SAN DIEGO (CNS) — San Diego runners did the city proud in Sunday's Long Beach Marathon, as Bonnie Axman Keating won the women's marathon and Anna Pasternak took the half-marathon title.
"It was a harder than anticipated, I guess I haven't raced in a while," Keating said after completing her first Long Beach Marathon in 10 years.
"It's exciting to get back out there again and get the work in. Today was such a great atmosphere, just the energy is great and there we're a lot of people along the course from the community cheering us runners on."
Keating won the race in a time of 2:49:25.37, beating Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student Payton Golwas, who finished second in 2:53:10, and Huntington Beach's Jenna Crawford, who was third in 3:08:53.
Pasternak won the half-marathon by a nose, beating out Pasadena's Kayla Grahn, who finished with an identical time of 1:18:24.
"It was good, it's been a while since I raced this long. The goal was just to get out there and run hard," said Pasternak, who was racing Long Beach for her first time.
"To have her (Kayla) to chase those last few miles and then I tried to make a move at the very end after pushing along the straightway back on Ocean Boulevard, I could see the turn and I just tried to hold on."
A field of 1,800 runners competed in the 37th annual Long Beach Marathon. Kenneth Richardson of Ogden, Utah -- at age 42 -- won the men's marathon with a time of 2:27:20.76.
The 26-mile, 385-yard main marathon course started on Shoreline Drive. Runners then passed through The Pike at Rainbow Harbor retail and entertainment center, ran on an on-ramp to the Long Beach (710) Freeway, and crossed the Queensway Bridge to the bow of the Queen Mary.
The health order from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health required all race participants and attendees to be fully vaccinated for the coronavirus or obtain a negative COVID-19 test result prior to attending the event.
All participants had to present proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result before being allowed to pick up their race bib.
