old Sue O’Malley of Port Orange (12th in 20:28).
Footnotes: In studying the results of this race I couldn’t help but notice an unusually large number of top finishers in their fourth and fifth decade of life (eight of the top ten—males and females combined—in both the 5K and half marathon). Hmmm, I thought, isn’t DeLeon Springs State Park right down the road? (We all had to drive right past it to get to the race.) Do you suppose that they took a little pre-race dip in the spring? One has to wonder….I know I speak for a lot of others when I offer congratulations to John Boyle, race promoter extraordinaire, on the occasion of this race‘s silver anniversary. How many of us can say that we were so successful at something that we are still doing it 25 years later? Certainly, every runner who has passed through his chutes since 1984--enough to populate a fair sized town--will attest to his dedication and unwavering support of our favorite sport. Thank you, John.
Top 10 - Half
Males Time Females Time
1)Japeth Keoch 1:15:21 8)Heather Moore 1:26:26
2)Jake Dialesandro 1:15:22 9)Bea Marie Altieri 1:27:52
3)Billy Young 1:23:26 11)Heather Schulz 1:28:55
4)George Altieri 1:23:53 14)Tara Homick 1:30:34
5)Carlos Pereyra 1:25:30 23)Dana Cross-Rhode 1:35:59
6)Bill McCord 1:26:05 24)Jennifer Schedivy 1:36:22
7)Dwayne Jenkins 1:26:14 35)Elisabeth Diamond 1:40:48
10)William Burgos 1:28:12 39)Heather Griffith 1:43:14
12)Hunter Tolbert 1:30:13 46)Sharon Marsh 1:47:19
13)Randy Forde 1:30:16 50)Betty English 1:48:40
Top 10 - 5K
Males Time Females Time
1)Brandon Pomerantz 17:00 10)Alexa Gemma 20:19
2)G. Andrew Epifanio 17:43 12)Sue O’Malley 20:28
3)Brian Kessler 19:12 16)Zoe Volenec 21:07
4)Brian LaStarza 19:32 17)Sheila Sullivan 21:14
5)Jeffrey Clements 19:34 28)Pamela Hanson-Peterson 22:07
6)James Masters 19:38 30)Brenna Ginther 22:18
7)Elliott Strouse 19:43 31)Carole Thomas 22:19
8)Chris Sullivan 19:44 32)Mary Ann Rau 22:25
9)Tristian Rodriguez 20:03 43)Stephanie Epifanio 23:42
11)Christopher Anderson 20:23 48)Catherine LaStarza 24:14
For complete results and a road race calendar, go to Altavistasports.com