Annual Gulf Winds Track Club Races

David Yon, revised December 2009

GWTC has an amazing cadre of volunteers who make sure 15 quality club races successfully happen every year. Many of these races have been around for more than 30 years. The races range in distance from one mile to 50 miles. Some are flat and fast and some are hilly and challenging. All are fun! We want to invite you to any or all of these events – both as a participant and as a volunteer. For the most current details visit the GWTC race calendar under the “Races” button on the main page.

• Billy Bowlegs 5K. Date: January 9, 2010. Location: FSU/FAMU Engineering Building, Innovation Park. Bill Hillison and Larry Giunipero direct this well-run race to benefit the FSU Faculty and Friends Scholarship Fund. The race became a club race in 2002, but has been around since Leitch Wright and Larry first directed it in 1985.

• GWTC 30K-15K. Date: January 16, 2010. Location: Old Centerville Road. Old Centerville Road makes this race a very special event. Race directors Jerry and Jackie McDaniel took control in 2006 and they love it so much they bought property near the start. It starts near The Retreat at Bradley’s Pond, which graciously opens its doors for registration, awards and warmth. The hard-packed dirt road is hilly, but a special place to run with spectacular old oaks protecting much of the course. Once known as the “Ides of March,” the race was first run in March of 1978 under the direction of Tim Simpkins, who also won the inaugural race.
   

• Tallahassee Marathon/Half Marathon. Date: February 7, 2010. Location: FSU’s Mike Long Track. In 2004 the start of this race moved to the FSU Track, and was run on an entirely new course starting on the FSU track and covering much of the St. Marks Rails-to-Trails. It is flat and fast, great for qualifying for Boston or other events and for running PR’s. Jay Silvanima took over the reins of this classy event for 2007, and it has been growing ever since; so much so that Nancy Stedman has joined him as co-director (and wife). The 2010 marathon has been named the RRCA Southern Region Marathon Championship race. There is no better marathon experience than a “hometown” marathon, and this one proves the point. This race was first run in 1975 in the forest at Natural Bridge Road, and might just be the first “official” GWTC race. Two runners participated - director Andy Burns and winner John Hargreaves.
   

• Flash 12K/6K. Date: February 20, 2010. Location: J. Lewis Hall Park. It is hard to picture this race without Joe and Nadine Dexter. But they have turned the event over to Mark Priddy who is ready to take take the race to new levels. This race started in 1989, and Joe Dexter directed every one before 2010; Nadine was there from 2000 until last year.  The 6K races debut in 2009.
   

• Springtime 10K/5K/1M. Date: March 27, 2010. Location: Monroe Street and Jefferson. This is GWTC’s downtown springtime event, and you should never miss it. Brian Corbin and Judy Alexander are now experienced directors and they have added their own touch to the race, having added a 5K in 2008. The hills and the community feeling will assure that you have wonderful stories to tell. The race was first run in 1976 as a 4 mile race under the direction of Andy Burns and became a 10K in 1977.
   

• Palace Saloon 5K. Date: April 10, 2010. Location: Messer Field to the Palace Saloon. One of GWTC’s oldest races, it was first run in 1975. Now under the direction of Reid Vannoy and FSU Hall of Fame Runner Herb Wills, this race is sheer fun – well, other than the hill near the end. In 2009, the race busted through the 1000 mark with 1022 finishers who got to enjoy a post race party led by Bill McGuire’s guitar. It’s a great way to follow the Springtime 10K.
   

• Great Potluck Bash 4-Mile and Open Mike Social. Date June 5, 2010. Location: Forest Meadows Tennis Facility. GWTC prides itself in supporting youth running, in part, through the Chenoweth Fund. This event, as much social as competitive, serves as a fund-raiser while recognizing the outstanding high school track-and-field and cross-country athletes in the area with scholarship awards. You can’t beat the low-country boil after the race. The off-road race was first held in 1998 and is under the direction of the Chenoweth Committee: Warren Emo, Myrna Hoover, Mary Register, Toma Wilkerson and David Yon.

