By David Yon
The 2004 Grand Prix competition was launched on a warm Sunday afternoon before the Grand Prix committee had a chance to pass out the Awards for 2003. Gary Droze and Sissi Carroll grabbed the early lead for the 2004 grand prix competition (assuming they both renewed their membership on time) by winning the 2004 Apalachicola Bridge Run. Gary battled Tim Unger (the 2003 grand prix winner) early, but used The Bridge to gain the edge and ended up with a 35:51 to 36:32 win. Sissi won the women’s competition by running 48:44 over the hilly course. Cynthia Miller was second in 50:24. All of them qualified as masters, so depending on whether you “double dip” or not, you can give all the trophies to the winners or crown the runners up as masters winners. I think Hobson chose the latter.
Once again, Jan and Hobson Fulmer put on a quality event with more food than the crowd could possibly eat served up after the race. It was the seventh running of the race and mostly likely the warmest as temperatures started out in the mid-seventies. More than warm for the runners who have been training in the recent cold snap Tallahassee has been through. Eighty-seven runners climbed the bridge, made their way out onto the causeway, and then returned to town for a scenic loop. I have made all of these races, and while I often wonder about my sanity as I climb back over the bridge – it remains one of my very favorites.