Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon

(Columbus, OH, 10-19-08, By Matt McGowan) After a few years of no prize money in the Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon resulting in the race’s slowest overall winning times last year. Race officials decided six weeks ago to reintroduce prize money for the top three overall and the top three Ohioans.

Also, new this year was a half an hour earlier start. Plus, all athletes started together as the marathoners, half marathoners and walkers lined up on Broad Street by the Ohio State House for the 7:30 a.m. start.

A number of Kenyan runners were in town to race for the prize money and the early leaders in the race were the half marathoners as they ran with the marathon runners for nearly thirteen miles. Kenya’s Joshua Koros and Birhanu Zeleke set the pace for the first 10km along with Fairborn’s Josh Odway as they hit the 10km mark in 33:01. Koros and Zeleke hit the half marathon in 1:09:44 with Ordway three seconds back. Zeleke surged after the halfway mark and hit the twenty mile mark in 1:47:27, Koros was thirty–two seconds back while Ordway would drop to forty seconds off the pace. However, Zeleke would cramp up by the twenty-three mile mark and was forced to walk.

Ordway who ran in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and is a third year medical student at Wright State University, overtook Koros in the final three mile to win in 2:23:02 and take home the $2,500 top prize money and an additional $750 as the top Ohioan. Koros who now lives in Byron Center, Michigan took home $1,000 with his 2:25:34. Boulder, Colorado’s Peter Vail (2:26:05) captured the $750 bronze prize money. Former Ohioan Tim Budic (2:26:47) who now resides in Charlotte, North Carolina finished fourth. Bedford’s Jeremy Zarins (2:26:51) finished next to captured the $500 Ohio second place money while Ashland’s Nick Cordes (2:27:16) captured the third place $250 Ohio money.

New Bremen’s Molly Watcke took the women’s lead early and hit the 10km mile mark in (39:31) and the half marathon mark in 1:24:09 to establish nearly a minute and half lead over Bloomington, Indiana’s Dani Prince. However Prince would start to close and by the twenty mile mark she would reduced her deficit to thirty-eight seconds and would take the lead just over a mile later. Prince went on to win in (2:48:56) while Watcke slowed to (2:54:44) to take home the runner up money and top Ohio money. Pittsburgh’ Leah Shouey (2:55:51) captured the bronze. Mason’s Tanya Thatcher (2:56:33) finished fourth on her way to runner up Ohio money. Brewerton, Ney York’s Kelly Dworak (2:57:04) finished next. Centerville’s Erin Kister (2:58:02) took home the third place Ohio money.

Missouri’s Mitch Figas (2:45:14) captured the master crown and $750 master money while Hilliard’s Joe Patrick (2:45:49) took home the master silver and $500. Canton’s Dan Sparks (2:46:02) finished third to win $250.

New York’s Kelly Dworak (2:57:04) won the women’s master crown while Chillicothe’s Jodi Roderick (3:09:37) finished second.

Pepper Pike’s Jeffery Ubersax (2:56:55) held off Cuyahoga Falls’ Tony Harbert (2:57:21) for the grand master gold.

Pennsylvania’s Sanda Onofray (3:29:43) won the women’s grand master crown while Columbus’ Rita Barnes (3:31:46) placed second.

Alabama’s Johnny Goode (3:13:43) and Indiana’s Betty Nelson (4:07:16) won the top senior awards.

Loveland’s Kevin Hosea (1:37:16) won the hand cycle wheelchair division while

Medina’s Jeff Fisher won the tradition wheelchair race in 1:48:54.

The record field of 11,500 marathon and half marathon runners and walkers enjoyed great spectator support and more than 50 live bands and other entertainment along the all-new course. Additionally, approximately 400 Ohio National Guard men and women serving in Kuwait ran the Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon Shadow Run in Kuwait.

The 30th annual Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon and Half Marathon will take place Sunday, October 18, 2009.

Check out the results on RUNOHIO’s results page - http://www.runohio.com/results

Also, check out the RUNOHIO race photos at - http://www.runohio.com/show/galleries

For more on the Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon visit - http://www.columbusmarathon.com

Half Marathon

Kenya’s Joseph Ngetzch and Emmanuel Korir lead the runners from the start of the Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon and Half Marathon. Kgetzch would pull away in the final miles to win in 1:04:10 while Korir placed second in 1:04:27 to take home $1,000 and $500 respectively. Ashland’s Brandon Bauer (1:06:12) captured the bronze and $250. Kenya’s Joseph Chirlee (1:07:05) held off Perrysburg’s Matt Folk (1:07:22) for fourth. Festus Cherus (1:08:19) and Athens’ Craig Leon (1:08:24) finished next.

Bellbrook’s Ann Alyanak who place seventh in the US Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials in April, took the women’s lead from the gun and went on to place fifteenth overall to win the women’s gold in 1:14:46. Toledo’s Sara Vergote (1:16:48) ran most of the race in second place to take home the runner up prize money in 1:16:48. Gahanna’s Melissa Converse (1:17:50) captured the bronze. Charleston, West Virginia’s Maria Busienei (1:18:00) and Powell’s Krista Seibert (1:22:35) finished next.

Check out the results on RUNOHIO’s results page - http://www.runohio.com/results