Photo courtesy of James Family Prescott YMCA
by Ray Newton
Marathon training that started months — and in some cases, years ago — cumulated this fall on Oct. 8, when more than 700 competitors from throughout the country ran in their choice of a full course marathon, half marathon, 10K marathon or 5K marathon.
Organizers from the James Family Prescott YMCA hosted the 44th annual event. It is known nationally as “one of the toughest foot races in the United States.”
Winners were: Full-Marathon Male Overall Winner, Adam Folts, 3:06:17; Full-Marathon Female Overall Winner, Leah Triller, 4:07:19; Half-Marathon Male Overall Winner, Dan Kuch, 1:18:20; Half-Marathon Female Overall Winner, Jessica Clark, 1:36:27; 10K Male Overall Winner, David Valdez, 37:12; 10K Female Overall Winner, Kiera Woodman, 37:57; 5K Male Overall Winner, Blake Duggan, 19:34; and 5K Female Overall Winner, Libbie Jorgensen, 21:32.
Racing preparation began well before the starting gun. Racers spent most of the day before picking their race packets and other necessary items at the James Family Prescott YMCA at 750 Whipple St. They gathered swag bags and advice from race sponsors and those who claimed to know the course best. All runners claimed a commemorative T-shirt.
The story is that many runners complete in the prestigious event
so afterward they can step back
and boast to their friends, “I was tough enough.”
