Local runners take top spots in City of Oaks marathon

A record number of runners took to the streets in Raleigh early Sunday to participate in the fifth annual City of Oaks Marathon.

In all, 3,774 people took part in the either the full marathon, the Rex Healthcare Half Marathon and the News & Observer Old Reliable 10K, which started and finished at the Bell Tower on the campus of North Carolina State University.

Of all the participants, 690 runners finished the 26.2-mile marathon, 64 teams completed the marathon relay, 1,869 completed the 13.1-mile half marathon and 486 finished the 10K.

Beginning around 7:15 Sunday morning, runners took off down Hillsborough Street and made their way past Cameron Village, Meredith College and the RBC Center before looping through William B. Umstead State Park before looping back to the Bell Tower.

Mitch VanBruggen, 26, of Durham, won the men’s marathon title with a time of 2:29:33. Van Bruggen led throughout and finished just ahead of Tim Surface, 33, of Raleigh, who crossed the finish line in 2:33:50.

Kimberlie Fowler, 26, of Raleigh, finished first in the women’s marathon, pulling out to an early lead and crossing the finish line in 2:55:22. WRAL anchor Kelcey Carlson, 37, finished second behind Fowler with a time of 3:05:13.

The top five men and top five women in Sunday’s marathon and half marathon all won cash prizes. Cash prizes were also given out to the top three male and top three female Masters (over 40) runners in both events.

Proceeds from the day’s events benefit local chapters of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Rex Healthcare Foundation and Girls on the Run.