9/28/2024 Maria Bossard, Laura Fairfax, Kristi Quesenberry Gunyula, George McFall, Scott Orlando, Veronica Neubert, Asad Khan, Mike Williams, Loretta Harland, Renee Buckus, Christine Churpek, Josh Keane, Lisa Keane, Roy Miller, Cleopatra Sirnic Clifford, Steve Zenar, Brittany Kiehl, Nancy Wardell, Stephanie Orwick, And Russ Neubert The First Energy Akron Marathon, Half Marathon, And Relay Akron, Ohio

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9/28/2024

First Energy Akron Marathon, Half Marathon, And Marathon Relay

Akron, Ohio

Marathon

Maria Bossard

Finish Time:  4:31:08

Overall Place: 358th Place / 788

Division Place:  18th Place / 251

Laura Fairfax

Finish Time: 5:15:11

Overall Place:  581st Place / 788

Division Place:  28th Place / 37

Half Marathon

Kristi Quesenberry Gunyula

Finish Time:  1:35:33

Overall Place:  94th Place / 2235

Division Place:  7th Place / 143

George McFall

Finish Time:  1:40:25

Overall Place:  146th Place / 2235

Division Place:  8th Place / 101

Scott Orlando

Finish Time:  1:51:41

Overall Place:  318th Place / 2235

Division Place:  15th Place / 101

Veronica Neubert

Finish Time:  1:59:23

Overall Place:  525th Place / 2236

Division Place:  19th Place / 112

Asad Khan

Finish Time:  1:59:55

Overall Place:  543rd Place / 2235

Division Place:  27th Place / 101

Mike Williams

Finish Time: 2:23:20

Overall Place:  1292nd Place / 2235

Division Place:  6oth Place / 101

Loretta Harland

Finish Time:  2:225:58

Overall Place:  1375th Place / 2235

Division Place:  15th Place / 46

Renee Buckus

Finish Time:  2:43:50

Overall Place:  1755th Place / 2235

Division Place:  148th Place / 181

Relay

Cascade Auto Full Throttle

Christine Churpek

Finish Time:  3:34:15

Overall Place:  35th Place / 558

Division Place:  14th Place / 372 Coed Mixed

Team ER We’ve got The Runs

Josh Keane

Lisa Keane

Finish Time:  4:21:52

Overall Place:  223rd Place / 558

Division Place:  151st Place / 372 Coed Mixed

Team ER

Roy Miller

Cleopatra Sirnic Clifford

Steve Zenar

Brittany Kiehl

Nancy Wardell

Finish Time:  4:35:10

Overall Place:  302nd Place / 558

Division Place:  205th Place / 372 Coed Mixed

The Performance Collective

Stephanie Orwick

Finish Time:  4:46:04

Overall Place:  361st Place / 558

Division Place:  246th Place / 372  Coed Mixed

Volunteers

Stephanie Orwick volunteered and helped with packet pick up at the race expo

Russ Neubert was on the course taking pictures and providing support to Team ER members.

Race Recap By George McFall:

I completed another Akron Marathon race series on Saturday when I crossed the finish line on S. Main St in front of Canal Park Stadium. I ran the 1/2 marathon. My time was 1:40:25. The weather was the story. It was very humid. I knew it was going to be bad while I was doing a very easy warm up mile. I tried not to think about it. I trained for this. I am ready. The gun went off and away we went down High St. and over the Y Bridge. The course was very challenging. A lot of uphill especially on Brown St. I was never able to lock in and hit my goal paces but kept working hard. I usually feed off the energy of the spectators but not on this day. I am not sure why. As I made the right turn onto S. Main St. (after yet another climb up the exit ramp), I could see the finish line. It was time to dig deep. I said to myself, let’s finish this thing. It was great hearing my name as I approached the finish line. This is something all races should consider doing. The after race party was awesome. Great food, live music and fun!

Race Recap By Steve Zenar:

I had a wonderful time running the Akron Marathon Relay today. Thanks to my wonderful teammates for allowing me to join in and have some fun following the blue line. Great job by all the others out there crushing the course(s). Have a wonderful, relaxing, and restful remainder of the weekend!

Race Recap By Brittany Kiehl:

Akron Marathon Relay Leg4.  This part of the relay started at Sand Run Metro Park, went into the neighborhoods of Overwood and Wiltshire, and finished at Firestone CLC. It was roughly 4.5 miles. This leg has the most elevation and it feels like you’re forever climbing. However, the crowd support and energy was top notch. Even after all the hills and humidity, I honestly wanted to keep going, because I didn’t want the race to end. I loved seeing all the block parties and community show up in Akron. My only complaint was the finishers area this year felt a little congested and confusing to me. I had difficulty finding where to go to receive my series medal. I miss the finishers festival at Canal Park or Lock 3. But having a Swenson’s burger at the end made everything better. I also loved the shirts and medals this year. The Akron Marathon continues to be one of the best days of the year in Akron. I already can’t wait to complete series again next year.
Race Recap By Lisa Keane:
FirstEnergy Akron Marathon, Half Marathon & Team Relay 2024 was a top notch, professional event.
This is the first year that I did the series and every single event was on point! The races are a little pricey but you absolutely do get your money’s worth!
The expo is well run with a ton of vendors and giveaways.
I had run the Akron half before but this was my first time running the relay. I teamed up with some runners that I had not met in person and was worried about the hand off. The corals were very organized with volunteers calling out our team numbers well in advance. Absolutely seamless.
My relay medal is unique and beautiful! I even got a medal rack and extra medal for completing the series!
I ran leg 4 and loved the elevation challenge and community support. The block parties with kids, music, and Buddy the Elf was so much fun!
Each leg was able to pick up their medal at their own finish and busing was super convenient.
The after party had food trucks, adult beverages, and live music all available at the finish.
Our only hiccup was parking in the morning. With our later legs, we arrived after the start and roads were closed making it confusing on where we were supposed to park.  Overall fantastic race experience!
Race Recap By Josh Keane:
The First Energy Akron Marathon was a very well organized and fun race as always. We had a great time competing in the relay team race. My leg was the longest at 6.9 miles and went through the University of Akron campus with some rolling hills. This race is a lot of fun with spectators everywhere cheering everyone on, great aid stations and the best celebration afterwards with food, drink and live music. Our team did an outstanding job and finished 204 out of 503 teams with a finish time of 4 hours and 21 minutes. My leg was a lot of fun and I was able to complete the 6.9 miles in 58 minutes with an average pace of 8:33. This is a great race if you can, I recommend getting together with friends to run this one as a team or get out and do your own distance. You will not regret it!

