Taking honors at Trot a matter of strategy

By JESSICA A. MUNDIE

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 24, 2000

CLEARWATER -- Collecting first-place Wingding 5-kilometer trophies has become a Thanksgiving Day tradition for former Leto High School runner Jim Sellers.

Sellers, 26, knows just how to time his attacks at the Turkey Trot's shorter race. When Sellers won in 1997 (in 15:10) and 1998 (in 15:15) he said the same thing, "It's always a very fast first mile. You go out hard."

Once again, Sellers timed it perfectly, winning in 14 minutes, 58 seconds, the third fastest Wingding time ever, and a personal best for him here.

Last year's winner, Cornelius Hill, still holds the Wingding record with his winning time of 14:48; and Jeff Pigg won in 1989 with a time of 14:50.

Sellers soloed away from the huge field, blasting through Mile One in 4:36. Only a bare-chested Florida State University runner named Thomas Kunish was tough enough to stay with Sellers in the beginning, braving the cold easterly wind.

After the left turn onto Lakeview it was all Sellers, who relaxed and smiled in anticipation of closing in on the course record all alone.

Back in the women's division, Clearwater's Judy Maguire, 42, clocked a 5:20 first mile, and was on her way to her own 17:33 Wingding solo victory.

Ohio marathoner Krista Place, nursing a slight knee injury since running last month's Columbus Marathon in 2:50, could not keep Maguire in sight. The 27-year-old, who is vacationing in the bay area with husband Zachary, finished second in 19:13.

Meanwhile, Kunish was fading from "putting it all on the line," as he later said. "I thought, What am I going to do? The 4:35 pace will have to level off. It began so fast. Last year, it was the same scenario."

Sellers hit Mile Two in 9:30, and behind him, Kunish was passed by his FSU teammate Nate Davis just before Cemetery Hill.

Davis, 19, went on to finish second in 15:42. Kunish was third in 16:06.

"You've got to run it to win it!" Kunish said afterward, as his FSU teammates high-fived him while warming down on the Clearwater High School track.

"You run to win, that's the way to do it," Kunish said. "You've got to have a good attitude about it. Now, I'm going to have a great Thanksgiving dinner with my family in St. Pete. Then, maybe we'll party a little in Ybor City. That's my holiday!"

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