Running

Floridians' steps quicken during fall races

No matter what distances they prefer, Florida runners have gone from feeling like they are in a steambath to revelling in the cool blasts of morning air.

Steps are quickening and coaches say faster times are coming because of racing conditions.

The fall season started with the Chicago Marathon on Oct.12. Among the top St. Petersburg's Forerunners club performers were Christy Phillips, 41, in 2 hours, 52 minutes, 33 seconds and Mary Ann Protz, 47, in 2:56:10.

Evans Rutto of Kenya won in 2:05:50, the fastest time by a first-time marathon runner. The fastest woman was Russia's Svetlana Zakharova, 33, in 2:23:07.

Protz, 47, who is Largo Medical Center rehab director, said she was happy to reach her goal of breaking three hours and thought conditions in Chicago were good.

"I clicked my watch off at every mile, but the miles went by so quickly," Protz said. "I got to the halfway point in 1:28, and the rest of the miles just flew. My second half was exactly the same, and all I can say is that everyone should have a day like that. I won my age group by seven minutes, totally relaxed and enjoying the race."

Phillips is close to a time of 2:48, to qualify for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Women's Marathon on April 3 in St. Louis.

Among the fastest Floridians, with a 6:26-per-mile pace, Forerunners member Steve Wilcox, 32, of St. Petersburg ran Chicago in 2:48:55.

Mitchell High School teacher and coach Jackie Waller, 24, ran 3:16:07. Waller of Tarpon Springs won her age group (fourth overall female) at the Hops Marathon in January in 3:06.

NEW YORK CITY: About 30,000 runners will run the New York City Marathon on Nov.2, among them Enee Abelman, Steve Abelman, Vicki Ballinger, Julie Briones, Dan DeRussy, Graham Joyce, Kenneth Locke, Amy McClenathon, Peter Metcalfe, Christine Page, Bryan Prushinski, Nancy Rubin, Nila Williams, all of St. Petersburg; Gary Long of St. Pete Beach; Melissa Cosser Treasure Island; Cynthia Kane-Sweeney, John Turley, Palm Harbor; Pam Daily, Richard Foote and Arnaud Glacet, Clearwater; Diane Lincoln and Hillarey McCall, Indian Rocks Beach; Patti Spence, Belleair; Millie Hamilton, Redington Beach; and Cathy DeHaan, Seminole.

"Although my hope would be to qualify for Boston, I don't think it will happen in New York," said Steve Abelman, a stockbroker with William R. Hough.

RATTLESNAKE RUN: Nearly 300 competed in Pasco's 5-mile Rattlesnake Run on Oct.18. Robert Schatzman, 21, of Land O'Lakes won in 27:45. Sheila Dodds, 45, of Ireland was the top woman in 31:48.

Tampa's Mary Pulaski won the 50-54 division in 38:43.

CROOM TRAIL 50K: Clearwater's Linda Mason, 50, won the women's title at the Brooksville race, which served as the Road Runners Club of America's Southern Regional Championship. Mason covered the four-loop 31.1-mile course in 4:30.08, 11 minutes ahead of runner-up Kathleen Daumer of Melbourne. Noora Alinda of Palm Harbor finished fourth in 4:42:56.

Mason finished 11th overall among 69 competitors.

Fred Johnson of Tallahassee took the men's title in 3:54:10, ahead of Rick Schultz of Morriston (3:56:18), Jon Docs of Tampa (4:01:45), and former winner Ray Bell, 56, of Hudson (4:02:10).

- Times correspondent Dave Theall contributed to this report.

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