Running News Daily

Cleveland Marathon: Will Loevner defends men's title, proposes to girlfriend after win

Will Loevner has captured his second Cleveland Marathon, and it was a special one.

Loevner won in 2 hours, 19 minutes and 44 seconds. The Pittsburgh man, who won last year in his first time competing, celebrated by proposing to his girlfriend in front of the crowd.

With his win, he qualifies for the coveted Boston Marathon.

The 47th annual marathon, which brings in hundreds of runners from all over the country and the world, took place this weekend in downtown Cleveland in warm and sunny weather. Hundreds of supporters cheered as runners crossed the finish line by Mall B.

In addition to the marathon, there were a half marathon, 10K and 5K races.

For Julianne Hill of Middleburg Heights, who ran in her fourth 5k during the Cleveland Marathon weekend, but her 92nd race over all. She said it felt “amazing to cross the finish line.”

“I’m tearing up,” she added. “It’s amazing every time. There’s people all over the route. No matter where you are, they’re cheering, they have signs. It’s just the best, I love it.”

Hill said after 12 years, this would be her last year competing.

“I’m going to run 100 races and I’m done,” she said. “I’m almost there.”

This was the first marathon for Veronica Wulw for Broadview Heights, who competed in the half marathon.

“For my 26th birthday, I decided to challenge myself to run a marathon for the first time,” she said.

“Going from from running on your own with no one else around you to being able to cross that finish line with other runners - it’s awesome to see everyone have the same passion and being one unit,” she said.

She added she hoped to return next year and compete in the marathon.

Kenyan's Peter Mwaniki Nueru wins Philadelphia half marathon in record time and Bernard Kiptoo Koech wins marathon

Kenya’s Bernard Kiptoo Koech flirted with the course record at the 30th edition of the Philadelphia Marathon held on Sunday (19) in Philadelphia PA his fifth marathon with no win managed to handle a nagging injury that he got two weeks ago when he won his first ever marathon in 2:14.26 missing out on the course record with one minute two seconds.

“I wasn’t expecting anything because I know the field was really competitive. But luckily, I don’t know what happened, unfortunately, they didn’t appear, so I was lucky to win,” said Koech.

Koech was followed by Joseph Whelan of United States in 2:14.98 with Sammy Rotich from Kenya closing the podium three finishes in 2:16.33.

United States Will Loevner and Pierre Billerot finished in fourth and fifth in respective time of 2:16.51 and 2:16.54.

Dennis Kipkosgei of Kenya who was making his debut over the distance and runs under the International Elite T.C stable that is managed by Keith Olson, finished in tenth place in 2:16.54.

The race course record of 2:13.28 set two years ago by Mike Chesire from Kenya remains standing.

Koech took home a cool Kshs 1,525,000 ($10,000) as prize money. 

Peter Mwaniki Nueru, 25 set a new course record and won the half marathon on Saturday by nearly two minutes.  He clocked 1:02:15.  Peter trains at KATA (Kenyan Athletics Training Academy) in Thika Kenya (second photo in orange jersey).  Lawrence Kipkoech placeed second clocking 1:04:04 and Travis Mahoney finished third in 1:04:10.

Everlyn Kemboi was first female clocking 1:11:02.

Athletes ran along the Benjamin  Parkway in the cultural Museum District and wind through Philadelphia’s most scenic and historic neighborhoods. From the history-steeped streets of Old City, through one of the liveliest stretches of Center City, across the Schuylkill River into University City, up through the bucolic trails of Fairmount Park, and back down to canvas the banks of the river before finishing in front of the renown Philadelphia Museum of Art . The course is also sanctioned by USA Track & Field.

The half marathon was added to Philadelphia Marathon Weekend in 2006 and has seen an increase in athletes every year since. Whether as a test-run for first-time marathoners or as a challenging race along a scenic course, the Dietz & Watson Philadelphia Half Marathon has given thousands of athletes the opportunity to take on the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend on their own terms.