A record 347 runners entered the 12th annual Boca Grande 5K Fun Run Sunday and 60-year-old Nancy Lake of Boca Grande carried the Gasparilla Island banner by winning the female senior grand master division in 25 minutes, which is a 6:04 per mile average.
Overall champion Michael Gerber, 33, blazed the course in a time of 17:34.7 to cross the finish line before any other runner had even entered the Banyan Street home stretch.
Kasey Snyder, 37, of Venice posted a 21:38.4 to win the female crown.
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Overall winner Michael Gerber crossed the finish line in 17 minutes and 34 seconds.
Category champions from Gasparilla Island, Rotonda West and Cape Haze included:
Sophia Cherniak of Rotonda West, female 9-under, in 28:07.9 followed closely by runner-up Elizabeth Campbell of Boca Grande in 31:47.9.
Andy Wetmiller, 21, of Rotonda West, won the men's 20-24 category in a time of 21;44.
Erin Starr, 27, of Boca Grande, won the female 25-29 division in a time of 26:52.
Shartrina White, 46, Cape Haze, won the female 45-49 in 23:39.
Ademir dePaula, 61, Boca Grande won the male 60-64 in 21:47.
Also notable: 3-year-old Chris Campbell of Boca Grande covered the course in a time of 53:51.9, an average of 17:22 per mile. The oldest runner - 93-year-old Reinhold Wezel - finished the course in one hour, 51 seconds.
Runners came from as far away as Toronto to run in the race, which logged a record entry total for second year in a row. The Lee County Parks & Recreation race is timed by Zoomers Race Club, which listed 325 runners in 2012.
Race day dawned on a fog-wrapped Gasparilla Island. Runners circled island beach views, including Charlotte Harbor off Whidden's Marina and Gasparilla Inn & Club before winding up on palm-lined Gilchrist Avenue leading to the Banyan Street finish line.
Saturday was a good morning to run at 68 degrees with a cool cloud cover although fog and humidity combined for treacherous footing in places.
Some ran shirtless, and at least one ran shoeless. The barefoot runner was Karen McLean of Sarasota, who broke her toe two days earlier on a china cabinet while letting the dog out.
Awards were given to the first-, second- and third-place male and female winners in each age division: 9-under, 10-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-plus and wheelchair. Special awards were given to the male and female overall winner, master, grandmaster and senior grandmaster winners.
Boca Grande runners (with category placement, name, time,) Female: grand master champion, Nancy Lake, 25:00; 70-74 No. 4, Corinna Hammond, 44:33; 65-69 No. 4, Diane Troutman, 50:33; 60-64 No. 6, Debbie Kiernan, 30:20; 14, Rosemary McIntosh, 50;33; 15, Jennifer McIntosh, 50:33; 17, Susan Burdette, 53:52; 18, Marcia Knapp, 53;56; 19, Danni Ervin, 53:56; 40-44 No. 7, Julianne Greenberg, 30:02; 35-39 No. 12, Jennifer Campbell, 31:48; 25-29 No. 1, Erin Starr, 26:52; 10-14 No. 12, Elizabeth Ahlers, 39:14; 9-under No. 2, Elizabeth Campbell, 31:47; no time listed: David Campbell, 34; Samantha Miles, 41; and Wendy Herda, 45.
Male: 75-over No. 6, Richard Simonds, 57:14; 70-74 No. 2, Giorgio Balzer, 25:32; 65-60 No. 3, Peter Roberts, 25:37, 7, Marty Burdette, 38:08; 9, Tom Ervin, 54:01; 10, Rob Knapp, 45:01; 60-64 champion, Ademir dePaula, 21:47; 35-39 No. 3, Mark Caron, 22:51; 5, Joshua Johnson, 24:49; 15-19 No. 3, Jordan Caron, 29:24; 10-14 No. 5, Luke Horan, 24;21; 9-under No. 2 Blake Ahlers, 24:54; 8, Bobby Campbell, 38:08; and 10, Chris Campbell, 53:51.
Cape Haze: 45-49 champion, Shartrina White, 23:39.
Rotonda West Female: 40-44 No. 12, Danielle Robbins, 35:13; 16, Jane Greene, 38:46; 35-39 No. 4, Lorraine Vickers, 26:55; 7, Shelly Baker, 28:50; 14, Cindy Cherniak, 33:51; 9-under champion, Sophia Cherniak, 28:07.9; no time listed: Stacie Blaney, 45.
Male: 60-64 No. 3, Chuck Johnson, 21:47; 50-54 No. 7, Donald Greene, 44:07; 45-49 No. 3, Michael Blaney, 45:51; 7, Terry Carfagno, 27:09; 40-44 No. 11, Greg Cherniak, 29:12; 36-39 No. 10, Jason Bisson, 43:42; 20-24 No. 1, Andy Wetmiller, 21;44; and no time listed: 9-under, Sean Blaney, Kyle Robbins.
Placida Female: 55-59 No. 12, Debra Weis, 54:07.
Male: 55-59 No. 11, D.J. Weis, 54:23; and no time listed: Mark Stetter, 54.
