Overall winners in the 5K (3.1-mile) event were Bill Beaumont, 50, of Yulee in 17:32, and Julie Stackhouse, 28, of Jacksonville in 18:48. Both are record times since Fernandina Beach’s running club assumed sponsorship of the 5K race, changed the course and began keeping records in 2004.

“I really enjoyed the race,” said Stackhouse, assistant track and field/cross country coach at the University of North Florida. “I was actually a little disappointed with the time, but I feel like the humidity was a big factor.”

Beaumont, who also won last year, proved the adage about not getting older, but getting better – he improved his 2006 time by more than 30 seconds, and his 2005 time by more than a minute. Beaumont leads Wednesday evening group runs for the Amelia Island Runners club and coaches young runners at St. Michaels Academy.

Overall winners in the masters division, for runners age 40 and over, were 50-year-old Rod MacKay of Savannah in 18:02, also a course record for the division, and Alicia Parker, 47, of Fernandina Beach in 21:59.

In the “grandmasters” division, for runners 50 and older, overall winners were Dave Hoock, 51, of Ponte Vedra Beach in 20:05, and Kimberly Lundy, 50, of Orange Park in 26:08. Among the “senior grandmasters,” age 60 and older, the overall winners were two Fernandina Beach residents: Art Nichols, 60, in 24:59, and Lucy Athey, 64, in 32:35. Overall awards in these two categories were presented this year for the first time.

Leading the 10K (6.2-mile) pack was overall men’s winner Ryder Leary, 22, of Gainesville. His time of 34:31 toppled the record for the Turtle Trot 10K, which had its inaugural run in 2004, by more than three minutes. Leary is a distance runner for the University of Florida.

Women’s overall winner was Mary Ann Protz, 51, of St. Petersburg in 43:13 – yet another record, by more than two minutes. Protz is a nationally recognized masters marathoner.

The 5K and 10K started in front of the Atlantic Recreation Center and proceeded west on Atlantic Avenue to 14th Street, where runners turned north. The 5K runners turned around at their halfway mark, while 10K competitors continued to the back entrance of Fort Clinch State Park, and ran the second half of their race through the park to finish at Atlantic Avenue.

“I love that old, familiar course,” said 10K men’s masters winner Bruce Dunham, 42, whose time was 40:44. Last year’s 5K women’s masters winner, 44-year-old Rosa Haslip, won the 10K masters title this time, in 45:38. Both runners are from Fernandina Beach, and both – as you might have guessed by now – set division records.

Taking the overall grandmasters titles were last year’s masters winner, Caroline Geiken, 50, of St. Simons Island in 47:48, and Whit Hyde, 50, of Jacksonville in 45:05. Tops in the senior grandmasters category were Donna Scalia, 62, of Fernandina Beach in 1:00:59, and George White, 60, of Orange Park in 45:10.

A 1.5-mile noncompetitive walk and fun runs for kids were also part of the morning’s activities. Taking home trophies for finishing first in the one-mile kids’ run were 8-year-old Cole Loden of St. Marys, whose time was 7:01, and 9-year-old Emily Faltemier of Fernandina Beach, with a time of 7:31.

The field of 5K/10K finishers was almost double last year’s total, with runners from throughout the area and as far away as Germany. The event is presented annually on Labor Day weekend by the Amelia Island Runners running club, and proceeds benefit Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch.

“The Turtle Trot was a great success thanks to the many volunteers, the Fernandina Beach police, the Fort Clinch staff, and our sponsors who supported the race financially,” said Jim Hill, race director. “Without their help, we could never have pulled it off. We look forward to seeing everyone again on Dec. 8 for the Reindeer Run 5K/10K, walk and kids’ runs.”