THANK YOU FOR A GREAT WEEKEND!
D.C.'s Baillie, Bethesda's Tanner take victories
Brian Baillie's first marathon couldn't have gone any better.
The Washington, D.C., man finished first in the Frederick Marathon on Sunday in 2 hours, 34 minutes, 48 seconds.
"I kind of expected to win," Baillie said. "I've been running 120 miles a week since January. This is all I can think about."
The women's winner was Bethesda's Melissa Tanner, who finished second two years ago.
Baillie, a 25-year-old teacher who has taken a year off from teaching, said he's never run more than 23 or 24 miles, and that was in training.
"My goal is to qualify for the Olympic Trials," he said. "I wanted to get the first one out of the way successfully, and I did that today."
He said he felt good, but added, "My legs are trashed."
He hoped to cover the distance in 2:30. The Frederick Marathon record is 2:27:15, set last year by Chris Zieman.
Tanner, a 27-year-old graduate student at American University, ran in her third marathon and second Frederick Marathon.
She finished in 2:56.14.
"It feels great," she said. "I'm a Maryland native and wanted to come here to win."
But she said this year's race was harder. This year, the marathon was held on a new course, which started and finished at the Frederick Fairgrounds.
"The hills got to me," Tanner said. "They were really hard. I wondered if I would be able to finish."
She said she finished the race two years ago in about 2:58.
Overview
- Fast, gently rolling course spanning the northern and southern regions of Frederick. USATF Certification for the new course is pending. Once finalized, this race can be used as a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. In 2005, one out of every six runners qualified for the Boston Marathon. The average finishing time was 4:11.
- Average Temperature at start of race: 58°
- ChampionChip timing will be used. Personally owned ChampionChips may be used.
- Proceeds of the 2008 Frederick Running Festival will benefit the United Way of Frederick County and the Special Olympics of Maryland.
- Results will be posted on the website 1 hour after the marathon finish line closes.
- Marathon, half-marathon, and relay finishers will receive commemorative medals and finishers t-shirts.
- Course will remain open for six hours, closing on a continuous pace of 14 minutes per mile.
- For your safety: no strollers, skates, or pets allowed on the course.
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