Tomoka Marathon attracts over 1400 runners to Ormond Beach

Ormond Beach Observer
Sports

When the, the Tomoka Marathon, half marathon and 5K runs ended, the 1,400-plus runners stayed well after the event to party, get massages and take pictures to capture their exciting moments Saturday, March 28, in Ormond Beach.

Runners from all over the country participated in Tomoka’s second-annual marathon run, a Boston Marathon Qualifier, which took place on around one of Florida’s historic nature courses that include Tomoka State Park. The route, known as The Tomoka Loop, returned along the Intracoastal Waterway, and concluded at The Casements. The post-race party was held at Rockefeller Gardens located beside The Casements on the Halifax River.

“We were very pleased with the turnout of this year’s event, and we look forward to next year’s runs being even bigger,” said Tangela Boyd, public relations specialist for Halifax Health.

Along the courses, runners’ families and friends, including their dogs, cheered the participants and other runners on, while shivering in the 54-degree weather in the early morning along the river.

Of the 1400 who were identified with microchip bib plates, 318 marathon, 669 half marathon and 225 5K finished their courses.

Halifax Health and the Volusia Flagler YMCA have partnered together to present the Live Your Life Well Race Series, which includes 22 distinct running events that are taking place throughout 2015.

“The goal of the race series is to challenge Volusia residents to take 124 million steps to better health in 2015,” Boyd added. “We are actually adding the number of runners and average steps it takes to complete a race to see if we meet this goal at the end of the year.”

BOX: By the numbers: Ormond Beach’s Top 50

Of the 318 marathon finishers, Ormond Beach resident James Morgan led the city’s runners with a 33rd-place finish (second in his age division) with 3:28:50, and Troy Railsback placed 81st (11th) with 3:49:58.

Half-marathon

Eighth (1st) Mark Dun 1:31:50

16th (1st) Jonathan Gildon 1:35:03

17th (1st) Brian Skibo 1:35:42

20th (1st) Naomi Ventura 1:36:07

26th (2nd) Ben Kennedy 1:39:33

31st (2nd) Sara Dean 1:40:40

35th (2nd) Nathan Ahrens 1:41:40

39th (6th) Robert Giardini 1:43:59

41st (1st) Kathleen Doughney 1:44:25

43rd (5th) Nick Picaut 1:44:40

45th (1st) Sheila Sullivan 1:45:14