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MONTEREY, Ca. (April 26, 2015) - Runners in the Big Sur International Marathon typically have two natural elements to battle - the 16 hills along the rural, coastal route and the relentless headwinds coming  off the ocean. Today's race provided both, but under crystal clear skies and nearly flawless execution.
Defending champion Michael Wardian of Arlington, Va., battled shoulder to shoulder with two-time winner Adam Roach of Monterey, Calif., for most of the race. Roach tucked behind Wardian for a wind break during much of the race and the two traded 1-2 spots a few times. Ultimately, Roach made a strong move at mile 23 and broke the tape at 2 hours, 30 minutes, 28 seconds, three minutes slower than his 2013 victory. Wardian, who had run the Boston Marathon six days prior, clocked in at 2:33:04. At age 41, Wardian was the Masters Division winner and also won the Boston2BigSur title for the second year in a row.
The women's race was won by Malia Crouse of Edgemont, Colo. in a time of 2:57:02. The Big Sur competition was only her third marathon and she too commented that the "wind was brutal." Christine Taranto, 30, a member of the US. Marine Corps Elite Athlete program currently attending the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, finished a strong second at 2:59:34.
The 30 th Presentation of the annual April race was a nearly seamless production. Two thousand volunteers assisted to make this logistically-challenging race a positive experience for the 9,000 runners in six different events occurring simultaneously along the course. In addition to the marathon, distances of 21, 10.6 and 9 miles have their own races, plus runners and walkers participate in a 5K and a marathon relay.
Four hundred of the marathoners were running in the Boston2BigSur or "B2B" Challenge, and had run the Boston Marathon six days earlier. Another 300 marathoners were taking part in the Runner's World Challenge , which offers personalized training and VIP experience at key races around the country. Runners were from all 50 states and 30 countries.
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SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (April 26, 2015) - On a perfect, sunny Central Coast Sunday morning, Jorge Maravilla (37) of Mill Valley, Calif. and Kimberly O'Donnell (25),  from Walnut Creek, Calif., were the overall male and female champions respectively at the 4th San Luis Obispo Marathon presented by LeftLaneSports.com.
Maravilla crushed the marathon course record by nearly eight minutes to finish in 2 hours, 26 minutes, 50 seconds. O'Donnell repeated as champion breaking her own course record, finishing in 2:59:02 and taking 5 minutes off her previous record.
Peter Kemboi (35) from Kenya, placed second in 2:33:12 and
Joe Thorne (31), 2013 SLO Marathon Champion from Arroyo Grande, Calif. crossed the line in third place at 2:34:24.The most competitive field thus far in the event, the top three males all broke the previous course record of 2:34:46.
For the second year in a row, a husband and wife team has taken the top spot in the half marathon. Ben Bruce (32) and Stephanie Bruce (32) of Flagstaff, Ariz. (pictured above) dominated the field. Bruce, a Cal Poly University graduate, set a new men's half marathon course record, covering the 13.1 miles in 1:10:55. Stephanie, pregnant with their second child, followed her husband, crossing the line in 1:23:14.
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 25, 2015) - The
Kentucky  Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon presented by Walmart and HumanaVitality kicked off this morning with cool and wet running conditions. This year's races had around 16,000 registered participants, with about 13,000 starters today at Main and Brook Streets. 2015 marks the 42nd miniMarathon and 14th Marathon. But the wet weather didn't slow down the runners.
Elisha Barno of Santa Fe, NM, won the miniMarathon and set a course record in the Men's Division with a time of
1 hour, one minute, 44 seconds. Askale Merachi, of Silver Springs, Md., also set a course record as she crossed the finish line first in the Women's Division with a time of 1:12:08
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The full Marathon winners were Bryan Morseman of Bath, NY,
with a time of 2:22:36 and Alemnesh Habtemikael of Silver Spring, Md., in the women's division with a time of 2:49:59
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SONOMA, Calif. - The Wine Country Half Marathon Series, sponsored by Newton Running and produc  ed by Destination Races, kicks off its 2015 season Mother's Day weekend in Santa Barbara on Saturday, May 9, 2015. Early May offers runners the perfect time of year to visit this spectacular region where they will enjoy unforgettable experiences on and off the course, including Destination Races signature post-race Wine + Music Festival in Solvang Park.
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A point-to-point course, the half-marathon kicks off at 7:00am in downtown Santa Ynez. An ideal destination for your next running experience, this scenic course winds through Santa Ynez Valley bordered by vineyards and the Sierra Madre Mountains. Carrying you past horse ranches, fruit orchards, and lavender farms, the breathtaking backdrop continues through the quaint town of Los Olivos before finishing in the heart of downtown Solvang.
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