More than 2,700 competitors ran, jogged and walked today’s Allstate Life Insurance(SM) New York 13.1 Marathon® and 5K on a brisk windy morning at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Mikael Kahsy, 25, of Bronx, N.Y., completed the half-marathon in a time of 1:08:30, edging out second-place finisher Tesfaye Girma by seven seconds. Tigst Tufademiss, 26, of Bronx, was the women’s half-marathon winner, finishing in 1:17:29, breezing through the finish line looking fresh enough to run another half-marathon.
Devang Patel of North Bergen, N.J., dressed as John Travolta’s “Tony Manero” character in the hit movie Saturday Night Fever, began the race in last place and passed 2,209 runners, earning a $1 donation for each ($2,209 total) by US Road Sports to benefit N.J. Shore cleanup.
“It was hard to start from the back,” said Patel. When I was dying out, all I was thinking about was restoring the shore, and I’m from Jersey, so I just wanted to get past every person possible.”
The 13.1-mile race featured 2,270 runners while the 5K attracted around 500 competitors.
“It was very cold, but I’m very happy to win this race,” said Kahsy. “With two miles left, I was 100 percent sure I’d win.”
“I took the lead around the nine-mile mark,” said Tufademiss. I’m very happy to win.”
In the 5K race, Joshua Lerch, 31, of Manhattan took the men’s championship with a time of 16:09. Lauren Valentino, 35, of Fleetwood, N.Y., was the women’s winner, finishing in 20:49, throwing her hands in the air as she crossed the finish line, elated with her win.
“It feels great, I thought I had a good chance to win,” said Lerch. My time wasn’t exactly what I wanted it to be, but it’s windy and cold and not perfect conditions, but feels good.
“It feels awesome, love it,” said Valentino on winning. “Perfect day for it too.”
The Allstate Life Insurance(SM) New York 13.1 Marathon® is the third in the eight-city Series, which includes races in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles and Miami Beach. Connect with the 13.1 Marathon Series via Facebook at www.facebook.com/131marathon or on Twitter at @131Marathon.
The disco-themed day was capped by “Disco Down in Queens” a post-race party like no other, in which fans enjoyed free beer provided by Michelob ULTRA in the Queens Museum of Art and a disco party with the funkiest of funk bands.
Allstate® Life Insurance has partnered with non-profit organization Give Your Sole to collect moderately-used athletic shoes before and after the Allstate Life Insurance(SM) New York 13.1 Marathon®. Runners donated shoes at participating 13.1 Marathon® packet pick-up locations, some giving the shoes right off their feet after crossing the finish line in exchange for a free pair of flip flops.
The Allstate Life Insurance(SM) New York 13.1 Marathon® is the third in the eight-city Series, which includes races in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles and Miami Beach. Connect with the 13.1 Marathon Series via Facebook at www.facebook.com/131marathon or on Twitter at @131Marathon.
The event also featured the popular Finish Line Festival, featuring entertainers, games and interactive experiences. A cool-down station provided race finishers with bottled water and cool towels, while massage therapists were on hand to help alleviate post-race aches and pains of runners.
Allstate Life Insurance(SM) New York 13.1 Marathon®
March 23, 2013, Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Men
1 Mikael Kahsay, Bronx, N.Y., 1:08:30
2 Tesfaye Girma, Queens, N.Y., 1:08:37
3 Takele Gebreliul, New York, 1:08:52
4 Tariku Bokan, New York, 1:09:20
5 Jerry Faulkner, Queens, N.Y., 1:09:54
Women
1 Tigist Tufa, Bronx, N.Y., 1:17:29
2 Hirut Beyene, New York, 1:17:35
3 Tsehay Gebre, New York, 1:17:36
4 Marsha Milan-Bethel, Bronx, N.Y., 1:25:59
5 Guadalupe Merlos, Miami, 1:27:36
Allstate Life Insurance(SM) New York 5K
1 Joshua Lerch, New York, 16:09
2 Aaron Nieves, Howard Beach, N.Y., 17:25
3 Richard Brienza, Floral Park, N.Y., 17:40
4 Eduardo Aponte, Ridgewood, N.Y., 18:40
5 Stefan Kuss, New York, 20:14
Women
1 Lauren Valentino, Fleetwood, N.Y., 20:47
2 Ashley Bartle, Mt. Pleasant, S.C., 22:56
3 Katrina Bernardo, Jamaica, N.Y., 23:17
4 Lindley Neugebauer, Merrick, N.Y., 24:24
5 Silvia Ozkan, 24:36