• Breakfast on the Track Mile. Date: August 14, 2010. Location: Maclay Track. Talk about marathons being tough races if you want, but a well-run mile requires more courage than any other distance. GWTC picked the Wright family to direct this event and Felton, Bonnie and Jamie put on a great show, including pancakes for breakfast. The first year for this race was 1998.
   

• Miller Landing Madness Date: August 28, 2010. Location: Elinor Phipps Park. This race has become the kickoff for the high-school cross-country season and the signal for GWTC members that it’s time to start racing again after a summer hiatus. After a few years on the Miccosukee Greenway, the race moved to the gorgeous Elinor Phipps Park behind Forest Meadows. The race is a great chance for GWTC members and local high-school runners to mix it up together. Mike Sims and Tom Perkins have teamed up as race directors. The race began as a 5 mile event called the Tom Brown Bash in 1977 under the direction of Lee Cohee.
   

• Women’s Distance Festival 5K/1 Mile. Date: September 18, 2010. Location: Optimist Park. Lisa Unger and Jo Lena Pace debuted as race directors in 2006 and did a great job. The emphasis is on celebrating women in sports, and the women often outnumber the men in this race through Indian Head Acres. It has a unique twist in that the women start 5 minutes before the men. The race began with Dot Skofronick and Shirley Bull as race directors in 1982.
   

• Prefontaine 5K. Date: September 25, 2010. Location: Silver Lake Recreation Area. Like the runner this event was named for, the course is always a challenge. Changes in 2006 made it a bit more runner-friendly, but in 2008 the course returned to its tough sandy roots. Race Director Jeff Nielsen always brings his own mark to this race that runs through the national forest. The race has also become a favorite place for local high-school teams to prove themselves. Dave Rogers birthed this event in 1975 not long after the legendary Steve Prefontaine died.
   

• Pine Run 20K. Date October 9, 2010. Location: Tall Timbers Research Station. For many years this race's home was the South Georgia experimental forest known as Southlands and maintained by International Paper. But alas, good things must pass and the forest went up for sale and the race appeared to die in 2007. But it came roaring back to life in 2008 under the direction of Gordon Cherr. One of the race’s biggest crowds responded to Gordon’s rescue effort at a brand new location, Tall Timbers. In spite of the tough, memorable hills on this off-road course, the crowds returned in 2009. Bill McGuire made the transition and still plays music to make sure all have a fun time. The race was first organized for IP in 1977 by Dave Stetson of the Troy Running Club, Troy, Alabama. Jim Stephens, GWTC President, was there to help as well.
   

• Turkey Trot 1M/15K/10K/5K. Date Thanksgiving Day. Location: State Office Complex in SouthWood. This race has been the club’s fastest growing and has become an essential family outing for area runners and walkers. It has been around since 1976, and race directors David and Mary Jean Yon do their best to give you a caring way to burn calories before Thanksgiving dinner. More than 3000 runners made this event the largest in the area in 2008.
   

• Tallahassee 10-Mile Challenge. Date: December 4, 2010. Location: Killearn Lakes Elementary School. It is the first club race that follows Turkey Trot. Judy Alexander and Brian Corbin make this a first-class event that lives up to its name “Challenge.” There is a 5-mile race that gives runners not wanting to go 10 miles a good option. The tough but pretty, course is staged in Killearn Lakes. The race began as a 20K in 1977 under the direction of Leitch Wright and became a 10-miler in 1988.

• Ultra Distance Classic. Date: December 11, 2010. Location: Wakulla Springs State Park. Gary and Peg Griffin have brought their own special love of Ultra events to this Classic which includes a 50K race and a 50 Mile run. The First Family of Ultra Running (Gary has now run more than 85 ultras and Peg has attended almost as many) has the experience necessary to make this a great experience for participants. The event was first run in 1980 and was directed by a committee of volunteers. Despite a downpour 2009 was the biggest race in many years.  Don’t let the distances scare you; this is a very doable event!
   

Gulf Winds Track Club, P.O. Box 3447, Tallahassee, FL 32315
www.gulfwinds.org