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Running

Winning race isn't always a good time

By DAVE THEALL
Published October 20, 2005

Performance can be measured several ways.

In road racing, track and cross country, finish is one value and time is another.

After St. Petersburg's Amy McClenathan, 45, captured first among women in the Masters division and second overall in the Rattlesnake Run last weekend in San Antonio, she was pleased with her place but mildly disappointed with her time (34 minutes, 38 seconds) on the hilly 5-mile cross-country course.

"I've run that race faster in prior years," said McClenathan, a Forerunners Club member, "and time is more important to me than in what place I finish.

"However, the course was a little different this year, with a hill at the beginning, and another factor is that I'm just coming off a marathon two weeks ago in Maine, so that may have affected my time," she said.

McClenathan went out faster than usual at the Rattlesnake Run, staying with Sharon Good of Lutz for the first three miles. At that point, Good surged ahead and won going away in 33:54.

Three of the next four women finishers also were 40 plus. They were Lisa Kothe of Clearwater, third in 34:59; Palm Harbor's Kit Van Allan, fourth, 35:02; and Carol Bancroft, Safety Harbor, sixth, 37:02.

Asked to explain why area women in their 40s are so dominant here, McClenathan had an answer.

"Forerunners coach Joe Burgasser probably has something to do with part of it," she said, referring to marathoners Christy Phillips, Mary Ann Protz, Lisa Valentine and Denise Skinner.

"He has developed an interest in the sport in this area and advises all runners how to stay injury free."

But where are the women in their 20s and 30s? "Maybe they're at the mall or on their computers," said Protz, 49, who is coming off a swift 2:48 marathon last month in Utah. "They probably have a different focus in life. Running is just not part of it.

"But there are so many options now, such as health clubs and gyms, if they want to stay fit and are more used to structured programs," Protz said. "For me, I'd rather just tie up my running shoes and go out the door."

Other notable Masters women from Pinellas County include Donna Nesslar, Judy Maguire, Kim Bruce and Patty Farese.

MORE RATTLESNAKE: The men's division in San Antonio was swept by runners in their 20s and 30s.

Lee Stephens, 26, of Temple Terrace, set the pace en route to a 26:59 victory. He was followed by Dade City's Viktor Zyemtsen, 32, in 27:20; Dror Vaknin, 37, Tampa, 27:37; and Scott Langen, 26, Dade City, 28:16.

There were 366 finishers.

MARATHONS: McClenathan finished third (3:17:57) in the Maine Marathon in Portland on Oct. 2. She said that was good for her this early in the season and on a course hillier than she's used to. McClenathan posted 3:10:06 in the 2004 Bank of America in Tampa and her best time (3:08) at Boston in 2000. Tampa's Chip Merlin and St. Petersburg's Jonathan Dunsford ran with McClenathan in Maine for the first 15-16 miles before parting company.

Merlin went ahead to finish in 3:11:44 and fourth in the 45-49 class, and Dunsford recorded a 3:22:13 performance. Rob Faw of Safety Harbor completed the event in 4:30:07.

McClenathan and her husband, Dan, will travel next month to Atlanta where she will run the full or half marathon and he's committed to the 13.1-miler.

Dan is a triathlete and also a swimming coach at Shorecrest Prep, where their daughter, Kelly, is a standout swimmer.

Dr. Michael Weiss, 42, president of the West Florida Y Runners Club, led the way for area runners in the Oct. 9 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

In his ninth marathon, Weiss found his groove and coasted to a personal-record 2:47:22. It was good for 241st place in a massive field of 20,000. "I wasn't expecting to do that well," Weiss said. "I was just hoping to break 2:50 but felt strong the whole way, even running into the wind off Lake Michigan over portions of the course.

"My breathing was comfortable the whole way," he said. "That was a nice feeling."

Weiss was the fourth Florida finisher. He was followed by Tierra Verde's Ian Payne (2:53:00 for 372nd place), a former Gulf Beaches Marathon winner.

Jacki Wachtel, 26, of Tarpon Springs, was the second Florida woman in a 3:03:33 showing, a 7-minute per-mile pace. That put her in 60th place among female competitors.

Crossing first for the women was Athens Olympic marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor in 2:21:25.

A little farther back was St. Petersburg's Ginger Herring (4:37:41). Herring, 63, maintained a 10:35 per-mile pace for 12th in her age division. It was her 18th marathon.

For complete results, go online to www.chicagomarathon.com

In last weekend's Amsterdam Marathon, St. Petersburg's Albert Wieringa, 58, broke 3 hours with a 2:57:58 effort. That was good for third place in his age division in a large field.

Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie ran the top time of the year with a 2:06:20 victory. He is a two-time Olympic 10K winner on the track.

Phillips, who led the Forerunners women's Masters team to victory at Boston in April, returned to New England two weeks ago to take second (1:24:53) in the Portland half marathon. DISNEY ELITE: Protz and Laura Drake are among 12 selected from 45 applicants for the 2006 Florida's Finest Team.

The 13th Disney World Marathon is scheduled for Jan. 8.

Among Drake's lengthy list of accomplishments are a victory (2:54) in the 2001 Atlanta Marathon and three consecutive Gasparilla 15K wins from 1999-2001. She is a St. Pete Mad Dog triathlete who has competed in Kono, Hawaii, 10 times and received All-America honors in 2001 after finishing third among women in major events in Brazil and Lake Placid, N.Y.

Paul Mamaro, a Pinellas Park native now living in Delray Beach, was selected for Florida's Finest. He has run all 12 Disneys, with a best finish of second in 1997.

Mamaro, a former 4:03 miler at LSU, is a two-time winner of the Times Turkey Trot.

[Last modified October 20, 2005, 01:19:18]