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Benton Wins In Honor Of Coach

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By LEE DIEKEMPER Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 28, 2008

Updated: 11/28/2008 12:11 am

CLEARWATER - Christa Benton is usually an upbeat person by nature. Upbeat almost to a fault. When she runs 10k races, she often tries to pass the time with pleasant thoughts.

But Thursday was a bit different. Benton, of St. Petersburg and a former All-America cross country runner at South Florida, won her fourth consecutive Turkey Trot, which begins and ends at Clearwater High's Jack White Stadium.

Benton joined Scott Mackley, who won the men's 10k, at the winners table.

Benton crossed the finish line wearing her old Keswick High running jersey. There was a reason for that.

Last year, her high school track coach, Lance Lipman, was diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Little did anyone know, Lipman would only have a short time left. He died in August.

"All Keswick alumni are running in memory of Coach Lipman," said Benton, who was close to her former coach. The other former Keswick Christian track and cross country runners who ran in the Turkey Trot also wore their old green Keswick Christian gear in honor of their coach.

Benton finished in 36:27, far ahead of second-place Jacki Wachtel (38:46).

Seconds after finishing the race, the Northside Christian music teacher and volunteer track and cross country assistant ran to some of her running pupils to share the experience with them.

But Lipman wasn't far from her mind.

"Sometimes, as runners, something you take for granted is having a healthy body," Benton said. "Coach never let that sickness keep him down. That's something I admired about him."
Mackley won in 31:37, just ahead of Nathan Holden, who finished in 32:23. Mackley had a huge black blister on his left foot to show for his performance.

"I'm not used to these shoes," Mackley said as he shed them after the race. "This hit me at the 2-mile mark."

The Florida Southern senior from Lakeland participated in the NCAA Division II cross country championships earlier this month. Thursday's Turkey Trot was his first, and his time was his personal best for a 10k.

"I didn't know I could do this. This is crazy," Mackley said. "I knew I was pretty well in shape, but I didn't think I would be near as fast.

"At about the 2-mile mark I decided to make my move. I don't like the pressure later on in the race. I thought if I could get a little gap I could slow down a little bit and not have the pressure."

Wachtel won the women's 5k race in 17:38, while Tyrone Bell won the men's 5k in 15:36. Mike Ferrer won the men's mile run in 4:36 and Kendra Miller won the women's mile in 6:20.

A total of 14,920 participated in the various Turkey Trot races, which included a 5k walk. It was the second-highest turnout in the 30-year history of the event.

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