FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Liz Caldwell
(501) 252-4020
Heather McCutcheon
(501) 352-1074
Washington D.C. and Minnesota Athletes
Win Second Annual Little Rock Marathon
LITTLE ROCK, AR (March 7, 2004) -- Glen Mays of Washington, D.C. and
Patricia Langum of Brooklyn Park, Minn., won the men's and women's
categories of the second annual Little Rock Marathon held today in Little
Rock.
The marathon was the fourth for Mays, 33, who posted a time of 2:34:30.
Langum, 43, whose time was 3:17:40, has run 10 previous marathons. Neither
ran last year's inaugural race in Little Rock.
Both surpassed last year's winning times of 2:36:53 for the men's and
3:20:25 for the women's, but Mays' and Langum's times were the first for
this year's course, which was altered for the first four miles because of
construction downtown, said Race Director Bill Torrey.
Nearly 3,000 runners took to the streets under partly cloudy skies that
turned sunny as the day progressed. About 2,600 of them ran either a full
marathon, half marathon or four-person relay marathon, with the remainder
participating in a 5K. Runners ranged in age from 16 to 76.
Last year, the inaugural marathon event drew about 2,200 runners.
Second place finishers this year were Justin Radke, 28, of Little Rock at
2:37:30 and Betsy Meacham, 39, of Little Rock at 3:20:50. Meacham was
second last year.
Rounding out the top three were Brian Bariola, 29, of Bryant with 2:49:04
and Alice Stewart, 37, of Little Rock with 3:26:56. Each took third place
last year.
Mays, a health care researcher who is moving to Little Rock in two months
to join the faculty at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences,
said the course was a tough one.
"Those hills really take it out of you," Mays said. He decided to enter the
race because he "had to hunt for a new house and it was a good way to see
the city."
Langum said she made her first visit to the capital city because of the
good review the race received last year. "I don't know what to say. It's
awesome," she said. "The hills were challenging; other than that it was
great. The people in Little Rock are wonderful."
Dick Pace, 54, of Monette won first place in the wheelchair division with a
time of 2:06:08. It was his 12th marathon. He was recruited for the race by
Marty Johnson of Maumelle, last year's only wheelchair entry.
"The race was fantastic, the course was great and the support wonderful,"
Pace said. As for overcoming adversity, "I think anyone can be an
inspiration. All runners are in a class by themselves."
Joe McNiel, 44, of Hope was second in the wheelchair division at 2:20:08
and Johnson placed third at 2:22:30.
Winning the men's master's division (ages 40 and above) was Joey Mayo, 40,
of Conway at 3:02:15, followed by John Rohde, 44, of Vilonia at 3:02:35 and
Tom Aspel, 48, of Russellville at 3:06:01.
The women's master's division winner was Anne Miskin, 42, of Little Rock at
3:32:32, followed by Linda Green, 40, of N. St. Paul, Minn., at 3:35:34 and
Angie Ranson, 53, of Sherwood at 3:34:58.
Karl Lenser, 45, of Conway won the men's half marathon at 1:18:45, followed
by Kevin Kendrick, 40, of Conway at 1:20:52 and Jerry Hickey, 34, of Little
Rock at 1:24:05.
Diane Novotny, 44, of Jacksonville won the women's half marathon at
1:38:23, followed by Alice McClure, 24, of Little Rock at 1:42:06 and Kelly
Thompson, 39, of Little Rock at 1:45:05
Larry Liszewski, 46, of St. Louis won the men's walking division at
5:08:35, followed by Bill Whitt, 59 of Cincinnati at 5:21:55 and Steve
Attaya, 55 of New Orleans at 5:21:25.
Andrea Goodwin, 32, of Little Rock won the women's walking division at
5:22:58.
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