FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Paul Katam and Anna Corrigan place first in men's and women's marathon
Washington State's largest city played host to the Rock 'n' Roll Seattle
Marathon & 1/2 Marathon, a Signature Seafair Event on Saturday. More than
17,000 athletes from all over the world laced up their running shoes and
rocked out to tunes along the scenic course that winds its way through
downtown Seattle and around Lake Washington.
Breaking the tape in the half-marathon was 31-year-old Daniel Vargas who
came through the 13.1 miles in one hour, 5 minutes and 39 seconds--well
ahead of any competition. Vargas is a Mexican Olympian who won the Rock 'n'
Roll Chicago Half Marathon in 2012 as well as the Rock 'n' Roll Savannah
Half Marathon last year. Nearly four minutes back was the second-place
finisher, Roosevelt Cook who ran 1:09:13. Third place in the half was
awarded to Reuben Chumba (1:09:36).
Twenty-three-year-old Dani Miller of Rochester, Michigan was the women's
half-marathon champion. Her story of perseverance serves as an inspiration
for all runners. After the race, she shared details about her struggles as
a runner. "I had the worst high-school PRs," she admitted. "If you looked
at me then, you'd say there was no way I'd be a professional athlete."
Miller said she then went on to run in college and gained 25 pounds her
first two years there. "I realized I wasn't being a good team asset and
lost the weight in the next two years," she said. "It's little things that
can make a difference. I can tell women that—eating better, sleeping
better, doing core exercises. I couldn't even run an 8-minute pace back
then. Now I'm out here and have won my first major half marathon." Miller,
who runs under the watchful eye of Coach Kevin Hansen said she has stumbled
in other Rock 'n' Roll half marathon races like Philadelphia and San Jose,
but her coach believed in her. "I'm a blessed young lady to be out here,"
she said with a smile. "Kevin never lost hope in me."
Like the men's race, Miller's margin of victory was significant. She broke
the tape in 1:17:16. Her nearest rival was Emma Kertesz who came in second
with 1:20:05. Andrea Duke (1:20:21) was the third-place finisher.
The men's marathon was a sure thing. Paul Katam of Beaverton, Oregon
prevailed by running 2:26:15—a full 14 minutes faster than second-place
finisher Bill Condon (2:40:41). Jesse Stevick was third in 2:42:11.
"I'm happy," the 25-year-old Katam admitted afterward. "It was my first
marathon and I won it." He had been building up his training miles for this
event and used the Rock 'n' Roll Portland Half Marathon as a tune-up race
for Seattle. "I have been injured since December, and have been trying to
get back into shape," he said. "I hope to be serious next year for the
Trials." Katam is currently serving in the Army as part of its World-Class
Athletes Program (WCAP). He recently became a U.S. citizen.
In the women's marathon event, Anna Corrigan of Phoenix, Arizona proved
victorious with a 2:54:56 showing. Corrigan is a University of Virginia
graduate and other than a visit for a track meet in college, she had never
really seen Seattle before today. "I loved running by the water," she said.
"I also loved the bands. There were a lot of them at miles 4, 5, and 6. It
was amazing. I live in the desert and don't get to see a lot of trees. It's
so lush and green here. It makes you feel so alive like you want to run.
This is the place to do distance."
The other podium finishers were Ziyang (Sophia) Liu (2:57:17, second), and
Kristina Brendzel (3:05:45, third).
To mark the official start of the 2015 Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon &
1/2 Marathon the Space Needle was transformed into the world's largest
starter's pistol and launched a round of thunderous comets from its 200'
platform to begin the race. The event also introduced a new 8K race that
was sold out and capped at 1,150 runners. And true to the Rock 'n' Roll
theme, all runners got a huge shot of inspiration along the way thanks to
the various blues, punk, funk, and rock bands as well as the cheer teams
that lined the course. A Seattle send off wouldn't be complete without a
good dose of grunge music care of hometown favorite Mudhoney that jammed at
the headliner concert held at Seattle Center.
2015 Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon & 1/2 Marathon Results
Men's Marathon
1. Paul Katam, 25, Beaverton, OR, 2:26:15, $500
2. Bill Condon, 34, Seattle, WA, 2:40:41
3. Jesse Stevick, 33, Olympia, WA, 2:42:11
Women's Marathon
1. Anna Corrigan, 24, Phoenix, AZ, 2:54:56, $500
2. Ziyang (Sophia) Liu, Redmond, WA, 2:57:17
3. Kristina Brendzel, Bainbridge Island, WA, 3:05:45
Men's Half Marathon
1. Daniel Vargas, 31, Mexico, 1:05:39, $250
2. Roosevelt Cook, 35, Oak Hills, CA, 1:09:13
3. Reuben Chumba, 27, Kenya, 1:09:36
Women's Half Marathon
1. Dani Miller, 23, Rochester, MI, 1:17:16
2. Emma Kertesz, 24, Pullman, WA, 1:20:05
3. Andrea Duke, 36, San Antonio, TX, 1:20:21
About Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon & 1/2 Marathon
A signature Seafair event, Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon & 1/2 Marathon
will take place the weekend of June 11 – 13, 2015. The marathon, half
marathon a\nd 8K will give runners a first class tour of Seattle starting
and finishing under the iconic Space Needle. Runners can rock to the sounds
of live, local bands along with enthusiastic cheerleaders to keep
participants moving. The event concludes with a finish line festival
concert with headliner Mudhoney. A two-day Health & Fitness Expo kicks off
race weekend at CenturyLink Field Event Center on Thursday, June 11 and
Friday, June 12. The expo will have numerous vendors featuring the latest
in running gear, nutrition and training tips. To register for the race or
for more information, visit runrocknroll.com/seattle or follow us on
Twitter @RunRocknRoll.
###
|
