Keating, Mandefro wins 3M Half Marathon titles

Despite a posted start time of 6:45 a.m., the 16th annual 3M Half Marathon & Relay got off to a later start at 7:36 a.m. due to windblown barricades. Start time for wheelchairs as well as runners was delayed by nearly an hour as crews worked to replace barricades knocked over during event preparation by westerly winds gusting up to 28 mph at 6 a.m.

“Our first priority is to keep our athletes safe,” said Matt Fagan, 3M Half Marathon & Relay race director. “Delayed starts are an inconvenience to everyone, especially for a sold out race like this, but it’s more important to keep the runners safe. Everyone was doing the best they could in a difficult situation. We’re grateful to all of the folks helped ensure a safe event for our participants and volunteers, and to the local media outlets who let the community know about the situation to help mitigate traffic problems.”

Winds continued to strengthen during the event overall. By the end of the four hour event, the National Weather Service in Austin/San Antonio issued a wind advisory today, expected to be in effect until 6 p.m. this evening. A Wind Advisory means that sustained winds of 26 to 39 mph are expected.

Regardless of the weather, the event’s historically strong elite field did not disappoint. Westly Keating a University of Texas Pan American graduate from Edinburg, Texas took first place in the 2010 3M Half Marathon with a final time of one hour, three minutes and 22 seconds (1:03:22), leaving intact Martin Fagan’s (current event record holder and no relation to the race director) event record of 1:01:05 set last year. Keating was one of the ones to watch, coming off a 2009 San Antonio Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon win with 1:05:24. Coming in second, Bado Worku-Merdessa of Ethiopia clocked in with 1:03:51. His countryman, Abiyot Endale, rounded out the top three with a time of 1:04:17.

In the women’s open division, Hirut Mandefro of Ethiopia led the pack with a time of 1:14:24, followed closely by Aziza Aliyu of Ethiopia at 1:14:32. Returning 3M competitor and 2008 second place finish for the women’s division, Claudia Carmargo of Argentina took third with 1:16:52. Defending women’s champion, Belaynesh Gebre of Ethiopia was unable to attend Sunday’s race due to snowy weather.

In the female masters division, Austin’s own Catherine Barrerra took top honors with a time of 1:26:03. Colorado’s Brad Seng won the men’s masters division in 1:09.46. Returning wheelchair champion Brad Ray of New Mexico, was the overall male wheelchair division winner for the third consecutive year at 53:22. A new entrant to the women’s wheelchair field, Sandi Rush of Colorado, took the female wheelchair division title from local Kristen Messer with a time of 1:08:58. Messer finished with 1:36:50.

Start time weather conditions for the race were fair with clear skies and with temperatures about 54 degrees (Fahrenheit) with west/northwest winds of 10 miles per hour with gusts up to 17 mph; humidity was 34 percent.

This was the largest 3M Half Marathon ever, with 5,500 runners registered for the two events: a 13.1 mile half marathon and a two-person half marathon relay (legs of 6.4 and 6.7 miles). The event sold out Thursday evening, Jan. 21, before packet pickup began. The previous high water mark was set in 2008 with more than 5,300 registrants.