FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOCAL RUNNERS DOMINATE AT INAUGURAL SONY ERICSSON
CITY OF OAKS MARATHON AND REX HEALTHCARE HALF MARATHON
More than 3,100 participants raced across Raleigh on November 4 to help
raise money for the American Cancer Society and
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA (November 4, 2007) - Over 3,100 runners braved the
chill of early morning today to compete in Raleigh's inaugural Sony
Ericsson City of Oaks Marathon and Rex Healthcare Half Marathon. Athletes
from across the nation as well as local residents celebrating the return of
a major marathon to the state's capital city converged on Trinity Road at
7:00 a.m. to kick off the event, which is expected to become an annual
attraction for Raleigh. Seasoned runners who live and train in the Triangle
dominated the field of both races today, capturing the win and hundreds of
dollars in prizes.
Tim Surface, 29, of Raleigh took the marathon title, conquering the
course's challenging terrain in a time of 2:35:22. "The first half went
well," Surface said, referring to the initial 13.1 miles of the course, a
relatively flat section that traverses areas of downtown Raleigh, N.C.
State University, and Meredith College. But like many marathoners who ran
the course for the first time today, Surface found his pace was slowed by
the hills and trails that characterize the second half. His persistence
there paid off; Surface's efforts earned him $1,000 for the top overall
spot, plus another $500 for crossing the finish line as the first U.S.
citizen.
John Piggott, 42, of Williamsburg, VA finished in second place and won the
top Masters prize. With a finishing time of 2:38:14, Piggott took home $500
for placing behind Surface, $300 for the Masters win, and another $250 for
second-place U.S. citizen. Another Raleigh resident reached the line in
third place - Taisuke Sumiyoshi, 28. Sumiyoshi, a Masters student at N.C.
State, placed with a time of 2:45:46. He earned $300 for the spot, plus
another $100 as third U.S. citizen.
In the women's marathon event, twins Gloria Kuiken-Iverson and Anne
Kuiken-Popek, 39, raced closely to earn the top two spots. Kuiken-Iverson
of Lincolnwood, IL won in a time of 2:59:57, and Kuiken-Popek of
Greensboro, NC was just over a minute behind, finishing in 3:01:16. Roberta
Meyer, 43, of Sherpherdsville, KY, was third. Meyer won the top Masters
prize, coming to the line in 3:10:05. All three double dipped, taking prize
money as the top runners and also as first U.S.-citizen finishers.
The half marathon event featured faster finishes, with local runners
Jynocel Basweti, 20, and Irene Mogaka, 22, both of Chapel Hill, pushing
their paces along the streets of Raleigh to earn the win. Basweti dominated
the men's event in a time of 1:05:19, and Mogaka took the women's title in
1:17:43. Both are prodigious marathoners; most recently, Basweti won the
2007 Austin Marathon in a time of 2:14:02 and Mogaka won the 2007 Quad
Cities Marathon in 2:45:42. In today's Rex Healthcare Half Marathon,
Basweti and Mogaka both earned the U.S. citizen prizes in addition to their
overall awards.
Raleigh resident Kristin Price, 25, sprinted in to the finish just 13
seconds behind Mogaka to take second place. Jenna Wrieden of Boone, NC,
followed Price, finishing in third with a time of 1:22:10.
Second place in the men's half marathon event was captured by another
Chapel Hill resident, Wilson Chepkwony, 25, of Kenya. Chepkwony's time was
1:08:23. Christopher Pfaffenroth, 26, of Boone came across in third place
with a time of 1:11:39.
York, PA runner Greg Cauller, 48, was the top Masters runner, finishing the
half marathon in 1:15:25. For the women, 42-year-old Susan Cox of
Morrisville, NC, won the $300 Masters prize. Her finishing time was 1:
31:09.
The 26.2-mile marathon and 13.1-mile half marathon benefit the American
Cancer Society and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Presenting sponsor
Raleigh Running Outfitters established the City of Oaks Race with the
intention of bringing a prestigious running event to the city of Raleigh.
Race organizers were pleased to have Mayor Charles Meeker and his son,
David, show their support as race participants. The mayor completed the Rex
Healthcare Half Marathon in 1:47:41, while his son took on the Sony
Ericsson City of Oaks Marathon challenge, finishing in 4:03:48.
For more information on the Sony Ericsson City of Oaks Marathon and Rex
Healthcare Half Marathon, visit the official race website,
www.cityofoaksmarathon.com.
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