 

Race Recap By Asad Khan:

Akron was full of energy this morning for the marathon! I had a tough race.  High humidity and some annoying knee and groin issues, but finished regardless (at 1:59)! I ran with so many friends and running partners and saw so many more cheering! Thank you to all for supporting. Special thanks to coach Christine Churpek for training plans and encouragement!

Race Recap By Renee Buckus:

I ran 20 miles today with a half marathon somewhere in there. I’m in my feels so forgive the emotions but running can feel isolating at times and then I look around and see my village. I love this sport, I love the people that push me, I am so proud of myself for the times I don’t have anyone there to push me but truly, I know I’m never alone. Lastly, and yes I saved the best for last. The biggest thanks goes to @cadebuckus and it’s not even close. He holds this house down, takes care of our daughter while I run and through it all he cheers me on with every mile. I’m running a marathon because it’s on my bucket list and I want to do something challenging but I’m getting so much more out of it than I expected. @cbusmarathon , I’m ready for you!

Race Recap By Scott Orlando:

I have competed in the First Energy Akron Marathon, Half Marathon, And Relay many times.  Each experience has been unique for various reasons.   This year I competed in the half marathon and for me the race boiled down to 4 things, injuries, humidity, hills, and friends.  Heading into the race I had been plagued by a series of nagging injuries that won’t seem to go away.  A torn plantar fasciitis on one foot, metatarsalgia on the other foot, a damaged shoulder from a bike spill and extremely tight hips and glutes are all injuries I have been dealing with in training and at the race.  I knew I was prepared enough to complete the 13.1 miles but also knew that my body just wasn’t ready to do it at the pace I usually compete at.   My start line goals where to have fun, run at a comfortable pace, and make it to the finish line in one piece.

The race day temperatures were in the low 70’s with extremely high humidity.  The humidity would become a serious factor in the race.  I was prepared with my SPI Belt filled with Carb Boom Energy Gel and SaltStick FastChews.  In past races I had experienced some calf cramping in the later miles of the race.  Even with the high humidity this year the Carb Boom Energy Gel and SaltStick FastChews did the trick of preventing any cramping.

The race field appeared larger in size than the previous few years.  The start of the race is an epic experience with well choreographed music, countdowns, and announcers sending runners off in the dark down the streets of Akron lined with cheering fans.   I was in the first coral so it was nice to get on the course without too much congestion.   I got off to a good start for the first few miles and felt strong.  Soon the humidity started to make its presence known so I decided to slow my pace.  I settled into my goal pace of 8:15 – 8:30 per mile.  Normally I would be at a 7:35- 7:45 mile pace but not this year.   Around miles 5-7 I found myself mentally not as focused as I would have liked to have been.  This concerned me so early in the race.  I kept telling myself to trust my training and run the mile that I was in.   I finally settled down and felt a little better after the Carb Boom Energy Gel and a few SaltStick FastChews kicked in.  The course was a little different than previous years but that didn’t seem to erase the hills.  Once I got to the 10 mile mark I started feeling better mentally.  Running back into downtown and feeding off of the energy of the crowds really helped motivate me.  I made it to the finish in a time of 1:51:41 which was about 8-10 minutes slower than my typical finish time at this race.  I was surprised that I managed 15th place in my division out of 101 runners.

The finisher festival was a little nicer than last year, but still challenged for space in the parking lots above the stadium.  More parking lots were used this year to create a larger area than last year but it was still very crowded and hard to find people.  With the stadium now off the table and Lock 3 Park still under construction I think they did a nice job to use what space they had available.   At the finisher festival runners received a bag of food from Acme, two beers, and choice of a food item from several food trucks.  A Galley Boy from Swenson’s was an easy choice for me.   The finisher medals this year were very nice.  I liked the design of this year’s shirts but wish that they were a tech material instead of t-shirts.  Relay runner received short sleeve t-shirts, half marathon runners received long sleeve t-shirts, and full marathon runners received 1/4 zip shirts.  I would love to see them bring back the jackets for the full marathon and the stadium finish.  The Akron Marathon Race Series finishers who completed all three races also received an additional medal and medal display.   The Akron Marathon Race Series Races are some of the best organized and well attended races in the area.

It was great seeing so many Team ER members compete in the race and to see so many running friends out there on the course.  Thank you to the Akron Marathon, the army of volunteers and to all of the spectators who got up early to cheer us all through the finish line!