An example is how the women's winner of the Safety Harbor Sprints started running at age 30, 16 years ago.
After St. Petersburg's Mary Ann Protz became the captain of her hospital's Corporate Challenge team in Akron, Ohio, she couldn't find anyone to run a 1-mile leg of a 10K relay. So, Protz said, "I decided to run it myself."
With just a few weeks of preparation, she surprised herself by completing the distance in less than 7 minutes. Now, at 46, Protz is the top runner in the area and state in the 45-49 age group.
In fact, in last month's Boston Marathon, she played a key role in the Forerunners Club masters team victory. Protz recorded a chip time of 3:10:51, second best behind the Forerunners' Lisa Valentine and third best overall among women 45-49.
Because Protz's training prior to the April 21 Boston was focused on 26.2 miles, and she hadn't run a race since, she didn't know what to expect at the 5K event in downtown Safety Harbor.
What she saw unfold was a wake-up call. Kim Miles of Clearwater bolted to an early lead and held on tenaciously through Miles 1 and 2.
"I couldn't see her face and didn't know who she was," Protz said. "I was pleased with my split times, 6:02 at 1 and 6:11 for 2, and just tried to catch her.
"Although I was able to pass her at 21/2 miles," Protz said, "I realized she was a lot younger than me and probably had the leg speed to outkick me at the end if it came down to that."
It didn't. Protz maintained a steady pace en route to the finish line. A 6:11 in the last mile led to a 19:02 victory to Miles' 19:14 showing.
NOTES: Protz, a physical therapist at Largo Medical Center where she is the director of rehabilitation, trains 50 miles per week, including 4:30 a.m. weekday sessions.
On Sundays, she does her long run, working back up to 22 miles in preparation for a fall marathon - this year Chicago on Oct. 12. Last fall, Protz competed in the Steamtown Marathon in her hometown of Scranton, Pa.
The women's order of finish in Safety Harbor, after second-place Miles, was the Forerunners' Amy McClenathan (19:19), Riverview's Nina Stokes (19:47) and Donna Nesslar (19:53) of the West Florida Y Runners Club.
In the men's division, Clearwater's Keith Sawayda returned to competition, winning (16:34) by a wide margin over St. Petersburg's Steve Wilcox (17:11). Seminole's Brian Scott (17:24) took third. Trailing were Masters winner Victor Yeager of Dunedin (17:41) and George Albright (17:49).
Palm Harbor's Duncan Cameron captured the 60-64 title again. This time, he was only 3 seconds behind 55-59 runner-up Jim Keppeler (19:34) of Clearwater.
DUNEDIN HOG HUSTLE Tony Teats, the area's premier runner, returned to action about two weeks ago.
He was alone for 3.1 miles on the scenic course from and back to Dunedin Stadium. The 25-year-old Oldsmar accountant maintained an even 5:06 per-mile pace to finish in 15:51.
The race was for second place. That honor went to David Cruz. He reeled in Pinellas Park's Lee Fictum (17:51) after the first mile en route to posting a 17:30.
Oldsmar's Mike Weiss (17:58) was fourth and first among competitors 40-and-over. He was followed by Peter Collins (18:26) of the Dianetics team.
A fearless Brigette Moreno of Tampa, only 12, went out hard early to get well ahead of Jacki Waller and Miles.
However, long-distance running - even 3.1 miles - is a game of even pacing. Again, patience prevailed over aggressiveness.
Waller, 23, broke the winner's tape in 18:41, and was followed by Miles (19:38) and Moreno (19:57) after just outkicking McClenathan by 2 seconds.
Largo's Debby Farias (21:24) took fifth in her first race of the day.
That night, she traveled to Lakeland for the annual Mayfaire 5K, surprising herself by posting nearly the same time (21:34).
St. Petersburg's Ginger Herring, 60, won her age division in the Hog Hustle with a better performance than the 55-59 female winners in Dunedin and Safety Harbor.
FINISH LINES: Valentine, fresh off her 2:50 at Boston, has signed up for the Oct. 12 Steamtown Marathon.
She is hoping to produce a 2:48 qualifying time for the Olympic Trials Marathon. That event is scheduled for April 3 in St. Louis on portions of the 1904 Olympic course.
Gainesville's Lisa Vaill, 40, is among 93 women who have qualified for the trials.
Vaill finished sixth (2:43:07) in the April 5 USA Women's Marathon Championship on the same St. Louis layout. Sara Wells of Minnesota won (2:35:37) in her marathon debut.
The men's Olympic marathon trial will be in Birmingham, Ala., on Feb. 7.
NBC will televise the Pre Classic track meet today at 2 p.m.
ESPN2 will show the Golden Spike Tour's Home Debut meet by delay June 1 at 3:30 p.m.
