Runners finish "foggy" half marathon

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Stuart Camp
  • 1st SOW Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  More than 80 people ran in warm, muggy, foggy conditions at the Hurlburt Field Heritage Half-Marathon Dec. 8.

Scott Griffith, a captain from Eglin Air Force Base, surged away from the 6th Special Operations Squadron's Tim Kogge in the final stretch for a 10-second victory. Griffith's time was one hour, 24 minutes and 28 seconds - an average of 6:26 per mile.

Fastest female honors went to Tracy Villano, who navigated the course in 1:33:09 with an average of 7:06-minute miles. In the master's races (over 40), Laurie Polhamus was the top woman with a time of 2:35:58, and Jolly Thornhill took first place for the men in 1:26:17.

Griffith, Kogge and Joshua Ramos separated themselves from the field after just three miles. They chatted as they ran.

"We weren't exactly consistent with our mile splits," Kogge said. Mile times ranged from 6:05 to 6:40, he said.

Ramos, a staff sergeant also from Eglin, dropped back after eight miles but still ran his second fastest half marathon while capturing third place overall with a 1:25:43 finish. 

"My goal was to keep them in sight," he said. With the morning fog still heavy in the air, that distance translated to approximately 150 yards.

Through 12 miles, Griffith and Kogge ran shoulder to shoulder, but over the last half-mile Griffith surged away.

"I was hurting," Kogge said. "He had it in him."

For the next two hours, the rest of the field streamed across the finish line.

Age group winners were: 

Men's 10-15 - 1. Michael Rivera Jr., 1:55:59; 2. Zach Laubasch, 1:56:00 

Men's 16-19 - 1. Craig Anderson, 1:37:08 

Women's 20-29 - 1. D'Nae Price, 1:48:03; 2. Rebecca Logan, 1:53:26; 3. Kristian Pearson, 1:55:58 

Men's 20-29 - 1. Tim Kogge, 1:24:38; 2. Joshua Ramos, 1:25:43; Ralph Nehring, 1:32:39 

Women's 30-39 - 1. Lori Dierig, 1:45:50; 2. Mary Voss, 1:46:58; 3. Shannon Faber, 1:53:07 

Men's 30-39 - 1. Percy Dunagin; 2. Jason Jones, 1:39:13; 3. James Anderson, 1:42:38 

Men's 40-49 - 1. Scott McNey, 1:28:19; 2. Mel Peterson, 1:34:53; 3. Bradley Thompson, 1:38:27 

Men's 50+ -- 1. Jim Anderson, 1:42:33.