The 5th Annual Morgan Hill Marathon didn’t disappoint the hordes of athletes who ran the marathon, half and 5k that chilly Sunday morning on Nov. 2.
The 3.1-mile competition seemed innocuous but The Hill lurking in the middle of the course surprised many racers. Sprinkled among the pack were young girls decked in yellow tees with the words Mini Mermaid Running Club festooned on the front. These miniature whirlwinds of energy zipped up the hill, encouraging folks with their zeal.
San Jose’s Randy Tanaka, 32, won the 5K with 21:12 trailed by John Vu, 20, in 21:25 and Nick Froumis, 36, who took third with 21:30.
Morgan Hill’s Shannon Hoyle, 16, from Live Oak High won the women’s division in 23:20; Katelyn Chu of Los Gatos, 12, followed in second with a time of 23:36 and Gilroy’s Kelly Ramirez, 52, rounded the top three finishing in 23:43.
“It was cold so I had to push myself a little harder,” Hoyle said. “There was this little girl like in purple and she came pretty close to me and I just said ‘don’t let her pass me’ and I kept running as fast as I could.”
“It was a lot of fun,” Ramirez added. “I like watching the little mermaid girls come out and run. I think it was a great opportunity to show how they are choosing to live a healthy lifestyle.”
The half marathon was no wimpy ride. Plenty of hills awaited the wary racers, but mercifully the route flattens out after Mile 9. San Jose’s Nick Scalfone triumphed in 1:15:09. Robert James, 30, of Santa Cruz arrived second in 1:22:01 and Morgan Hill’s Tom Roberts, 47, got third in 1:23:24.
Hollister’s Abel Bedolla, 38, chased his buddy Sean Curry, 46, of Salinas for miles. They both crossed the finish in 1:25:16 and placed in the race.
“Sean is a beast like a machine,” Bedolla joked. “He’s always pushing me. Today was awesome.”
Curry ran the Zombie Marathon in Los Gatos the day before while sick. He said, “The whole weekend was good. I’m happy. (I) Kicked this flu in the butt I came back stronger.”
Gilroy’s Gar Chan, 60, ran this event since it began five years ago and finished in 1:55:27.
“(It’s a) great race,” Chan said. “(There’s) good support, fantastic fans and runners were wonderful. I love the finish and burritos at the end.”
The women excelled, too. Obstetrician Kari Bertrand, 43, of Gilroy smoked the competition with 1:28:00. Sarah Meyer of Santa Cruz, 33, got second with 1:29:54 and Sacramento’s Tamara Torlakson, 28, earned third with 1:31:48.
“It was challenging because it is a hilly course. Overall I felt okay, but I felt my age,” Bertrand chuckled. “I still enjoy running but it’s hard knowing your fastest times are behind you.” She ran in the 2004 U.S Olympic Team Trials Women’s marathon in St. Louis, Missouri.
The big 26.2 not only featured hills galore but the distance itself was daunting and the finishers earned bragging rights.
Bihama Vedaste, 24, of San Jose who originally hailed from Rwanda Africa, conquered the beastly course in 2:49:49 winning the race. Joshua Grub of San Jose took second in 2:57:41 and Gilroy’s Jose Cruz nabbed third in 3:00:23.
Vedaste said, “Physically I was strong, but when these two guys showed up and I had to decide to take off ahead or I’ll end up losing.” He referred to Grub and Cruz who trailed him from Mile 3. Vedaste is shooting for the Olympics in 2016.
Morgan Hill resident Zachary Abrams, 20, took second in his age group with 3:08:57.
“I did ten minutes faster than I expected,” he said. “Going out on the first half is really nice because you’re out by Uvas Reservoir. They have a good start time at seven in the morning so that it’s not very hot when you’re out by Mile 20.”
Sarah Hallas, 35, of Santa Rosa seized the women’s title with 2:54:00. Morgan Hill’s Tiffany Pereira, 40, snagged second with 3:25:11 and Fremont’s Sarah Joe, 45, grabbed third in 3:45:39.
A popular athletic group called Moms Run This Town arrived with thirty members. Several from Morgan Hill raved about their experience at the race.
“I PRd, it was awesome,” Briana Monaco, 34, who ran the half in 2:09:50 said. “It’s a beautiful course … The hills could kind of get you but just stick with it and you can make it through.”
Anita Azevado, 34, finished in 1:57:46. She explained, “Was a good run. …Mile 9 to 11 on Hale Avenue was straight (tough) but we trained on this course so I knew that.”
Naomi Herrera, 35, covered the distance in 2:03:02 chimed, “The weather was perfect not too hot. Friends and family we saw on the course was a good motivator.”
“All the volunteers were wonderful and the pacers were amazing,” said San Martin’s Maggie Stukas, 33, who covered 13 miles in 2:07:50.
Alicia Julian, 33, also from Morgan Hill ran the race in 2:19:48. “(Running) keeps us healthy and active so we can chase our kids around,” she said with a smile.
