FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Deep Competition Marks
2019 Annual Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon And Half Marathon
NAPA, Calif.-March 3, 2019-Approximately 4,000 eager competitors lined up
at the start of the 41st annual Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon
(NVM) and inaugural Half Marathon under mild temperatures in the upper 40s
that rose into the 50s mid race. In the traditional 26.2-mile full marathon
race that traverses the length of the scenic Napa Valley wine producing
region, Sam Long, 23, of Boulder, Colo. and Liza Reichert, 31, of Los Altos
Hills, Calif. secured the overall victories. Chandler Kemp, 29, (Stanford,
Calif.) and Samantha Diaz, 27, (Jackson, Wyo.) emerged as champions of the
accompanying 13.1-mile half marathon event.
In the men's competition of the full marathon, first time marathoner and
eventual second placer Zack Sims, 25, (Atlanta, Ga.) held a lead for 24
miles as Sam Long (running his second marathon) followed.
"I think I got a little too excited and went out a little too quick," Sims
said while re-capping his race. "I felt great through halfway, but at mile
20 I had to stop and walk. My longest race to date is 10,000 meters on the
track. I kind of ignored the advice of a lot of people who told me to be
really conservative in my first marathon. I was trying to hold myself back,
but I just kept rolling. And, by mile 22 I was just shot."
About two miles later Long took the lead and didn't relinquish it, crossing
the finish line at Napa's Vintage High School in 2 hours, 32 minutes, and
33 seconds. Sims hung on for second place with a time of 2:34:58. Third
placer Greg Krathwohl, 27, (San Francisco, Calif.) was a bit further behind
in 2:42:17.
Long scored his convincing marathon win buoyed by a background as a
competitive professional triathlon athlete. Last year he placed second at
the 140-mile Ironman Louisville Triathlon (swim-bike-run).
"I basically saw the lead motorcade (accompanying Sims) for most of the
way," Long said. "But when I saw him stop and walk at mile 23 I knew I
needed to make a move. I'm definitely going to enjoy that wine."
Men's and women's marathon and half-marathon overall winners each receive a
double magnum of wine from Conn Creek Winery. They also earn a Napa Valley
Collective Case of 12 different bottles of wine from the valley. Men's and
women's marathon and half-marathon champions in the masters (age 40 and
over) division each receive a magnum of wine.
In the women's full marathon race, Reichert led wire to wire. Her winning
time was 2:44:06-a bit slower than her personal best of 2:42:24 set in
2015. Sarah Hallas, 39, (Cotati, Calif.) placed second in 2:51:53 and
Jonahmaria Weeks, 28, (Davis, Calif.) was third in 2:52:51.
Reichert met her goal for NVM: To run under 2:45:00 and earn a women's "B"
standard entry into the 2020 U.S. Women's Olympic Marathon Trials race.
Previously she qualified for the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials.
"It was tough today. It wasn't as smooth as I'd hoped it would be, but I
got it done," said Reichert who gave birth to a daughter a year ago. "It
was a little windy out there and around halfway I really started to feel
it. There were a few men with me which helped, but I ran a lot of the race
alone. I think on an ideal day I can run closer to 2:40:00."
The inaugural half marathon competition at NVM was also deep. Chandler Kemp
secured the half marathon men's title by running conservatively behind
eventual third placer Jonathan Briskman, 27, (San Francisco, Calif.)
through the halfway point before taking the lead and crossing the finish
line with a winning time of 1 hour, eight minutes, and 23 seconds. Chris
Maxwell, 26, (Portland, Ore.) was second in 1:09:17. Briskman followed, a
second behind.
"The course is great with some nice, gentle, long downhills," Kemp said
about the point-to-point route along Silverado Trail (actually, a road).
"You can relax. It's just the right grade so you don't feel like you're
pounding downhill."
In the women's half marathon competition, Samantha Diaz scored a solid
victory over two NVM past champions. The former middle distance runner's
winning time of 1:15:46 set a formidable standard for future female half
marathoners at this event. Three-time NVM full marathon champion (and
women's course record holder) Devon Yanko, 36, (San Anselmo, Calif.) placed
second in 1:18:52. Jenny Kadavy, 36, (Clayton, Calif.)-the 2014 NVM full
marathon champion-was third in 1:19:16.
Diaz-who has been a runner since fourth grade and owns a personal record of
4 minutes and 40 seconds for one mile on the track-scored a convincing
victory, indeed. She left the entire women's field behind after the first
mile and ran with men for the remaining distance.
"I just tried to run nice and relaxed through eight miles, and then started
squeezing the trigger a little more," said Diaz who who plans to make her
debut at the marathon distance this coming Fall. "The course today was
simply beautiful and the weather was perfect."
The masters (age 40 and over) half marathon winners were Jorge Maravilla,
41, (Mill Valley, Calif.) in 1:10:25 who placed fifth overall among men and
Shaluinn Fullove, 41, (Palo Alto, Calif.) in 1:21:56 who placed fourth
overall among women.
In the accompanying Kiwanis Club of Greater Napa 5K Run, Timothy Englehart,
22, (Washington, DC) topped the men in 16:57 and Sarah Sears, 23, (Davis,
Calif.) led the women in 17:11.
All proceeds from the Napa Valley Marathon (a non-profit organization) are
donated to local charities in the Napa Valley.
Full race results for the Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon are
available on the event's web site at www.napavalleymarathon.org.
The Napa Valley Marathon appreciates generous sponsor support from Kaiser
Permanente/Thrive, New Balance, Road Runners Club of America, USA Track &
Field, Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa, Legendary Napa Valley, KPIX CBS5
and KBCW, XFINITY, KVYN/99.3 The Vine, KVON 1440 AM, KCBS AM and FM Radio,
Napa Smith Brewery, Conn Creek Winery, Athletic Feat, Nuun Hydration,
Nakedwines.com, Clif Family Winery, Raley's Nob Hill, Calistoga Motor Lodge
& Spa.
###
|
