(09/29/07) - The 5th annual Road Runner Akron
Marathon, Half Marathon and Chase Team Relays exceeded organizers expectations Saturday,
as a record 7,820 runners converged on downtown Akron to run past the city’s
neighborhoods, landmarks and cheering fans on a crisp and sunny autumn morning.This
year’s race produced two runners in particular with something to prove. John Piggot
sailed into first place for the second year in a row in the Men’s Masters Marathon
Division, setting a new course record. The 42-year-old runner from Williamsburg, Va.
finished in 2:35:58, beating the record time of 2:37:31 he set in his class last year.
The Women’s Masters Marathon winner set a record of her own Saturday. Russian
Elena Paramonova, 45, now of Atlanta, finished in 2:56:42, beating the former Akron course
record.
While Joshua Koros, a native Kenyan from Byron Center, Mich. was first to break the
Marathon finish line tape with a time of 2:28:05, 18-year-old former Woodridge High School
cross country standout David Petrak gave 25-year-old Koros a run for his money along the
final stretch of the race. Petrak, of Cuyahoga Falls, finished the Men’s Marathon
second with a time of 2:28:45. He finished just seven minutes ahead of his twin brother,
Daniel, who claimed sixth place.
Other Men’s Marathon award-winners were Jerome Recker, 24, of Lansing, Mich.,
finishing third with a time of 2:28:55; Chuck Engle, 36, a Cloverleaf High graduate, now
of Columbus with a time of 2:32:10; and Paul Jozwiak, 22, of Berkley with a time of
2:33:20.
Ohio women led the way in the Women’s Marathon this year. Melissa Rittenhouse, 31,
of Wadsworth, led the Women’s Marathon with a time of 2:52:29. Sarah Plaxton, 39, of
Highland followed Rittenhouse with a time of 2:59:49. In third place was Eva Miller of
Hudson. The 27-year-old finished in 3:06:17. Cindy Kasper, 34, of Stow finished fourth in
3:07:04. Shannan Rieder, 28, of Cincinnati finished the Women’s Marathon in fifth
place with a time of 3:07:20.
The champion's Brouse Cup was presented to the winners of the Men's and Women's
Marathon in both the Open and Masters Division for the first time in 2007.
Matthew Folk, 31, of Canfield finished the inaugural Men’s Half Marathon in first
place with a time of 1:09:39, setting a course record for the new event. Second behind
Folk was 25-year old Dustin Meeker of Bryn Mawr, Penn., finishing with a time of 1:11:44.
Coming in third was 37-year-old Jeffrey Hirt, of Garfield Heights, with a time of 1:20:23.
Akron’s Colleen Tate, 28, finished first in the Women’s new Half Marathon
with a time of 1:27:34. Sabrina Donatelli, 30, also of Akron, followed Tate with a time of
1:30:10. Finishing the Women’s Half Marathon in third place was 34-year-old Kerry
Flynn of Copley, with a time of 1:31:53.
Akron native Damon Blackford, 42, placed second in the Men’s Masters Marathon with
a time of 2:36:07. James Derick, 42, of Big Flats, N.Y., was third in the class with a
time of 2:36:07.
Medina runner Connie Gardner, 43, came in second in the Women’s Masters Marathon
class with a time of 3:07:47. Kim Donaldson, 46, of Chapel Hill, N.C. finished third in
the category with a time of 3:11:46.
The 1K Kids Fun Run drew 1,490 children 14 and under to run for free from Spaghetti
Warehouse to Lock 3 as part of the day’s events.
The 5th annual Road Runner Akron Marathon started near the National Inventors Hall of
Fame and concluded in Olympic fashion inside the Canal Park Stadium in downtown Akron. A
complete list of race results is available online at www.akronmarathon.org.
The Road Runner Akron Marathon is organized by the Akron Marathon Charitable
Corporation, a nonprofit group that is dedicated to promoting health and fitness.
Additional information on the Road Runner Akron Marathon, Half Marathon and Team Relays is
available at www.akronmarathon.org or by calling (330) 375-2786 (2RUN).
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Contact:
Leigh Greenfelder
(330) 329-9508
lg@highlandpr.com
