Mountain Maryland Marathon Festival

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Cumberland Times-News - Mountain Maryland Marathon Festival

Mountain Maryland Marathon Festival

For runners, it was a day of triumph, defeat, joy, sadness From Staff Reports
Cumberland Times-News


Sunday's festivities presented opportunities for triumph and defeat; for joy and sadness; for health and despair.

Sue Moessinger, 59, of Cumberland, finished in 4 hours, 54 minutes and 2 seconds - an average pace of 11:14 per mile. Neither the incline nor the mercury, which steadily rose throughout late morning and early afternoon, was enough to force Moessinger to miss out on a custom finish-line celebration.

With two thumbs up, the elementary school reading specialist began to smile and wave to friends and supporters several meters before reaching the finish line. It might have slowed her, but it didn't seem to matter.

For Hagerstown resident Doug Oates, the marathon festival, presented by Life Fitness Management, was a moment to bask in the limelight of more than a year of high-level training. His winning performance - and a personal best time of 2 hours, 40 minutes and 4 seconds - earned him the $1,000 cash prize and the awe and respect of his wife, Laura, who had surprised him in coming to the Queen City to watch him complete his trek through downtown Cumberland and conquer the 10.5-mile incline along the Great Allegheny Passage.

Fauerbach Adams had intended to push race officials' limit of 8 hours to be counted as an official finisher in the first-time event. But she had little to worry about. She crossed Baltimore Street and was in view of the water fountain in front of the Western Maryland Railway Station with about 30 minutes to spare.

It was the agony of defeat for pre-race favorite John Piggott. Piggott, 43, of Williamsburg, Va., has posted dozens of marathon finishes, each faster than Oates' personal best, new or old. But his luck - or more accurately, his sciatic nerve - wasn't up for it.

Henry Rueden isn't necessarily fast - speed is, after all, relative - but he is steady. Sunday's finish was the 594th at the 26.2-mile distance for Rueden, 59, of De Pere, Wis.

For Cumberland area resident Connie Milligan, it was quit or else. And she chose the latter option. Milligan, 39, suffered an asthma attack in the event's late stages. However, husband Charlie Falter provided medical assistance and helped pace her to a 6-minute mile over the final 5,280 feet.

"I felt better after getting" medicine, she said. "I felt good enough to run a 6-minute mile for the last mile."

For Brian Esker of Elkridge, Md., the race was not at all about fast times, beautiful scenery or much of anything else, really - other than a tribute. Esker promised his cancer-stricken father, who died last week, that he'd run a marathon. Esker's dad had told all his friends about the son's quest - and he felt obligated.

While personal responsibilities kept him from attending the pre-race dinner on Saturday, the 40-year-old still managed a middle-of-the-pack finish as a tribute to his father's legacy.

Not everything started on time Sunday morning, the first time such a running festival has been started in the heart of Cumberland. The combined start for the marathon and half marathon was up to 5 minutes late and the projected times for the festival's awards ceremonies were up to 20 minutes off kilter.

But few seemed to mind, instead focusing on the region's newest health and wellness initiative.

Photos


Participants in the Kids Marathon begin their 1.2-mile trek from the Western Maryland Railway Station as part of Sunday's Mountain Maryland Marathon Festival. Steve Bittner/ (Click for larger image)


Sean Sober of Deep Creek has some extra baggage as he nears the finish line in the half-marathon. Sober finished 27th in a field of 157 with a time of 1:46:29. Steve Bittner/ (Click for larger image)

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