By Dan Cruz, Competitor Group DALLAS - (March 14, 2010) - The inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Dallas Half Marathon, benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure, held Sunday on a clear sunny morning, was highlighted by 28-year-old Texan Westly Keating's 1:03:31 victory and Kansas City's Melissa Todd's win in the women's race.
Keating surged at mile 6 to break away from Kenyan Shadrack Songok, and cruised to his third straight half-marathon title.
"The half-marathon distance has been good to me," said Keating, who won the 2009 Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio Half Marathon and January's 3M Half Marathon in Austin. "I wanted to go out hard for the first eight miles, and then coast for the final five miles downhill. Shadrack went out hard too, but there were some nice long straight-aways where I was able to get in a groove. It was a great race."
Songok and countryman James Kirwa finished second and third in 1:05:53 and 1:06:35 respectively.
Todd, 35, a six-time NCAA Division III All-American at Carthage College, finished in 1:16:46 - 49 seconds ahead of runner-up Abbi Antablin of New York City. Dallas resident Melisa Christian took third in 1:18:21.
"I ran a pace that felt right, my goal was to do the best I could and see what happened. It feels awesome to win," said Todd, who holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology. "The music was cool, I listen to my iPod when I train and normally in races you don't see that fun concert type of atmosphere."
The 13.1 mile event, which had more than 9,200 finishers, began at 8:00am to the cheers of the iconic Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and featured a scenic course that ran through Highland Park and down Swiss Avenue, with the University of Texas Longhorn Pep Marching Band performing as runners approached the finish line.
Inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Dallas Half Marathon
Dallas, TX, Sunday, March 14, 2010
MEN
1) Westly Keating (USA / TX), 1:03:31
2) Shadrack Songok (KEN), 1:05:53
3) James Kirwa (KEN), 1:06:35
WOMEN
1) Melissa Todd (USA / MO), 1:16:46
2) Abbi Antablin (USA / NY), 1:17:35
3) Melisa Christain (USA / TX), 1:18:21
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