Thousands run in City of Oaks marathon

Geoffrey Kiprotich, 32, who earned a $1,300 cash award, ran in a pack of leaders for most of the race but pulled away near the 21-mile mark, quickly gaining a lead of about 30 seconds.

A total of 2,798 athletes finished the event – 2,153 in the Rex Healthcare Half Marathon and 645 in the marathon – which took place at North Carolina’s Centennial Campus Sunday morning.

Behind Kiprotich, was Kalib Wilkinson, 26, of Lynchburg, Va, who hung on to his second-place spot and finished in a time of 2 hours, 27 minutes and 19 seconds. Third place belonged to Sergey Kaledin, 42, of Eugene, Ore., who completed the race in 2 hours, 29 minutes and 13 seconds.

Returning women’s marathon champion Elena Kaledina, 44, of Eugene, Ore., defended her 2009 title and won her event in a time of 2 hours, 51 minutes and 33 seconds.

She held a comfortable lead over second-place winner Kimberlie Fowler, 30, of Raleigh, who finished in a time of 3 hours, 2 minutes and 59 seconds.

Kimberlie Fowler, of Raleigh, finished in third place with a time of 3 hours, 11 minutes and 11 seconds.

Daniel Kipkoech, 23, of Kennesaw, Ga., won the half marathon, completing the race in 1 hour, 4 minutes and 38 seconds, breaking the record set in 2009 by 30 seconds.

Maria Busienei, 25, of Charleston, W.Va., finished first in the women’s event with a time of 1 hour, 20 minutes and 20 seconds.

Running elsewhere Sunday morning was Shalane Flanagan, a former cross country runner at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a 2008 Olympics bronze medalist.

She finished second place in her marathon debut in the New York City Marathon, finishing in 2 hours, 28 minutes and 40 seconds.

Edison Pena, one of nearly three dozen people trapped inside a collapsed mine in Chile, also competed in the New York City Marathon – his first – finishing in 5 hours, 40 minutes and 51 seconds.

Pena, who spent 69 days trapped, said he ran up to 6 miles a day, often carrying a heavy pallet behind him to increase the challenge.

Proceeds form the City of Oaks Marathon and Rex Healthcare Marathon benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Rex Healthcare Foundation and Girls on the Run.