250 and counting! Jack McDermott reaches milestone in Tallahassee Marathon
Jack McDermott chuckled and admitted he’s getting older and slower.
Still, Father Time must be impressed by McDermott's efficiency and endurance.
The local runner completed his 250th marathon Sunday, accomplishing the milestone in his backyard at the Tallahassee Marathon.
McDermott, 53, covered the 26.2-mile course in 3 hours, 19 minutes and 36 seconds to place 18th overall among 165 entries. He also placed second in his age bracket (50-54).
“That makes it even more special actually,” McDermott said of the local event, which also featured a half marathon and marathon relay and featured a record 1,300-plus runners. "I really like it (Tallahassee marathon) because it's convenient. I get to sleep in my own bed. I know the course - I help mark it every year. It's neat the course goes throughout the city. I really like the finish area, it is a festive place (CollegeTown).
"It's my hometown marathon."
Organized by the Gulf Winds Track Club, the Tallahassee Marathon began in 1975. It has developed into a premier event, run on USATF-certified courses with the marathon serving as a qualifying course for the Boston Marathon.
It was nearly ideal conditions at the 7:30 a.m. start - low 50s with occasional wind gusts.
Hisato Seutsugu, 38, of Peachtree City, Georgia, was the overall winner in the marathon at 2:33.22. Purity Munene, 36, of Columbia, South Carolina, was the first women's finisher - and third overall - at 2:51.34.
Ryan Ford, 20, was the first Tallahassee finisher at ninth overall at 3:04.02.
While Alberto Mena, 24, of New York won the half marathon in 1:11.58, Tallahassee's Ann Centner, 31, was the women's champion and third overall, at 1:18.28.
McDermott wants to keep running as long as he can
McDermott completed his first marathon at age 30 in the Jacksonville Marathon in 1990.
Immediately hooked, he has run in marathons in 43 states and 11 countries. He has completed the famed Boston Marathon 21 times. McDermott and wife Laura, married in 2008, make an impressive team. She has completed more than 60 marathons nationally and internationally.
Marathons are a way of life for McDermott.
His favorite race was the Rome Marathon in 2012, saying he and Laura jogged the course and snapped photographs of the city's beauty and important monuments. The couple hopes to run a marathon in Hawaii this summer.
"At one time I had a goal of doing 100 marathons - but I hit 100 by age 40," McDermott said. "Now I just want to do as many as I can as long as I can run. I've been very fortunate. I've never had any major injuries. No stress fractures. Ankle or knee issues. Just normal aches and pains.
"We will just try to keep finding them (marathons) and racing."
For Tallahassee's Mickey Moore, 52, the half marathon was the perfect threshold run for the Boston Marathon in April. Moore was the grandmaster's winner and 10th overall at 1:23.15.
"I did a little better than I wanted to," said Moore, who flew to Washington D.C. following the race for a speaking engagement Monday at the National Sheriffs' Association Conference. "I am super happy because it's a difficult course. The first half is hilly as it can be and then you get some flat (stretches) where you can make up a little time."
Moore is a familiar face in the Gulf Winds Track Club, area races and triathlons and has competed in the Boston, New York City and Chicago marathons. However, he has yet to crack a sub-3 hour mark at Boston.
That's why racing well in Tallahassee's half marathon was important.
"Runners are funny," Moore said and laughed. "I am trying to run a sub-3 hours - I did it at New York and Chicago. I've tired four times at Boston and haven't done it. That's the goal. I am going to keep trying to break three hours in Boston."
Marathon finishers (top 10)
Hisato Seutsugu, 38, 2:33.22
Kyle Greig, 37, 2:35.14
Purity Munene, 36, 2:51.34 (top female)
Logan Roberts, 36, 2:51.51
Orinthal Striggles, 47, 2:53.14
Garrison Rosie, 30, 2:53.27
Innoncent Wodzisz III, 19, 2:53.46
Debbie Greig, 34, 2:54.07
Ryan Ford, 20, 3:04.02 (1st Tallahassee finisher)
Ayden Wodzisz, 19, 3:05.05
Half Marathon results (top 10)
Alberto Mena, 24, 1:11.58
William Whelan, 24, 1:12.00
Ann Centner, 31, 1:18.28 (top female and first Tallahassee finisher)
Lucas Ingwersen, 18, 1:18.35
Clayton Knox, 17, 1:18.51 (Tallahassee)
Katie Sherron, 41, 1:18.58 (Tallahassee)
Leonardo Canete, 44, 1:20.45 (Tallahassee)
Ethan Cole, 20, 1:22.08 (Tallahassee)
Ryan Bausback, 24, 1:21.10
Mickey Moore, 52, 1:23.15 (Tallahassee)
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Local runner reaches impressive milestone in Tallahassee Marathon
