The 2nd Annual Spring Equinox Half Marathon and 4 Mile races kicked off under grey skies and mild conditions. The event was hosted at The Biergarden @ Anheuser-Busch Brewery and run on a mix of paved and dirt county roads. Hundreds of runners and walkers took part in the event, which featured a fun post-race party with food and beverages at The Biergarten where the award ceremony was held as well.
In the men’s half marathon, Neil McDonagh took top honors in 1:12:58 with Taylor Hannegan coming in second in 1:13:25. Rounding out the top three was James O’Sullivan in 1:18:33. The top male master finisher was Michael Kraus in 1:19:11.
The women’s half marathon saw 2016 champion Heather Utrata continue her reign with a win in 1:24:11. Coming in second was Becky Lynn in 1:26:02, with Katie Kissane crossing the line in third in 1:27:30. The top female master finisher was Theresa Allen in 1:31:35.
The men’s 4 mile race was close, with the top three finishers crossing the line within a minute of each other. Chris Retzlaff was the top finisher in 21:35; Michael Chavez came in second in 21:50 and Tyler Sewald finished third in 22:13. The top male master was Doug Skiba in 25:56.
In the women’s 4 mile, Emmy Briggs came in first in 25:46 with Laura Harger finishing second in 27:11. Rounding out the podium was Tanya Perry in 29:49. The top female master was Dianne Flynn in 32:38.