TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) —Thousands of runners flooded the streets of Tampa for the final day of the Gasparilla Distance Classic.
“My husband is running,” Rhonda Formsma said. “This is actually his first half so it’s pretty exciting.”
For some, it was their first race.
For others like Jon Mott, it was a piece of cake.
“I have Boston in 7 weeks, so that’s the main focus,” Mott said. “This was more of a workout I guess you could say to get me ready for that.”
Mott won both the 15k and half-marathon giving some advice to other runners.
“Hydrate, electrolytes, it’s so hot out there.”
Christina Welsh took home the gold for women racing in both the 15 and half-marathon as well.
“It was really great,” she said. “The race was beautiful.”
“It’s so well organized,” she said. “Watching the sunrise over the bay is great.”
15 countries and all 50 states were represented in this year’s Gasparilla Distance Classic.
Runners like Caylin Bailey and Lindsay Mundy flew in from Nashville.
“It was good,” Bailey said. ‘It was a beautiful race.”
“We’re trying to run a race in every state, and this is Florida,” Mundy said.
You can find the winners of this weekend’s races below.
- 15K Male Champion: Jon Mott
- 15K Female Champion: Christina Welsh
- 5K Male Champion: Taylor McDowell
- 5K Female Champion: Kaitlyn Campo
- Half Marathon Male Champion: Jon Mott
- Half Marathon Female Champion: Christina Wel
- 8K Male Champion: Dylan Nolan
- 8K Female Champion: Katelin Wilcox