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Kerry Allen's decisive win in the women's division of last weekend's Race for the Cure 5K may mark the beginning of a "new world order" on the area road-race scene.
However, the 15-year-old sophomore at St. Petersburg High has other priorities, such as winning the state high school Class 4A cross-country title Nov.8 and defending her 3,200-meter track title in the spring.
As the 5-foot-1, 90-pound phenom explained after Saturday's race, she entered the event only to see what kind of time she could run on a hard, flat course and to have fun.
"I didn't enter the race with the thought of winning," said Allen, coming off a 17:54 win at the Cougar Invitational cross-country meet two days before. "And I didn't know I was the first woman until I crossed the finish line."
Allen may not enter another area road race until she toes the line Nov. 27 at the Times Turkey Trot 5K in Clearwater. In the back of her mind is a good performance Thanksgiving Day.
Last year she finished eighth in 19:24, far behind winner Laure Blume (18:23) of Pinellas Park.
"I've run the Turkey Trot the last four years but really didn't get serious about running until last fall," Allen said.
At the Race for the Cure her winning time was 18:21, and she took 13th overall in the field of 4,000 registered runners, joggers and walkers.
Allen is poised to follow several recent Pinellas middle-distance runners who have excelled in college and beyond.
They include nine-time state champion (cross country and track) Brianne Harrington (Northside Christian/Auburn/UCF); Christa Benton (Keswick Christian/USF), a five-time state winner; and Saturday's runner-up, Kim Fagen.
Fagen is a former Gibbs High and Eckerd College standout serving in the U.S. Navy as a doctor. While assigned to Orlando several years ago she entered the Disney Marathon and finished second among women.
- Jacki Waller of Tarpon Springs would have finished higher than sixth (19:49) had she begun somewhere near the crowded starting line. But she arrived late, started at the back and spent a lot of time passing people. She had clocked 18:27 at last month's Summer Sizzler 5K in Safety Harbor. Waller is set to run the Oct.12 Chicago Marathon.
Men's winner (15:55) Tony Teats is training for the Times Turkey Trot and the Dec.13 Jacksonville Marathon.
The Trot is the one area race he has not won. Last November seemed an opportune time because he was ready to run a 32:37 10K, which he did, only to be upstaged by Scott Winnier (31:54) of Boulder, Colo.
At Jacksonville, Teats aims to break 2:22 to qualify for the 2004 Olympic Trials marathon.
Men's runner-up Hank Campbell of St. Petersburg may be a force to reckon with on the schedule.
The 24-year-old University of Mississippi grad was a 3:51 1500-meter runner there and also competed in cross country. He has the bay-area franchise for www.bodyzen.com a multisport coaching company based in Miami. Campbell, a certified triathlon coach, said his main competitive focus is triathlons.
Last year's Cure winner, John Biffar of Admiral Farragut Academy, runs this fall for Pratt Community College in Kansas. He's the No.1 runner on the team, said Phil Barnhill, his former high school coach.
- Ian Jackson of St.Petersburg may have had the best age-graded finish. At 50 he placed eighth overall with 17:45, winning his age division and beating Lakewood coach Royston Dillon, the dominant 50-and over runner in the area. But Jackson already had amazed fans of the sport when he finished second in February's Ocala Marathon with 2:58.
There was a spirited battle for 57th place. In the end Kyle Groh, 8, prevailed over John Nutting, 11. Both St. Petersburg boys were timed in 20:59.
MARATHON SCENE: September may be early in the season to run a marathon, but for Mickie Flinner of Crystal Beach it was an opportunity to return to her Dayton, Ohio, roots and run the Air Force Marathon at Wright-Patterson AFB.
The first 24 miles went smoothly for the 68-year-old veteran trying to improve on her 4:37 time from last year. At that point her knee gave out and she limped in pain the final 2.2 miles.
Nevertheless she moved up in the women's 60-plus standings from third last year to second.
COMING UP: Times Turkey Trot training continues at 8 Saturday mornings at John Chesnut Park in East Lake and at Taylor Park in Largo. The free classes are geared for beginners, former runners and serious walkers.
For information call West Florida Y Runners Club president Line Schumacher at (727) 939-8038.
Registration for the 25th annual event's 10K, 5K or mile is available online at www.tampabay.com/turkeytrot
The club's annual Warhoop Sprint, a cross-country 5K at Seminole Lake Park, has been postponed to 8:30 a.m. Saturday. There is a free mile event for kids at 8.
Saturday's Run the Rock 5K in Palm Harbor and Zoo Run at Lowry Park in Tampa both start at 8 a.m. The entry fee for Run the Rock is $15; the zoo run is $35. For the Rock Run go to www.phumc.net For the zoo run go to www.lowryparkzoo.com or call 813 935-8552, ext. 239.