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It's a rare occasion when a woman wins a mixed-field race.
But not only did St. Petersburg's Mary Ann Protz accomplish the feat in the American Running Company's 5K on Honeymoon Island in Dunedin late last month, but the second- and third-place finishers were females.
Clearwater's Vicki Jetton, who was a step behind Protz, could just as easily won the short-course event, said Protz.
They virtually had run together the whole meandering route (sometimes discussing where and when they should turn), right up to the last turn with 150 meters to go.
"Vicki hesitated for a moment, and I was able to break for the finish line first," Protz said. "That turned out to be the difference because I was able to maintain that margin all the way to the finish line."
Protz and Jetton were credited with 1-2 times of 17:16 and 17:17, indicating they ran less than the full course or the course was less than 5 kilometers, 3.1 miles.
"We ran a short course, about a quarter mile short," Jetton said. "They (the organizers) needed to have someone at key turns, especially coming out of the woods. There was confusion the whole day.
"It cost me $20 for the race and $5 to get into the park, and I left with nothing," she said. "It bothered me that weekend, but I just chalked it up and got over it. They (the officials) had good intentions."
Protz's best 5K time (17:58) was recorded July 4 in Lutz.
"There's no way the cross-country course we ran was a full 5K," Protz said. "It was sandy and had lots of puddles and tight turns where you couldn't see clearly in front of you.
"We were given a 1-mile split (time) of 6:30 and for 4:49 for the second mile. Neither of us can run a mile in 4:49. It was frustrating for me and Vicki. We both missed the first turn and had to go back.
"Winning wasn't important to me," Protz said. "I ran there to see where I am in my training as I prepare for the Naples 20K on Sept. 19 and the St. George (Utah) Marathon on Oct. 2."
The third woman in the mix was Clearwater's Judy Maguire, 45, who clocked in at 17:23. Albert Wieringa, 57, of St. Petersburg, was fourth (17:29) in a field of 122. "An official tried to explain the course beforehand while we were on the starting line," Wieringa said. "But by the time she finished, I couldn't remember what all she said.
"What was needed were course officials. My estimate is we only ran 2.9 miles."
Stephanie Corbo, proprietor of American Running Company, said she hired someone to put the race on for her and was assured there would be volunteers on the course directing the runners.
Susan Hensley said she selected the course but was not the paid race director.
Corbo said the volunteers "were to be high school girls, but they ran in the race rather than monitor the course and that resulted in a nightmare situation.
"The course was short, and it wasn't well directed," she said. "I apologized to the runners."
HONEYMOON ISLAND NOTES: The last local woman to prevail in a mixed-gender field was Jetton. In March's Armadillo 5K in Oldsmar, competing as Vicki Stum before she married Clearwater's Kyle Jetton in May, she captured first among 250 competitors in 18:34, well in front of runner-up Tim McGivern (19:08) of Tarpon Springs.
Protz was presented a first-place gift of $90 in the American Running Company event from Corbo, who said she was sorry about the course.
The day after the race, Protz put in a solid 23-mile hilly training run in Saint Leo with several Forerunners teammates in preparation for her 13th career marathon.
Her best performances are 2:56 at Chicago last fall and 2:57 at Boston in April when she led the Forerunners women to the masters title in record time.
Her Boston achievement not only earned her a spot in a closed field in Utah but complimentary entry. In Naples, Protz will try to improve on her third-place finish from last year when she ran the flat 12.4-mile course in 1:24:47.
She was about 4 minutes behind Jennifer Hanley and Forerunners teammate Christy Phillips.
It's unlikely Protz will better her marathon time in Utah since it is a hilly course from Pine Valley Mountain past the cliffs of Snow Canyon and into the city of St. George.
But since she has been inspired by the bronze-medal Olympic marathon performance from American Deena Kastor, it's not prudent to predict Protz's limitations.
Jetton has the Oct. 2 Race For The Cure in St. Petersburg on her calendar.
She finished as the third woman there last year behind Kerry Allen of St. Petersburg High School and Navy doctor Kim Fagen of San Diego, formerly of St. Petersburg.
Wieringa has the Top of Utah Marathon on his schedule for Sept. 18.
It will be his third effort at 26.2 miles, as Wieringa attempts to improve on his 3:15:59 at Hops in Tampa in January.
BROOKSVILLE: The Labor Day McKethan Lake 5K came off last weekend without a hitch.
In a field of 250, Lee Stephens of Land O'Lakes won in 16:04, well ahead of New Port Richey's John Tuccio (16:30), Bradenton's Mickey Hooke, 43, (16:30) and Palm Harbor's Kevin Lyons (16:37). Lyons was the 2003 state 3,200-meter track champion for Clearwater Catholic and now is running for Harvard.
Tarpon Springs' Jacki Wachtel, formerly Waller, captured the women's title in 18:39 and finished 25th overall.
POSTPONEMENTS: Weather permitting, the Iron Girl 5K has been rescheduled for 8 a.m. Sunday at John Chesnut Park in the East Lake area.
Applications are being accepted. For information, call RacePlace Promotions, (813) 874-7223.
The MOSI Labor Day 5K is scheduled for Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m. from the museum on Fowler Ave. in North Tampa across from the USF campus.
The event hotline is (813) 874-7223.