TracGunny
10-03-04, 07:46 AM
Last modified Sun., October 03, 2004 - 12:54 AM Originally created Sunday, October 3, 2004
:marine:
Jax Beach man wins half marathon
McRae inspired by patriotic setting in Marine Corps race at Metropolitan Park.
By DAVID JOHNSON, The Times-Union
In more than 20 race victories, Jacksonville Beach resident Paul McRae had never won by running under a pair of M-198 Howitzers.
That was before Saturday.
The 31-year-old outran his training partners to win the first Jacksonville Marine Corps Half Marathon at Metropolitan Park in 1 hour, 10 minutes, 45 seconds.
Symbols of military pride and patriotism were everywhere from military vehicles lined up near the finish to an amphibious assault vehicle that greeted runners making the turn into Metropolitan Park. The finish line had camouflage netting on it topped by a pair of American flags.
McRae said the humidity made the last half of the race tough after a headwind kept the runners cooled off on the way out. But he got some motivation from the Marines.
"The lead truck was playing some Marine marching songs the whole time. It just got me going," said McRae, a University of North Florida graduate assistant cross country coach originally from New Zealand.
Former UNF runners Jeremiah Reckart, 23, and Zepherinus Joseph, 28, finished behind McRae in 1:12:27 and 1:13:13, respectively.
"I had to win, because I missed our training run in the morning," McRae said. "I thought Zeph would come get me at the end."
McRae said Reckart and Joseph were treating the race as more of a training run, but Joseph said "I was pushing it. That was the best I had today."
Joseph was running in his second area race since he represented St. Lucia in the Olympic marathon.
Neptune Beach resident J.C. Hanley, 27, was the first woman in 1:28:47.
"I like running a new course," she said. "The crowd was great. They were cheering all over."
david.johnson@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4491
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/100304/spl_16804047.shtml
:marine:
Jax Beach man wins half marathon
McRae inspired by patriotic setting in Marine Corps race at Metropolitan Park.
By DAVID JOHNSON, The Times-Union
In more than 20 race victories, Jacksonville Beach resident Paul McRae had never won by running under a pair of M-198 Howitzers.
That was before Saturday.
The 31-year-old outran his training partners to win the first Jacksonville Marine Corps Half Marathon at Metropolitan Park in 1 hour, 10 minutes, 45 seconds.
Symbols of military pride and patriotism were everywhere from military vehicles lined up near the finish to an amphibious assault vehicle that greeted runners making the turn into Metropolitan Park. The finish line had camouflage netting on it topped by a pair of American flags.
McRae said the humidity made the last half of the race tough after a headwind kept the runners cooled off on the way out. But he got some motivation from the Marines.
"The lead truck was playing some Marine marching songs the whole time. It just got me going," said McRae, a University of North Florida graduate assistant cross country coach originally from New Zealand.
Former UNF runners Jeremiah Reckart, 23, and Zepherinus Joseph, 28, finished behind McRae in 1:12:27 and 1:13:13, respectively.
"I had to win, because I missed our training run in the morning," McRae said. "I thought Zeph would come get me at the end."
McRae said Reckart and Joseph were treating the race as more of a training run, but Joseph said "I was pushing it. That was the best I had today."
Joseph was running in his second area race since he represented St. Lucia in the Olympic marathon.
Neptune Beach resident J.C. Hanley, 27, was the first woman in 1:28:47.
"I like running a new course," she said. "The crowd was great. They were cheering all over."
david.johnson@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4491
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/100304/spl_16804047.shtml