FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NORTH CAROLINA RUNNERS TAKE CHARGE AT NINTH ANNUAL
RALEIGH CITY OF OAKS MARATHON AND REX HEALTHCARE HALF MARATHON
4,000 race across Raleigh in Sunday's events; Boone runner wins marathon
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA (November 1, 2015) – In the early-morning shadow
cast by N.C. State's Bell Tower, eager runners broke loose down
Hillsborough Street in the ninth annual Raleigh City of Oaks Marathon, Rex
Healthcare Half Marathon and Old Reliable 10k today. Nearly 4,000 local and
national athletes swarmed the city to compete in today's race events,
prompted by placid skies, a chance to contend for cash prizes, and the
opportunity to help raise thousands of dollars for local charities. In all,
3,547 participants reached the finish line.
Boone runner Caleb Masland won the men's marathon, fighting the effects of
high humidity to finish in a time 2:34:33. "Everybody was hurting real bad
in the second half," he said of today's marathon experience. "A group of us
were running together, but then we got strung out. I was trying to work
with the half-marathon runners, but it got really hard around mile 17 or
18," Masland said. "I was taking in as much water as I could."
This is the third marathon win of the year for Masland, an online running
coach and full-time runner. He won North Carolina's Grandfather Mountain
Marathon and New River Marathon this year in the process of trying to break
the 2:30 mark. He made his Raleigh City of Oaks Marathon debut two years
ago, when he ran nearly four minutes faster but placed second. Today's
performance yielded a higher payout for the athlete: a $1,000 first-place
prize. "I'll take a win anytime I can get it," he joked. "You've got to
race the course and the people on the day.
The marathon route showcases the picturesque Capital Area Greenway as well
as historic and celebrated areas of downtown Raleigh. "I love this event,"
Masland said. "It's great to have people out on the Greenway cheering. The
southern hospitality in Raleigh is great."
Two-time Raleigh City of Oaks Marathon winner and Raleigh resident Tim
Surface, 37, earned second place today, chasing Masland and finishing in a
time of 2:38:53 to earn a $500 prize. Victor Ornelas, 30, of Durham,
secured third place and a $250 prize with his 2:40:31 finish.
The women's winner felt relieved to reach the finish line today after a
longer-than-expected race. Shawanna White missed a turn near the Greenway,
and after being redirected, found herself running the same hill twice to
complete the distance. "I told myself to focus on the race, and not
worry about the time," said White, 35, of Columbia, SC, who was determined
to stay positive. "I was struggling to keep myself in the race." White
persevered and crossed the line in a time of 3:01:29.
"I'll take first place with a slow time any time!," White said. Like
Masland, White ran faster here in a previous year -- nearly 10 minutes
faster in the 2012 Raleigh City of Oaks Marathon – placing second then.
Today's second place runner, 40-year-old Meredith Bazemore of Chapel Hill
finished in 3:12:38, more than 10 minutes behind White. She earned a $500
award for second place and a $300 award as the first Master's (over age 40)
runner. Amanda Knapp, 23, of Youngsville, placed third in a time of
3:12:55, earning the $250 third-place award.
Today's humid conditions agreed with the women's half marathon winner,
Michelle Langan, 32, of Cary. Langan ran her best half marathon today to
achieve what she called her City of Oaks "triple crown," a win in all three
City of Oaks race distances: the 10k (which she won in 2013), the
marathon (of which she was champion in 2014) and now the half marathon. She
earned $500 for her win in the 13.1-mile event today with a time of
1:18:18. "You never know who's going to show up and how you're going to
feel," Langan said. She felt good enough to outrun the field, including
second-place finisher Molly Nunn, 32, of Winston Salem. Coming off an
October 4 win at the Wineglass Marathon in Corning, NY, Nunn ran the half
in 1:22:09 and earned $300 for her finish. Third place went to 24-year-old
Dominique Stasulli of Raleigh, who ran a 1:28:56 and earned a $200 prize.
Twenty-nine-year-old newcomer Jesse McEntire of Charlotte stole the show in
the men's half marathon event today, winning in a time of 1:10:03 and
earning the $500 first-place prize. McEntire, who called himself a "5k
runner", was happy to try the half marathon distance today and downplayed
the course's infamously rolling hills. "I didn't think it was that bad," he
said of the challenge. McEntire edged out second-place finisher Christian
Thompson, 27, of Winston Salem and third-place finisher Gavin Coombs, 29,
of Raleigh. They finished just a few seconds behind McEntire, in 1:10:26
and 1:10:46, earning the $300 and $200 prizes, respectively.
The third-annual Old Reliable 10K rounded out the distance-running events
of the day, providing runners with a 6.2-mile tour of downtown. Raleigh's
own Bobby Mack, 30, brought home the win in a course-record time of 30:26.
Thirty-two-year-old Nicci Tice of Raleigh won the women's event in
a time of 42:40.
The top five men and top five women runners in today's marathon event won
cash prizes, as did the top four men and women in the half marathon event.
Cash prizes were also given out to the top
three male and top three female Master's-division runners in both race
events. The top overall runners in the Old Reliable 10K won commemorative
race awards today, as did age-group winners in all three events.
Proceeds from the Raleigh City of Oaks Marathon, Rex Healthcare Half
Marathon, and Old Reliable 10K benefit the Rex Healthcare Foundation and
the YMCA "We Build People" program. Local runners 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 will be made available at
http://cityofoaksmarathon.com/results. For more information on the Raleigh
City of Oaks Marathon, Rex Healthcare Half Marathon and
Old Reliable 10K, including course maps, visit the official race website,
www.cityofoaksmarathon.com.
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