Hesch, Marley Win Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon

Race record 2,401 finishers at 5th edition in beautiful Santa Ynez Valley

SOLVANG, Calif. - (May 7, 2011) - Late entries Christian Hesch and Tiffanie Marleyled a strong elite field of runners at the 5th Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon on Saturday morning. Hesch from Hollywood, CA set the pace from the start and cruised to victory in a time of 1 hour, 6 minutes, 53 seconds, defeating runner-upBryant Jensen from Ogden, UT by seven seconds with Mark Batres of Rowland Heights, CA third.

In the women's race, Marley of Lake Hughes, CA held off 2008 race winner and Masters ace Susan Loken, 47, from Phoenix, AZ in 1:22:23 to 1:22:47. Both Hesch and Marley had won their only other previous Wine Country Half Marathon (Healdsburg), and this time the race champions took home a 3L bottle of wine, a Ball Watch and $500 cash. Second place finishers received $300 in cash and magnum of wine and third place took home $200 and a magnum of wine. The top three in each age group also won a bottle of wine.

Kellum, Riativa Capture Country Music Marathon Crowns

Maag, Horst half-marathon titlists; country stars, celebrities, 30,000 participate in Nashville's running celebration at 12th edition

By Amana Miyamae, Competitor Group

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - (April 30, 2011) - On a cool Saturday morning that grew into a sunny Nashville afternoon, more than 30,000 runners toed the start line for the 12th Country Music Marathon & ½ Marathon presented by Nissan.

American Idol star Danny Gokey kicked off the event by performing the national anthem for thousands of spectators and inspiring the runners moments before the starting gun. The Weather Channel's Stephanie Abrams, Survivor "Gabon" contestant Marcus Lehman and country music star Jimmy Olander of Diamond Rio all participated in the half-marathon. Great American Country host Suzanne Alexander also completed the 13.1-mile distance.