By BOB PUTNAMCLEARWATER — The Tampa Bay Times Turkey Trot has long been a fixture on Jon Mott's sporting calendar.
Not even a 103-degree fever Tuesday could keep him away from the event, in its 39th year.
Mott, a record four-time 10k champion, added his fifth title Thursday, finishing the 6.2-mile course in 33 minutes, 18 seconds.
"I've run this race just about every year," said Mott, of Lakeland. "There was no way I was going to miss this."
His time was the slowest of his five victories. But it might have been one of his most impressive considering what the former Northeast High standout had to endure this week.
Mott gave little thought to suspending his training. He ran 17 miles Tuesday despite running such a high fever. He went the same distance Wednesday.
Known for his unrelenting work ethic, Mott wanted to follow a rigorous pace in hopes of running fast enough at the Houston Marathon in January to qualify for the 2020 Olympic trials.
The miles logged have paid off. Mott won the Detroit Marathon last month.
He was not about to let his soaring temperature slow him.
Mott knew he had enough in his legs to not only race but win Thursday. He treated the 10k as a tempo workout, maintaining a steady pace as he stayed with the leaders as they slowly kept drifting back.
"I felt pretty good in the morning, and I never really felt like I was threatened in the race," Mott said. "I really didn't have to surge or make a move to pull ahead. I just stayed at about (a) 5:15 mile throughout; the others fell off."
Mott finished 25 seconds ahead of runnerup Michael Glasner of Wesley Chapel.
Moments after Mott won, he started looking back at the finish line.
His girlfriend, Sydney Devore of Lakeland, won the women's race in 35:37, nearly three minutes ahead of Kristen Tenaglia of Clearwater. This was the first time Devore, a former University of Florida distance runner, had participated in any Turkey Trot event.
"Jon encouraged me to give it a try," Devore said. "He kept telling me he wins it every year."
Devore specialized in the 3,000 and 10,000 meters with the Gators. In 2010, she had a stress fracture and tendinitis in one hip. She had a hard time recovering and left the team.
"I thought my running career might be over," Devore said.
She stayed away from the sport for three years. During that time, Devore taught English in South Korea. She returned to Lakeland, her hometown, and reunited the track club she trained with in college and high school.
In 2015, Devore started competing in races, concentrating on half-marathons. She won Disney's Star Wars Half Marathon in April.
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Explore all your optionsThe injury that forced her to give up running came back last summer. Devore had a stress fracture in a tibia, forcing her to take 10 weeks off.
She resumed training in September.
The biggest trouble for her in Thursday's race was the conditions. Early morning showers made the roads slick.
"It was hard to gain traction, especially because I like to run on my toes," Devore said. "This was fun. I'm glad Jon convinced me to go."
Now she plans to join Mott in Houston. Devore said she will run the half-marathon and hopes to be among the top five American finishers.
Calvin Wilson of Coral Gables won the men's 1-mile Gobbler (4:27) and the 5K Wingding (15:46). The women's winners were Jamie Stiles of New Port Rickey in the 1K (5:35) and Becky Howarth of Tampa in the 5K (17:39).