A clock is the conventional way to time a running event.
By DAVE THEALL
Published January 1, 2004
Noora Alidina of Palm Harbor ran a race three weeks ago that was timed, in part, by the calendar.
It was the Ancient Oaks 100-Mile Endurance Run, a two-day challenge in the Enchanted Forest Nature Sanctuary in Titusville.
Alidina, 47, finished fourth among 20 starters and second among women. Her performance of 25 hours, 19 minutes was a 4-hour improvement over her effort in June's Western States 100 over rugged mountainous trails in California.
"I really didn't train for Titusville," said Alidina, a registered nurse by profession but a self-pro-
claimed full-time mother of five ranging from 7-18 years.
"I could have run faster in Titusville, but the park was dark and isolated and I slowed down a couple of times just so I could run with somebody," she said.
No sooner did Alidina wear out one pair of shoes, she put on another to compete in Sunday's TLC 50-Mile Trail Run in Pasco County's Starkey Wilderness Park.
Passing two men in the last 5 miles, Alidina placed third overall in 9:11, second among women.
"I just did that for fun," she said. "I came alive at the end, and that enabled me to pass two runners."
Alidina is faced with several opportunities on the running calendar.
One is to try to defend her three-event cumulative time weekend at Gasparilla, Jan.24-25.
Last year, she had the best women's performance overall for the back-to-back 15K and 5K, plus the next day's Hops Marathon, in which she took second in her age division in 3:41:47. This year's trifecta is called the Chrysler PT Cruiser Challenge.
Alidina also is considering a return to the Ocala Marathon, in which she captured second in the 40-and-over competition in 3:44:57.
The third choice on her menu is the Gulf Beaches Marathon, Feb.22 in Clearwater, which she said is appealing.
"I haven't decided yet and may not until the end depending on my children's schedules," Alidina said. "They always come first."
Dante Ciolfi of Fort Myers won (8:37) the TLC 50-mile event, which race director Elaine Anthony said was closer to 51.4 miles. Kathy Dawmer of Melbourne was second, 8:39.
Anthony accommodated Bob Wehr's request for a marathon-distance event. Wehr, of New Port Richey, finished his 99th alone in 6:44.
Tampa's Jon Docs won the concurrent 50K in 4:02, with Maria Andrews of Fort Myers prevailing among women in 5:36.
Phil Lehave of Indian Shores took the half-marathon title in 1:41, with women's honors going to Clearwater's Debby Farias in 1:54.
MORE GASPARILLA: There will be pre-race pasta dinners at Tampa Convention Center on Jan.23, 5-8 p.m., and Jan.24 before the marathon, 3-5 p.m.
Six Pinellas runners have been named to Gasparilla's Tops of Tampa Bay list, entitling them to free entry and overnight stay at the downtown Tampa Hyatt Regency.
The athletes are Tony Teats of Oldsmar, Keith Sawayda, Clearwater; Judy Maguire, Clearwater; Christy Phillips, St.Petersburg; Lisa Valentine, Tierra Verde; and Vicky Stum, Clearwater.
Phillips says she is hurting, an Achilles injury, and may be able to run only the 5K.
She is coming off a strong three-month period with a 2:52 Chicago Marathon in October, a second- and third-place finish in the Turkey Trot 5K/10K and last month's Hidden River 10K win (37:50) and 5K runner-up (18:13).
Gasparilla also will score military teams this year.
The Operation Outback Steakhouse 15K Military Competition will have awards in men, women, mixed, masters men and women categories.
For information, go online to www.tampabayrun.com or call the Gasparilla office, 813 229-7866.
QUARTERLY RANKINGS: The rankings are primarily based on race results in the 10K to marathon range.
Women - 1. Christy Phillips. 2. Mary Ann Protz. 3. Lisa Valentine. 4. Kim Donaldson. 5. Judy Maguire. 6. Geri Laverty. 7. Amy McClenathan. 8. Jackie Waller. 9. Donna Nesslar. 10. Lisa Kothe.
Masters Women - 1. Patti Farese. 2. Karen Alexeev. 3. Linda Mason. 4. Annette Frisch. 5. Mickey Flinner.
Men - 1. Tony Teats. 2. Keith Sawayda. 3. Ian Payne. 4. Gabit Shavmerdnov. 5. Jeff Delie. 6. Andy Scavelli. 7. David Putnam. 8. Ian Jackson. 9. David Meri. 10. Jim Duncan.
Masters Men - 1. Royston Dillon. 2. Joe Burgasser. 3. Duncan Cameron. 4. Jim Keppeler. 5. Colman Mooney.
THIS JUST IN: Brooksville's John Capel, a former Florida receiver, was named by Track & Field News the 2003 world's No.1 100-meter (9.97) sprinter and No.1 (20.17 best) in the 200, which he won at last summer's World Championships in Paris.
He finished third in the magazine's balloting for U.S. Athlete of the Year.
NEXT MARATHON: The 11th annual Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon will have a record 24,000 participants Jan.11.
The event, which meanders through all four theme parks, capped out at 15,500.
NEXT MONTH: Ronnie Holassie, winner of the 2003 Gasparilla, will take his 2:13-marathon credentials to the starting line of the Mercedes Marathon in Birmingham, Ala., on Jan.7, hoping for a top-three finish.
The Olympic Trial is part of that marathon.
Holassie, a resident of Miramar, represented Trinidad and Tobago in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and the 2000 Games in Australia.
The favorites are Dan Browne, Alan Culpepper, Meb Kefezighi and 2003 U.S. Marathon Championships winner Ryan Shay.
For three runners to advance, they need times of 2:12 or better. Kefezighi, Browne and Culpepper have those marks.
