(Reprinted from the 2011 TUDC post-race booklet)
Records, as they say,“ are meant to be broken. And then again, some are meant to be threatened just enough to open up possibilities for the future!
In the year 2010, in the 30th anniversary running of the TUDC, we introduced a new course featuring a 10K loop to replace the 2.07M loop that had been used for many years and which had produced some of the fastest ultra distance times ever recorded - anywhere. The thought was that the 10K loop would make it easier for our dedicated lap counters as the TUDC was swept along in the growth spurt that is so apparent in the US ultra world these days. What we didn’t expect was for the new course to be significantly faster than the one that had been retired. Oh, were we ever wrong …
The inaugural year of 2010 produced 9 new course records and a pending American AG record. The surge continued this year with two pending US Age Group records and six new course records. Furthermore, the 2011 race reached a new high with over 100 entries; the number of finishers reached 83 – 20 more than in 2010 – and merely 2 shy of the all-time finishing number set way back in 1988.
So, let’s take a look at who did what on what many described as “a perfect day for running”. I could not agree more, for with start-time temperatures in the mid-40s and an afternoon high of only 60, mostly cloudy skies and a moderate breeze, there was nothing between the runners and the clock except for the minor detail of 50 or 31 miles.
The 50 miler produced one of the finest battles for the win that we have seen in years. Tallahassee’s own Jack McDermott, a past winner of the 50M (2007) and the 50K (2008), came into the race with a year of sub-3 hour marathons and a win at the tough 50M Destin Beach Run. His main competition was expected to come from Jacksonsville’s Sung Ho Choi who had established himself as one of America’s best ultrarunners with outstanding performances practically everywhere he had raced over the past 3 years. But – he had won the Ancient Oaks 100 Mile run only 6 days prior to the TUDC and there was no way he could be expected to have any legs …. at least not for the entire 50 miles! In what was an incredible exhibition of ultra talent, Choi and McDermott dueled all day long, trading the lead on occasion and pushing one another to be more than they could have been apart from one another. In the end it was Sung Ho Choi who prevailed, never losing that strong and efficient stride of his. His winning time of 6:18:45 was the fastest since 2004 and the third fastest winning time ever recorded at the TUDC. It is a good thing for him that he did so, because McDermott was only minutes behind, taking the masters title in a time of 6:27:24. On the women’s side, there was another Jacksonville runner and – one whose name is now firmly etched in the TUDC record books. Amy Costa, the picture of strength and grace for hours on end, was third overall and the winner of the women’s title for the 4th time in the past 6 years with a time of 7:39:09. Amy’s 4 wins at the 50 mile distance eclipsed the three 50M titles she had shared with Gordy Hawkins and Dann Fisher, further affirming her position as one of America’s finest ultrarunners. The women’s masters winner was Tallahassee’s Chrissy Coutts, running her first 50-miler, and making it look easy with a time of 8:39:09. Grandmasters wins went to Joe Edgecombe of Panama City and Diane Seale of Milton, GA.
The 50K lacked the drama of last year’s battle to the finish line but lacked nothing in strong performances, highlighted by a new pending US 55-59 AG record of 3:39:47 set by the overall winner, Pete Kaplan of Charlotte, NC. Pete was rock-steady, clicking off 43/44 minute 10Ks time-after-time. Running 3rd overall for the first half of the race, Pete’s experience, talent and patience paid off as he bested a strong performance by ultra newcomer 21-year old Dan Mosier of Tallahassee who ran 4:07:38. Only seconds behind Dan was Andy Roberts of Tallahassee, who claimed the masters title in 4:08:05. Not to be outdone by all the young guys, the perennially young and stunningly fast Joe Burgasser of St. Petersburg, FL lowered his own US 70-74 AG record by nearly a minute, finishing 5th overall and running 4:16:03 for the grandmasters title. Joe has now run three sub-4:20 50Ks at Wakulla Springs in the past 3 years – all since turning 70. We are honored to have him with us each year for he is simply amazing. I suspect one of the reasons that he continues to run as well as he does is because he tries to keep up with one of the athletes he coaches through the Forerunner’s Track Club in St. Pete: this year’s women’s 50K champion, Kristine Cox. Kristine powered to a 4th place overall finish with a stellar time of 4:14:19, prevailing over Kathryn Schubert of Gainesville, FL. Kathryn, running her first ultra and looking strong all day, ran 4:27:30. The women’s masters winner was Maria Anderson of Tampa with a time of 4:32:53. Maria’s time broke the 12-year old TUDC 55-59 AG record held by former co-Race Director of the TUDC and one of America’s finest masters runners, Margarete Deckert. The women's grandmasters winner was Juli Aistars of Lake Zurich, IL, with a time of 4:48:25.
In addition to the new TUDC age group marks set by Joe Burgasser and Maria Anderson, there were four others that will now be on the books: Stephanie Stout of Tallahassee, running her first 50M shattered the 25-29 AG mark for that event by well over an hour with an outstanding time of 8:06:04; Jessica Rosario, another one of those talented Jacksonville-area runners, lowered the women’s 30-34 AG record by nearly 25 minutes with a fine 8:06:49 in the 50M; the aforementioned 2nd OA 50K finisher, Dan Mosier, broke the men’s 20-24 AG record by nearly 35 minutes; and finally ….. running her first ultra (which begs the question, “What took you so long to do so?”), Tallahassee’s remarkable Sue Kelly, knocked a mere hour and 15 minutes off the women’s 60-64 50K record with a time of 5:23:59.
Outside of the record books, there were (as always), some remarkable happenings. Paraplegic Kyle Pease and his brother Brent inspired us with their determination and constant smiles in the 50K. The ultimate smiling runner, Gordy Hawkins, ran what he has told us will be his last ultra. If that is so, our lives and particularly our Saturdays at Wakulla Springs will be a bit emptier, for he has crossed that finish line 27 times in our 31 years and has amassed over 1200 miles on our course. Pat Judd, Nick Mazza, and Bill Hillison, with nearly 50 finishes among them, were all in attendance once again. Each has a story that would make you shake your head and wonder how it is that they can still do what they do, but they do it nonetheless. Witnessing these finishes, together with all the rest of you who crossed the line that day, is what makes directing an ultra so worthwhile.
From your post-race comments, there was (as always) high praise for the many volunteers who come forth year-after-year for this reunion at Wakulla Springs State Park. And, you liked the locally crafted finisher’s awards, the post-race massage and chili, and the featured abundance of manatees that presented themselves for your viewing pleasure at the Spring, within stumbling distance of the finish line. As for Peg and I and Gulf Winds Track Club (and of course, our sponsor – The North Face!), we thank you for joining us on that second Saturday in December.
We will be back next year - same time, same place - for the 32nd running of the TUDC. December 8, 2012, it’ll be. Put it on your calendar. We look forward to having you back with us.
Gary and Peg Griffin, Race Directors