FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOCAL RUNNERS TAKE CHARGE IN SECOND ANNUAL SONY ERICSSON
CITY OF OAKS MARATHON AND REX HEALTHCARE HALF MARATHON
A field of 3,198 completed the course across the
capital city on November 2 to help raise money for charities
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA (November 2, 2008) - A new marathon tradition was
fulfilled today when more than 3,000 runners stepped across the starting
line of the second annual Sony Ericsson City of Oaks Marathon and Rex
Healthcare Half Marathon. Athletes from across the nation as well as local
residents assembled at N.C. State University's Centennial Campus at 7:00
a.m. to race across Raleigh and help raise money for local and national
charities.
Bright sunshine burned through an early morning chill to provide
participants with race-perfect conditions. The day was right for local
runner Heather Davis, 35, who won the women's marathon event in a time of
3:02:56. Davis, of Raleigh, ran near two of her teammates from Team Raleigh
Running Outfitters throughout much of the 26.2-mile course, then found
herself moving ahead in the final three miles. She earned $1,300 for her
marathon win and $600 as the first American runner.
Like many of today's marathon course runners, Davis fought off fatigue
while running the hilly miles - some on packed-gravel travels - that mark
the second half of the race. But she was pleased with how she finished. "It
was the most challenging course that I've run," she said.
Her teammates, Kimberlie Fowler, 28, from Raleigh, and Heidi Tucker, 30,
from Morehead City, NC, finished shortly behind her, taking the second and
third place prizes of $800 and $600, plus an additional $400 and $300,
respectively, for second and third U.S. citizen. Fowler's time was 3:04:01,
and Tucker finished third in 3:05:38.
Graduate student and former N.C. State cross-country athlete John Crews,
24, captured the men's marathon title. The race was a marathon debut for
Crews, of Raleigh, who cruised over the hilly marathon course, gradually
pulling ahead of his competitors to win in 2:21:28. "I ran way faster than
I thought I could," Crews said about his first marathon. "I didn't know
what to expect, but the whole thing was a pleasure. And you couldn't ask
for better conditions." Crews earned the $1,600 prize for first place, plus
$600 as first American.
Chasing behind him was Jackson Kipngetuny, 31, of Durham, who crossed the
finish line in second place with a time of 2:26:53. Third place was won by
Ezekiel Ruto, 34, of Marietta, Ga., in a time of 2:29:12.
Fewer hills and faster times characterized today's Rex Healthcare Half
Marathon. Joseph Ngetich, 23, of Kennesaw, Ga., soared through the finish
nearly a minute ahead of the rest of the field to win in a time of 1:05:42.
Behind him were Tibor Vegh, 24, of Flagstaff, AZ, who came in second place
in 1:06:17, and Daniel Kanyarahra, 24, of Charlotte, NC, who finished third
in 1:08:20. The women's half marathon was captured by 30-year-old Janet
Cherobon of Lawrenceville, Ga., who reached the finish in 1:14:30. Seconds
behind her was Divina Jepkogei, 23, of Chapel Hill, who completed the
course in 1:14:58. Maria Busienei, 23, of Charleston, W. Va., took third
with a time of 1:18:42.
The top five men and top five women runners in today's half marathon won
cash prizes, as did the first three male and first three female U.S.
citizens. Cash prizes were also given out to the top male and female
Masters (over age 40) runners and the fastest active military men and women
in both the marathon and half marathon events.
The 26.2-mile marathon and 13.1-mile half marathon benefit The Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society, Rex Healthcare Foundation, The Umstead Coalition, and
Wounded Warrior Project. Presenting sponsor Raleigh Running Outfitters
established the City of Oaks Race in 2007 with the intention of bringing a
prestigious running event to the city of Raleigh.
Complete race results are available at www.lin-mark.com/resoaks08.htm. 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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