The outcome of Saturday's Beach to Bayou 5K from the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs came down to the last half mile.
Mike Knous, a senior at Tarpon Springs High School, led by a few steps over his nearest pursuers - Robert Schatzman of Land O'Lakes and Dave O'Meara of Sarasota.
O'Meara had won the race in 2002, the last year it was held from nearby Spring Bayou.
Knous (pronounced nouse) gradually increased the pace with 800 meters to go and went on to win the event to the cheers of his parents and many hometown fans.
The winning time was 16 minutes, 47 seconds, a personal 5K road record for Knous.
"I took the lead at the outset," said Knous, who finished fifth last year in 17:56. "As far as I could tell, he (second runner) was the only one who stayed with me.
"I just tried to run an even pace at 5:20 per mile and waited to near the end to make my move," Knous said. "I didn't need a big kick at the finish."
Schatzman took second in 16:52 and was trailed by O'Meara 6 seconds later.
Knous' fast performance and move into the winner's circle is the result of a lot of hard training with a focus on the mile event for the Spongers this track season, in which he hopes to advance to the Class 3A state meet. Not only did his victory Saturday far surpass the 17:48 he produced for 11th place in November's Turkey Trot 5K, but Knous recently closed the gap on Thanksgiving Day winner Ken Magee of Seminole High.
In a track meet earlier this month at Countryside, Magee won the 1,600-meter event in 4:35. Knous was just a step behind at 4:36.
Last fall, Magee was the Times Pinellas Runner of the Year and Knous a second-team selection.
"I hope to get my time down to 4:23 or 4:24 this year and break the school record in the mile and 2 mile, which are both over 20 years old," Knous said. "The school record is 4:29, and for the 3,200, it's 9:53."
Knous has been accepted to the University of Florida, where he will start in a summer program in June and work toward a major in civil engineering. At Tarpon, he has a 3.96 GPA, weighted at 4.20.
"I'm just thinking about trying to walk on in the spring," Knous said. "I'd like to break 4 minutes in the mile someday in the sport I love. "I am grateful for having of lot of great coaching along the way. That is, from Eliot Raschard in an AAU program during my seventh, eighth and ninth grades and in high school from coach Bruce Buck, who concentrates a lot on distance running."
BEACH TO BAYOU NOTES: Just as it was appropriate for a hometown boy to win the 25th annual event, sponsored by Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital, Tarpon's Tim McGivern won the grandmasters (50-plus) division in 19:13.
Kim Bruce, 41, of St. Petersburg, prevailed among women with a swift 18:43, well in front of runner-up Lisa Kothe (19:24) of Clearwater. Tarpon's Kailard Cosgrove, 13, took third in 19:37.
Jacki Wachtel (formerly Waller) of Tarpon returned to the road-race scene by breaking 20 minutes - 19:59, 4 seconds behind Palm Harbor's Kit Van Allan, winner of the women's 35-39 class.
In the 45-49 group, Debra Donald of St. Petersburg continued her winning streak with a 21:38 effort.
She topped her division in the Strawberry Classic and the Unicorn Gallop.
Ozona's Jim Babcock, who ran the competitive 5K in the Bayou race for many years, dropped down to walking the mile event. He is being treated for stomach cancer.
The awards that were given at the Sponge Docks included commemorative medallions to all 485 finishers and autographed lithographs to the top four place-winners in each age group.
American artist Ken Hogle, who was on the scene, designed the artwork, including colorful T-shirts.
ST. PETE BEACH: In last weekend's Nutrition For the Long Run 5K, Steve Wilcox asserted himself for a 17:38 victory on the hard-packed sand.
A field of 85 contestants dealt with high winds and warm temperatures.
Ian Payne of Tierra Verde was Wilcox's closest pursuer in 18:08.
It was Payne's second runner-up finish in seven days. He had to settle for the silver-medal position the previous weekend in the Unicorn Gallop in Largo after battling winner Brian Scott.
Payne was coming off a big victory (2:50:47) in last month's Gulf Beaches Marathon in Clearwater.
In the women's division of the Nutrition race, Rachel Winter, who moved to St. Pete Beach from England last year, won in 20:23 - well ahead of Tampa's Martha Vidal (20:42) and 14-year-old Ali Crabb (21:16).
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: Area runners fared well in Jacksonville's Gate River Run, the USATF 15K championship March 14.
Wilcox finished 59th in 52:58 and was followed by Forerunners teammate Jim Burgasser (55:57), Jim Bumbul (57:08) and Jim Duncan (57:28).
Wilcox and the three Jims placed ahead of 1996 Olympic marathoner Keith Brantly (57:49).
Joe Costas, 52, of Seminole, posted 1:03:13. Mary Ann Protz, 47, took 160th overall in 58:34, only 3 seconds off her PR from this year's Gaparilla 15K. Beach to Bayou winner Kim Bruce (1:00:11) wasn't far behind.
Disney Marathon champion Kim Donaldson of the Forerunners misplaced her computer chip and wasn't scored officially. Unofficially, she ran in the mid 59 minute range.
The overall winners were Meb Keflezighi (43:18) and Colleen De Reuck (49:02), who was 25th overall.
MARATHON NEWS: Roger Sweeney of Palm Harbor qualified for the Boston Marathon with a 3:25 performance in the Blue Angel Marathon on Feb. 22 in Pensacola. Sweeney finished second in the 55-59 age group.
FOOTNOTES: High school senior Ryan Deak, the Midnight Run (July 4) course record-holder in the 3K (1.86 miles), is the fourth fastest returning prep miler in the nation, reports Track & Field News.
Deak transferred from Maclay in Tallahassee to a school in Aurora, Colo., for his senior year. His best mile time is 4:07.34.
The Midnight Run is scheduled for July 3 at Dunedin Causeway. Former Seminole High and UCF runner Lou Snelling has been appointed assistant track coach for men and women at Stephen F. Austin University in Texas.
Snelling won the 1996 Times Turkey Trot 5K in 15:42.
Former USF track and cross-country coach Bob Braman has been promoted to head track coach at Florida State.
A marathon training program will kick off with a 6:30 p.m. meeting Wednesday at Mease Countryside Hospital. The meeting has been organized by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and is aimed at the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 10.
Other meetings will be in Clearwater on April 8 and Pinellas Park on April 10. For information, call (800) 436-6889.
COMING UP: The Armadillo 10K and 5K in Oldsmar is scheduled for 8 a.m. Saturday. The Run For Children 5K at Philippe Park in Safety Harbor is set for Saturday at 8:30 a.m.
On April 3, the women's Olympic Trials Marathon will be in St. Louis. Check the television listings for time and channel.
On May 8 at 8 a.m., the Hog Hustle 5K will be at Dunedin's Knology Park. For an entry form, call (727) 298-3274.
