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Davis, Johnston take MU Marathon titles

November 02, 2009 @ 12:15 AM

RICK McCANN

The Herald-Dispatch

HUNTINGTON -- About one year ago John Davis had knee surgery for the second time, but that didn't stop him from running.

Davis, a 25-year-old hometown athlete, was a repeat winner Sunday morning in the Marshall University Marathon. He covered the 26.2-mile course with a time of 2 hours, 43 minutes, 56 seconds and was more than five minutes ahead of the next runner.

"Everybody faces adversity," Davis said. "It's how you handle it."

Josh Hite, 31, from Cooleville, Ohio, was the runnerup (2:49.21) followed by Vincent Battista, 45, of Chesapeake, Ohio (2:52.07).

Christina Johnston from Xenia, Ohio, was the first female finisher and seventh overall with a time of 2:56.19.

Race director Tom Dannals from HealthyHuntington.org said more than 1,100 athletes participated in events that included the full marathon, a 13.1-mile half-marathon run or walk, a half-marathon team relay and a 5-mile non-competitive walk. The marathon had more than 400 entries, he said.

Davis said he wanted to say "thank you" to the race organizers and many volunteer workers for putting their time in to make it a good event.

Chilly weather in the 40s under a sunny sky welcomed runners for the 7:30 a.m. start on Third Avenue beside Cam Henderson Center. The race course took the athletes through downtown Huntington past Pullman Square, next to the Ohio River and through Ritter Park among other places before a goal-line finish in Joan C. Edwards Stadium.

A sign that said "You Did It" greeted the athletes at the top of the ramp leading into the stadium.

Davis, a former Marshall Thundering Herd and Spring Valley High School cross country runner, also won the Marshall University Marathon in 2005.

"I ran very consistent today," Davis said. "I ran a steady six-minute mile pace for the first 20 miles.

Davis said he reduced speed late in the race because his calf muscles were tightening up and he didn't want to risk hurting himself.

It was his first marathon since the most recent knee surgery.

But, it won't be his last one. Davis wanted to run April 19 in the Boston Marathon and needed to post a qualifying time.

"I think every true runner has to do Boston once," he said after meeting the required time standard of 3:07 for his age group. "It's the famous race you have to run."

Davis works as a nurse in the emergency room at King's Daughters Medical Center and trains about 100 miles per week.

Still, he made a last-minute decision to run Sunday.

"My overall goal today was qualifying for Boston and I did that easily," he said.

Johnston is a 29-year-old teacher who beat other female runners by a sizable distance. Female runner-up Tracy Lightfoot, 24, of Louisville, Ky. had a time of 3:11.56. Michele Sollenberger, 47, from Copley, Ohio, was the the third woman across the finish line (3:12.45).

The female winner said her goal was also making it to Boston and she did it.

MARSHALL UNIVERSITY MARATHON

Marathon

Male

1. John Davis, 2:43.56

2. Josh Hite, 2:49.21

3. Vincent Battista, 2:52.07

4. Sean Mullins, 2:52.55

5. Kirt Goetzke, 2:54.04

Female

1. Christina Johnston, 2:56.19

2. Tracy Lightfoot, 3:11.56

3. Michelle Sollenberger, 3:12.45

4. Sherry Dawson, 3:18.16

Half-Marathon

Male

1. David McCollam, 1:11.02

2. Blake Jones, 1:11.08

3. Bishop Beckett, 1:18.46

4. Walter Osborne, 1:19.43

5. Derek Scheidt, 1:21.18

Female

1. Janelle Ralph, 1:30.29

2. Jocelyne Majoy, 1:33.25

3. Monica Arnold, 1:36.38

4. Kristen Gumm, 1:36.42

5. Mandy Musick, 1:38.16

Half-Marathon Relay

1. Tooth Pick Trios, 1:17.38

2. Team Almonds, 1:25.42

3. JBS, 1:27.48

4. The Lightning Tortoises, 1:31.45

5. Cinderella II, 1:33.56

Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

The sixth annual Marshall Marathon is held on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in Huntington. The 26.1-mile race course took runners through downtown past Pullman Square, along the Ohio River, and through Ritter Park.

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Davis, Johnston take MU Marathon titles

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