Big Sur Half Marathon – Gebre Smashes Women’s Course Record at Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay

Monterey, CA — Nearly 6,000 runners enjoyed ideal running conditions for the Eighth Presentation of the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay.  The perfect temperatures, windless blue skies and bright sunshine helped athletes set PRs and established a new female course record.

Belainesh Gebre, the 2008 female champion of the Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay, ran an unchallenged race to finish in 1:09:43, shattering the previous record set by Jennifer Rhines in 2006 by more than two and a half minutes.  The 21-year-old Ethiopian native who now trains in Flagstaff,  AZ,  not only dominated the women's field with her eight minute win over 2nd place finisher Kelly Calway, but her time of 1:09:43 was strong enough to place her at 9th overall in today's competition.

The men’s race, less than a minute away from the 1:02:33 course record also set in 2006, found two Kenyan runners, Macdonard Ondara and Kirui Kiprotich, battling for the lead.  Breaking away from the pack after the first few miles, the two runners finished only seconds apart.  Ondara, who trains in Santa Fe, NM, built an eight to ten second lead through much of the race yet held off a furious sprint by Kirui at the finish to win in a time of 1:03:20. This is the second win for Ondara who took the title in 2007 and the second fastest winning time in the race's eight year history. Kirui was three seconds back in 1:03:23.

The two Kenyans began as part of an eight runner pack that went through the first mile in 4:50. The others in the lead pack, Shadrack Biwott, Matt Gabrielson, Mario Macias, Aziz Atmani, Brian Medigovich, and Nate Pennington began to lose contact with Ondara and Kirui after mile 2, and by mile 4, it had become a two runner breakaway. 

The second pack of runners slowly broke apart into three two runner pairings. Aziz Atmani, a Morroccan now living in Hebron, KY, finished third in 1:04:33. He was followed nine seconds later by Mario Macias of Alamosa, CO, who finished fourth in 1:04:42. The next pair of runners who also finished nine seconds apart were Shadrack Biwott, a Kenyan representing the Oregon Track Club who finished 5th in 1:05:38, and Matt Gabrielson of Minneapolis, MN, who was sixth in 1:05:47.

The final top ten finishers included Brian Medigovich, originally from San Luis Obispo, CA , now living in Alamosa, CO, placing 7th in 1:07:17; Nate Pennington, a member of the Army World Class Athlete Program, finishing 8th in 1:08:59; Ezkyas Sisay, last year's runner up, finishing 9th in 1:09:48; and Ryan Hafer, the 2008 Big Sur International Marathon champion, finishing 10th in 1:10:02.

Once the undisputed women’s champion Gebre was well across the finish line, the competition for the next several female spots was much closer.  Kelly Calway, named the 2008 US Army Athlete of the year, finished second in 1:18:16.  The 26-year-old from Manitou Springs, CO held a comfortable lead over Heather Gibson and Lisa Harvey throughout the race. Gibson, 30, from Carpenteria, CA, out-sprinted Canadian Olympian Lisa Harvey to the finish in a time of 1:18:41. Harvey, who turned 40 this year, was only four seconds back.  Her time of 1:18:45 was strong enough to place her first in the female Masters division (age 40 and over). 

Mary Coordt, a two time Big Sur International Marathon champion, was fifth overall and second place Masters in a time of 1:19:30. Jenny Wilson of Discovery Bay, CA, moved up two places from her 2009 finish to take sixth in 1:21:33. Rounding out the top 10 were: Nicole Fitzgerald, Boise, ID, 7th in 1:23:41; Aracelly Clouse, Santa Cruz, 8th in 1:24:19; Jackline Okemwa, Sunnyvale, 9th in 1:24:33; and Jennifer Galfano, West Chester, PA, 10th in 1:25:08. Molly Friel, from Fresno was the 3rd Master in a time of 1:29:35.

            The men’s Masters race saw a repeat champion as Kevin Sheehy of Boise, ID, who set the Masters course record last year defended his title in a time of 1:11:16. Jim Scattini, the 2003 Masters champion from Salinas was 2nd in 1:18:46. Steve Abernethy from San Francisco was 3rd in a time of 1:21:58.

            The age range for the popular Big Sur Half Marathon on Monterey Bay ranged from the 11-year-old youth champion, Judith Sherman, of San Diego to the 82-year-old Hai Chung of Monterey.  Runners from 49 states and eight countries participated in the 13.1 mile race.

Full results can be found at https://www.runraceresults.com/secure/raceresults.cfm?id=RCHV2010