MARATHON RUNNERS ON FAST TRACK.Byline: Amy Raisin raisin, in botany and cookingraisin, dried fruit of certain varieties of grapevines bearing grapes with a high content of sugar and solid flesh. Although the fruit is sometimes artificially dehydrated, it is usually sun-dried. Staff Writer Growing more prestigious every year - it's now an official qualifying race for the famed Boston Marathon Boston marathon famous 26-mile race held annually for long-distance runners. [Am. Pop. Culture: Misc.] See : Endurance - the Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, Marathon drew thousands Sunday, some from as far as Japan and Mexico. But it was two locals, a man from Castaic and a Newhall woman, who took top honors at the seventh annual Santa Clarita race Sunday morning Sunday Morning may refer to:
``The last quarter-mile of this course, you can see the balloons and the finish line,'' said Brian Spangenberg, 37, who was fastest on the 26.2-mile race. ``Then something just takes over you, and you feel like you have wings on your shoulders.'' The fastest male runner Sunday, Spangenberg, a former College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. student and member of the track team, beat his goal of 2 1/2 hours by 74 seconds. Honors for the fastest time for a woman went to 26-year-old Kiersten Pauling, who recently moved from Stevenson Ranch Stevenson Ranch, California (in the 91381 ZIP Code) is a Los Angeles County, USA, unincorporated community west of Santa Clarita a few miles south of Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park. The Stevenson Ranch fountain was redone in 2007. to Newhall. ``One of my goals was to win it, but my main goal was to break three hours,'' Pauling said after beating that time by exactly one minute. A far cry from the scorching scorch v. scorched, scorch·ing, scorch·es v.tr. 1. To burn superficially so as to discolor or damage the texture of. See Synonyms at burn1. 2. heat that has tested runners in past Santa Clarita Marathons, Sunday's competitors were blanketed by low clouds and a light, off-and-on rain - optimum conditions for the event. In a change from last year, the race ended at Newhall Park, creating a community atmosphere most of the return competitors relished. ``I love this course. It's not the easiest course, but the volunteers are great,'' Spangenberg said. ``And the residents from the community that are here, it really helps you out.'' Jason Smisko, spokesman for the city of Santa Clarita, agreed that the park, complete with vendor booths and live music, added to the community spirit. ``The depth of camaraderie among the runners - you don't really see that in other sports. Four hours (after the starting gun) you see these people still cheering on runners coming across the finish line,'' Smisko said. A half-marathon, 13.1 miles, was also featured, as well as a 5K and Kid K run. The events drew a combined total of more than 2,200 runners. Taking the half-marathon trophy for the second straight year, Van Nuys resident Robert Leonardo, 39, complimented the city's efforts and the revised course. `It's a good setup,'' he said. ``It's a nice course, a lot of downhill. I think it's better this year for everybody. There's more room.'' Race Director Phil Howard Phil Howard is an Australian jazz drummer best known for his brief stint with the jazz-rock group Soft Machine. Howard joined Soft Machine in September 1971 as a replacement for Robert Wyatt and played with the band on a short tour of European jazz festivals, but he was fired after said the half-marathon featured the biggest increase in participation. ``The half is probably the biggest race that we've put on,'' Howard said, estimating that nearly 1,000 participants signed up. ``A few people dropped out along the way - just too tired for the day - but I haven't heard of anyone needing any assistance today.'' Family, friends and supporters lined the race course, which began at Langston Station Road in Canyon Country at 7 a.m. and wound through Saugus and Valencia before stopping at Newhall Park. More than 1,000 volunteers helped with the event, from setting up tables to providing water and organizing the various lists and registration drives. Spangenberg, enjoying his victory with his 10-year-old son, Brendan, said he has run in other races but feels the most pride and support running in his home marathon. ``This is a pretty runner-friendly town. We can get together and get in a little exercise,'' said Spangenberg, who works for a medical supply company. ``This is the kind of community where people want to get out of bed and put their feet on the ground and get something done.'' TIMELY FINISHERS Top overall finishers in the seventh annual Santa Clarita Marathon: Men: --Brian Spangenberg, 37, Castaic. Time: 2:28:46 --Jose Arriaga, 33, Van Nuys. Time: 2:36:43 --Jaime Ortiz, 40, Montclair. Time: 2:40:53 Women: --Kiersten Pauling, 26, Newhall. Time: 2:59:00 --Leslie Oliver, 41, Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. . Time: 3:19:26 --Mervat Tawfik, 44, Agua Dulce Agua Dulce is Spanish for "sweet water". It also refers to various locations: In Mexico:
Top overall finishers in half marathon A half marathon is a road running event of 21,097.5 meters, or 13 7/64 miles, about 13.1 miles. It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. : Men: --Robert Leonardo, 39, Van Nuys. Time: 1:12:46 --Everardo Silva, 35, Tujunga. Time: 1:14:31 --Barry Heppell, 36, San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. . Time: 1:14:38 Women: --Marie Hermann, 38, Newbury Park. Time: 1:24:37 --Jolene Rickard, 28, Santa Clarita. Time: 1:27:43 --Yuriria Kent, 40, Houston, Texas “Houston” redirects here. For other uses, see Houston (disambiguation). Houston (pronounced /'hjuːstən/) is the largest city in the state of Texas and the . Time: 1:28:29 CAPTION(S): 5 photos, box Photo: (1) A runner grabs a cup of Gatorade as he makes his way along Soledad Canyon Soledad Canyon is a long narrow canyon / valley located in Los Angeles County, California between the cities of Palmdale and Santa Clarita. Soledad Canyon contains the localities of Vincent, Acton, Ravenna, and Agua Dulce. Road in Canyon Country during Sunday's seventh annual Santa Clarita Marathon. (2 -- color -- ran in SAC and AV editions only) Castaic resident Brian Spangenberg, 37, above, crosses the finish line during Sunday's seventh annual Santa Clarita Marathon. (3 -- color -- ran in SAC and AV editions only) Newhall resident Kiersten Pauling, 26, checks in with the top time for a woman in Sunday's marathon. (4 -- ran in SAC and AV editions only) More than a thousand runners prepare for the start of Sunday's seventh annual Santa Clarita Marathon. (5 -- ran in SAC and AV editions only) Erin Kelley, 7, with Brownie Troop 552 cheers runners along as she distributes water during Sunday's marathon. Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News Box: (ran in SAC and AV editions only) TIMELY FINISHERS (see text) |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion